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Just like any other martial art, it's important to "shop" schools and instructors before making a decision to train. That's pretty easy to do with gendai arts, but not koryu arts. First, gendai arts are much more prevalent. Second, many of these dojo have more or less commercialized themselves. Important: I say "commercialized" not in the sense of "selling out" or McDojo. Rather, commercial in that they are open to the public and have, with certain exceptions, pretty much of an open admissions policy. To be crass: you pay, you play...and as along as you play nice and follow the rules, you stay and eventually earn rank.
Koryu arts are much different, as I found out. Perhaps the major difference is the emphasis on the student-teacher relationship. A close second is the emphasis upon tradition. You are carefully interviewed by the instructor just as you are interviewing them. In the end, it is purely and entirely at the instructor's discretion who he chooses to teach. Money isn't a factor...most koryu instructors teach for no monentary compensation.
So far, I have visited with two koryu instructors and will be visiting the third this next weekend. The arts represented: Muso Shinden ryu (and Battodo); Yagyu Shinkage and Shinto Muso ryu; and Muso Jikiden Eishin ryu.
With the exception of Dave Lowry who's here in my hometown...I must drive 4 hours one way for these other instructors. Is it worth it? Depends upon you. It is for me. Something about the sword captivates me.
11-09-2007 08:03 AM 