Kihontai - Basic Movements

Kihontai - Basic Movements:

In most kyu-dojo, I believe that after safety and information on the clothes and equipment most of us are taught the Kinhontai (basic movements) such as how to sit, stand, and bow.

My first period of training with sitting, bowing, standing, and walking was longer than most, since I'm such a slow learner. But I think I never, until now, really understood just how important this training is. At the time this seemed like just good training. This was the best time to learn these basics so that later we would be ready to shoot.

I continued to do this practice on an almost daily schedule. Than a few years ago as my knees deteriorated I let the movement of sitting and standing slip off my daily routine. Of course, I still did everything else, but this movement felt like it was hurting my ability to move more than helping it; so I let it go.

Then late last year I lamented that I couldn't stand and sit as well as I used to (imagine that if I don't train it, I can't do it, duh). But still, you'd think that after 30 years of training, I would be great at this. My knees have felt better lately (could be from the break of doing the practice, but I think not. I believe it's that I increased my walking around the block, tai chi, and yoga practices). In any case, I renewed my practice of standing and sitting back into my daily training.

The result has been a much deeper understanding of kihontai than I've ever experienced before. This practice is so much more important than I ever imagined, on so many levels of interaction; I don't even know where to begin discussing it.

Of course, we know that the tai hai or body movements we make to approach the target are just as important as the hassetsu or 8 stages of shooting we use to shoot the arrow. These two balance eachother and show eachother to us even clearer with their contrast. They also begin to interact with eachother, so one enhances the other.

I remember a Zen Priest from one of our performances saw me helping set up everything and asked, "So you do kyudo with him?" nodding to Kosaka Sensei. I answered "yes". He said, "So what's more important: the tai hai, the approach you do to the target, or the hassetsu of shooting the arrow". I answered, "Cleaning the dojo, before and after class". He responded that I was very well trained.

Cleaning the dojo, taking care of our equipment and clothes, and all of our practices are designed to heighten our awareness. Awareness of every detail that we can experience. So too with the Kihontai and Tai Hai, isn't it?

As my awareness of these basics increases, I discover that the movement of standing sitting walking and bowing is not what I thought. I thought this was just discipline training, but it is much more than that. It has also become clear that the development of the kahanshin (Lower half of the body) is the best way to support the johanshin (upper half of the body), especially as it receives the pressure of the bow. This practice of sitting down, bowing, standing back up, walking forward and backward is more than just an exercise, more than a exercise in humility, it is the exercise that prepares the lower half of the body to support the bow. We don't need push ups, we need to sit, bow, stand, and walk!
As we all know, the act of bowing brings about a feeling of humility, another wonderful realization to feel this deeply as I do this daily practice. It has kept me open in body, mind, and attitude so that this year's training has brought about more realizations than any of my previous years. Perhaps all the years are stacked on top of eachother, but it feels more like they are just lining up. Our alignment as we do these basic movements is just as key, as the alignment we use when the bow opens us. The Ikasu (enlivenment) of ourselves as we breath fully and completely is just as important here as anywhere in our lives; it makes everything happen.

The rest of the realizations that are coming to me... I just don't know how to put it into words. Perhaps it's better if I don't. I do recommend a daily practice to anyone and everyone of sitting... bowing... standing... walking. Please experience it for yourself with awareness, it's a wonderful practice. A practice beyond the words to describe, if we're open to it and allow it to transform or lives.

Depths of bows in the Japanese 'do' arts.

sesshu rei

The word to bow in Japanese is Rei. The Character for Rei means both the physical act of bowing, and also means manner and etiquette. Therefore the main physical manifestation for manners in the 'do' arts of Japan is bowing. We bow with both a humble manner and a strong manner, from our core and make this our core principle of training in the 'do' arts.

How we show our manners is dictated according to the who, what, when, where, & why we are doing something. In bowing this is the timing, spacing, and the depth of the bow.

We also have Ritsu-Rei, standing bows, and Za-Rei, sitting bows.

The 5 basic depths for bows are:
1. Shiken-Rei
2. Sessyu-Rei
3. Takushyu-Rei
4. Soushuyu-Rei
5. Goushyu-Rei

Also today we have incorporated a more small 1/2 bow called 'yu' which only bends about 10 cm from our straight up position.

1. Shiken-Rei, or what in our school we call the fnger tip bow, uses a touch of the fingers to the floor to re-inforce our ikasu (or enlivening) to allow for a stable bow. Shiken-Rei is not very deep, just bending from the tanden (core/center) and allowing the fingers to touch the floor (when in seiza 'correct sitting' on our heels) [note when we ikasu the buttocks may come off the heels slightly, but when we bow we should be sure not to increase this distancing of the buttocks from the heels]. From Sankyo [squating] or kiza [kneeling] the fingers need not necessarily touch the floor, it can be symbolic the angle of the body should be roughly the same as when doing shiken-rei from seiza.

