Author dovezenskiPosted on Categories MagazineMyths in the Bujinkan
During my meetings and conversations with many of the Bujinkan instructors, often I’ve had the chance to hear the story of the friendship between the founder of Judo, Jigoro Kano and the last ninja Takamatsu Toshitsugu. The story always differed in some minor details, depending on who is telling it, and sometimes it went as far as Toshitsugu and Kano training together, because they lived in two neighboring cities and as a consequence of those training’s Toshitsugu Takamatsu influenced heavily the development of judo. To make the story even more convincing, some would say that something similar to this can be read on the world-famous on line encyclopedia – Wikipedia (in the part about Takamatsu). The best part of this myth comes at the end of this story. Namely, when Jigoro Kano decided to popularize judo as a new martial art, with the intention of proving it’s efficiency, he scheduled a contest between his own students and the traditional jujutsu schools which still existed at that time. Of course, Kano’s students won almost all of the duels, but one of the students fighting for his dojo were sent by Takamatsu himself, who using his Ninjutsu techniques, win his opponent with great ease. This way, Takamatsu was able to help his friend.
Listening to these stories, while zealously studying Japanese martial arts history, often I ask myself why to the instructors (and other members of our organization) have the need of creating and spreading these myths (read: lies), among the Bujinkan Dojo members?
First of all, it’s true that the birthplaces of Takamatsu Toshitsugu and Jigoro Kano, aren’t far away from one another. But the issue here is that Kano was born in 1860, while Takamatsu 1889. That is a difference of full 29 years. Besides that, when Kano was 9, his family moved to Tokyo, which is pretty far from Kobe (592km) and during the years he rarely came to his city of birth (Mikage). Regarding Takamatsu’s influence over the founding of Judo, it is enough to mention that Judo (the Kodokan) itself was found in 1882 (1884 officially) – 7 full years before the birth of Takamatsu. It is correct however, that Kano organized duels with Jujutsu fighters, but these were usually members of the police Jujutsu teams. At this time, Takamatsu was still in his cradle, which renders false the claim that his students, who would be born much later, would be able to participate in these contests. Of course, these facts can be obtained by anyone. Every serious book on the subject of history and Japanese martial arts offer plenty of information regarding this issue.
But one could ask: Why are these lies spread among the Bujinkan membership and do they think by that our organization will become better or our art more efficient?
Certainly not, dear friends. The answer is rather simple. By spreading these lies, the gain is short-lived and will only achieve the admiration of the more light-minded students or beginners. But anyone who dives a little deeper into the world of traditional martial arts, sooner or later will discover every lie there is. By lying, we can only prove our uncertainty of knowledge about our art and technique, while reducing the respect for our organization, the Bujinkan Dojo. Therefore, if we want respect, we, as instructors who represent the Bujinkan in our countries, should sit down and get a healthy amount of knowledge about the history of Japanese martial arts. We should stop hiding our lack of knowledge behind the fantastic myths and legends, which can be told with no end visible – about the nine schools, Takamatsu, Iga, Seiko Fujita and so on.
Our knowledge alone, will assure the good reputation of our soke Masaaki Hatsumi and our organization, which to outsiders often looks as an ridiculous factory for megadan production and not as an organization with the task and dedication to keep the nine schools of the Great Master Moko-no-Tora from oblivion. Toshitsugu Takamatsu was a well respected master and warrior in his own time, and every fabrication of lies and myths will just destroy needlessly the outstanding picture of him. Myths should be based on facts, and facts are rather easy to prove, especially in Japan which is a country with a well kept history. Do not hope that by connecting great names from the budo world we will make our art better or worth more. On the contrary, by that we just „wash away“ it’s rich historical meaning as Bujutsu.
Let us stop creating blind followers from our students by telling them pretty and „wise“ words. Those, which follow you today, will as easily follow someone with sweeter words and stories tomorrow. We do not need followers. We need leaders who think with their own head and believe in the truth, not the lies. This is the only way to raise and save the reputation of the Bujinkan.
Igor Dovezenski
Dojo-cho of Bujinkan Macedonia
Eleven years in a row, the dojo Bujinkan Macedonia organized this event, and this year for the first time under the leadership of sempai Sanja Simonova, who together with the teacher Igor Dovezenski teaches techniques of self-defense from all kinds of situations. During the seminar, the participants had the opportunity to learn how to defend themselves from attacks with strikes, pinning to a wall, kicks, as well as situations when they find themselves on the ground. As support for Simonova and Dovezenski, always present were some of the older members of the dojo – Vladimir Antonovski, Mihail Drakalski and Filip Trajanovski. 
