Hey guys. I have a question to the koryu practitioners here. How does the actual training compare to what im doing in the bujinkan? Ill clarify. I mean how is the actual technical training done compared to us in the Bujinkan. From the few videos I have seen on koryu, you guys are far more "formal" and ritualistic about everything. Other then that, whats the difference between your kata's and ours? From a execution of technique standpoint. Lastly, does the koryu arts get the same level of hatred that the Bujinkan gets?
Koryu arts aren't a homogeneous whole, there's wide variation between Ryu. People are kinder to Koryu people because they accept that what they are doing is anachronistic. They are interested in the art as a historical artefact rooted in a specific warrior culture. While it has a lot of carry over to functional SD, there's also stuff that's time and place specific. It is very much the study of martial art. They also have solid legitimate historicity, and aren't claiming to be a modern combative panacea.
Thank you Sir. That explains why I see no hatred at all on line regarding them. They usually don't claim to be anything thing then historical study. I wish the BBT would have done that from the beginning and not fooled around with this Ninja bs that everyone hates on us for. Sadly the only koryu in my state is a 6 hour drive away.
The problem with your question is what are you trying to compare it to? The general Buj or specific teachers in Japan?
General bujinkan training, assuming a good teacher. Nothing specific, just over all comparison. ScottUK I live in Indiana,USA. Here is the website of the koryu im talking about. http://yobushin.org/iaido/
There's an article worth reading written by Ron Beaubien in Keiko Shokon on the many challenges involved in trying to make sense of demonstrations of koryu bujutsu. Among the many points he makes is that public demonstrations don't serve quite the role that they might seem. For the vast majority of demonstrations in Japan (making up pretty much everything reputable you can find on Youtube), the intended audience is not actually the public. The demonstrations are held at shrines or temples, and the practitioners are symbolically offering up their martial skill to the appropriate deities. So to a certain way of thinking, the videos you've probably watched are videos of religious ceremonies as well as martial arts, and "when you goes to church, you puts on your Sunday best." The extent to which this actually makes a difference is (like almost everything with koryu) case-by-case, and I wouldn't dare make a statement about any school other than: the "formality" and "ritualism" you've seen in the videos might not be representative at all of how practice is normally carried out.
Im not sure how to go about finding them? I typed in koryu Indiana and this was the only thing that came up. I may need to look up individual school names.. Edit to add, im in NE Indiana near Fort Wayne. I have tried searching again for koryu in Indiana and so far only that iado school comes up.
The website for the Lake Lemon Hoki-ryu school mentions that there are several schools in Indiana, but that most of them do not have web presences. Your best bet would be to contact the Yobushin Dojo, explain your circumstances, and see what they might be able to recommend. Also, it seems like it would be much more productive for you to be searching for dojo in either Michigan or in Ohio. A quick web search turned up at least four schools in southern Michigan and two or three in central Ohio. Again, even if none of them are convenient for you, they might be able to provide you with suggestions.
Therein lies my point. Typing things in an internet search box is not trying very hard. You have to realize that the koryu have been handed down for hundreds of years. Their aim is different than that of most other martial arts schools. Here's a link to a very interesting little piece written by Dave Lowry for the Skoss' dojo web site (they are the owners of koryu.com). It goes a long way, in my opinion, to explaining the mind set behind a good many of the koryu schools ... So You Want to Join the Ryu?