# Good Taiji instructors in Tokyo?



## Argus (Jan 6, 2021)

Welp,

I cast my net a bit wider and searched for good Tai Chi and Xing Yi instructors in the Tokyo area, but it seems that finding a good teacher in these arts is even harder than finding a good Wing Chun teacher (which, I guess, should be expected, since WC is comparatively more common).

I've checked out all of the "low hanging fruit" (easily found with a google search) and haven't found anyone who I was particularly impressed by. The space seems to be filled with... less than reputable types.

So, I thought I'd ask here: does anyone know of good, reputable teachers of internal styles (Taichi and Xingyi, in particular) in the Tokyo area? There's got to be some lower profile people who are legit and practice in the park or something.


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## Xue Sheng (Jan 6, 2021)

Can't help you there. I think there use to be a Chen Family person in Japan and there was a rather impressive Baguazhang guy in Japan, but I cannot remember his name and I cannot remember where in Japan either were. And if memory servers the Chen person was 19th, or possibly 18th generation which would mean in their 70s or older. If I find out if the Bagua guy is still there, and in Tokyo, I will let you know. He is Chinese.

Also there is Taikiken in Japan. That is pretty much the Japanese version of Yiquan/Dachengquan that I believe comes from Kenichi Sawai he learned Yiquan from Wang Xiangzhai, the founder of Yiquan. However I could not tell you where in Japan you might find a Taikiken school


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## BrendanF (Jan 6, 2021)

I realise it's not what you've asked for, but have you considered Judo?  The Kodokan and other great dojo are in Tokyo.  Daitoryu's mainline hombu is in Tokyo - there is Hakkoryu and other lines of DR and other koryu jujutsu there also.  I guess it seems odd to me to look for CMA in the heartland of JMA.

You might find Liang style Bagua somewhere in Tokyo.  But more common I think is Wang Shu Jin's arts, via Sato Kinbei.  And Taikiken, as mentioned above.


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## Argus (Jan 7, 2021)

Xue Sheng said:


> Can't help you there. I think there use to be a Chen Family person in Japan and there was a rather impressive Baguazhang guy in Japan, but I cannot remember his name and I cannot remember where in Japan either were. And if memory servers the Chen person was 19th, or possibly 18th generation which would mean in their 70s or older. If I find out if the Bagua guy is still there, and in Tokyo, I will let you know. He is Chinese.
> 
> Also there is Taikiken in Japan. That is pretty much the Japanese version of Yiquan/Dachengquan that I believe comes from Kenichi Sawai he learned Yiquan from Wang Xiangzhai, the founder of Yiquan. However I could not tell you where in Japan you might find a Taikiken school



Thanks! 

Bagua kind of seems like the polar opposite of Wing Chun, but maybe that's not a bad thing!

I also just looked up Yi Quan and Taikiken for the first time -- did not know about them. It seems that it's related to Xingyi Quan? But it seems more circular and taichi-ish. Very interesting art, at any rate! I'll definitely check it out.




BrendanF said:


> I realise it's not what you've asked for, but have you considered Judo?  The Kodokan and other great dojo are in Tokyo.  Daitoryu's mainline hombu is in Tokyo - there is Hakkoryu and other lines of DR and other koryu jujutsu there also.  I guess it seems odd to me to look for CMA in the heartland of JMA.
> 
> You might find Liang style Bagua somewhere in Tokyo.  But more common I think is Wang Shu Jin's arts, via Sato Kinbei.  And Taikiken, as mentioned above.



Good point. I have been considering Japanese Martial Arts as well -- it's just that, as empty hand arts go, I tend to prefer CMA, which I already have some back ground in. The other consideration is that my wrist tendons are not in great shape. I did Aikido for two years but had to stop because the locks were just too much strain on my wrists. Aikido is, of course, really heavy on the wrist locks, so I don't know -- maybe Judo or certain Koryu Jujutsu styles could be okay.

There's also weapon arts. There are a few Koryu weapon arts that I would love to learn.


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## Xue Sheng (Jan 7, 2021)

Argus said:


> Thanks!
> 
> Bagua kind of seems like the polar opposite of Wing Chun, but maybe that's not a bad thing!
> 
> I also just looked up Yi Quan and Taikiken for the first time -- did not know about them. It seems that it's related to Xingyi Quan? But it seems more circular and taichi-ish. Very interesting art, at any rate! I'll definitely check it out.



Wang Xiangzhai was a xingyiquan person before he invented Yiquan/Dachengquan

And Kenichi Sawai came from Kyokushin Karate


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## clfsean (Aug 24, 2021)

Argus said:


> Welp,
> 
> I cast my net a bit wider and searched for good Tai Chi and Xing Yi instructors in the Tokyo area, but it seems that finding a good teacher in these arts is even harder than finding a good Wing Chun teacher (which, I guess, should be expected, since WC is comparatively more common).
> 
> ...


