Genbukan UK Tai Kai 2009

This weekend saw the Genbukan UK Tai Kai take place in Brighton, 4 days training for instructors and 2 days for mere mortals!  This year's Tai Kai focused on the "Tenshin Hyoho Kukishin Ryu" which is a very old Jujutsu School.

Tanemura Soke has opened up these schools, so that members of the Genbukan can receive a licence in these traditional schools, some of the instructors have been waiting over 20 years for this chance!  Before the Kyu/Dan system was introduced this was how Martial Arts in Japan were licenced.

Students from 9th Kyu to 1st Kyu were allowed to test the Kirigami level, this is the first 9 basic patterns from this school, and would give the student a rank of 1st Kyu in new money.  Students and instructors above Shodan (1st Dan Black Belt) were allowed to test the Shoden Menkyo level, which is the next 13 patterns and would give the student a rank of 1st Dan.

Saturday was spent learning and practicing the 9 patterns of the Kirigami level which includes lots of throws, being thrown over and over certainly improves the ability to receive!  Last thing on Saturday was a Amatsu Tatara spiritual lecture, which was very interesting.  On Sunday morning we learned and practiced some very special Hanbojutsu (3ft Staff) and Bikenjutsu (Sword) patterns from the Tenshin Hyoho Kukishin Ryu!

I managed to pass my Kirigami test with 95% which I was very pleased with, having to test in front of 170  is quite daunting, but once I got started I forget all of the people watching except for Tanemura Soke!  My partner and I were last in our group to finish our patterns, and I could feel Tanemura Soke watching us!