Jinenkan Sakkijutsu test?

[Budoka 9]

I have heard of a Sakkijutsu test one takes in the Bujinkan and the Genbukan to establish a student as a true teacher of a certain level. But I have never heard any discussion of it in the Jinenkan. Does this type of test exist within the Jinenkan? If not is there any focus or training on developing this type of skill within the Jinenkan?

Thanks for any answers on this subject.
Chris

 

[Chris Parker]

Hi,

I haven't heard of it used as a test at any point in the Jinenkan, in the Bujinkan it is a test for 5th Dan, and variations are used as part of the assessment for the higher Master-level ranks in the Genbukan.

However I expect that the skills are taught in the Jinenkan, as it primarily comes from the Densho for Togakure Ryu, as well as being present in a couple of kata from the Gyokko Ryu, both of which are taught in the Jinenkan.

 

[Bruno@MT]

I read in an interview with the Belgian Jinenkan dojo-cho from Gent that he passed the sakki test with Manaka sensei. I don't know at which point this test is done, but judging from the interview it is part of the grading somewhere.

 

[Chris Parker]

Hey Bruno,

Yeah, I expect it is in the testing somewhere, but I haven't seen exactly where it is involved. After all, Manaka Sensei was one of Hatsumi Sensei's very early students, so he is very used to the concept of the sakki test being used for Godan, so I would be quite unsurprised to see it at that point, at least as part of the testing method.

Mario De Mol Sensei (the Belgian Dojo Cho) I know is one of the few who has achieved the rank of Godan in the Jinenkan so far, so that would make sense if the sakki test is included in the Godan ranking. But even if it is not part of the official testing for any rank, I still believe that what is commonly known as "the sakki test", which is really a pattern from Togakure Ryu known as Chu Gaeshi (when you evade forwards) or Yoko Gaeshi (when you evade to the side) from the Hiden Kata section of the Ninpo Taijutsu densho, is definately a part of the teachings of the Jinenkan. So it's there, I just don't know if it is officially part of the testing for a particular rank or not. Hopefully a Jinenkan member can fill us in on that.

 

[kakuma]

There is not a sakki test in the testing curriculum required for the Jinenkan. As Chris has pointed out, these things are trained in gyokko and togakure ryu, therefore Unsui Sensei does not feel that ability needs to be implemented in a test. When we do train the katas specificaly in the Gyokko ryu, depending on the level of the individals training the kata can be trained with or without kiai. Hope this helps.

 

[Chris Parker]

Thanks, Kakuma, good to know that I'm not out there spreading lies about the Jinenkan...

I do the same thing with my seniors, the juniors always use the kiai, but I expect the seniors to train the technique without it.

 

[Budoka 9]

Thanks guys! Interesting that there is no test for this, but that it is trained within the particular Ryu that it comes from. Is there a level of proficiency that it is trained too so one reaches this skill at a certain level? I have always found this skill to be at the height of a martial artist skill level. I don't find it something "magical" within Budo training but better yet something that is in all of us and just needs to be found as a natural instinct.

As of now the strongest example of sakkijutsu I have seen has been evident within the Genbukan. The Bujinkan I think (only personal opinion) has gone way off the charts with it being administered by others instead of the Soke of the art. Any comments welcome. Thanks again guys for your comments!

Chris

 

[Chris Parker]

Hi Budoka9,

Within the Bujinkan it is not "trained" as such, but is a skill that is supposed to be developed over time, with repeated exposure to a potentially dangerous environment you become more and more sensitive to the changing energies around. The big issue with this, of course, is that it relies on your training partners/attackers/uke attacking with a realistic intention, allowing you to "pick it up", o rbecome more attuned to it over time. If that intention is lacking (see the Bujinkan's "Happy Heart" training of the 90's), then it is much harder, if not impossible to realistically develop that sensitivity without other training means. This is one reason why the sakki tests of the 80's are quite different to those of the 90's and later, and could be a reason why you are seeing a difference between what you have seen of the Bujinkan and the Genbukan. For the record, the Bujinkan's tactic of having little to no real standards, leaving it up to the individual teachers to pass on what they think is important in a way that they want, means that here, more than anywhere in the Ninjutsu world, it will depend on the instructor more than the organisation. You simply cannot judge the entire Bujinkan on any one individual, unless that individual happens to be Hatsumi Sensei.

As to the Genbukan and Jinenkan, I have not had the exposure to their teaching in this regard, but I assume the idea of developing the skills will be fairly similar. But the higher focus on standards will mean a more even representation across the organisations. But in my organisation, we actually do train the skill specifically, utilising visualisation, and simple training exercises, focusing on the transmission of a sakki intention.

As to the way the specific kata are trained, whether the Togakure Ryu ones or the Gyokko Ryu ones (or the kata from any of a number of other schools, or in Iaido, or as a henka of really any technique at all), they are often trained with the uke giving a soft kiai before the attack, allowing the defender to recognise the intention and react to the attack. Later in training, the kiai is left out, with the defender relying on their sensitivity to keep them safe. When this happens depends on the student and the instructor.

Hope this helps.

 

[Bruno@MT]

From the Genbukan perspective, I was told that at the respective level, this sort of thing is trained for with a partner. It is then administered by Tanemura sensei himself, with every intention to cut you in half. Kyoshi Troy Wideman posted somewhere on this forum that for the kyoshi test of Shihan James Wright, Tanemura sensei hit so hard that the shinai shattered upon impact on the floor.

The idea is that just feeling something coming is not enough. You should be able to do something about it. And the attck should be a realistic attack. If the shinai (or sword) touches you, you fail the test.

 

[Chris Parker]

The idea is that just feeling something coming is not enough. You should be able to do something about it. And the attck should be a realistic attack. If the shinai (or sword) touches you, you fail the test.

Couldn't have put it better myself, Bruno. Thanks.