Are you still looking for Taiji in Tokyo & where about in Tokyo? Do you want a more traditional or sporting approach? What's your travel availability?


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## Argus (Aug 24, 2021)

clfsean said:


> Are you still looking for Taiji in Tokyo & where about in Tokyo? Do you want a more traditional or sporting approach? What's your travel availability?



I'm still interested, yes. I'm in Itabashi-ku. I'm looking for a more traditional (but combative. Not in a sports context, just in a "this is how you apply it") sort of approach.

The only thing I'm unsure of is how far / often I'd be able to travel -- I now have a newborn son, and other martial arts that I'm practicing. But I'd jump at the chance to learn Taiji from a really good instructor.


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## Xue Sheng (Aug 24, 2021)

clfsean said:


> Are you still looking for Taiji in Tokyo & where about in Tokyo? Do you want a more traditional or sporting approach? What's your travel availability?



clfsean, how are you doing?


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## Unkogami (Aug 24, 2021)

I used to practice Chen style in Toyohashi.


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## clfsean (Aug 27, 2021)

Argus said:


> I'm still interested, yes. I'm in Itabashi-ku. I'm looking for a more traditional (but combative. Not in a sports context, just in a "this is how you apply it") sort of approach.
> 
> The only thing I'm unsure of is how far / often I'd be able to travel -- I now have a newborn son, and other martial arts that I'm practicing. But I'd jump at the chance to learn Taiji from a really good instructor.


My teacher is in Kita-ku at Tabata. I don't play Taiji with him. I'm studying Tongbei with him. If you're interested, I'll send you the website & you can decide if it's for you or not.


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## Xue Sheng (Aug 27, 2021)

clfsean said:


> My teacher is in Kita-ku at Tabata. I don't play Taiji with him. I'm studying Tongbei with him. If you're interested, I'll send you the website & you can decide if it's for you or not.



Tongbei, cool. My first CMA shifu knew some tongbei, but he never taught it to anyone as far as I know. Also don't know how much he actually knew. I only saw him do the one form


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## Xue Sheng (Aug 27, 2021)

Unkogami said:


> I used to practice Chen style in Toyohashi.



Use to be a member of the Chen family in Japan. Was this associated with that person in any way?


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## clfsean (Aug 27, 2021)

Xue Sheng said:


> Tongbei, cool. My first CMA shifu knew some tongbei, but he never taught it to anyone as far as I know. Also don't know how much he actually knew. I only saw him do the one form


Cool! 👍👍👍


I'm practicing Ma Family Tongbei Quan (Ma Xianda line). There's a guy out in western Sagamihara that's practicing the Baiyuan Tongbi Quan, but it's a bit different. The Ma Family is Baji/Pigua/Fanzi/ChuoJiao combined under the Tongbei umbrella.


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## Flying Crane (Aug 27, 2021)

clfsean said:


> Cool! 👍👍👍
> 
> 
> I'm practicing Ma Family Tongbei Quan (Ma Xianda line). There's a guy out in western Sagamihara that's practicing the Baiyuan Tongbi Quan, but it's a bit different. The Ma Family is Baji/Pigua/Fanzi/ChuoJiao combined under the Tongbei umbrella.


My first Sifu taught a little tongbei as well, but I’m not sure if it was a modern wushu variant or not.  I never learned it, but saw the form done a number of times, by one of the other students.  Interesting approach, in some ways with parallels to Tibetan Crane.


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## clfsean (Aug 27, 2021)

Flying Crane said:


> My first Sifu taught a little tongbei as well, but I’m not sure if it was a modern wushu variant or not.  I never learned it, but saw the form done a number of times, by one of the other students.  Interesting approach, in some ways with parallels to Tibetan Crane.


There are definite similarities between the SiJiHao stuff and Pigua Quan from Gansu, where the Ma family is originally from.


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## Xue Sheng (Aug 27, 2021)

clfsean said:


> Cool! 👍👍👍
> 
> 
> I'm practicing Ma Family Tongbei Quan (Ma Xianda line). There's a guy out in western Sagamihara that's practicing the Baiyuan Tongbi Quan, but it's a bit different. The Ma Family is Baji/Pigua/Fanzi/ChuoJiao combined under the Tongbei umbrella.



Sounds awesome, and I'm jealous. But then I'm jealous of anything that includes Baji 

I have no idea where my shifu learned it, but if I had to guess it was in Shandong. That is where he learned everything else before he came here


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## Unkogami (Aug 29, 2021)

Xue Sheng said:


> Use to be a member of the Chen family in Japan. Was this associated with that person in any way?


What person?


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## Xue Sheng (Aug 29, 2021)

Unkogami said:


> What person?



I don't remember, I found it out years ago, they were 18th or 19th generation. If it was 18th generation they may no longer be living. If it was 19th, they are getting up there in years. This is why I was asking to jolt my memory


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## BrendanF (Aug 29, 2021)

Liu Chengde was in Tokyo for a time, not sure if that's who you're talking about.


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