兵法
I practiced several approaches to classical Japanese swordsmanship, including Kashima-shinden Jikishinkage-ryū. Some of my writing on traditional Japanese martial arts as well as photos from events I have attended can be found below.
Jikishinkage-ryū passing from Edo to Meiji
09 July 2025
Discussion of a famous lineage of Jikishinkage-ryū and how it may have ended in the late 19th century.
Koryū-wa koryū-nari
08 July 2025
The title is a pun on a famous saying associated to Shintō-ryu, the art of war is the art of peace. Here, old traditions are small traditions. Older traditions may have once had many practitioners, but it is not possible to effectively teach large groups of people in a traditional way in the modern era. Also, cutting against the grain of the intuition that many lineages lose material over time due to incomplete transmission, older traditions generally would have had smaller, not larger, curricula to master.
Raito and Sente
30 June 2025
Raito (the variation of jodan no kamae used in Jikishinkage-ryū) is often viewed as a strong offensive kamae, good to attack from. However, in to-no-kata, we actually do not see shidachi using raito to directly attack, except in one introductory kata called menkage. We examine a bit of the structure of to-no-kata to explain why this might be, and the combative initiative involved.
From Kodachi to Kogusoku
30 June 2025
Using kodachi practice as an example, we discuss how different kata sets in Jikishinkage-ryū relate to and inform one another and describe some applications and variations on standard practice. Kodachi can be an entry point to close-range armed grappling, which we call kogusoku.
Hōjō ken Kororo-e sho
29 June 2025
Text on Jikishinkage-ryū Hōjō (foundational) swordsmanship, provided for reference based on Jikishinkage-ryū Sōhonbu and Hōbyōkan material. This is typically chanted or recited before performance of the Hōjō kata of Jikishinkage-ryū.
The Shin-no-Shinkage heihō of Ogasawara Genshinsai
10 April 2025
Discussing recent scholarship on the early/proto Jikishinkage-ryū kenjutsu of Ogasawara Genshinsai, which he called Shin-no-shinkage heihō, highlighting the influence of Taoism and esoteric Buddhist practice on his swordsmanship.
Kuzushi Example: Enren
28 February 2025
Kuzushi in my practice of kenjutsu refers to taking apart kata and exploring their meaning and application. It is deeper than simply having a set number of variations or henka. In this essay I describe an example of kuzushi drawn from the last section of Jikishinkage-ryū to-no-kata, called enren.
Kagami Biraki at Lonin 2025
03 February 2025
I attended Kagami Biraki at Lonin League in Seattle, Feb 2025. It was a privilege to see the demonstrations of budo from members of Tenshin Buko-ryu, Takamura-ha Shindo Yoshin Ryu Murakumo Dojo, and Japanese Fighting Arts Northwest.
Divergence and Unification in Shinkage-ryū
09 September 2024
Link to an essay on kata, heiho and shugyo, where I compare and contrast different surviving lines of Shinkage-ryū and reflect on my own practice.
Kagami Biraki 2024
15 February 2024
Kagami Biraki held at Lonin League in Seattle, Feb 2024. Our group performed selected from the curriculum of Jikishinkage-ryū; we were honored to be able to watch the demonstrations by Tenshin Buko-ryu and our guests Japanese Fighting Arts Northwest.
General Qi Jiguans's Jixiao Xinshu and Reflections on Claims of Martial Virtue
16 February 2023
An essay published at Kogen Budo, where I look at some older writings from Japanese koryu that reference classical Chinese military treatises, and then examine how practices described in those works may be represented in arts surviving today.
Kagami Biraki 2023
15 February 2023
Our group participated in a Kagami Biraki ceremony to observe the Lunar New Year in Seattle in January 2023. We performed kata selected from the curriculum of Jikishinkage-ryū and were honored to watch presentation from the Tenshin Buko-ryu class at Lonin.
Keiko at Seattle Budokan
30 August 2021
In August we conducted group practice at the Seattle Budokan in August 2021 during a lull in the pandemic. We have been training outdoors in the Seattle area for the last year after Lonin League lost its space and it was nice to be back for an afternoon in a traditional dojo.
Gogyō Exegesis
14 May 2020
An essay describing my experience, thinking, and choices regarding attempting to practice multiple koryū and then deciding not to.
Pressure Testing in Classical Budō
15 October 2019
Description of some of my efforts to keep my practice of kenjutsu intact after moving to the Pacific Northwest. After moving, I decided to focus solely on Shinkage-ryū and pause my study of Shintō-ryū. This is some of what transpired.
Training intensity in Classical Budō
23 March 2019
A discussion of what consititutes proper training intensity in traditional martial arts. An examination of some of the important questions raised by a practice of traditional historical martial arts.
Aiki and Internal Training
23 February 2017
Collected thoughts on the historical influence of Chinese martial arts on Japanese jujutsu and how they relate to the topic of aiki in Aikido and Daito-ryu. What interested me about internal martial arts and how I have related that experience to my practice of Japanese budō.
Hōbyōkan Enbu
15 September 2016
Hōbyōkan and Masakikai Memorial demonstration held in 2016 in honor of the late Karunakaran-sensei, senior student of Donn Draeger in Shinto Muso-ryu Jo.
Kagami Biraki 2016
01 March 2016
This winter, the Hobyokai and Masakikai and guests gathered for their annual kagami biraki gathering.
Kagami Biraki 2015
01 March 2015
This winter, the Hobyokai and Masakikai and guests gathered for their annual kagami biraki gathering.
Kagami Biraki 2014
01 March 2014
This winter, the Hobyokai and Masakikai and guests gathered for their annual kagami biraki gathering.
Kagami Biraki 2013
01 March 2013
This winter, the Hobyokai and Masakikai and guests gathered for their annual kagami biraki gathering.