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ninjutsu techniques that are trained in Bujinkan Macedonia.

While we provide a better footage from the appearance, you can watch this edition on the YouTube channel of TV21 —-> Here

Under the leadership of his teacher, shidoshi Igor Dovezenski, Opachikj started his Path on 27.02.2007. So far he had been to six summer camps, 13 international seminars organized by Bujinkan Macedonia, 47 outdoor seminars where the instructor Dovezenski held a lecture, as well as to two international seminars abroad which were taught by the shihan for Katori Shinto ryu Bujutsu – Nobutoshi Otake Sensei. Apart from this, he was studying the classical Japanese martial arts by taking part in 23 intensive seminars in the Hombu Dojo of Bujikan Macedonia, as well as in 24 one-day seminars organized by his teacher. Opachikj is responsible for teaching the new recruits in the dojo by managing the beginner group (shoshinsha), and at the same time he is the only member of „Taiyou e no Michi“ who at the same time practices all koryu traditions that are being taught in our organization (Bujinkan Takamatsu-den, Daito ryu Aikibudo and Tenshin Shoden Katori Shinto ryu Bujutsu).

We congratulate Marko wholeheartedly for his current success and we wish him even greater progress in developing his personality and character as a warrior.

During the previous day, at the event, the weather conditions were constantly changing, so in the same day we experienced the March sun, the dark clouds that were lingering above the mystical mountain Lipac, the brief icy rain, and the strong wind that kept lowering our body temperature. As always, that wasn’t enough to shake our self-esteem and desire for an intense and hard training with the Yari (spear).

– „A wonderful weekend! Definitely! I like that we were similar in numbers – beginner and advanced students. „Slepo Kolo“ is a wonderful place. You can see Elenac from there and the mystical mountain Lipac. It’s a ‘million dollar view’. And while we’re at the event, I would like to quote shidoshi ho Marko, what he said a couple of years ago: ‘Such a force that could keep me from participating the seminar for a spear does not exist’. The weather was constantly changing, and as our warrior’s perspective should always be positive, it was great to learn how to fight in windy, rainy, sunny conditions etc. I participated this event for three years now. And every following time my love and interest for this weapon grows. I would like to congratulate the youngest students from the ‘Ninja Kids’ section. Kosara not even for a moment showed a hint of boredom or complained about the cold. A child with a warrior spirit. Davorche and David were good too. They both managed well. Sensei gave me the task to watch over them, so they were fed, changed, dry etc. I was strict with them at times and I would like their forgiveness for that. I did that out of care for their well-being and safety. We have a great youth. Kudos to Sashe from the beginner group. He went to the winter training, then to ‘Haragei’, and now to this seminar. Just keep attending the training sessions and seminars. Kudos to Tamara and Mila, as well as the one and only – Damjan. He is an example where hard work trumps talent. I think that he was going to start crying when Sensei gifted his hand-made shuriken. The appraisals of the teacher hold great value in our dojo. Just keep going forward. А great thanks to Sensei and his family for everything. I’m constantly looking for a way to show my gratitude, because words cannot express that. And the sleeping in Hombu is unbeievable. When I woke up on the Sunday, I felt a burden on my soul from the previous day. My body wouldn’t function, everything was put to a stop. But when I got out of my sleeping bag I was reborn. I was full of life, with positive energy and I felt great. That’s why the sleeping in Hombu is so wonderful and so magical“. – Taki Gakovski

