Q&A of Rakushinkan
This is Tomohiro Ishikawa, a master of Rakushin-kan. I thank you
for your message, and I would like to try to answer to your questions.
I expect you to consider them below as just my opinion, and I
hope my answers help you understand hierarchy systems of Budo in
Japan.
Licence(免許Menkyo) has an authority, but, I think, the fact is
that it is just a paper. Though it is, license might have a good
enough authority in these cases below; a master, who provide his/her
students licenses, give students adequate training, and the master can
entrust future of the school to his/her students' care. In addition,
students can do something in the cause of justice, and there is a
balance of the value for Budo skills between master and student.
>My first is can you explain the Menkyo levels?
In the qualification of Budo,in Edo period, the form of
'MOKUROKU' was a main current: there were some hierarchies called
'SHODEN', 'CHUDEN', 'KAIDEN',and there were few schools which were
used to a form called 'DAN.' The form was used in GO or SHOGI (they
were not Budo).
Jigoro Kano (嘉納治五郎), who established 'Judo,' adopted the measure in
Budo. He adopted ‘DAN' system but rather traditional form (see above).
It had a reason. Jigoro had learned Tenshin shinyo-ryu (天神真楊流) and
Kito-ryu(起倒流) for a long time, and both of these became fundamentals
to Judo. Though he was learning them, he didn't acquire
'KAIDEN,' a supremacy appellation in these schools. Then,
in my guess, he hesitated to use the traditional ranking form to Judo.
I do not know the condition of Budo in Europe. In Japan, there
are no people who have got 10th DAN in 30s. If there were many
echelons in Budo in Japan, it might be said "your school is very good
money-making ventures!" in a voice loaded with sarcasm.
Licenses, already I mentioned above, are important if the
provider and receiver can keep a balance of the value in their Budo.
Therefore I decide that it is wonderful you have got appellation
'SHIHAN.' It is important for us to judge some Budo ranks with
reference to fundamental meaning.
None the less above, I believe that it is more important how the
qualification of Budo be accepted in those societies.
>I hold a western Shihan rank but know that would not mean
anything in Japan?
I would like to introduce my daily practice here: when I attend
an event which was hosted by other Budo schools, I was often asked
"what grade of Dan have you got?" I've always answered "I haven't got
Dan and I've been wearing white belt."
I feel sharp regret that paying attention to his/her licenses, not
to eye his/her techniques and arts. I believe they are very important
for us whether we can be impressed by it or not, or what we can learn
from it. Someone, who just adhere to licenses, just look hard at the
frame when he/she appreciate a picture.
Someone who often back to basics does not do so. But sometimes it
is necessary for masters who teach Budo techniques to get a license to
much their skills. The frame has a function as folding picture, and it
has to keep a balance of value between the picture and the frame. DAN
is just an implement of training, is not a purpose of it. In your
class, I can guess, your students came there because they were
fascinated with your techniques and method of teaching. Good things
are good things irrespective of their Dan and licenses in Japan.
Thanks.
Ki to Tanden no Aikido-Kai Rakushin-kan
Tomohiro Ishikawa
What's the way of human being?
In the world, there are many people who have learned BUDO just as
marsial arts techniques.
They are valuable I think so. I think others value just for
others, and my value is for myself. I've been going the way where I
should go.
Others ways are others' Even if it is unable to make them to be
as we are, I wish they could empathize with value we have, we would
able to be unite.
I believe that the most important thing is what I put forth my
best efforts to my class day by day.
Then the continuance will make us see what the way of ourselves.
I am so happy that I can commnunicate you gently.
Thank you.Please give me Q from facebook.