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President Kisho Inoue Interview
2024 Oct
Interviewer: Finland Branch shihan Ilpo JalamoRyukyu Kobujutsu Today and TomorrowUnderstanding and respecting the tradition of classical martial arts is essential to the modern practitioner. Although fusion and more modern versions of martial arts provide alternative schools, traditional organizations bring values of history, integrity, and tradition. By ensuring that the classical martial arts are not dramatically changed in technique, we can maintain the spirit of these classical martial arts. This, however, does not mean that Ryukyu Kobujutsu is archaic. The backgrounds, ideologies, and methods, utilized by current practitioners are different from those in the past, despite their origin. Ryukyu Kobujutsu is not a secret Okinawan art anymore, but it is now practiced inclusively and internationally. Today, there are more people practicing in Kobujutsu in the West than in Okinawa. Similarly, what used to be a male-dominated sport has now many female practitioners. Looking at these changes in the art form, one should be excited about the future of Ryukyu Kobujutsu - where are we now and where are we going to go? The Chief Instructor and the President of Ryukyu Kobujutsu Hozon Shinko Kai (RKHSK) Kisho Inoue Hanshi shares his views about the present situation in the Kobujutsu world. -Ilpo Inoue Hanshi, all the dan grades of Kobujutsu are registered in Japan. Can you tell us how many black belt level practitioners there are in RKHSK? -Inoue Since Grand Master Gansho [Motokatsu] Inoue established the dojo in the 1950s, there are now about 1,000 practitioners who have registered as black belts (first dan). -Ilpo How about Shihan-level master teachers? -Inoue There are about 30 Shihan -level master teachers. -Ilpo What is the highest rank awarded to a woman ? -Inoue The highest rank for a woman is the same as the highest rank for a man. In other words, it is the Hanshi rank. Presently, the 4th dan is the highest grade awarded to a woman in RKHSK. Both Japanese and western ladies have achieved this rank. -Ilpo During the past twenty or thirty years we have seen more and more women joining Ryukyu Kobujutsu. I believe that in Japan, however, Kobujutsu is still practiced mainly by men. How do you feel about this development? -Inoue In the broad sense of ancient martial arts, that is, classical martial arts in Japan, there are a total of about 80 schools of Ken-jutsu [swordsmanship], Ju-jutsu, Naginata-jutsu etc., that continue to be active. When looking at the art of Naginata-jutsu specifically, it is dominated by women. The proportion of women seems to depend on the school of martial arts. In the case of Ryukyu Kobujutsu there are about 10 Japanese women currently active in Japan. Five women practice at the Sohonbu General Headquarters in Tokyo. In the Yokohama Culture School there are also some ladies. According to the J. F. Oberlin University Kobujutsu Club Director: Dr. Suganuma, there is a great deal of interest in Kobujutsu among women from abroad. Many of them are short-term international students at Japanese universities. In Japan, we live in an era in which people can live for 100 years, and Japanese people, regardless of age or gender, are highly motivated to learn as they aim for lifelong learning. When it comes to martial arts, although one may feel reluctant to attend a traditional dojo in person, the culture class offers a chance to experience the spirit of martial arts in a more casual way. Yokohama Culture dojo only introduces the basics of Bo-jutsu. For a more serious study, it is a good idea to join the Sohonbu Dojo in Shibuya. Ancient Ryukyu martial arts and Karate-jutsu are closely related. I think it would be good if more people learned ancient Ryukyu martial arts. I am grateful for the presence of karate instructors who do not only guide students through competitions, but also guide them through the Ryukyu ancient martial arts that form the basis of karate. Kobujutsu (or ancient martial arts) are techniques for self-defense. It doesn't matter whether you are young or old, male or female. At Sohonbu Dojo, instructor Susumu Tanaka is 86 years old and he is still training hard. He is a good example to all of us. There were also female students during the time of Grand Masters Shinken Taira and Motokatsu Inoue. Both Taira sensei and Inoue sensei valued everyone who was interested