Author: koryu

Author koryu

This weekend in the capitol of Macedonia, there was a seminar for Daito Ryu Aikijujutsu and Ono ha Itto Ryu Kenjutsu (Takeda Den) teached by the only non-Japanese shihan of these two traditional Japanese schools, Antonino Certa from Italy.

The seminar was organized by the the branch of the European organization Daito Kai in Macedonia, `Koryu Dojo` which together with the dojo `Bujinkan Macedonia` forms the only organization that teaches classical Japanese martial schools in our country – Taiyou e no Michi.

In agreement with sensei Certa, we decided this event to be closed to the public and it can be attended only by members of our organization and the one we plan on doing next year will be open to anyone that wills to learn more of these arts.

Sensei Certa arrived in Macedonia as early as Thursday morning, and immediately began training with his personal student and representative for Macedonia, Igor Dovezenski. The next day, their training sessions continued at the summit of mount Lipac, nearby the place where the Hombu dojo of Taiyou e no Michi is currently built. On Saturday, we began with the official part of the seminar, on which we
 
studied different techniques from  the levels Ikkajo, Nikkajo and Sankkajo from the Hiden Mokuroku, while the afternoon hours were dedicated to suburi, kihon and kata from Ono ha Itto Ryu Kenjutsu.
That same schedule was followed during the Sunday, when the official part of the seminar was over.

During the five days of sensei Certa`s stay in Macedonia, he had the chance to get acquainted to the Macedonian culture and tradition, which we can freely say left him speechless. He also visited a few Macedonian villages and cities, where he enjoyed the traditional Macedonian kitchen, and even more enjoyable were his visits of our beautiful shrines and hole places.

About the quality of sensei Certa`s teachings, there isn`t really anything to say. As usual, at the highest level, supported by his selfless effort to transmit as much as he can from these two traditional Japanese schools.

Author koryu

The third Summer Ninja Camp ended in a manner one can expect when there are so many good and honest students in one place, who with each passing year advance in all fields in their lives.

The nine days passed in an unforgettable atmosphere, the training sessions were hard and the capacity for this camp was completely filled in April – two weeks after the announcement was made.
 

We started practicing at 08.00 with Junan Taiso, and continued after the breakfast in 09.30 with Gyokko Ryu Koshijutsu. Afterwards we had a Junan Undo and Atemi no Tanren training, after which the warriors of Bujinkan Macedonia set off for swim in the river, to relax the muscles and `heal` the wounds and bruises in the fresh water.
The fourth training session was dedicated to Togakure Ryu Bikenjutsu which was a real pleasure for all the students. The late hours of the night were used for night ninja trainings and watching old Japanese samurai movies.

The food was prepared in a traditional Macedonian manner as usual, by using mostly fresh and ecological products from our own produce, and the menu was filled with local specialties and varieties.

All students left satisfied and happy for a great and active summer vacation, and most of them immediately reserved spots for the next Summer Ninja Camp 2012. All of them saw that this camp is one of the best ways for quality advancement, detailed learning and study of the kata and techniques of the traditional Japanese martial schools.
  

Author koryu

With the least attendants so far, the Survival® seminar, by which the School for classical Japanese martial arts is well known, was successfully completed. Of a total of five members of our dojo that attended, everyone completed this seminar.

This time we were lucky enough to avoid the heat characteristic for this time of the year in Macedonia, but we met another obstacle. Namely, according to the locals living nearby mountain Lipac, yesterday night was the coldest summer night until now. Between the hours of 02.00 and 06.00 the temperature descended to just a few degrees celsius above zero, and the humidity of the air was so high that our sleeping bags got entirely wet. In such conditions, the night was indeed long and hard.

During the Saturday, besides the lessons in
shelter building,  shidoshi Igor Dovezenski taught the students knife-fighting techniques, as well as techniques of unarmed self-defense.
Sunday morning, traditionally was reserved for kenjutsu, followed by a meditation by the small waterfall, which is also performed each year during this seminar.

After this, the attendants of this seminar headed towards `Stari lozja`, a place of big importance with the locals until the beginning of the 20th century. After that period, the place was abandoned, and the rituals performed there completely forgotten. Because of this, the members of Bujinkan Macedonia, during last year`s Survival decided to help restore this place, and this year the work was completely finished. With that, `Stari lozja` again gained it`s stone cross buried deep beneath the ground (and broken), and the holy oak tree was completely cleaned of bushes and thorns around it. With this action, we proved that the members of Bujinkan Macedonia wish not only to study classical Japanese martial arts, but are also taking care of the Macedonian culture and tradition.

Author koryu

„Only the strongest survive“.
Under this motto, the warriors from Bujinkan Macedonia will one again have the opportunity to put to test their physical and mental endurance. As every year, again we will test our abilities and skills in practice:

Survival®

Two hellish days, away from civilization, without food and with only a liter and a half of water, without additional clothes or hygiene-related items. Two days of practice, meditation and bare survival.

Location: S`mkneno (26 km. from the closest city and hospital / desert conditions)

Date: 30th and 31st of July, 2011

Departure: Saturday, at 07.00

Return: Only God knows

Read carefully!!!

Before the seminar, each participant should take care of any medical examinations required and get a written or oral permission from their physician about their physical and mental health and readiness to undertake a two day extreme strain without food and water, along with hard training sessions and only three hours of sleep. Every potential participant comes at their own responsibility about the eventual consequences on his health or life!

The event is open to everyone, and every citizen of the Republic of Macedonia above the age of 18 can attend.

Allowed equipment: sleeping bag, tent wing, military
uniform (worn, pants and shirt), one t-shirt, a cap, one pair of
underpants (wide), one pair of socks, rope, a knife and a bottle of a
liter and a half (empty).

Important: it is forbidden to carry food, water or anything else not mentioned above. Before we depart, there will be a checkup.

Most important: this seminar is only meant for tough guys and girls. The training conditions will be exceptionally hard with an iron discipline. Those that do not feel psycho-physically ready to `enter hell` –  we would ask you not to come to this seminar. Allowed drinking water for both days: 1.5 liters. Consider that the air temperature might rise above 45 degrees Celsius. It is forbidden to sit on your behind during the seminar (both days), or lying down on all four extremities. Only three hours of sleep, constant training for the remaining time.

P.S. It is forbidden to make excuses, whine or anything similar during the seminar,

Would you like to discover if there is life after death?
Come to this seminar and you will have the opportunity to uncover this great mystery.

Author koryu

After two years, we again held the traditional Sui Ren seminar. Even though the sun was intense, the water of Kriva river slowly got warmer, because of the recent extreme temperatures, the highest for this summer. The horse flies that flew and `feasted` on our bodies didn`t at all ruin the great atmosphere that was present during this seminar.

The seminar started by a lecture on Sui Ren, followed by practical application. According to the plan, we were to learn a sum of 7 techniques during the day, and after a seven-hour `trial by water`, out plan was successfully completed. The hardest obstacle for the beginners was breathing underwater with a pipe (fukia), while the most interesting for them were the camouflage techniques. It wasn`t easy to train with a `gi` (cotton training gear) in the cold waters, especially after a few hours passed inside it.

At the end, the students of Bujinkan Macedonia, event though frozen cold, sucessfully completed this seminar, mostly because of the discipline and will gained through training with shidoshi Dovezenski as elements required for success.