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Re: CMA/IMA in Kumamoto

PostPosted: Tue Nov 07, 2017 12:27 am
by Finny
Haha yeah.. not sure I would myself, to be honest. I think JR is one of those 'that's for me/that's not for me' kinda things. Amazing stuff, and I'm reliably informed that they take that primal, singular direction to a surprising level of development and complexity.. which is downright scary (as intended I'd imagine). The Shimazu mon (crest) is reflective of that kinda scary-ness... it's a circle with a cross inside, apparently the horizontal line represents the enemy's sword which has been beaten down into the forehead by the JR practitioner's (vertical line) hehe - badass. Just not sure if I could handle that degree of austerity in my training.. the school I study (from which JR derived, strangely) follows a very different approach.. almost polar opposite.

Re: CMA/IMA in Kumamoto

PostPosted: Tue Nov 07, 2017 12:36 am
by Ian C. Kuzushi
edededed wrote:
But definitely let me know if you are in town! A bite after work or the like would be fun.


Deal. I hope to make it down in July after I finish this program and have some time to do some traveling for research.

Re: CMA/IMA in Kumamoto

PostPosted: Tue Nov 07, 2017 12:44 am
by Ian C. Kuzushi
Tom wrote:
Ian C. Kuzushi wrote: We could talk history or culture while we push hands or wrestle. :)


Please note that for Ian, "while we push hands or wrestle" is more likely a euphemism for "while we eat and drink." At least when he's in Japan. ;D


Hey! I resemble that comment!

It's true that I have always been a work hard-play hard kind of guy. Although, I play much less than I used to, being engaged and in one of the most brutal grad programs known to man. ;D The current program here in Yokohama is 12 plus hours a day, not including commute time or personal projects, so I have only been stepping on the tatami about once a month. I still surprise the youngins pretty often, and also the police (to clarify for Tom, I work out occasionally at a keisatsu dojo). They have finally started letting up when I tap, which means the hazing is coming to an end even though I'm not a regular. That's a good sign.

I hear that the final term here is a bit slower, so I plan to start full time at the Kanagawa Budokan, where they specialize in katame no kata. If I can manage that, I'll get my next dan rank. :)

Re: CMA/IMA in Kumamoto

PostPosted: Tue Nov 07, 2017 7:20 am
by Trick
Finny wrote:The Shimazu mon (crest) is reflective of that kinda scary-ness... it's a circle with a cross inside, apparently the horizontal line represents the enemy's sword which has been beaten down into the forehead by the JR practitioner's (vertical line)
actually I thought that kamon kind of referred to Christianity somehow, that area of Japan was maybe still is a supposed stronghold of Christianity ? The crest sure looks as a sun cross.

Re: CMA/IMA in Kumamoto

PostPosted: Tue Nov 07, 2017 7:31 am
by Ian C. Kuzushi
Trick wrote:
Finny wrote:The Shimazu mon (crest) is reflective of that kinda scary-ness... it's a circle with a cross inside, apparently the horizontal line represents the enemy's sword which has been beaten down into the forehead by the JR practitioner's (vertical line)
actually I thought that kamon kind of referred to Christianity somehow, that area of Japan was maybe still is a supposed stronghold of Christianity ? The crest sure looks as a sun cross.


That is exactly in line with my current interpretation (and the established view of historians). Keep an eye out for a former colleague of mine from my late institution which I believe will argue the the influence and networks of Christianity of the sengoku period have been far underestimated.

Re: CMA/IMA in Kumamoto

PostPosted: Tue Nov 07, 2017 3:48 pm
by Finny
Heh - perhaps the story I heard was a JR-centric story.. I know there were a number of ways in which christian Japanese gave a nod to their faith; tsuba, koshirae, and other accoutrements. I would be surprised to learn that the official mon of the ruling family would be one of them, but them satsuma folk were sure known to go their own way..

Re: CMA/IMA in Kumamoto

PostPosted: Wed Jan 24, 2018 5:15 am
by C.J.W.
Was in Kumamoto for two weeks two years ago right before the earth quake hit. Nice city with a magnificent castle and quaint little streetcars that you rarely see these days in major Japanese cities. Might be too rural for some, but right up my alley.

Anyway, did some digging online using Japanese google, and the only CMA school I was able to find is a Shaolin school. Apparently their system comes from Sha Guozheng, who was also a famous Tongbei/IMA guy. Might be worth looking into.

http://k.shaolin-japan.com/