Regional JMA?

**DARPAChief** · Posted On: 10/27/2010 5:13am

Hello JMA forum,

I was in Japan for a year; decided I liked it. Reassuring, really, considering the brunt of my third level education is sort of contingent on that. So being that I plan on a long-term return in short order, I've my heart set on a life that includes regular Daidou Juku. Unfortunately, there are a handful of prefectures that are completely without the Juku; ones that do tend to only have one or two unless they're major urban areas. Pairing that with the unforseeableness of my future location, it's possible I might have to look elsewhere if I end up in a Daidou-desolate destination.

Bearing that in mind, are there any good alternatives to Daidou Juku? I mean sure, wherever I go there's a good chance I can get involved in some Judo, but I'm pretty in love with the combination of striking and grappling, the sensible headgear, and how it all symbolizes the martial aspect that makes the arts something more than just pretend people talking about zeitgeist and minimalism.

But srsly, I'm ready to get learnt. Drop some knowledge on me. Am I overlooking some good stuff? Bonus points if you can find it in somewhere hilarious (Shikoku, anyone?).

**ojgsxr6** · Posted On: 10/27/2010 8:15am

I'm not from the area but Ashihara and Enshin have limited grappling in there curriculum, and possibly depending on the school can combine the two in sparring. I don't know of any in the area either but Shidokan karate also does full mma style fighting

**whatever123** · Posted On: 10/27/2010 3:23pm

Zendokai (Kudo offshoot)
YouTube - My second zendokai karate tournament in Japan

Shooto (basically MMA with wrestling background)
YouTube - Shooto Highlights

**DARPAChief** · Posted On: 10/27/2010 3:59pm

Thanks ojgsxr6. I forgot to mention I did a little shidokan over there; agreed; they are definately a contender. Although I am a little baffled that they still don't incorporate headgear into gi matches; it kind of paints them as a missing Kyokushin-Kudo link in my mind. But they did formally introduce me to the world of rope skipping...

whatever123, shooto looks terrifying, but what I've been reading about Zendokai is just scary. Any on hand experience with them?

**judoist** · Posted On: 10/27/2010 3:59pm

Another thing you should consider is Seidokaikan. Check out good ol' Kyokushinkaikan as well.

If you get a chance, and have enough time (at least five years) try out koryu bujutsu. If you do have the time, post your location in Japan and I'll see if I can find any ryuha in your area.

The two ryuha you should consider as they actually spar are the Owari Kan Ryu of Sojutsu (spearmanship - Aichi Prefecture), and Jikishin Kage Ryu Naginatajutsu (Naginata/glaive - most prefectures have at least one dojo teaching this one).

**DARPAChief** · Posted On: 10/27/2010 4:29pm

Hey hey! I was hoping I'd get one of you guys!

To tell the truth, I've been guiltily dreaming that I could somehow work for a living, get some full contact sparring in AND work on some koryu skills. Sojutsu and Naginatajutsu never crossed my mind, but I never knew they sparred :D. I'll send some details your way when I come by them, but if everything went peachy I'd end up in Kobe or Sendai.

**judoist** · Posted On: 10/28/2010 5:06am

Originally Posted by DARPAChief

To tell the truth, I've been guiltily dreaming that I could somehow work for a living, get some full contact sparring in AND work on some koryu skills. Sojutsu and Naginatajutsu never crossed my mind, but I never knew they sparred :D. I'll send some details your way when I come by them, but if everything went peachy I'd end up in Kobe or Sendai.

I dream of cross training full contact (e.g. Daido Juku) and koryu too.

If you're in Kobe, check out Kashima Shinden Jikishinkage-ryu. From what I hear, the Kobe dojo teaches all classical kata (hojo no kata, to no kata, kodachi no kata, habiki no kata, marubashi no kata).

Admittedly, this ryu only has katas in it, so no sparring.

It is noteworthy that the 8th soke of this koryu, Naganuma Sirozaemon Kunisato, improved the bokuto and shinai used in Kendo, and refined the Kendo armour by adding a metal grill to the men and thick cotton protective coverings to the kote.

Kunisato inherited the ryu from his father Heizaemon in 1708, and the two of them worked on improving the bogu until Heizaemon's death. As such, if you look into this ryu, you're bound to run into a fair few kendoka.

And since kendo has sparring, there's a combo, if you are interested.

If you're in Sendai, check out Shinto Muso ryu jojutsu. This was founded by the guy who is said to have been the only one to ever beat Miyamoto Musashi in a duel.

Shinto Muso ryu is (just like the naginata school I mentioned in my previous post) found all over Japan, but I have it on good authority that the dojos in Sendai are very proficient at the Isshin ryu Kusarigamajutsu.

Here is a demo of this koryu (which is taught as part of Shinto Muso ryu):

YouTube - Isshin Ryu Kusarigama

(The group demonstating in the vid is from the Aijokai - Aichi Shinto Muso ryu group)

**whatever123** · Posted On: 10/28/2010 9:02pm

Originally Posted by DARPAChief

whatever123, shooto looks terrifying, but what I've been reading about Zendokai is just scary. Any on hand experience with them?

Sorry no experience other from what I saw & heard

**DARPAChief** · Posted On: 10/31/2010 3:22pm

Interesting. I've been doing a lot of reading and thinking about my business getting involved in some koryuha. When it comes down to it, the real reason I'm interested in them at all is because of the pruning that has gone down in modern budo, particularly in the case where something is unsafe for competition and it falls by the wayside. I know it's not all bad news; a lot of people assert that cutting the fat and focusing on the essentials is simply the most reasonable way to go about practice. I'm hard pressed to argue with that. But I'm at least curious in the whole "too deadly" purge within the unarmed curricula. Any recommended reading?

**aiyer** · Posted On: 10/31/2010 6:06pm

Originally Posted by DARPAChief

whatever123, shooto looks terrifying, but what I've been reading about Zendokai is just scary. Any on hand experience with them?

I've done some shootfighting and I'd say it's pretty close to mma. For me it's the closest training to mma I can get. It's pretty standard striking and grappling, no headgear.