– „When it comes to sharing impressions from a seminar, it’s hard for me. It is hard because when you’re there, in the Hombu Dojo, and you steal from the village’s beauties, everything’s different – better. I never feel the same as when I am there. That’s because the feeling is unique and indescribable. This weekend is going to be remembered by three incredible things. Firstly, by the shuriken seminar. It is amazing when you touch that metal in various forms capable of killing. When you listen to that ‘music’ that it makes when it spears the air… that’s amazing. Although my hand gave up during the throws, I was still enjoying watching my fellow warriors skillfully digging the shuriken in the targets. We couldn’t wait for the nidan testing, which came right after, for our one and only shidoshi ho Marko, who did a fine job. I must confess, even though I was trying to keep myself in order, after the first applause my tears came rolling down as the river Zhivusha. My heart was full. I might know him for a short while, but believe me, it’s a pleasure and an honor to know such a man, who leaves his heart and soul in the dojo every Tuesday and Thursday. Once more I congratulate and I wish him a chain of successes in his future and an even greater walk along the Path to the Sun (Taiyou e no Michi). The night featured an interesting documentary, and right after that shidoshi ho Zoki honored us with his humorous jokes – as a good night. I claim that sleeping there on the tatami is the best sleep I’ve ever had, but this time it was even better. The morning we were all ready with the spears in our hands rushing to „Slepo Kolo“. Although we felt all four seasons of the year, we kept the same warrior spirit while practicing the techniques non-stop. The spear is an interesting weapon that can be used to manipulate your opponent, and we were manipulating the time as well. And the best of all moments is the shared meal with the ‘Bujinkan Macedonia’ family. Even if you were eating a plain bread paired with salt, you would have had the best time because the atmosphere makes everything seem magical.

To get to the point, I would like to thank Sensei, who made this spiritual beauty and his knowledge available to us. Also, shidoshi ho Marko and shidoshi ho Zoki that always help us. I really feel happy being a part of this family. Love to everybody“. – Tamara Gjorgievska

Divided in two group of eight people, the members of Bujinkan Macedonia had the opportunity on Saturday to improve their throwing shuriken skills. The two targets that were set up in the yard of the Hombu Dojo were completely holed up by the powerful throws of our warriors.

Beside the veterans from the advanced group, this time many members from the „beginner“ group took part, as well as four kids from the „Ninja Kids“ section.

The seminar started at 10:00 o’clock with the basic throwing technique „Gyaku Nage“, and soon afterwards followed another six techniques that the participants had the chance to try during the whole day.

During this event we used senban and iga (shaken) shuriken, as well as juji shuriken from the school Yagyu Shinkage ryu.

Due to the injury of the right arm and the torn shoulder ligaments, the instructor Igor Dovezenski was teaching by throwing the blades with his left arm, and the senior members of the dojo could demonstrate the shown technique with its full force.

Naturally, the great interest gives us the right to keep organizing this seminar at least once during the year.

„The Shinden Fudo ryu Dakentaijutsu school uses the following weapons: Yari (spear), Ono (war axe), O Tsuchi (a big hammer), and Naginata. The legend says that one night a demon (Tengu) came to the dream of the founder of the art and taught him how to fight with a Yari. These techniques are considered even today as the school’s biggest secret.“

On this seminar all interested students of the dojo of Bujinkan Macedonia / Taiyou e no Michi can participate, regardless of their experience or title.

Required equipment for training: bokuto and yari (hakama for yudanshi)

Theme: The Strenght of the Yari

Date: 27.03.2016 (Sunday)

Location: Slepo Kolo

Program:

08.00 o’clock – departure from Skopje

09.00 o’clock – arrival

10.00 – 16.00 o’clock – theory and practice

17.00 o’clock – return

The previous day (Saturday), a shuriken jutsu training will be held at the Hombu Dojo of Taiyou e no Michi for all interested.

At 16.00 o’clock there is going to be a nidan testing for shidoshi ho Marko Opachikj.

Applying and information via inbox, phone, or on the Forum.

Immediately after the seminar, the members of Bujinkan Macedonia shared their impressions on our internal Forum.

Sanja Simonova – „Haragei for the second time. And every next seminar I would apply again. Sensei ‘opened’ the seminar introducing us with the meaning of haragei and gave us a detailed explanation how to harmonize our body’s energy through our breathing. If we take into consideration the fact that we couldn’t go on for a long time without breathing, the air would be our primary ‘food’. On the seminar we studied exactly that – how to use all of the available capacity. ‘Breathing with the stomach’ is a really powerful technique that calms the body and powers down the mind. In the exercises for increasing the reaction speed, we can feel how through the correct breathing the body relaxes and the reaction is faster and more precise. I really liked those meditative and visualization exercises. Especially the eight-sided. I believe that by practicing this we move our limits, our mental frames that we exist in every day, and that is really important for us – to keep raising our standards toward a continuous improvement. The day was good, we had a beautiful sunset, a great company, and we had circled another very special seminar where we learned new and repeated some techniques that are important for our future development. Mastering the knowledge that Sensei transmitted us on Haragei would be helpful to tackle the remaining knowledge that we are going to acquire in Taiyou e no Michi.“