in Ryukyu ancient martial arts and trained diligently, regardless of gender. -Ilpo You have Hanshi-title which is the highest rank in our Association. Mr. Okawa has also been awarded that title recently. Are there more Hanshi-level instructors in Kobujutsu? -Inoue Yes, in RKHSK we also have Mr. Masaru Shingai. Itfs nearly 70 years since Mr. Shingai and Mr. Okawa were introduced to Grand Master Motokatsu Inoue. They are diligent in their own training and they still strive to guide their successors. I am most grateful for their desire to dedicate their lives to the arts of Kobujutsu and Karate. -Ilpo Kobujutsu is now practiced in many countries outside Japan. How many countries belong to RKHSK at the moment and are there more branches to be expected to join in the future? -Inoue We have official overseas branches in 20 countries. Ireland was accepted as a branch in RKHSK this June . The chief instructor in Ireland is Mr. Clint Oosthuizen. We are very pleased to have a new branch in our organization. -Ilpo The International Seminar has been going on many years now and 2024 it is taken place in Holland. Where is the next International Seminar going to be? -Inoue The first international seminar introduced by Grand Master Motokatsu Inoue was held in Hakone, Japan in 1990. The seminar in the Netherlands is the 12th International Seminar. The 13th will be held in October 2026 in Greece. Branch head Nicolaos Tsoupakis has already reserved a venue on the outskirts of Athens and is busy making preparations. -Ilpo Are there any other events for Kobujutsu members internationally or in Japan which the students could join? -Inoue Overseas, we have achieved a variety of exchanges, including seminars and demonstrations hosted by branches in each country, as well as, demonstrations through exchanges with local Japanese embassies and Japanese associations. The same is true in Japan. Based on the regular training classes of the General Headquarters and each Japanese branch, we used to have a domestic seminar for two days and one night in March every year. It was temporarily canceled due to COVID-19, but we hope to return it to our yearly program. A total of 12 demonstration events are held each year through the two Kobudo organizations of which RKHSK is a member i.e. Japan Kobudo Association and Japan Kobudo Promotion Association. To be eligible to participate, one must be a member of the Kobudo organization, and one will be required to pay an admission fee and annual membership fee. In addition, the Nippon Budokan holds an international martial arts culture seminar for international students around March every year. The three-day event is held at the Nippon Budokan Training Center in Katsuura City, Chiba Prefecture (participation is free). For example, Mr. Michael Back, who is currently the head of the West Coast branch of Australia, joined the international martial arts culture seminar, when he was working in Tokyo. -Ilpo The International Seminar is an important part of RKHSK's activities. In which other areas does the Association operate? What do the Association and the board members do weekly or monthly? -Inoue Based on the Articles 4 and 5 of the Association's bylaws, we have established the following specific activity policy every year. (1) Strive to improve the technical skills, exchange information, and strengthen the network of the headquarters and branches. ① Cooperate and unite to realize the holding of international seminars. ② While continuing and following up on the Association's website and gMini-Kawarah, which is our newsletter since 1995, we will disseminate information on the existence and activities of the Association both domestically and internationally. ③ Strive to standardize and improve technology based on the curriculum for each level and rank. (2) Regardless of whether it is the headquarters or branches, we will hold seminars as necessary with the permission of the president, participate in demonstration events, etc., and strive to preserve and promote the purpose of the association. Meetings: The General Assembly, Board of Directors, and Standing Board of Directors are held in March each year. The Board of Directors will meet sequentially depending on the content.  