Seminar Report:
Tokumeikan Online Gasshuku 2020
Special Training Camp Report
September 2020
Toronto, Canada
copyright © 2020 Douglas Tong, all rights reserved.
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Over the September 26 – 27, 2020 weekend, we hosted our 3rd Annual Tokumeikan Gasshuku for our members. This special training camp was open to all our members: members of our local dojos, as well as members of any of our affiliate dojos nationally or internationally. It was a great opportunity to bring together all our fellow members, and enjoy the chance to practice with a wide variety of partners. We had members from our Canadian study groups in Thunder Bay, Ottawa, Montreal, Toronto, Peterborough, and Orangeville attend. We also had the pleasure to welcome new members from our Italian study groups in Bari and Caorle, as well as our Spanish study group leader from Madrid.
This Gasshuku however was markedly different from other training camps we have hosted before. Due to the COVID pandemic, we had to rethink our approach in many ways. One way was in who we invited to participate in this event. Usually, such events are restricted solely to our members. But with the change to an online format due to the pandemic, we decided to invite select outsiders to come and experience the things that we do. It was a good opportunity to share our arts with a wider budo community.
Another change was in our technical focus. Our focus in previous Gasshuku was solely on Yagyu Shinkage Ryu kenjutsu. This time though, since we were welcoming new people and outsiders, we decided to showcase the variety of arts that we study and practice. This would also give our members from all dojos exposure to the wide range of things that we practice, with the view of getting them involved with the various online classes that we run. Hopefully, if they begin to join these carious classes, we can get more inter-dojo participation and bonding developing and this would be good for the building of deeper relationships between our various dojos.
Below, I have included reactions from our study group leaders and various seminar participants, who all wrote about what it was like at this unique Tokumeikan event.
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2020 Gasshuku Review: Koryu and Adaptation
copyright © 2020 Erika Gaal, all rights reserved
On the weekend of September 26 and 27, Tokumeikan ran their first annual Gasshuku online. This year has been an interesting and challenging year for everyone, but a benefit that has come from the challenges is the adaptation and creativity it has instilled in so many of us. Much like the ability to keep Shoshin (beginner’s mind) as a practitioner, learning to adapt and evolve with the current times are essential skills for a martial arts organization.
With a year of lockdowns and a lack of in-person training, moving to an online format has proven to be a valuable asset and a great way to stay connected to your students and fellow peers. This seminar was also the first time we were able to open it up to the public and allow new and curious enthusiasts to join us in our annual training camp. This allowed for an environment to meet new friends and reconnect with old as we sharpened our skills in these enriching arts.
The online format was also vital in being able to reach more of our own students, as many of them have previously been unable to travel to attend various seminars and Gasshuku. Last weekend group members had the chance to meet peers and group leaders from other study groups for the first time. With this came the opportunity to also learn from various group leaders, as for the first time this year’s Gasshuku was taught by them. There is an immense value in learning from different teachers as each one will have a different way of expressing the lessons and conveying the information within the curriculum. Sometimes this difference will resonate and provide clarity to students that otherwise may have struggled with certain techniques or concepts. In addition to this, learning a new way of doing the same things you’ve spent years practicing offers a unique challenge in keeping an open and fluid mind.
In Shinkage Ryu the concept of fluidity is quite important. And although we have many opportunities to work on this in our physical training, the mental aspect may be neglected as we become comfortable in our regular training environments. This online seminar offered many ways of working on this mental fluidity. There were lessons on philosophy, the experience of learning new and different ways of performing familiar kata, and the online format itself asks you adapt to new limitations in learning. This fluidity of the mind can be brought into our daily lives and has proven to be a valuable asset in a year full of continual change.
Learning and practicing martial arts online is quite different from learning in person. There are limitations in arts that rely on partner practice, as you do not have that outside feedback that a partner’s sword offers you. This gives us a chance to change the focus of our training and direct in inwards. We can bring our awareness to the precision of our own movements and the state of our mind without the distractions that partner practice may bring. This gives us opportunity for undisturbed attention to things like tai sabaki (body movements), weight displacement and balance, and control of our sword.
With the loss of in person training opportunities for many of us this year, we have faced the challenge of adaptation. And like these koryu arts we practice, if we do not adapt and evolve with our current circumstances we become stagnant and stuck. It is often said that growth is a result of moving outside of your comfort zone, and changing our routines and challenging our minds to let go of how things were can often be uncomfortable.
This weekend displayed the strength and resilience of many martial artists, and showed a determination to adapt and learn new ways. I was blessed to be a part of this wonderful event and to see firsthand how these arts and the community it builds can change one’s life and aid in their personal growth. And like a well-oiled machine, the seminar would not have been the success it was without the work of the administrators and teachers involved.
