Hakuho-ryu Aiki Budo at Itten Dojo, August 29 and 30, 2009
 

Itten Dojo is honored to announce an open seminar with Rod Uhler of the Hakuho-ryu, on August 29 and 30, 2009.

The technical curriculum of Hakuho-ryu Aiki Budo consists of the techniques of Daito-ryu Aikijujutsu and Ono-ha Itto-ryu Kenjutsu, as transmitted to Okabayashi Shogen by Takeda Tokimune and Hisa Takuma. While preserving its Japanese cultural origins, Hakuho-ryu focuses on dispelling the mysticism usually associated with martial arts tracing their roots to the kobudo. The difference between Hakuho-ryu and its parent styles is not so much its technical curriculum, but rather the methodological and philosophical foundations of the style. Focusing on five major areas of study and training -- body movement, the composition of the human body, mental and physical development through breath training, understanding the self, and development of the five senses -- as well as developing a scientific, non-mystical, method for transmitting the art are what truly differentiates Hakuho-ryu from its kobudo roots. Additional information on Okabayashi Sensei and the Hakuho-ryu can be found at hakuhoryu.whiteoakdojo.com.

Rod Uhler is returning home after living in Japan since 1994, during which time he trained intensively in Hakuho-ryu with Okabayashi Sensei. He is a licensed instructor of aikijujutsu and kenjutsu, and will be teaching both arts during this visit. Training will be conducted in two sessions each day, from 9:00 a.m. until 12:00 noon, and from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. The registration fee for this seminar is $125 for both days of training, or $75 for a single day.

Saturday, August 29 -- Aikijujutsu: The most fundamental, mechanical aspect of training in Hakuho-ryu is hito e mi (single-layer body) movement. This movement paradigm is different from the concept of hito e mi found in other martial arts. In Hakuho-ryu, the purpose of hito e mi is to eliminate any twist in the body during the execution of techniques and to emphasize the use of gravity as the driving force behind most all movement. Training on Saturday will convey an understanding of hito e mi by means of drills and Uhler Sensei will present a variety of applications of the principle in techniques. Participation in the aikijujutsu portion of the seminar is limited to 36 persons.

Sunday, August 30 -- Kenjutsu: One of the chief inspirations for the Dai Nippon Teikoku Kendo Kata was the Tokyo Koshi Go Gyo no Kata, developed mainly by Takano Sasaburo of the Ono-ha Itto-ryu. Takano Sensei wanted a set of kata which were easy to learn and easy to teach, to provide kendo practitioners a better feeling for classical swordsmanship in order to improve their sword use in kendo, and he began teaching the kata to the kendo club at the elite Tokyo Teacher's College in 1904. The kata are based on 60 basic kumitachi of the Itto-ryu, and are designed to teach harmonious, graceful, and elegant movements. Because Uhler Sensei will introduce all five Go Gyo no Kata, training on Sunday may run later than 4:30 p.m. Participation in the kenjutsu portion of the seminar is limited to 24 persons.

A registration form, along with a map displaying the location of hotels near the dojo, can be downloaded here.

For additional information, please contact:

Robert Wolfe
Itten Dojo, Inc.
4425 Valley Road, Suite 300
Enola, PA 17025-2079
717.728.8871
ittendojocho@cs.com
www.ittendojo.org