Kanzeonji-Nanka 2019 Hanamatsuri Hannya Shin Gyo

Kyudo Ceremony. Budo Rick. Jan. 27, 2019

Kishu Chikurin Japanese Archery

Kishu-Chikurin is the School of kyudo (Japanese Archery) that my Sensei grew up with. Though as he grew up, he decided he prefered a more ceremonial approach. So he went searching and found another school of kyudo. It is this school of kyudo along with the teachings of Koen Mishima Sensei that they first introduced to the Los Angeles Kyudo Kai when I first came to their dojo.

We had yet one more school of kyudo in the dojo too. Kiomaru Mishima (the younger brother of Koen Mishima) practiced Muyoshingetsu school of  kyudo.

In 1996, when a few of us in America were forming the American Kyudo Renmei under the auspices of the ANKF in Japan, my Sensei was asked by the Mishima brothers to practice Muyoshingetsu-ryu at the dojo. So as he did that, we also formed the Nanka Kyudo Kai for me and others to do kyudo with the AKR/ANKF.

Many years later The Southern California Renmei was formed to take over the relationship in the area with the AKR/ANKF. So i decided to revert back to the original school my Sensei had taught me. I wanted to keep the principles of that school alive, since i was one of the few still practicing it; even my Sensei was doing Muyoshingetsu-ryu instead.

The Kishu-Chikurin too, that he had shared with me, has very few practitioners left... even in Japan. So with the opening of our new dojo, i decided to keep that alive as well. Here is a sample of our Kishu-Chikurin practice at our Budo Dojo.

Rick Beal kyudo

Today was a much smaller group of practitioners so I was able to gather much more one on one time with Sunaguchi Sensei. A small group of us had lunch and dinner with him as well; little gems of knowledge and wisdom were shared throughout the day.

Ogasawara-Ryu Kyudo and Rei-ho Training August 26 & 27 2017

The Redwood Kyudojo hosted Sunaguchi Sensei of the Ogasawara-ryu; and invited a few of us to join.

 Though not part of this Ogasawara-ryu event; there is a branch of the family that does yabusame. One of the principle members of the Redwood Kyudojo does yabusame with them; So he has this mokuba (wooden horse) to train on.

 The Redwood Kyudojo is made in a very traditional manner and is a beautiful place to do kyudo.

 Above is the Hikime Arrow that Ogasawara Sensei shot to bless and purify the Redwood Kyudojo.

 This event was lead by Sunaguchi Sensei.

The hosts tried to keep the event intimate and close knit; since they were only using their own small private dojo. Plus for a short even with only 1 Sensei they thought many couldn't travel to attend. The first day there were about 10 of us (some of us are shown in the group photo below).

 Our hosts; and Sunaguchi Sensei.

 Again though not part of this Ogaswara Event... the matoba was there and we convinced our host to give us a demonstration of how the matoba is used.

 Our other host got to try her hand at the using the matoba.

 I was given a chance to sit on the matoba and given a brief introduction on how it is done.

 The few of us that were staying at the dojo at opportunities before and after the actual event to train casually with Sunaguchi Sensei.

 Our host, who is being trained in Ogaswara-ryu gave us an opening ceremony at the dojo.

 For the afternoon session Sunaguchi Sensei also performed.

 We all had the chance both to practice and to receive instruction.

 The second day had about 15 of us in attendance. The group photos below contain most of us).