2. Sesshu-rei, or what we call hand-bending bow. This is for us the standard bow of about 45 degree bend of the body. The hand bending part comes from the fact that from shiken-rei as we bend foward more the wrist bends to place the palm on the floor and slides forward parallel to our knees.

3. Takushu-Rei, is to open something that is closed. Until this point the hands have been along side the body, but with Takushyu-Rei the hands begin to move out in front of us, this happens naturally as we bow deeper to have our forehead (with a straight back and our buttocks down) to about 24 cm from the floor. Esoterically we speak of this bow representing a true offering of ourselves, and so we consider it the first of the deep bows.

4. Sosshu-Rei, is both hands or a pair of hand that move ever closer together as our bow deepens to about 15 cm from the floor, and is certainly a fukai-rei or deep bow.

5. Gosshu-Rei, is when our hands match or come together. Generally with index fingers touching and forming a /\ shape under our nose. Our forehead is about 10cm away from the floor. This is considered Sarani Fukai Rei or a more deep bow, and is the deepest of the standard 5 bows.

Mokuso - Silent Contemplation

Mokuso is Silent Contemplation. This is a very popular form of meditation in many martial arts circles.

We can even heard it said as we begin to sit quietly before class 'Mokuso!'
I was taught as a kid in Karate that it meant 'Attention!'; but I related this like Attention! in the military; and I suppose in some ways this is true. Even Zen can be a bit militaristic in it's tough disciplined approach.

Mokuso does come from a Buddhist background and is one of the 84,200 forms of meditation taught in Mahayana Buddhist that is prevalent in Japan.

This silent contemplation can bring up our awareness, wake us up, and bring us to attention.
It also allows our worries and cares from outside the dojo to dissolve and bring us into focus on the task at hand; perhaps even bring us to directly experience this present moment.

In martial arts being in the present moment, just like in Zen, is the primary way to live.

Temple Records

Temple records in Japan abound. Everything is recorded. In regards to Buddhism and the Warrior arts there are many writings and correlations.

We know of the Sohei, armies of warrior monks who used weapons though they were monks. We know of the Yamabushi, individual and warrior monks in non-affiliated temple groups, who used weapons both to protect themselves and also as methods to train in The Way.

We also know that many warriors upon retirement shaved their head, some simply because this was the safest and acceptable way to retire, and others sincerely to become monks, and perhaps some with the intent to repent in some way for their violent lives. In many cases they continued to use their warrior weapons as tools on The Way, much like the Yamabushi do.

The relationship between Zen and the Warrior Class of Japan is well known. Just like with the retirement situation of Warriors into Buddhism the relationship varied according the predilection of the Warrior's intent. Most received some basic initiation ceremony and a Buddhist name, but not evereyone studied Zen or Buddhism in any way, they simply supported temples or teacher so that they could support the Warrior's clan spiritually; but most used their priests as advisers and teachers; many studied Buddhism intellectually, but most took up Zen because of it's embodiment of the practice not because of it's intellectual and philosophical attributes. A great number of prominent Warriors took up Zen practice including Classical Interviews with the teacher to truly travel the Buddhist Path.

The priest of these Warrior students used every means possible to help them obtain the teaching. This included the creation of whole new methods and revival of others too. This was not the first time the warrior's weapons were used as a means of teaching, but it was possibly the most extensive. Zen is practice in daily life, and these weapons were the daily life of their warrior disciples.

''Sha wa, rei ni hajimari, rei ni owaru,'' Shooting begins with etiquette and ends with etiquette. Actually almost all of the modern 'do' arts begin their treatise this way, by just replacing the 'sha' at the beginning with whatever exemplifies their art. I find the investigation of how to embody this philosophy quite compelling.

Just as intriguing is the fact that the written character translated as etiquette can also be translated as the act of bowing. So the physical manifestation of etiquette and manners is the bowing.

So what is bowing? Humility? Respect?

What is manners?

What is etiquette?

And how do we manifest this, not only in the dojo, but in our daily lives. How do we interact with everyone that in such away that we embody this 'Rei'?

Treat everyone with humility and respect?

When we act with humility and respect, I think our interactions become more kind too. 

Not just the answer to these questions in our head but in our lives, this is where the practice of the 'do' arts will have it's greatest impact, not just on our lives, but for the entire world.

Quality vs Quantity

Quality vs Quantity

They sometimes say that kyudo is all a matter of how many arrows we shoot.