Taki Gakovski – „I would like to say that the uke’s intention is really important. And I finally understood that intuition you suppose to feel when a sword is going straight for your head is still a science fiction to me. It is too far from the place I’m currently at. But that doesn’t disappoint me, on the contrary, it motivates me to overcome all the obstacles. We need to learn and get better all the time. The seminars could only be experienced, because many moments and events are hard to be described. Sensei, I thank you for everything“.

Marko Opachikj – „On the first seminar we were just getting acquainted with the exercises that were being taught. We got something, the rest wasn’t clear and we were left wondering until the next event. The second seminar we already had a feeling of connection with the techniques, like we were getting deeper, but there was still a barrier that kept us from executing them fully. Already on the third, we started to feel like we were becoming a part of them. Sensei as always treated us with some new exercises, that I honestly really liked and they opened a whole set of new questions for the next event. On the beginning he followed with a great kuden for Haragei, and afterwards he explained in details the way to breathe correctly that we all should be implementing, especially if we were practicing koryu. Of course, a great thanks to Sensei who honored us with new skills and unforgettable moments from the world of the classical Japanese martial arts“.

In 2015 the members of Bujinkan Macedonia passed through many adventures that made the year unforgettable. The amazing journey continues in 2016, and the first destination is Mlaka. This forest on the bank of the river Kriva Reka will again be the place where our warriors will learn and better the techniques of winter survival. The snow that has piled up these recent days, along with the low temperatures, is a great challenge for an event like this.

As you already know, the warriors of Bujinkan Macedonia always considered that training solely in dojo,where a safe and friendly atmosphere surrounds us, can make anybody a good „sportsperson“, and a great „lounge ninja“. However, what makes us different from the rest, is the knowledge and the confidence that we feel when we are confronted with the toughest dares while we are far away from the cities that we live in. Actually, we experience the cruel nature as a natural habitat where we feel as a „fish in water“, and we find ourselves in our natural surroundings.

This seminar is a scenario-based where we are snowbound or lost far away from our home, somewhere on a mountains or in the woods, and we need to take precautions to be able to go through the night and increase our chances of survival. On this event, shidoshi Igor Dovezenski is going to teach these exact techniques that represent the required arsenal for a more serious approach in the art known as ninjutsu. 

Required equipment: those we attended already know, those who hadn’t are going to find out directly for the next year.

Warning: the temperatures will most likely be below zero. The terrain is open and windy. The presence of wild animals is normal this period in the year. You will be exposed to extremely cold weather constantly for about seven hours. Everyone comes at their own responsibility.

Bring warm clothing with you.

Date: 10.01.2016 (Sunday)

Location: Mlaka

Program:

08.00 o’clock – departure from Skopje

09.00 o’clock – arrival

09.30 – 16.30 o’clock – theory and practice

17.30 o’clock – return

This year besides the members of Bujinkan Macedonia/Taiyou e no Michi, the seminar is open for all interested. Questions and applying by e-mail, phone, in the dojo, or on the Forum.

Regarding the seminars that instructor Dovezenski had taught, the list goes like this: six held outdoor seminars (in nature), eight in the Hombu Dojo under Lipac, same in the dojo in Skopje, as well as two in Romania in the dojo „Shingan“ in the city Iasi. Additionally, in 2015 Dovezenski took part in several international seminars under the leadership of well-known teachers for classical Japanese martial arts. We would mention them chronologically: in February in Athens (Greece) on a seminar for Katori Shinto ryu with Erik Louw; in June in Gradara (Italy) on a seminar for Ono ha Itto ryu Kenjutsu with Sasamori Takemi Soke; in September in Carigrad/Istanbul on a seminar with the shihan for Katori Shinto ryu – Nobutoshi Otake. On the last event Marko Opachikj and Darko Bozhinovski (who gave a blood oat (keppan)) accompanied Dovezenski.