From the pre-Corona General Assembly First Row from Left to right: Junichi Masubuchi Toshio Sano,Masaru Shingai,Kisho Inoue,Masaharu Okawa,Hiromasa Kawasaki, Minoru Yoshida, Mamoru Toyama  From the pre-Corona General Assembly First Row from Left to right: Masaharu Okawa, Masaru Shingai, Senior Advisor:Mr. Goshi Yamaguchi sensei, Kisho Inoue, Standing advsior:Mr.Hajime Kobayashi sensei, Yasuyo InoueiSupreme advisorj, Keiko Hashimoto(Yasuyofs daughter), Mamoru Toyama Demonstration event: We have the opportunity to participate in 12 demonstrations annually as members of Japan Kobudo Association and Japan Kobudo Promotion Association. Through the Japan Kobudo Association for instance, we have participated in the Japan Kobudo Demonstration Event held at the Japan Budokan, and as a member of the martial arts delegation we have demonstrated in Australia, the United States, Cuba, Mexico, Spain, and France. In our quarterly magazine gMini Kawarah, we provide an opportunity to introduce the status of our association's activities and share information to our members. -Ilpo Besides RKHSK, there are also some other Kobujutsu groups in Okinawa. Some of them are very active in the social media and present openly their material on YouTube for instance. Contrary to this, not too many RKHSK kata or kumite are to be found in the social media. Is this the official policy of RKHSK? The training happens in the old way from teacher to student and hands on? -Inoue Although we communicate our association's existence to the world through the headquarters' homepage, we do not introduce videos of the details of our kata or kumite. Grand Master Motokatsu Inoue valued the teachings of his predecessors, gMartial arts should be kept inside and not shown to the outside.h In other words, gDon't show your strength. Practice quietly and cultivate your skills.h When an emergency arises, use all your strength to protect yourself. He always told me to cherish my training at the dojo. It is vital that the teachings of the master are at the root of the preservation and promotion of ancient martial arts. -Ilpo Does RKHSK have any co-operation with the other Kobujutsu organizations? -Inoue We have a cooperative relationship with Okinawan Kobudo organizations through the Japan Kobudo Association. For instance, Goju-ryu led by Morio Higaonna Sensei from Okinawa is a member of the Japan Kobudo Association. We have the opportunity to work with master Higaonna at various demonstrations. In addition, after the passing of Eisuke Akamine sensei, his son Mr. Hiroshi Akamine and I met in Tokyo in the year 2000 and had the opportunity to interact with each other. In 2002, Masaru Shingai Shihan and myself visited Okinawa and had a meeting with Mr.Hiroshi Akamine and Mr.Isshi Kinjo. I am about the same age with Mr.Akamine and we have been on friendly terms ever since. In 2019, at the time of our International Seminar 2019 held in Kumejima, we held a demonstration of karate and ancient martial arts which was joined by local Kobudo practitioners including Mr.Akaminefs disciples. As mentioned above, we are a member of two ancient martial arts organizations, the Japan Kobudo Association and the Japan Kobudo Promotion Association. “ú–{ŒÃ•“¹‹¦‰ï Nihon Kobudo Kyokai [Japan Kobudo Association]: https://www.nihonkobudokyoukai.org/ As a member of the Japan Kobudo Association, we have the opportunity to participate in national demonstrations at Japan Budokan, participate in demonstration events overseas, and publish our activities in the monthly magazine gBudoh. Japan Budokan's training center is located in Katsuura City, Chiba Prefecture, and we have held international seminars at the center. “ú–{ŒÃ•“¹U‹»‰ï Nihon Kobudo Shinko Kai [Japan Kobudo Promotion Society]: https://kobushin.jp/ It is the oldest ancient martial arts organization in Japan, founded in Showa 10 (1935). We have been given the opportunity to participate in votive demonstrations of shrines in Tokyo, Nagoya, Kyoto, and other places. -Ilpo Your father Gansho Inoue wrote several books on Kobujutsu which still are the guideline for our training. Are there any plans for new written material on Kobujutsu? -Inoue We have about 5,000 A4 pages on Karate-jutsu, Tai-jutsu, and Ryukyu ancient martial arts, including detailed written explanations with drawings and diagrams by Grand Master Gansho Inoue. We also have textual materials inherited from Grand Master Shinken Taira sensei and a lot of photos. These materials are a valuable help in our studies and for preserving the tradition. -Ilpo The dream of many foreign students is to visit Japan and to study kata and kumite under Japanese