I attended a few seminars with Takeshi Shibata Hachidan Hanshi. On one of these we were out to dinner with the 'heads' of kyudo in America, and Shibata Hanshi was giving us a lecture. He said (my translation so give it some room), 'something is wrong'. You guys seem sincere in your practice, and your students look pretty good, but something is wrong.' It seemed a rhetorical question or perhaps we were just embarrassed into silence... but our silence begged for more and he added, 'you guys can't shoot'.

Takeshi Shibata Sensei
Photo compliments of Rosemarie Read of Panama Kyudo Kai

Now Shibata Hanshi is one of the best shooters in Japan; for example on another seminar he was showing us how the body expands during hikiwake and especially to produce the hanare; he wasn't really concentrating on the target, but all of the 20 (or so) arrows he shot hit the target. (he wasn't even wearing a glove, just a little gauze on his right thumb).

He then sent us all off to try and emulate this expansion. As we all walked away I turned and asked, 'Sensei, how did you do that?' 'Do what?' he responded. 'You hit the target every time!' I said. 'Oh' He replied, 'I teach high school students; if I can't do that, they won't listen to me'.

I thought that was the end of the great lesson, when he said, 'I tell you what, I'm going to shoot one more and put it in the right corner'. Of course, I believed he meant the right corner of the target; but you know what, he put it in the right corner of the bulls eye! Still I thought he meant the right corner of the target, until he said, 'this one in the left corner', and it flew right into the left lower corner of the bulls eye; this one I'll put in middle', and he did... right smack dead center between the other two.

Now back to dinner... Sensei continued, 'You seem sincere in your practice, but something is wrong'. He seemed to wait for an answer this time, for us to explain why 'we can't shoot'.... 'why we can't hit the target'. 'Well', someone responded, 'You're right Sensei, we are sincere, and we teach the best we can, and shoot the best we can, I guess we don't know what we're doing wrong?' And with this we asked for his help. 'Well...' he asked, 'how many arrows do you shoot everyday?' 'Oh, everyday' we said, 'well, you know we have families and jobs during the week, and even on weekends we're usually teaching we don't always get a chance to shoot much ourselves...' and he cut us off. 'Ah, well there's the problem then.'

At this point someone was brave enough to ask, 'Sensei, how do you do it?'

'Oh' He said, 'in the morning I go to the dojo and shoot 100 arrows, I hit those 100. Then if students show up, I teach them. If not, then I shoot 100 more.'

That's 100 to 200 arrows a day! No wonder he can shoot so well. But there are a couple more lessons in there. He doesn't say he hits the first 100 to boast; it tells us that he doesn't waste them, he shoots them with care, he's not just 'chucking' them down there without giving each one it's due attention.

Also the main lesson for those of us at the dinner was 'before the student's arrive he shot 100'... and everyday he practiced. From that day on I try to shoot everyday, certainly I practice everyday even if it's sit, stand, bow & tote renshu in a hotel room. One of my students who heard this story began shooting 100 arrows a day too, and he got pretty good too.

Satoshi Sagino Shihan of Muyoshingetsu-ryu

On the other side of this coin is Sagino Shihan of our Muyoshingetsu school. Who told us to put everything we have into one shot. 'Shoot everyday' he said, 'shoot one arrow, and put your whole-self into that arrow... exhaust yourself completely'. We have a student who hearing this now takes 3 hours to shoot that one arrow every day. Cleaning and preparing his backyard space... cleaning and preparing his equipment and clothes... meditation... and beautiful taihai and hassetsu to release that one arrow...folding his kimono and hakama neatly... and putting everything away. And you know, he's really good too. My eyes once asked him about this practice, and he said, 'you know... when you only shoot one arrow... and it takes 3 hours of your day... you never waste that arrow'.

In the middle was Onuma Sensei, who on one visit to Los Angeles told us, 'Shoot 10 arrows every day. With 10 arrows you can really focus, many more and it's difficult. So shoot 10 arrows everyday without fail'.

Hideharu Onuma Sensei.
Photo from the book 'Kyudo - The Essence and Practice of Japanese Archery'
By Hideharu Onuma with Dan and jackie DeProspero

Since both quality and quantity obviously count, I think each of these approaches has merit. Each can have a place in our practice throughout the year. If I were to choose, I think I would choose quality over quantity; so the one arrow would be the best practice; but the guy who shoots 100 may beat you in the tournament; so maybe that's the best practice; but do we really have time in our busy lives for 100 or 200 arrows a day, can we really give each of those the quality our practice demands? If so, 100 is a great practice. Maybe the 10 a day is the best balance? I like balance and middle road, so my practice for many years followed this 10 a day. Today sometimes I shoot one arrow with all I've got; at least once a year, and sometimes coming up to it, we have our 108 arrows shoot; mostly with my hitori geiko (solitary practice) I shoot hitote (a handful, or in kyudo we define this as 2).

quality vs. quantity. both count. Again if I were to choose, I would probably choose quality. But they are not really separate; shoot as many quality arrows as you have time, energy, and attention to give them.

