Hello! I've been practicing ninpo for a while at the Samurai Centre in Brighton under Stuart Allison and would like to transfer to Bristol (to get a mortgage where I can actually afford the house prices, in case you're wondering). Now, I'm only in 8th kyu right now but if possible I'd like to transfer and continue my training instead of starting over. I can see two Genbukan schools that look suitable: Ninpo-Taijutsu (possibly also called the Water Tiger Dojo? That may be only for the advanced students, though) and The Genbukan Ninpo Bugei Kohaku Dojo. I'd like to know if anybody here knows of their respective reputations so I know if there's a particular ideal one to go to, location notwithstanding? Web sites for each: http://www.kohakudojo.co.uk/Default.htm http://www.ninpo-taijutsu.co.uk/ Thank you in advance, and please let me know if I've tripped up on my etiquette here. NT
The ninpo taijutsu place isnt genbukan,. The kohaku dojo is very very good, if you want JMA, go there.
I'd recommend Kohaku Dojo, I think that it's Hanubasa dojo in Bristol, under Kaz, very knowledgeable and trains under Leo at the main branch, again very knowledgeable. Isn't Stuart Allison also Genbukan? If so get him to make an intro otherwise you may not be able to train, Genbukan are very focused on etiquette with this kind of thing...
If your current place is not Genbukan, then you have to start over, plain and simple. No 2 ways about it. If your current place IS genbukan, then you should not ask here, but ask for permission to move to another dojo via your current sensei, as this is not a decision you can make for yourself. If the reason for the change is a relocation, there is generally not an issue, but still you have to go through the proper channels, which means your sensei has to contact the sensei in the other dojo and they both have to agree on you moving dojo.
@ Fusen - Thank you for clarifying about the ninpo taijutsu place. Their metawords on their web site contains the word Genbukan so it came up on a search for "Genbukan Bristol", hence my confusion. @ Ninniku Dojo - Yes indeed, Stuart is. I heard about the etiquette via a fellow member of my current dojo, so I know roughly what to do. And the leads me neatly onto... @ Count Duckula - Thank you for making clear to me the way this goes. I didn't realise I didn't get to choose, but I am hoping to train under Leo, in that case. I'll keep my fingers crossed. And to the person who answered privately - thank you so much for the information. I'm not able to respond privately yet and probably won't until I've posted more, but I wanted to say thank you.
I'm sorry if I was not entirely clear. You cannot choose to go outside the hierarchy if you are currently in Genbukan. If you are, you have to make a request via your sensei. But if the various sensei involved are on good terms, they will not make a problem and will probably talk with you and allow you to try out and see where you would like to be. If you would like to train with a certain sensei, be sure to ask and chances are it will be ok. If you are not in Genbukan, there is no issue and you can try out wherever you like. It's only when you get the membership card that the hierarchy has to be followed. And if the people in your part of the hierarchy are decent human beings with mutual respect, things work with very little fuss and muss. I don't think that in the UK you'd have problems moving around.
@Count Duckula: Thanks for clarifying! I understand what I need to do, now. I don't actually have a membership card - I'm still waiting on that - but I will follow protocol. And I am indeed in Genbukan.
