Because there are not a lot of people in those dojo makes it much nicer to train there. Much more one-to-one instruction where you can possibly feel like you are developing a relationship.
Did your check not clear? :evil: In all seriousness you only only to look at the number of megadans out there, (most of who are frankly bloody awful) to see that it is a Bujinkan hallmark....the significance of said hallmark is where the debate centres
When Hatsumi goes the Bujinkan will start a strict regime of re-grading and pressure testing where every grade re-examined. The new grades will be hard work and well deserved when awarded. Over graded megadans will have to pitch in with everyone else and grade to a level appropriate to their skill or leave the organisation. The only thing that will matter is performance under pressure and combative functionality rather than harking back to some semi-mythical samurai time badasses and quasi-esoteric theories on who has the real deal. Dangerous techniques will still be trained but they will be supported by a system of largely non-lethal foundational techniques that can be continually drilled under pressure and tested in sporting type environments and scenarios to prevent stagnation and introspection. The Bujinkan will rise like a phoenix and become a martial arts organisation of renown and respected by all for training hard fighters and martial artists. Martial arts internet forums will be full of people lauding the strict grading criteria and standards the Bujinkan maintains. Hahaha...I crack me up sometimes.
Unless you are a continuous student of Someya Sensei and live in Japan you will never be graded by him, he is a really nice person and tolerates most people, and if you show him and his dojo respect then he will make time for you, I have been training with him since 1998 and I would live to call him my teacher, I can't but he is the teacher I train with as much as possible when in Japan
It's interesting how people always jump in and say how disrespectful it is to talk about the death of a sōke, when this sōke is so in an art (or arts) that very much deal with death. It's no light thing, but it's not as disrespectful as some make it out to be. He has even himself openly talked about his own passing and the future of the Bujinkan in both articles and interviews - for example, he has mentioned the fact that the next sōke may be a foreigner.
In the JKD world there are often similar discussions when Guro Dan passes and JKD is far less rigid in hierarchy
I don't see discussing his death as impolite so much. I see how someone might think less of a person for publicly debating who deserves the inheritance from a man who is still alive. Even more so when that person acts like he is entitled to hear about and appraise the decision before it is executed. Sure, many people invest a lot of time and money into training, but at the end of the day, you're basically talking about who ends up in Hatsumi's will. Wouldn't it be rude to start debating about who will get your mother's house when she dies? Does the fact that your friends come over every saturday entitle them to be informed ahead of time?
I don't have a horse in this game any longer personally. I am pretty sure Hatsumi Sensei has a name in an envelope, but chooses not to let the cat out of his bag. Which is his right. This discussion has never really gone anywhere. One would assume it is one of the Japanese Shihan, but depending which line you come from would direct what one you think belongs there. I really liked Nagato, he's been in my "screen" since the beginning yet my 2 Shidoshi were of the Ishizuka "line" However I believe there to be some blockage there for his rise. Who knows it's he said she said. For the record when I trained, maybe it was whom I was paying it to. I paid 3300 yen 20+ years ago 30 bucks for kyu gradings, then in the dans it went incremental 100, 200, 300 etc etc. IN Japan when I was going to sit for Godan, I was advised by my teacher it was higher. Don't remember but somewhat thinking I am or was il advised. No idea. But, obviously the dojo fees are different all around. As well as the kyu structure. I know my dojo did the more judoka way of colour ranking.
The japanese shihan are all older men who wouldn't gave much time before they themselves needed to pass it on. Likely Hatumi sensei, like Takamatsu before him, will give it to someone young who has the time to grow into the role.
That is a pretty good point. I gather we'll see eventually. I tend to think more fractionation of alignments with groups. Who knows
None of the Shihan mentioned in this thread will be next the Soke for one reason. They are all too bloody old. It is nearly always from an old man to a young man, not from an old man to another old man. its doesnt make sense to me at least to give it them. Why would a 83 year old man give it to a man in his 70's or very late 60's.... (edit: didnt see the other replies before responding.)
I've heard this a few times and certainly that was the case in recent history But it seems to me that when we look back the average time that someone has been Soke is not that long (say 15-20 years) so perhaps it's not as clear cut as we'd like to think?
I dont know if I see the relevance of this. unless the Bujinkan happens to be a drawn out version of the Ring guess that secures another 60 years for me bro
i knew the number in the second statement would be large based on the first statement. the relevance is both additional detail regarding the previous soke's experience, particularly due to this soke's love of numbers, meaning and more than anything else his teacher.