However many arrows you decide to shoot each day is up to you. But please practice everyday. And put your wholeself into that entire practice. Put your wholeself into your entire life... every moment of every day. The rest of our lives depends on it.

Thank you,

Zen and Arts

Though I know that most martial artists know really nothing of Zen; I also know that most Zen practitioners know really nothing of the martial arts. Or do they?

Actually though it has been rare that the two intertwine directly, they have mixed and merged throughout their entire history.

Zen began with the warrior prince become buddha, then in China was promoted by the warrior prince became founder of Chan, and merged with the warrior class of Japan and their Shinto Rituals as Zen when it arrived there, The Zen influence on Japan is well known and accepted.

For me, my Zen heritage is quite clear on it's support on the intertwinement of Zen and the Martial Arts. Also my Martial Arts teachers, and Geido (Japanese Artistic Arts) teachers both embraced their Zen roots. So for me, at least, there is no question.

I guess this is all I need then. For me and my teachers, for me and my arts, our 'do' is Zen in motion.

Everyone else will have to decide for themselves.

Other noted Sensei of the past who included Zen/Buddhism in their Budo.
Sudamune Ogasawara.
Hojo Toriyori was a great supporter of Zen, and Hojo Tokumune was a strong practitioner of Zen.
Kamiizumi Ise No Kami
Yagyu Munetoshi
Yagyu Munenori
Ibaraki Sensai
Yamaoka Tessu (19th c.)
Yamada Mûmon 山田 無文
Umeji Kenran
Awa Kenzo
Anazawa
Suhara Koun

The 'Dō' 道 arts of Japan and 'Zen' 禅

Zen 禅 is a form of Buddhism that arrived in Japan from India as Dhana via China as Channa. The Japanese version of this is Zenna or Zen.

Dhana is a form of Buddhist meditation, absorption meditation to be precise. It is said by the Zen Masters that this is the meditation Shakyamuni Butsu (The founder of Buddhism) experienced to awaken to the true nature of reality.

As Dhana traveled through China it absorbed much of the Chinese thought, especially the principles and language of Taoism. It is this mixture that became Chinese Channa or Chan.

The same happened in Japan with the Descendants of Dogen Zenji (the founder Soto Zen in Japan), when they mixed and merged the Chan with the existing teachings of Japanese thought. It is this combination that we now know of as Zen.

The 'Dō' 道 of Japan is the Japanese pronunciation of Chinese Tao 道.
The dō existed in Japan along with Confucianism and Buddhism in Japan since the 6th Century AD. But these Taoist aspects played a minor role until Zen came to Japan. The dō arts of Japan reflect this influence of  Zen on the arts.

This is most easily seen as the role Zen played in reviving the sacred portions of arts like Calligraphy, Flower arrangement, Tea Ceremony and the other arts the aristocracy were playing with. The Zen monks interacted very strongly with the Warrior Class of Japan as well; and influenced their understanding of the world greatly.

Especially after peace time during the Tokogawa Shogunate...

Dōjō道場 (Way Place, A place for Training in The Way)

Dōjō道場 (Way Place, A place for Training in The Way)

The original term 道場 dōjō was used in Buddhist temples to denote a training hall. Not usually martial arts in the beginning, but later they began to be used this way. Today the term is most well known as a martial arts training all. But it is a hall to train in The Way; In the Temple, The Way was expected to refer to A Way of the Dharma.

Ogasawara Family and In/Yo Theory

"A propriety, horsemanship, and archery traditions and technique succeeded by the Ogasawara school are firmly based on the Ying and Yang thought.The Ying and Yang thought was imported from China. Almost 1400 years ago, in Heian ( it means "peace") period in Japan, this thought became a vital foundation of universal scholarship and all natural phenomenon. It has been thought that the universe itself is built up by the Ying and Yang, invisible but mighty power circulation and balance of two conflicting components, e.g. light and shadow, plus and minus, sun and moon etc. A fundamental orientation and mathematics derived from the Ying and Yang thought largely influence the patterns of licensed arrows provided by the Ogasawara school and a field and altar arrangement of ritual archery ceremonies, however, the point that should be specially noted is "Ying and Yang"; shout ( in Japanese, it pronounces "In‐ Yo" ) by the Yabusame archers on horses at the Yabusame ritual ceremony. By shouting In‐Yo, their spirits and souls are able to correspond with the universe in other words almighty God."

