Jinenkan blue ninja?

[Hudson69]

I was looking for videos on the various x-kans and found one titled Jinenkan Togakure-ryu ninjutsu (I think this was a youtube video, sorry no link).

Does the Jinenkan offer training specifically in Togakure-ryu and do any of the other X-kans offer training specifically in this system of ninjutsu?

 

[Chris Parker]

Well, you are certainly full of questions at the moment!

Okay, Togakure Ryu is taught as part of each of the X-Kans, however the way you may learn or study it will vary. Within the Jinenkan, the primary focus is to learn each of the schools as they are presented within the Densho, so yes you can learn Togakure Ryu (as well as Gyokko Ryu, Koto Ryu, Hontai Takagi Yoshin Ryu, Kukishin Ryu, Shinden Fudo Ryu, and Jinen Ryu [Manaka Sensei's creation]) as a separate system within the curriculuum. Manaka Sensei has created a series of VHS and DVD products of most of these systems, and that is where the youtube clip you are refering to are taken from.

Within the Bujinkan, Togakure Ryu is most often used as an influence to the overall strategies and principles, rarely taught separately. However, a number of instructors have taught Togakure Ryu specifically, whether at Tai Kai's, seminars, or just in the course of their general teaching, so it's not unheard of. And Togakure Ryu was a major part of the Bujinkan Training Theme for 2008 (from memory). There is also a VHS of Togakure Ryu from the early 90's, redone for DVD earlier this year, and they contain most of the scroll kata.

In the Genbukan, again it is part of the whole, but as you can learn individual ryu with permission from Tanemura Sensei, and he has begun teaching and ranking students in individual systems at Tai Kai's over the last few years. I think there was one for Togakure Ryu already, but maybe not. I haven't seen any Togakure Ryu products from the Genbukan yet (at least, not from Tanemura Sensei), but if they do bring something out, it will probably be just for Genbukan members, at least to begin with.

And finally, with regrd to the title of this thread, the Jinenkan tend to wear dark blue keikogi as their uniform. But if we are to look at a more realistic image, dark blue blends into dark environments better than black, so blue is probably a better choice.

 

[Bruno@MT]

There was going to be a Togakure-ryu taikai in Germany next year, but for reasons I do not know, that is no longer the case. I was told the taikai will still happen, but somewhere else.

It is possible to get training DVDs and books to help you train and prepare for in-person training, but the ryuha specific ones are only available to members, and only to those who fulfill the correct requirements (like having certain grades in ninpo or the specific ryuha training itself). They are certainly not available to the public.

I suppose if a high ranking member drops out, his training stuff could land on ebay, but I seriously doubt that this would happen.

 

[Chris Parker]

Hi Bruno,

A quick search on genbukan.org shows that it depends on the particular product as to whether or not they are available to the public. For example, the DVD of Koto Ryu Koppo-jutsu is available to the public, but the DVD of Tanemura-ha Koto Ryu Shoden Gata is available only to Genbukan members. Most of the weapon DVDs are available to the public.

 

[Bruno@MT]

For the ninpo taijutsu material:
Only the lower kyu levels are open to the public.
mid kyu levels to 1st kyu to genbukan members.
Dan level and higher only to Genbukan members who have passed the test for the previous grade.

It's the same for the bikenjutsu series, the bojutsu series and koryu karate series. For the ryuha series it is indeed inconsistent (as I just checked it). For some, the kyu level is open, and the shoden level is only for members.
For others, (Asayama Ichiden Ryu) the entire series is open.

Strangely enough, the ryuha series are more open than all the rest. Though not all the ryuha are present. I don't know why that is.

 

[George Kohler]

There was going to be a Togakure-ryu taikai in Germany next year, but for reasons I do not know, that is no longer the case. I was told the taikai will still happen, but somewhere else.

The Togakure-ryu Taikai venue was moved from Germany to the UK. The dates are the same too.

http://www.kohakudojo.com

 

[EWBell]

I wish I could afford to go to the UK Togakure Ryu Tai Kai, but unless I hit the lottery it isn't happening. I imagine it will be a great learning experience for those who do get to attend.