Shinobigokoro

It`s Sunday night here in Japan and tomorrow we leave for home. We`re ready. These past couple of days have been hectic, but great fun and profound for me.

Last night, we went to Nagato sensei`s training where he used me as uke. His movement has become so light, even more so since last year, I mentioned it to him and he said, "I`m getting old," and smiled.

"Make (your opponent) look like a fool," as he changed positions and directions, techniques and tactics. "Usually I say don`t copy me. But you need somewhere to start, so imitating me is okay."

As we bowed out he looked at everyone, "Always be ready for a fight. And when it comes, don`t hold back."

After training, our last celebratory toast as a group at a local izakaya was a little prophetic. Steve, one of my oldest students, in from England with two of his own, said he hated to leave in the morning and miss the last day of training with Soke, "Everything always happens after I leave." Steve was right.

On our final day of training, Soke was late and Noguchi sensei started us off working through the Kihon Happo. Good fun. When Soke showed, he marched onto the floor in yellow socks and began. He kept changing his uke from one to another, proving that the more things change the more they stay the same. And then he pointed at me. After I punched at him I don`t remember much. I wound up on the floor and he was digging into my face with his nails. I couldn`t move, or fight back, and didn`t want to. "Can you move? Can you move?" Rhetorical. "What`s the feeling?" he asked after letting me up. An octopus. A giant octopus wearing yellow socks slowly squeezing away my life.

When we broke for kukei and everyone lined up for Soke`s caligraphy, my student Mike and I agreed we`d ask for the themes of our dojo, "Asobigokoro," playful heart, and "Tsunagaru," connection. Soke banged them out with customary flair and looked at me, "Do you know the real martial arts?" Soke has never asked me a question like this before and I wasn`t sure how to answer. "I hope so," I said. He smiled.

Soke seemed even more energetic after the break. He let loose with swords, hanbo, bo, even shikomi, a bo with a concealed chain. "Be playful (using asobigokoro)," he said. "Stay connected (using tsunagaru)." Mike and I couldn`t help but smile at each other.

After bowing out he looked at everyone, "The core of the Bujinkan is strong. There are people around the world doing strange things. But as long as the core is strong, the Bujinkan will be safe."

As he passed me leaving, he stopped and spoke to me about the status of the Bujinkan and it`s future. He ended with, "Everyone is very good - this will help protect us."

The day and this whole trip has been inspiring for us all. It`s the reason we come.

Oh, and "/s" ... I put my damn plaque up.