The above is from the Ogasawara Family

below is my comment:

In/Yo Theory or the principles of yin and yang come from Chinese Taoism. Taoism arrived in Japan along with Buddhism and Confucianism in the 6th century AD. But Taoism was the weakest of the 3, bearing such a resemblance to the existing shaministic practices and beliefs already in Japan that it only existed in the periphery, and within the mix of the 3 which became knows as Jukyo.

The Ogasawara Family established for us the foundations of what culminated in what we now think of as Traditional Japanese Culture. The In/Yo theory that they used is based on the principles of Taoist thought. In/Yo theory entered Japan within the Jukyo combination of influences from the mainland. Jukyo consists primarily of Confucian Values, Buddhist Ceremonies, and Taoist Principles... pretty much in this order. To the extent that Jukyo is sometimes translated as Confucianism. But in talking with the Japanese about what is Jukyo, the principles described are Taoist; so as stated, Jukyo is Confucian Values, Buddhist Ceremonies, and Taoist Principles, just as this In/Yo Theory used by the Ogasawara Family suggests.

Zen too came to Japan as Buddhism; but quickly, under the descendants of Dogen Zenji (1200-1253) (who brought what we now call Soto Zen Buddhism to Japan) again the Jukyo was incorporated, and along with that indigenous ideas were incorporated into Zen as well. This combination of all, roots from Japan and all the jukyo from the mainland combine in varying ways, and in varying degrees, to create what we now call Traditional Japanese Culture.

The Ogasawara Patriarch most responsible for the strengthening of the Ogasawara Teaching, and establishing it as the Japanese Way was Sadamune Ogasawara (1292-1347). Sadamune studied under the Zen Master Seisetsu Shoho and used these teachings to re-establish Ogawawara-ryu of the time. He took the principles of Zen and incorporated them more strongly into the Jukyo Principles already in place.

The other principles that we think of as Traditional Japanese Culture, come directly from Buddhism and particularly Zen. Zen Masters brought a particular taste and way of practicing to such things as tea, calligraphy, and flower arrangement. They took what for some had been just past times for those outside of the temple, and brought the flavor of the temple back into them, since that's where they came from in the first place.

They also had great influence over warriors of the time who developed their warrior practices into 'do' arts during peacetime particularly. This 'do' is the Japanese pronunciation of Tao. All of the 'do' arts of Japan have some basis, to one degree or another, to the Jukyo and Zen influence, since they were the bringers of in/yo theory, the basis of 'do'."

Ogasawara-ryu Genealogy notes

Ogasawara-ryu Genealogy

PublicFriendsFriends except AcquaintancesOnly MeCustomClose FriendsSacred Contemporary DanceSee all lists...Amy's friendsDharmaWalking / HikingNorth Valley Aikikai  |  Aikido DojoBudoAikidoTaichiChristianKyudoHinduFamilyCalifornia State University, NorthridgePagan SpiritualityBeal EnterprisesOsho Pune IndiaShintoMeditationSouth Pasadena, California AreaSpiritualZenTaoSelf DevelopmentCommunityFamily & FriendsJapanese CultureBuddhismKung FuKanzeonjiYogaAsian Archery ExchangeArcheryMartial ArtsPasadena, California AreaNanka Kyudo KaiAcquaintancesGo Back

Genealogy
The Ogasawara family is from the Minamoto family line. The first of the Minamoto was Prince Tsunemoto, grandson of the Emperor Seiwa and an excellent archer and horseman. One of the most noteworthy of the Minamoto was Tsunemoto no Yoshiie under whose leadership the family's power increased greatly. Yoshiie's brother, Minamoto no Yoshimitsu, was the progenitor of the Ogasawara.
Yoshimitsu's great-grandson, Tomitsu, was highly skilled in both literary and military arts. Due to his bravery during the suppression of the Taira, he was given an honorary post. He further distinguished himself during the reign of the Emperor Takakura, when he was called on to shoot a mysterious light that was assailing the Emperor's court. Tomitsu's son, Nagakiyo, was the first to be called Ogasawara, after his home village in Kai province (now Yamanashi Prefecture). The Ogasawara's reputation for excellence in archery and horsemanship was already well-established at this point, and as a family document indicates: "After Nagakiyo became known as Ogasawara, the family's skill in military arts became more and more celebrated."

Nagakiyo served Yoritomo no Minamoto as master of archery and horsemanship, further increasing the fame of the Ogasawara. Etiquette, however, was not among the pressing needs of the warrior class at the height of the Kamakura Period, so Nagakiyo did not teach it.

