Koryu Corner FAQ- Q&A

**Mekugi** · 06-09-2010, 08:11

If you have questions, **MAYBE** I have the answers.
Post em here!

Kick-start:

Why do Koryu Arts give demos at shrines?
Well, it serves a couple purposes. 1) Shrines act like community centers with a deity, more or less, and are open to the public. 2) It's an offering to the Shrine's deities. 3) It's a traditional setting. 4) In some cases, the Shrine has a connection to the martial art school being demonstrated or to the group/affiliates. 5) In general there is a big connection to koryu bujutsu and Shinto.

Shrines are Shinto, right?
Yes, Shrines (Jinja) are Shinto and Temples (Terra) are Buddhist. There are some Temples that have shrines in them, or are associated with the Temple in some way. The most important shrine in Japan is called "Ise Jingu" located in Southern Mie Prefecture. There are several types of Temples: Jinja (regular shrines), Jingu (Which is generally connected to the Emperor) and Hongu (head shrines that have several smaller branches). I'm sure I am missing something here, but that is the warp and woof of it.

Do koryu arts all consider themselves Shinto, or are some Buddhist?
Many ryuha are Shinto in conception, whether they like it or not. Some are connected to Buddhism. Some are a mix of the two. I think it's case by case here.

Do Buddhist temples host displays of martial arts?
I've never been to one, but that doesn't mean that it never happens....so sure!

Displays at shrines look really great.. what sort of venues do the koryu arts get to train at?
All the normal trappings of day-to-day life apply here. It's about booking in advance...and usually they use the free space. Atsuta Jinja, in Nagoya, has a cultural hall and museum where we usually hold embu (unless it's booked out by something). That happens...so it's about timing, booking, whatnot.

How about kyudo?
Yeah how about that? JK....
I've been at a few demonstrations where they do Kyudo, again it's about space. If they have the area, then they set up a full range. It not, the target is pretty close for safety. You see that in a few of my videos of Ogasawara ryu.

How old are the arts?
When is an art classified as Gendai, instead of koryu?
It varies. Some are centuries old, others come from the end of Edo. The cut off period is usually the Meiji era of Japan....but there are other opinions on that which use Sengoku as the cut off. This is of course depending entirely on who you talk to and the ryuha we're talking about. Some newer ryuha, for example, list the shihan from the art they branch out from as their starting point...so it can get confusing.

What do people wear under their hakama? How authentic do you go.. fundoshi?
Style and preference are the order of the day!!
I usually don't wear a fundoshi under my hakama. I opt for a pair of black boxer briefs and/or a set of jinbei shorts. The shitagi for hakama varies. I used to know a guy that went (and still goes) "nude" under them. It gets ugly if he does ukemi.

These terrific koryu Masters... do they have regular jobs? Are they from any particular walks of life?
Most folks in this stuff have day jobs...some are retired. They can be from all walks of life...generally speaking, they are all Japanese!

**Tripitaka of AA** · 06-09-2010, 08:22

Shrines are Shinto, right? Do koryu arts all consider themselves Shinto, or are some Buddhist?
Do Buddhist temples host displays of martial arts?

Displays at shrines look really great.. what sort of venues do the koryu arts get to train at? How about kyuudo?

Now for some really basic questions that I could probably look up;

How old are the arts?
When is an art classified as Gendai, instead of koryu?

What do people wear under their hakama? How authentic do you go.. fundoshi?

These terrific koryu Masters... do they have regular jobs? Are they from any particular walks of life?

**Mekugi** · 06-10-2010, 08:51

Answered above!

**Tripitaka of AA** · 06-10-2010, 10:06

Thanks Russ. I am trying to empty my cup completely (it is annoyingly easy when I know practically nothing to start with), to ask as many of the questions that I can think of. I hope your family won't mind me bombarding you with such a giant list of nonsense

I'd also like to encourage as many other people as possible to donate their questions to Russ - perhaps a few answers would help too. The end result could possibly prove useful for a great many people - or just make for some entertaining reading to fill in the gaps on our understanding of the Arts that in some cases form the "roots" of our own arts..