instructors. How would you advise them? I think that it is customary to first ask a permission for the visit from their own teacher and the branch chief will then contact you. Do you recommend that the foreigners join the training at the Sohonbu dojo in Tokyo or can they join the classes in another dojo as well? -Inoue It is customary to ask your own teacher for the permission to visit Japan, and then your teacher will contact us. If you do not have the permission from your teacher, you will not be accepted. Practicing not only at the General Headquarters Dojo in Shibuya, but also at branch dojos in various places is a new exchange experience. The regular training schedule of the General Headquarters and each branch is posted on the General Headquarters website. You can use it as a reference to plan your visit to Japan. After the training is over, we prepare a report on the contents of the training and provide feedback to the studentsf teacher to ensure continued growth and development of the student. -Ilpo Visits by foreigners often require special arrangements in Japan and visitors take away the teacherfs valuable time that could be spent with the local members. Do you think this is a problem? -Inoue We are on a journey through martial arts. In my opinion, interacting with overseas members is one of the most valuable experiences in Kobujutsu. It's a wonderful thing and a great learning opportunity. I don't think it's a problem at all. -Ilpo Senior instructors who started training with O-sensei Gansho Inoue are now in their seventies or eighties. Do we have promising young instructors ready to follow the footsteps of the previous generation? How do you see the future of RKHSK? -Inoue Promising instructors are growing both in Japan and overseas. Again, I am grateful for the efforts of the branch heads in Japan and overseas who have been working tirelessly to guide and train the next generation. I hope that leaders in Japan and abroad will unite and devote themselves to this mission. -Ilpo What would you like to say to a young kobujutsu student who is seriously interested in learning Kobujutsu? -Inoue Kobujutsu in a broad sense means a number of martial arts that have been inherited since before the Meiji era (1868-1912). There are martial arts schools with hundreds of years of history. They are Japanese culture. In most schools, the teachings are concentrated in kata. Kata is the achievement of the physical and mental skills of our predecessors. It is important to understand correctly the techniques of the school one is reperesenting and understand the meaning of tradition. Among the many kobujutsu schools, the ancient martial arts of Ryukyu (the former name of Okinawa) consist of Toshu Kuken-jutsu and Emono-jutsu. The former is now called Karate-jutsu, and the latter is called Ryukyu Kobujutsu. Ryukyu Kobujutsu has more than 40 traditional kata, consisting of 8 types of weapons and their kumite-jutsu. I would like to mention the following points as the important points in learning. · Don't think that if you don't have a weapon, you won't be able to study weapons. You can imagine that you have a weapon and still study effectively. · When you are practicing hard, many questions will come into your mind. Check with your teacher. His help and experience will lead you to the next step. · If there is a demonstration, please participate positively and make use of it in your own practice. It will be a goal for regular practice, and it will be encouraging. · At the demonstrations held every year in various parts of Japan, you can watch the performances of various schools. It's a good opportunity to see the practice of others. · Again, continuity is power. The more you train, the more results you will get. · The higher you are and the more you study, the more you have to practice. Much more than those below you. Don't be complacent and always take on challenges with a hungry spirit. · Toshu-jutsu and Emono-jutsu are two wheels of the same cart. By utilizing the elements of Toshu-jutsu in weapon techniques or vice versa, you will deepen your understanding in Ryukyu martial arts. · Martial arts is a way to cultivate true ability, and teaches one to have a humble heart. Through dedication to daily training and by avoiding fighting, seek peace. I would be happy if a student could make use of the results of the physical and mental training in Kobujutsu and find harmony in his or her daily life. |