It was the 7th Headmaster, Sadamune Ogasawara, who reintroduced etiquette to the arts of archery and horsemanship. For this he is called the restorer of the Ogasawara school. It is from the 7th Sadamune's teaching that the Ogasawara school as we know it today descended. Sadamune studied under the Zen Master Seisetsu Shoho and stressed the Zen components of their teaching, and incorporated them even more strongly into the Ogaswara-ryu. This paved the way for continuing evolution of the arts which we now know as the 'do' arts of Japan.

Sadamune served the Emperor Godaigo during the period between the collapse of the Kamakura Shogunate and the establishment of the Muromachi Shogunate. The Emperor took him into service on account of his great contribution to the downfall of the Kamakura, and assured him that the Ogasawara school of etiquette would become the code of the warrior class. Sadamune subsequently joined the forces of the Muromachi Shogun, Ashikaga Takauji, serving as master of etiquette and thus adding to his good reputation.

The Ogasawara continued to serve the Ashikaga from generation to generation. They taught not only archery and horsemanship, but also the rites of manhood, wedding rites, and the other ceremonial etiquette.

Three generation after Sadamune, a man named Nagahide compiled the "Sangi Itto", the cornerstone of Ogasawara etiquette. The volume was written at the behest of the third of the Ashikaga shoguns, Yoshimitsu, who deplored the deterioration of ancient courtier manners.

During the Warring States Period, the Ogasawara were charged with protecting the province of Shinano (now Nagano Prefecture). They fought Takeda Shingen several times, losing their territory but eventually regaining it under the banner of Tokugawa Ieyasu.

The family head, Sadayoshi, handed down the "Seven Volumes of Ogasawara Etiquette" to his heir Hidemasa during this period. Unlike later systems of etiquette that only boast of splendor, these volumes provide an authentic explanation of the unadorned grace of warrior-class manners.

When the battle of Osaka broke out in the summer of 1615, Hidemasa and his heir, Tadanaga, went to the field in support of the Tokugawa and died heroic deaths. In return for their loyalty, the Ogasawara were named the ruling family of Akashi, Harima Province (now western Hyogo Prefecture), a fief with an annual yield of 110,000 koku of rice. Subsequently, they were named the rulers of Kokura, Buzen Province (now northeastern Fukuoka and northern Oita Prefectures), a fief with a yield of 150,000 koku of rice.

During the Edo Period, the Ogasawara instructed the succeeded elite of the shogunate in the fine points of etiquette. Even the general population began to bear the Ogasawara mark, as they increasingly adopted the manners of the warrior class. The Ogasawara code of etiquette was exhaustive. It explained rituals for annual events, furniture arrangement, how to change and fold clothes, how to write cards correctly, how to eat in a proper manner, how to wrap gifts, and more.
In the Meiji Era the head of the Ogasawara was given the title of count.

Ogasawara History notes

Ogasawara family is a lineage of the Seiwa Genji. 

The 1st headmaster of Ogaswara-ryu was Nagakiyo Ogasawara (I found 2 records, one says born in Koshu (nowadays it is known as Yamanashi prefecture) in 1162, and the other with the dates 1185-1333?). His father was Kagami-jiro-tomitsu, his mother was a daughter of Wada yoshimori. The Ogasawara village really existed, however, the name has changed to Minami Alps city.

It has been said that the surname "Ogasawara" was provided to Nagakiyo by the Emperor Takakura.
Nagakiyo is an ancestor of all the families named "Ogasawara" today. When Nagakiyo was 26 years old, he became Minamoto-Yoritomo's personal teacher of mounted archery and manner. 

Minamoto-yoritomo is a founder of Japan's first warrior government. The Ogasawara family served the Shogun of the Kamakura era (the Minamoto shogunate), the Muromachi era (the Ashikaga shogunate), and the Edo era (the Tokugawa shogunate) as the martial teacher.


It was the 7th Sadamune who reintroduced etiquette to the arts of archery and horsemanship. For this he is called the restorer of the Ogasawara school. It is from the 7th Sadamune's teaching that the Ogasawara school as we know it today descended. Sadamune studied under the Zen Master Seisetsu Shoho and stressed the Zen components of their teaching, and incorporated them even more strongly into the Ogaswara-ryu. This paved the way for continuing evolution of the arts which we now know as the 'do' arts of Japan.

Sadamune served the Emperor Godaigo during the period between the collapse of the Kamakura Shogunate and the establishment of the Muromachi Shogunate. The Emperor took him into service on account of his great contribution to the downfall of the Kamakura, and assured him that the Ogasawara school of etiquette would become the code of the warrior class. Sadamune subsequently joined the forces of the Muromachi Shogun, Ashikaga Takauji, serving as master of etiquette and thus adding to his good reputation.

The Ogasawara continued to serve the Ashikaga from generation to generation. They taught not only archery and horsemanship, but also the rites of manhood, wedding rites, and the other ceremonial etiquette.

