Inner Dharma

Below are links to descriptions of martial arts events I have attended or found of interest from friends and colleagues. I feel at most times that photography better captures the essence of these endeavors than anything I could write. As I have edited earlier content from Inner Dharma into longer form essays, I also want to keep these photos available.

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• photos : Kyoto & Nara

  
  
  I visited Nara and Kyoto again after twenty years, taking time to make pilgrimage to Mt. Kurama and the seat of Honzan-ha Shugendo.

• photos : Kagami Biraki 2024

  
  
  Some of the Japanese martial arts groups at Lonin made an offering of our katageiko practice to celebrate the new year. Members of Tenshin Buko-ryū also presented their art, as well as Japanese Fighting Arts Northwest.

• photos : Dispersing the Ki Field

  
  
  I visited Tsubaki Daijinja in Granite Falls, Washington, with friends from Takamura-ha Shindo Yoshin Ryu during its last weekend before it was closed.

• photos : Kagami Biraki 2023

  
  
  The Gassankan Jikishinkage-ryū kenjutsu study group made an offering of our katageiko practice to celebrate the new year. Some photos can be found below. Members of Tenshin Buko-ryū also presented their art.

• photos : Keiko at Seattle Budokan

  
  
  During a lull in the pandemic the Gassankan Jikishinkage-ryū study group took the opportunity to practice indoors at the Seattle Budōkan.

• event : 2019 Pittsburgh Taiji Seminar with Zhao Zeren and Zhang Yun

  Pittsburgh seminar in Northern Wu Style Taijiquan with Zhao Zeren and Zhang Yun.

• photos : Swordsquatch 2018

  
  
  
  Photos from Swordsquatch 2018, held at Lonin in the Georgetown neighborhood of Seattle.

• event : Open Steel

  Reflections on competing in a HEMA open steel longsword tournament.

• photos : Swordsquatch 2017

  
  
  
  Photos from Swordsquatch 2017, held at Lonin in the Georgetown neighborhood of Seattle.

  Last weekend I attended Swordquatch and took excellent classes in bo (staff) from Ellis Amdur and in wrestling from Mike Panian of Swordfighters, BC. The level of swordsmanship among experienced HEMA practitioners I witnessed at the open steel tournament finals was quite high. They have gotten a lot of mileage from studying the existing texts, rigorous experimentation, and hard physical training. It was refreshing to watch, especially noticing how genuine and down to earth the people seemed to be at this event.

• event : Taiji Classics Seminar

  Attending a seminar detailing excerpts from the Taiji classics.

• photos : Enbu for Karunakaran

  
  
  The Hobyokan and Masakikai held an enbu in Rockville, Maryland, in memorial to Karunakaran, senior most student of Donn Draeger in Shindo Muso-ryu jo, who recently passed from this life into the next.

• photos : Longpoint 2016

  
  
  
  Photos from Longpoint 2016, held in Ellicot City, Maryland.

• event : Wu Taiji Quan Seminar with Zhao Zeren and Zhang Yun

  Zhao Zeren and Zhang Yun taught a series of three seminars on the Wu Style Taiji Quan of Wang Peisheng during May 2016 in Princeton, Pittsburgh, and Silver Spring.

• photos : Kagami Biraki 2016

  
  
  Masakikai/Hobyokai Kagami Biraki held in Sterling Virginia in 2016. Arts demonstrated included Shindo Muso-ryu jo, Isshin-ryu kusarigama, Yagyu Shinkage-ryu heiho, Kashima Shinden Jiki Shinkage-ryu kenjutsu, Masaki-ryu manriki, Hontai Yoshin-ryu Jujutsu, and Daito-ryu Aiki-jujutsu.

• event : Princeton Bagua and Taiji Seminar

  At the end of summer, I traveled to Princeton for a seminar in Bagua and Taiji and was accepted as a formal lineal student by my teacher, Zhang Yun. I also traveled to the Pacific Northwest, where I was able to visit with budo colleagues in Oregon.

• photos : Kagami Biraki 2015

  
  
  Masakikai/Hobyokai Kagami Biraki held in Sterling Virginia in 2015. Arts demonstrated included Shindo Muso-ryu jo and related arts, Yagyu Shinkage-ryu heiho, Kashima Shinden Jiki Shinkage-ryu kenjutsu, Masaki-ryu manriki, Hontai Yoshin-ryu Jujutsu, and Daito-ryu Aiki-jujutsu.

• photos : Capital Katori 2014

  
  
  Practice at Capital Katori hosted at Capital Aikikai in Silver Spring, MD.

• event : Tian Gang Dao Seminar

  This weekend I traveled to Pittsburgh for additional training in neijiaquan. I attended Zhang Yun's taijiquan class and met up with several of his senior students I had not seen in a while. It was great to train with everyone and get pointers on my body organization. I also had a chance to get further correction of my Yin Bagua Zhang and also learn the remaining sections of the Hebei Xingyi Quan Za Shi Chui (mixed skills) form.

• photos : Kagami Biraki 2014

  
  
  Masakikai/Hobyokai Kagami Biraki held in Sterling Virginia in 2014. Arts demonstrated included Shindo Muso-ryu jo, Yagyu Shinkage-ryu heiho, Kashima Shinden Jiki Shinkage-ryu kenjutsu, Masaki-ryu manriki, Hontai Yoshin-ryu Jujutsu, and Daito-ryu Aiki-jujutsu.

• event : Demo of Araki-ryū and Tenshin Buko-ryū

  A brief reflection on a demonstration of Araki-ryū and Tenshin Buko-ryū at the NAMT 2013 Night of Budo.

• photos : Kagami Biraki 2013

  
  
  Masakikai/Hobyokai Kagami Biraki held in Sterling Virginia in 2013. Arts demonstrated included Shindo Muso-ryu jo, Yagyu Shinkage-ryu heiho, Kashima Shinden Jiki Shinkage-ryu kenjutsu, Masaki-ryu manriki, Hontai Yoshin-ryu Jujutsu, and Daito-ryu Aiki-jujutsu.

• photos : Capital Katori 2010

  
  
  Practice at Capital Katori hosted at Capital Aikikai in Silver Spring, MD.