Seminar Report:
Tokumeikan Online Gasshuku 2021
Special Training Camp Report
July 31 & August 1, 2021
Toronto, Canada
copyright © 2021 Douglas Tong, all rights reserved.
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Over the July 31 – August 1, 2021 weekend, we hosted our 4th 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, Niagara Falls, and Orangeville attend. Our Italian study group leader in Caorle attended, as did many of our friends from the United States. We also had the pleasure to welcome some new friends from Chile, Mexico, and Ecuador.
This Gasshuku was very similar to the one we hosted last year. Due to the COVID pandemic, we continued with our online approach. Due to the success we had with last year’s Gasshuku, we decided to again 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 a summary report from Erika Gaal Sensei, our study group leader in Ottawa.
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2021 Gasshuku Review: Knowledge Through Movement (A seminar summary)
copyright © 2021 Erika Gaal, all rights reserved
On the last weekend of July, we ran our annual summer Gasshuku. Like last year, we ran this one online, making it our second virtual Gasshuku.
Understanding the reach that the online platform offers, we have fortunately been able to invite newcomers from outside of our organization to join us, allowing us the opportunity to introduce the arts we are passionate about more broadly, and also to make new friends.
The focus of the weekend was predominantly on Enpi, an important series of kata in our curriculum that highlights many concepts we strive to learn.
Given the length of this kata, we have ample time to practice our smooth walking, keeping a calm mind, and how to use the interaction with your partner to flow like water. Free movement, or “flowing like water”, is a predominant goal in our practice of Shinkage Ryu.
There are many underlying principles in martial arts that are not style specific. Using how to efficiently use and move your body is a fundamental skill that becomes necessary the longer you practice.
We strive to develop deeper understanding of weight displacement and a greater sensitivity to where our balance is. This all contributes to building a strong base.
In The Sword and The Mind, having a strong base can be referred to as “the seat of the sword”, and is one of the “three principle learnings” in Shinkage Ryu.
However we also see this same fundamental principle in every style of martial arts. Having a solid understanding of our body mechanics is at the core of every well executed and strong technique.
Throughout the weekend we were able to see this connection as we tried different styles of koryu. We had introductions to Iaijutsu (sword drawing techniques), two different styles of kenjutsu, and Bojutsu (staff techniques).
Through practicing these different arts and with different sizes of weapons, we were able to see that the weapon was simply an extension of our body. If our body did not move properly then our weapon was insufficient.
Throughout the weekend, we had people join from countries that stretched over two continents. We saw some familiar faces that we had not seen for some time, and also met some new curious people that have since become new friends. There is another aspect in martial arts that is not talked about as much but is of equal importance: community building.
Being martial artists, I’m sure we have all realized that our community can be small and isolated at times, so building connections within the greater community can only broaden it and enrich the experience.
Events and seminars are an ideal opportunity to build and strengthen these connections, and having the opportunity to host these things online has benefitted those looking for ways to reconnect after such a long hiatus from in-person training.
At the end of our seminar, we had the rare chance to get to know the instructors and ask them questions. Thank you to the incredible group leaders that dedicated their weekend to teaching and sharing their love for these arts/ How lucky we were to have access to you!
And the seminar would not have been the success it was if it were not for everyone who attended. It was wonderful to see old friends and meet some new ones, we cannot thank you enough for joining us!
As different clubs resume their regular training schedules, I believe the online format will continue. It has proven to be a valuable asset in keeping motivated and staying in touch with our members. We have been able to see growth in our membership due to the connections we have made through online classes and events, and I hope to see more of the new friends we have made. The summer Gasshuku was a great success, thanks to the incredible instructors and all of the participants that dedicated their time and efforts to it.🙏
Gratefully,
Erika Gaal
Meishinkan Ottawa Kenjutsu
Tokumeikan Ontario East Branch