GENBUKAN Article

[Cryozombie]

http://www.traveldish.com/features/getphysical/ninja.htm

 

[pknox]

Technopunk:

Very interesting article. A few points/questions:

1. I guess this was supposed to be a profile of Tanemura at least as much as ninjutsu, but I'm surprised they're wasn't at least a passing reference to the other x-kans. They also didn't mention his jujutsu lineage either.

2. I was not aware that other ninjutsu arts also referred to their art as "ninpo" - I had always thought the name change was something from Hatsumi. Good to know. Do all of the x-kans use "ninpo"?

3. It's kind of interesting that the ninja "ways" also number 18, much like those of the samurai. I wonder if this number has some mythological/religious/cultural significance like the 108 in Chinese arts.

4. If the Hanzo lineage that Tanemura claims is verifiable, that would make Genbukan pretty close to koryu, right?

 

[Cryozombie]

Originally posted by pknox
Technopunk:

Very interesting article. A few points/questions:


4. If the Hanzo lineage that Tanemura claims is verifiable, that would make Genbukan pretty close to koryu, right?

Being a Bujinkan guy myself, I cant speak for a lot of the Genbukan stuff, however I on this point it was my Understanding (If I remember Mr. Richardson's book correctly) that Hattori Hanzo, as well as other members of the Hanzo clan were from the Togakure Ryu. It was also my understanding that Tanemura trained with Takamatsu sensei, and left to do his own thing after Hatsumi sensei took over.

 

[pknox]

Originally posted by Technopunk
it was my Understanding (If I remember Mr. Richardson's book correctly) that Hattori Hanzo, as well as other members of the Hanzo clan were from the Togakure Ryu.

I wonder if this is the book that Hatsumi was supposed to have used as his evidence for trying to list Bujinkan as a koryu with some organizations in Japan. Evidently they denied his request, and he basically stopped pursuing it. There was a pretty long discussion on e-budo about it some time ago.

I've never trained Bujinkan (or any ninjutsu, for that matter) - but from what I've seen, it looks pretty interesting, very comprehensive, and also looks like fun.

 

[Jay Bell]

1. I guess this was supposed to be a profile of Tanemura at least as much as ninjutsu, but I'm surprised they're wasn't at least a passing reference to the other x-kans. They also didn't mention his jujutsu lineage either.

That is pretty odd. Tanemura sensei is not Soke of any Ninpo lineage, though he holds two Menkyo Kaiden in Togakure ryu. Much of his lineage are koryu bujutsu.

2. I was not aware that other ninjutsu arts also referred to their art as "ninpo" - I had always thought the name change was something from Hatsumi. Good to know. Do all of the x-kans use "ninpo"?

Ninpo Taijutsu is the phrase used to label the three schools. This wasn't from Hatsumi sensei. Yes, the three X-Kans use the term "Ninpo".

3. It's kind of interesting that the ninja "ways" also number 18, much like those of the samurai. I wonder if this number has some mythological/religious/cultural significance like the 108 in Chinese arts.

Nice call! Very much so.

4. If the Hanzo lineage that Tanemura claims is verifiable, that would make Genbukan pretty close to koryu, right?

Most (if not all) of the arts in Genbukan and Bujinkan are koryu.

It was also my understanding that Tanemura trained with Takamatsu sensei, and left to do his own thing after Hatsumi sensei took over.

Tanemura sensei *did* train with Takamatsu sensei....for a day. Hatsumi sensei took his students to work with Takamatsu sensei. They studied bikenjutsu.

Hatsumi sensei was Soke for quite a while before Tanemura sensei left and formed the Genbukan (1986?).

 

[pknox]

Jay Bell:

What is the significance of the 18 then? Is it related to mikkyo, or is it something else altogether?

 

[Jay Bell]

Yes

 

[pknox]

Originally posted by Jay Bell
Yes

Must be one of those "I'd tell you but I'd have to kill you" ancient ninja secrets, eh?

 

[Jay Bell]

haha...no...but you were right when you asked the question.

 

[heretic888]

9 times two equals 18. nyuk nyuk.