The Discovery Channel - tonight - Ninjas

ddean

ddean

Joined
Mar 26, 2002
Messages
3,397
Showing at 8pm & 11pm locally.

Too bad DIJ can't see it & comment.
 
Who knows? Danny's a real ninja...he could be in it and we wouldn't even know!
 
There are no ninja left, as there are no samurai.

Some of us just keep the old ways alive. There has been so much knowledge accumulated during the thousands of years man has been around. So much of it has been lost, then someone has to discover it again. I think maybe this is what a lot of us feel- we're trying to keep past knowledge alive, because we need it.

John
 
Well spoken, John.

You could say the same thing for much of what we're about to see this weekend at the Blade Show. Few of the knives sold there will ever see duty worthy of their creation.


But, thank goodness for that, right?
 
John...in all seriousness, by what definition is it that there are no samurai or ninja left? Is it just a matter of being in someone's pay for services or is it a lifestyle, or an attitude?

I'm certain the bloodlines are still known...of the samurai at least.
 
This is such a dangerous thread to post on, but I will do my best.
There were two kinds of ninja and two kinds of samurai.
Before the tokugawa/edo period, there were the samurai and ninja of war.
Afterwards, they were samurai and ninja of peace.
I am not saying that they were peaceful, but they operated in a society that had finished two centuries of constant civil war.

Wartime gave these guys much more legitimate jobs and purposes.
In peace they became something less "honorable" shall we say ?

Also, one should remember that there is a big difference between soldier and samurai. Most of the fighting was done by poorly trained, poorly armed soldiers, as has been common in all lands and times.

One could reasonably say that any soldier with special "covert" skills is a ninja. In that repect, there are probably more ninja alive today than ever before.

To me, personally, a ninja is a person who learns the highest level of martial arts and is capable of controlling the world around him with little effort.

I have not seen the program, but I hope someone tapes it for me or at least watches it and gives me a complete report!

I think I heard Steve Hayes is the consultant. Steve Hayes knows alot and if he approved it for the show, then its probably 100% true.

One thing to think about is that fact that real ninjutsu is designed to be hidden, small, difficult to see. That doesnt play well on television.
So, if you can see it on the TV and it looks impressive, then it probably has been modified from the original.
We dont want to impress people with our martial arts.
We want to keep it a secret, thats the whole point.

Ninjutsu is real. Television is not.

Last year a japanese television program wanted me to appear and talk about my life in japan studying ninpo. I said "youll have to ask Hatsumi sensei first."
They did and I never heard from them again.

I dont know what all this rambling of mine means, if anything. Just remember that the television distorts things.
Also, if Hatsumi sensei ISNT in the program, then there is something not 100% ninja-kosher.

P.S. - If being a samurai means you get paid for doing nothing but looking like you are important, then there are millions of them alive and well in japan.
 
I'm watching it right now. Steve Hayes is featured prominently. It's pretty interesting stuff so far. :)
 
Steve Hayes is onscreen, Hatsumi sensei ISNT...so I guess it remains an enigma?
 
Well, I understand what you're saying, Danny, and of course I respect you very much. I believe it would be most accurate to say that the spirits of both are still alive and well.

As far as Steve Hayes goes...I started training under Steve, in Germantown, in 1994. I was saddened to read the Black Belt (believe it was) article a few years ago in which Mr. Hayes said that he had improved Ninpo (with "To-Shin-Do". Then again, I was good friends with someone who was doing some work for Steve while he was "adapting" the system- and wondering why his gee-whiz "adaptations" weren't working..).

My personal thoughts were to compare hundreds of years of evolution to Mr. Hayes 25 years or so of study of this art.

The "5 Element" Go-Dai system is an oversimplification: it is impossible to classify every single kata, or probably even most of the kata, into one of five feelings- though it certainly does make study easier and more attractive for Westerners, neh?

(Note: I claim sole responsibility for what I'm saying here. No martial organization should be construed as necessarily holding these views I espouse.)

John
 
You are absolutely right John.
I agree totally.

I am just thinking of all of the people claiming to be doing ninjutsu out there that Steve would be a good choice. (compared to those clowns like mark grove or ashida kim)

They probably had to go with somebody in America and steve is the most famous american shihan. So ,it makes sense.

As to spirit, I am far too cynical to believe that there ever was a real movie-type noble, honorable samurai.

These people dont think and believe in things like we do.
They will tell you so.
"Oh, strong belief is not good. Strong belief starts wars"
That is a direct quote.

They were Armed bureacrats, gangsters with armor and offical titles.
I dont think much of them, honestly.
The book "bushido" was written by an english speaking christian (in English) as a way to try to explain or justify japanese culture to europe and america.
It didnt work.
The book was translated into japanese and, after that, the wave of nationalism that popularized the bushido myth spread across japan.
The rest of the story is pretty horrible.

Toshindo is an alternate reading for the kanji "ninjutsu"
clever, huh ?

so, what are they saying in the show ?
any surprises?
 
well, he looks legit and seems to be teaching it correctly.
as with all things, first hand experience should tell you everything.
if he can do techniques without using physical strength, then he should be fine. go try it!
 
Danny - Your comment about using the techniques without strength...what do you get with good technique *and* great strength (yourself I presume)?
 
The secret, if there is one, is being feather-light and not using strength to control the opponent. Only when he is open to attack and aligned to maximize the damage should you allow strength to magnify your attack.
In that way, it is devastating.

You learn to use the extremes. Light as a feather protects you from attack, confuses him and controls him.
Suddenly, when he cant see or defend himself, you hammer him from an unexpected angle.
 
gotcha...

grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr 10 character minimum again...........
 
Of course, when I say hammer, I mean use SOME strength, not all of it.
Hatsumi sensei recommends using 70% strength when you have to.
One should not commit completely in case you need to change or redirect or whatever in the middle of the fight.
Keep your options open.
 
If you watch the video again, you should be able to see two parts to every technique.
the first part is light and without strength or intention.
once the defender is in a safe, controlling space....
Part two - the end. (that is where the 70% comes in)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top