Thank you to all the admin (Erica Lada, Jennifer Hood, Sensei Derek Lo, and Sensei Erika Gaal), the Group Leaders that taught (Sensei Lo, Sensei Scott Brodie, Sensei Paul Cerveny, and Sensei Gaal), all of the attentive participants, and of course Sensei Tong- who shared his wisdom and passion for these arts in the lectures he shared with us. This was a truly memorable event, and in these times especially valuable to so many of us.
Erika Gaal
Meishinkan Ottawa Kenjutsu
Tokumeikan Ontario East Branch
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“The Gasshuku online was a great opportunity to expand my personal Budo culture. I am already a practitioner of Sekiguchi Ryu Battojutsu and I have decided to practice also Yagyu Shinkage Ryu under the guidance of Tong Sensei in the Tokumeikan organization. In addition to his extensive experience and culture, Tong Sensei certainly has the wonderful gift of exposing any topic, historical or technical, in a clear and easily understood way for those who are listening to him. During the Gasshuku, I was able to follow some lessons dedicated to the Iaijutsu of Katori Shinto Ryu and to the bojutsu of Yagyu Shingan Ryu. I am also very satisfied with the instructors who have given these lessons.”
Maurizio Colonna
Shoshin Kenjutsu Bari
(Tokumeikan Italy Branch)
Bari, Italy
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“The Gasshuku online was an incredible experience and a technical opportunity not to be underestimated. The perfect organization of the event is the result of a fantastic united group, always available and smiling, of which we immediately felt a part of. I knew the quality of Tong Sensei’s teaching, but now I was able to attend a lesson from another teacher Derek Lo Sensei, and I must say it was truly exceptional! Quality and courtesy are the foundations of this group, exactly as Budo should be. I will definitely participate in future events if I have the opportunity.”
Denis Ongaro
Ikazuchi Dojo Caorle
Venice, Italy
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We asked the participants what did they enjoy most about the Gasshuku. Here is what they said.
One person said that she appreciated the combination of practice and theory, especially the lessons of Tong Sensei and the theoretical part curated by Erika Gaal Sensei. “Practicing solely techniques is not always enough,” she said. And she was so fascinated by the Yagyu philosophy that she went out and bought the book ‘The Sword and the Mind’. Another participant said, “I really enjoyed everything but what stands out is Sensei Tong talking about the history and how this style came to be.” Yes, we aimed for a good blend of philosophy and technique, the physical and the spiritual, and we also wanted to provide a context for these arts by highlighting the history and legacy of these famous arts.
Others raved about the opportunity to train with some of the top budoka from across the country. This is true because, although we had new people who had never tried this art before, they were nevertheless not beginners. Many attendees were ranked iaidoka and kendoka, some with quite high rank.
Many attendees appreciated the variety and quality of instruction. One person had this to say: “I was very impressed by the sensei, all of whom were excellent teachers. I deeply appreciate their kindness and openness, and for fostering further communication with me.” He went on to say that he appreciated “the value of being able to do this seminar and practice martial arts online during COVID. It’s been a lifesaver and I’m thrilled to have met more people in the Japanese sword art world, even if they’re geographically far away. I’m eagerly looking forward to the next seminar.” Yes, in this unprecedented COVID time, this is the only option for training currently, so many people appreciated the chance to get any kind of practice.
And finally, in my opening address in our Tokumeikan Online Gasshuku 2020 Welcome Package, I had this to say:
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A Message from Sensei Tong
Wow. I suppose that one word sums up the unbelievable ride that has been Tokumeikan over the past 26 years. I can still vividly remember our first class in the tiny gymnasium of a small local public school in St. Catharines, Ontario with 2 students in 1994. Little did I know that by 2020, we would have affiliated dojos spread through North America, and breaking new ground in Europe. It is truly amazing.
Many things have changed over those 26 years. From our humble beginnings practicing and building a base through the study of Katori Shinto Ryu, to our formative years where we embarked on a new adventure embracing the Yagyu style, it has always been done with a view to our continual growth as an organization and as students of budo. I guess that we really try to epitomize what our master Kajitsuka Sensei said about budo training: “Budo is like climbing a mountain. Everyone is climbing up the same mountain. However, you must realize that I am still myself going up this mountain.” We are still climbing that mountain but now we have many more friends with us on the journey. That one magnificent quote has stuck with me over the years and guides me to this day.
The strength of our group is our people. I never forget that. We have grown because of our people: their energy, their enthusiasm, and their spirit. I welcome that enthusiasm and I hope that you will all see our spirit throughout this Gasshuku. A Gasshuku is a special training camp. In my mind, however, it is also a celebration of who we are and what we do. So, welcome everyone to our little celebration and I hope that you will enjoy this special opportunity to try out what we do. Cheers!
Stay safe and well,
Douglas Tong
Toronto, Canada
September 2020
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