Three generation after Sadamune, a man named Nagahide compiled the "Sangi Itto", the cornerstone of Ogasawara etiquette. The volume was written at the behest of the third of the Ashikaga shoguns, Yoshimitsu, who deplored the deterioration of ancient courtier manners.

During the Warring States Period, the Ogasawara were charged with protecting the province of Shinano (now Nagano Prefecture). They fought Takeda Shingen several times, losing their territory but eventually regaining it under the banner of Tokugawa Ieyasu.

The family head, Sadayoshi, handed down the "Seven Volumes of Ogasawara Etiquette" to his heir Hidemasa during this period. Unlike later systems of etiquette that only boast of splendor, these volumes provide an authentic explanation of the unadorned grace of warrior-class manners.

When the battle of Osaka broke out in the summer of 1615, Hidemasa and his heir, Tadanaga, went to the field in support of the Tokugawa and died heroic deaths. In return for their loyalty, the Ogasawara were named the ruling family of Akashi, Harima Province (now western Hyogo Prefecture), a fief with an annual yield of 110,000 koku of rice. Subsequently, they were named the rulers of Kokura, Buzen Province (now northeastern Fukuoka and northern Oita Prefectures), a fief with a yield of 150,000 koku of rice.

During the Edo Period, the Ogasawara instructed the succeeded elite of the shogunate in the fine points of etiquette. Even the general population began to bear the Ogasawara mark, as they increasingly adopted the manners of the warrior class. The Ogasawara code of etiquette was exhaustive. It explained rituals for annual events, furniture arrangement, how to change and fold clothes, how to write cards correctly, how to eat in a proper manner, how to wrap gifts, and more.
In the Meiji Era the head of the Ogasawara was given the title of count.

Kiyokane Ogasawara, the 28th headmaster of Ogasawara-ryu. Kiyokane served the Tokugawa shogun and in 1862 he totally organized the royal wedding of Princess Kazunomiya, a sister of the Emperor.

In 1879, he dedicated the Yabusame ritual at the Imperial Palace. His Yabusame ritual was watched by Emperor Meiji at the Ueno Park.

In 1880, Kiyokane opened the Ogasawara school to the public in Kanda Tokyo and he taught etiquette at the girls schools.

Kiyoaki Ogasawara, the 29th headmaster of Ogasawara-ryu. Kiyoaki dedicated Yabusame ritual to celebrate the establishment of Meiji Shrine in 1920.  He revived the Yabusame ceremony at many shrines like Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine, Nikko Toshogu Shrine, Kasama Inari Shrine, and so on.

kiyonobu Ogasawara, the 30th headmaster of Ogasawara-ryu. Kiyonobu dedicated the ritual Yabusame ceremony at many shrines. And he also dedicated other ritual archery ceremonies, Ohmato-Shiki, Momote-Shiki, and Kusajishi-Shiki. He explained the physical movement of Ogasawara-ryu from a scientific point of view,

To teach Ogasawara-ryu for a living is strictly prohibited by the family tradition for the purpose of passing on Ogasawara-ryu correctly. So, he worked as a professor of Meiji University.

Spiritual Martial Arts - Zen in the Japanese Arts (draft)

Before Zen in Japan, there was Chan in China; and before Chan in China there was Dhana in India. All of these are forms of Buddhism. Buddhism was formed by followers of Shakyamuni. Shakyamuni is the Sage of the Shakya Clan.

Before Shakyamuni was a sage, he was the prince of the Shakya Clan; but left his wife and family to become a yogi, and to find the release from suffering for all human beings. Once he awoke to the Way of Liberation from suffering; he became Shakyamuni.

As the prince, he was the best archer and one of the best warriors in the land. In yoga too there were methods of using yoga as spiritual training and martial arts; though this was not mainstream yoga it did exist.

Dhyana came to China as a separate Buddhist sect by the teachings of Bodai Daruma.  Bodaidaruma also taught some form of this martial yoga to the monks he was training; both as a means of self-defense, a way to be healthy, a way to stay awake, and a training method of the Way. These monks may have already been exposed to their own training methods as well, though the written history of the time was written and re-written, and does not always agree with the many versions of oral history passed down as well. Most scholars, of course, favor the written records as they find them and distrust and discount the oral history; logically this makes sense, but as monks we take at face value the oral history we are given, and simply allow for poetic license to convey an underlying truth, even if the written 'fact's may not bear it out as actual history.