Besides the amazing companionship and incredible atmosphere, all the members of the fairer sex during the entire seminar kept the smiles on their faces, and for us that is the greatest sign of the success of the Workshop. Till next year.
Around ten Warriors from Bujinkan Macedonia readily faced the pain that always is a companion when the topic is the study of the vital points of the body, and the smile on their faces never left. The Teacher Igor Dovezenski on the seminar had the time to teach about 18 vital points that when pressed or hit cause great pain in the attacker, which allows for a good defense during an undesirable situation. 
In the end, the participants in the event asked for it to again be held in the near future, but if possible for it to last two days, with the goal of accumulating greater knowledge about this Japanese art.
diminished the quality of the event, quite the opposite – we put in even more effort into transferring knowledge and rewarding the commitment of those who decided to take part.
The first seminar in the year 2019 brought about a strong sense of excitement even before it was announced, because it was known that two of our older members and regular participants in the seminar, will have the skills that they have gathered tested. In that direction, the teacher Dovezenski to his students Mihail Drakalski and Taki Gakovski showed two isolated locations in which they during five hours needed to show all their skills of winter survival which they had learned during their participation in the previous events. At the end of the day, sempai Gakovski successfully passed the test for the basics of winter survival, and with that became the second member of Bujinkan Macedonia that had succeeded in that. After the end of the seminar, Gakovski, together with shidoshi ho Opacik, shared their feeling on the internal Forum of “Taiyou e no Michi”. “Knowing that I will be alone, left on one of the hills of Orljak, at first I had a sense of fear. That feeling that I will run into wild animal I get every time that I think to go alone In nature. I don’t know why that happens to me, and that is why I keep writing in my head the kanji for ’empty’ or Mu – 無.During the entire previous week I kept thinking about the test. I kept rereading the old Reports from the seminars and read all my notes from all the events of this type. Before the start of Orljak climb, Sensei shared a few advice, and then lead the rest of our comrades in a different direction. Together with sempai Miki we took off in a direction opposite of that of the others, and after we shook hands and in a brotherly fashion wished luck to one-another, splitting up. Just as I climbed the hill, I run into a suitable place. A bolder on one side and a bush on the other. I thought to myself “I will stay here” and immediately got to working. I left my backpack and went to search for some dry grass 
and twigs so I can get a fire going. Afterwards I hesitated a few times and thought of changing my location and climbing a bit higher, but I stayed put because I didn’t want to risk it. With the help of a small military shovel, I cleaned the area where I was supposed to stay and light a fire. I found it terribly hard and nearly impossible to light the branches. The moment a fire got going, it sputtered out because they were wet. Then I gave up on my plan and decided to leave the fire for latter, after which I decided to build a shelter. After I finished building, I started to gather some dry grass. I was lucky that above my location there was a lot of it. During those moments I was so motivated, I wasn’t even thinking about the thorns, or the pain from them. I used the advice of sempai Miki, and acted like I had to keep safe those closest to me – to make sure they survive. After i finished building, I got back to the fire. In the end after many attempts- I succeeded. Soon I noticed that in the hills it is very hard to keep the fire going, because everywhere there are small trees, and no big ones. That kept me going in all directions. The moment I would any dry branches I would run back to put them in the fire. That way I was always running until Sensei and my comrades came back. I was praying that they would come back sooner and I was kept going by my spirit of steel. Between me and sempai Miki there was not even a hint of rivalry, but of friendship and comradeship. Before it we constantly in contact, sharing ideas, notes and experiences, all with the goal of us both passing the test. In the end, I would like to thank Sensei and all the knowledge that he selflessly passes on to us.” – Taki Gakovski 
“We wrote the ninth in a row winter ninja training and again, as every year, we felt the marvelous atmosphere that is always present during this seminar. The day went by really fast, I believe that not even one monjin felt any difficulty, or any serious cold, although we were constantly out in the open. This time we created a huge sanctuary, big enough for 12 people, that was hermetically closed from all sides and very sturdily built. We got the fire going really fast, unlike previous years, and the same was kept going till the end of the training. Sensei this time again filed us with new knowledge, that are of crucial importance during this kind of events. His experience is huge and he always has something new to share with us. And about the testing of our sempais, I would like to congratulate both of them, although only one passed the exam. But we must not forget that every failure is an experience gained, but also a motivation for truing and working harder in the future. I don’t doubt that success will come on its own, but as always – sometimes sooner, sometimes latter.” – Marko Opacik
