Buyūkai, Buyukai, And Other Clarifications

This Sunday in Japan, was the first meeting of the Buyūkai. (1) That is a new change in the Bujinkan.Until this day, the Shidōshikai was regrouping the teachers of the Bujinkan. The Shidōshikai doesn’t exist anymore in Japan. The Buyūkai replaces it.

This Buyūkai meeting was a very happy moment. Sensei exposed the goal of this new organization. The Buyūkai is “to develop friendship and peace amongst the Bujinkan members. With the help of the hundreds of Dai Shihan present in 55 countries.” (2)(3). The significant change of 2018 is the generalization of the Dai Shihan title. Since the end of 2017 and to this day, Sensei is awarding lots of Dai Shihan diplomas. You are eligible for this new award if you have been in the Bujinkan for about twenty years and had a Jūgodan, Sensei wants the Dai Shihan group to work together and to take care of the Bujinkan.

To this effect, and since January 2018 the rules have changed. Sensei wants the Dai Shihan to deal with the Shidōshikai and regular memberships (the yellow card). Each Dai Shihan can establish his cards with the pricing he deems correct.

That means two things for the Bujinkan community.

1. First, you now get your cards from your Dai Shihan. (Bujinkan membership card, Shidōshikai membership card).
   You have to choose a Dai Shihan. It doesn’t have to be the one living next door. He or she can be from another country. Your only obligation, like it was the case until now, is to get a valid membership each year.
2. Second, concerning the ranks, nothing change. All grades are ordered in Japan at the Honbu Office like we have been doing it until now. The only modification is the cards.
   Some prices (Shidōshi Menkyō, Jūdan, and Jūgodan) have changed. (4)
   In the last weeks on social media, I have read many things that are not true. Remember that Facebook is not the Honbu.

I read that “any Dōjō can issue the ranks before Godan”: NO. That is not true!
All ranks from 9th Kyū to Jūgodan are issued in Japan by Sōke only. No change.

I read that “any Dōjō can issue their membership cards.” NO. That is not true!
Only the Dai Shihan can issue the cards. Shidōshi or Yūshū Shihan cannot establish the cards.

During the Buyūkai, Sensei awarded the “Buyūshō” to Phil Legare, for his long-term commitment, and friendship. Let me repeat what Sensei said: “the Buyūkai is to develop friendship amongst the Bujinkan members.”
As always with our Sōke, each word he uses (crafts?) has many meanings.
Buyū is the qualificative for bravery. (5)
Yūjō means friendship. (6)
Hatsumi Sensei has combined these two words “武勇” and “友情” to create “武友”; martial friends. He is brilliant!
The Buyūkai is the association of the “martial friends.” (7) That is why the objective is to promote friendship, love, peace, and justice about the Gojō (check my recent post on the subject). (8)

The Buyūshō given to Phil is an “award of martial friendship” for his many years in the Bujinkan. (9)(10)
There will be one Buyūkai meeting every 3 to 4 months.

This first Buyūkai was very informal, and we had a lot of fun. I understand that the Buyūkai is also Buyukai, a “club for happiness.” (11)(12)(13)

Be happy!
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1. 武友会, Buyūkai: The association of the martial friends
2. For Koi members: You can listen to sensei’s speech on Koi at https://www.koimartialart.com/courses/enrolled/175400
3. Dai Shihan diploma: Furuta sensei told me last week that from now on, a “donation to the Honbu” from the new Dai Shihan would be greatly appreciated. The amount is the one you want.
4. You can contact me via email if you want the new forms, I will not put them online.
5. 武勇, Buyū: bravery; military prowess; valour; valour
6. 友情, Yūjō, friendship
7. 会, kai: meeting; assembly; party; association; club
8. In “Advanced stick fighting” (48), Hatsumi Sensei lists the Gojō as:
滅の不施, Fumetsu no Fuse, endless giving
真道の持戒, Mamichi no Jikai, awareness, right path of self-justice
自然の忍にく, Shizen no Ninniku, perseverance, forbearance
光明の悟り, Komyō no Satori, the light of enlightenment
自然の超越, Shizen no Choetsu, natural transcendence
9. 賞, Shō, Award: An award is something given to a person or a group of people to recognize their excellence in a particular field; a certificate of excellence.
10. 武友賞, Buyūshō: award of Martial friendship
11. 部, Bu: club
12. 愉快, Yukai: pleasant; delightful; enjoyable; joyful; cheerful; amusing; happy
13. 部愉快, Buyukai: the club of happiness.

PARIS TAIKAI 2018

Author: kumablog

I share here on a regular basis my thoughts about the Bujinkan martial arts, training in Japan and all over the world, and View all posts by kumablog