But we do know that both in India, in China, and in Japan there were martial practices that were simultaneously used by monks as training methods on the Way,

The biggest overlap and confusion comes to play in Japan; where some warriors, though few in the scheme of things also followed to some degree portions of Buddhist practice. Also there were warrior monks in some sects; so it can be easy to mix and merge the idea that all Japanese Warriors practiced Zen for instance; but this simply is not true. Most probably borrowed some Buddhist practices and ideas in their lives; all Japanese did that to some degree. The jukyo from the mainland consisted of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism. Japanese Culture consists of this jukyo combined with their own way of thought. Japanese Zen too, consists of all 4 of these; as it came to Japan and the followers of Dogen Zenji (founder of Soto Zen) encouraged this blending.

But what I am speaking of here is not the warriors who may have touched on Buddhist or Zen in their lives. I'm talking about the few individuals that brought this combination, or re-discovered it in their own lives, of martial arts and spiritual life. It was there for a few in Yoga, even before Shakyamuni; and it was there in China, even before Bodaidaruma; and it was in Japan before buddhism came.

This practice has always existed, and is being re-discovered again today by many martial artists; either through a lineage that has always had it; or in one that was recently re-discovered by a master of their own art in the last few hundred years. Or perhaps by an individual today that now realizes that not only can it be done, but that it always has been done....

Kimono

Kimono sabaki is the art of wearings a kimono. In martial arts circles where a hakama is worn we might say hakama sabaki; for learning to put on, and train in, a hakama is certainly an art form.

Some of us, however, once the technique of putting on the clothes is learned sufficiently we stop giving it much attention, and chatter away in the locker-room giving little care to our dress; or, on the other extreme, become so obsessed with a precise technique we forget to enjoy the feeling of learning fresh how these wondrous clothes might fit today.

When I first wore buddhist robes I was told it takes awareness to learn 'how to live within the robes' (this phrase has many layers of meanings; some of which I am just coming to appreciate). As monks we also recite a vow, the 'Takkesa no ge' or Robe Chant.

Daizai gedappuku
Muso fuku den-e
Hibu Nyorai kyo
Kodo shoshu jo

Daisai gedatsu fuku is 'how great are the clothes of liberation'.
Muso fukuden-e is 'formless robes of happiness'.
Hibi Nyorai kyo is 'devoutly wearing the teaching of the Nyorai' (Nyorai is another name for a Buddha)
Kodo shoshu jo is 'to save living beings widely (or everywhere)'.

This kind of vow is humbling and sets ourselves in a process of gratitude for the practice and the teaching. It places us in a relationship between ourselves and others with awareness of the clothes between us; remember between us does not separate us, but joins us... connects us.

When I put on Hakama and/or Kimono to do budo I say this same vow. To remain ever humble and grateful.

Though for non-monks reciting this vow may be too much to ask, it may be a nice practice to don the hakama & kimono with a similar attitude, to help us step on this path facing an old direction of gratitude to those who came before... and in the new direction toward those who will train with us today.

Domo Arigatou
jyozen

Rei - The Japanese act of bowing

The Rei occurs as we are standing up completely straight, and the next in breath begins, when there is no where up to go... naturally we bow, relaxing out from our center... just before we reach the pinnicle of the bow, our air flows out... as we breath in again, we rise back to our upright position; but in fact, since we bowed as a result of upright standing, we were upright the entire time.

Teaching

When Kosaka Sensei said, 'Rick carries my legacy,' he actually said Rick, and others, carries my legacy. Since this was the first time I'd heard him utter such a statement, I wondered who the 'others' were. I'm fairly certain though that the 'others' refers to Nobuyo Okuda and Robert Williams.

When I first started to help Kosaka Sensei teach the classes, Nobuyo and Robert were among my first two. Robert was extremely talented and seemed like an enlightened Guru to me already, I even wondered why he came, did he really need this training?

Nobuyo too, was already a tea teacher. Nobuyo wanted to live here in the U.S. so she gave up the Iemoto (inheritor) position of her families practice in favor of her sister.

I think that to have me start teaching with these two was almost a joke among the 'real' Sensei.

They asked me to teach Nobuyo how to 'walk'. This was our basic instruction in walking, sitting, kneeling, and bowing that was my main practice when I started with the Los Angeles Kyudo Kai. I was so pleased and proud that they asked me to teach someone. I walked up (with my nose in the air) and said, 'follow me' and had her copy my movements as I had copied the Sensei who taught me. But as I watched Nobuyo-san from the corner of my eye, I quickly realized that she was already better than I was. I lead her through the movements a few time and said, 'ok, she knows it.. now what do you want me to do?' I think they sent me to make tea.

After I was 'stamped' Nobuyo-san began to call me Sensei (even though we had agreed years before that there was only one Sensei in our school, and that was Kosaka Sensei); but I insisted on calling her Sempai (senior) too. So although the Sensei' teased me by having me try and teach those already beyond me, we now tease eachother with such phrases as Sensei and Sempai too.