Interview with : 

Kukishin ryu Rokushaku bojutsu Tenchijin no Kamae

Nederlands

When did you begin your budo-training? 

After failed attempts at emulating the football success of my older brothers, I got involved with a local jujutsu-dojo in 1982. In that dojo the known mix of judo, karate and aikido was taught, under the label of “jujutsu”, but this had nothing to do with “koryu” - ancient traditional Japanese martial schools. In 1989, I received my shodan from the “Flemish Fightingsports Association”.  At seminars that I attended I saw several Japanese Sensei move.  That’s when I got interested in real “koryu”.  More and more Japanese culture in all of its aspects started to intrigue me.  This quickly became and still remains “my thing”.

When did you get in touch with “ninjutsu”? 

At the end of the 1980s I read about Hans Hesselmann from the Netherlands (Utrecht) in martial arts magazines.  He had recently visited Japan and was then ranked nidan in the Bujinkan dojo.  So I got to know him and for the years to come made the journey to the Netherlands to train in his dojo.  Doing so I became one of the pioneers of Bujinkan Ninpo in Belgium, amongst others like Benedikt Sas.  We attended lots of seminars abroad, to train with people like Stephen K. Hayes, Doron Navon, Sveneric Bogsater, Pedro Fleitas, Brin Morgan, Bo F. Munthe, Moshe Kastiel, Bud Malmstrom and Thomas Franzen.

Belgium has always been - and still remains - a strong “Genbukan-country”, so I also trained with members of the federation of Tanemura Sensei.  I went to seminars of Tanemura, and trained with Aerts Guy and Poffé Filip.

In 1997 I completed the sakki-test by Soke Hatsumi at the taikai in Paris, and was awarded the title of shidoshi godan.

When did you meet Manaka Unsui Sensei? 

That was during my Japan-trip in 1995 visiting Nodashi.  As he was very well-known in Bujinkan-circles for being a true expert I’d already heard and read a great deal about Manaka Fumio Sensei.  At that time he taught at the Bujinkan Someya Dojo with his former student, Someya Kenichi.

Sensei was very popular amongst western students as even then he taught the kata of the several ryu in a very structured manner.  His style and teaching methods greatly impressed me.

When did you become a member of the Jinenkan?

 In 1996 Manaka Unsui Sensei parted ways with Hatsumi Sensei and founded his own organisation, the “Jinenkan”.  I immediately joined as a member.  Back then I already had trouble with certain viewpoints of Hatsumi Sensei and the Bujinkan.  Every week I started sending letters about all kinds of topics to Manaka Sensei – he answered all of them accurately and without any self-concern, which made my respect for him grow even bigger.

When did your actual Jinenkan-training begin?

After the 1997 taikai I grew increasingly weary about the way the Bujinkan Dojo was evolving.  Like Sensei told us recently; Hatsumi Sensei is like Picasso, but there was only one Picasso!  Nowadays everyone in Bujinkan Budo tries to be a Picasso without truly having mastered the fundamentals.  I couldn’t stand watching how a true “hunt for dan-degrees” had come into existence.

In modern fighting sports a degree is considered to be a “reward” for your efforts.

In traditional martial schools however the student gets a degree beforehand.  The purpose of this is that the student is obliged to live up to the degree, and discover its value for him/herself!  Many didn’t understand this, and thought they were already worthy of the given title.  Hatsumi Sensei is in many ways totally un-japanese, and breaks a lot of long standing values. 

There was a time I even considered quitting my training.  But in 2001 in Mainz (Germany) I met one of the shosei (“living in student”) of Manaka Sensei, the American Dave Hewitt.  At the time he was a Jinenkan Dojocho yondan, and was in Germany leading a Kukishin Ryu jojutsu seminar.  Dave had trained with Manaka Sensei in Japan & the United States for several years, and I was so impressed by his knowledge and skills that I instantly asked to be accepted as his student. To my benefit he agreed. 

The following year (2002) I attended a Jinenkan Kukishin Ryu rokushakubojutsu-seminar in Wettingen (Switzerland), where I met Manaka Sensei’s most senior student, the American Shawn Havens.  I also met Marcel Benz, who was at that time the only European Jinenkan Dojocho. 

In February of 2003 I travelled to the Honbu Dojo (Baltimore, U.S.A.) for the first time, where I successfully passed the ikkyu-test.  In the summer of that same year I also visited Calabria (Italy) to train with Sensei.

Next, in the fall of 2003, I received my shodan in Wales (U.K.), after a test by Dave Hewitt. 

In February of 2004 I visited the Honbu Dojo for a second time.  After several successful tests and after the recommendation of Manaka Sensei, I became a sandan and dojocho.  I received permission to build my own dojo: “Jinenkan Kounryusui Dojo”. 

In september 2004 I stayed in Wettingen (Switzerland) for two weeks to train with Sensei.

What does the future hold for you? 

In 2007 I'm planning a third Honbu trip to Japan.  Seminars in Belgium and abroad (New York, Chester (U.K.), Finland, Switzerland) have already been planned as well.  In October of 2007 Sensei will be visiting the United States for a week, which I don't want to miss!   

Is your budo-training useful in everyday-life?

 I’ve been a police-officer in Gent for fifteen years now, and my training has taught me an awareness, of reacting fast and accurately in difficult situations.  Respecting all legal considerations is not that obvious due to the nature of the methods, after all we’re still training warrior schools.  Training however can never really ensure you that nothing will ever happen to you!

How will the Jinenkan evolve?

The Jinenkan will never attract large crowds I suspect, simply because the training is too intense.  I guess many people are genuinely interested, but their own ego’s prevent them from taking the step and start over from nothing. 

Hatsumi Sensei also prohibited any form of Jinenkan Jissen Kobudo-training by Bujinkan members.  Ironically enough many Bujinkan-members seem to obey, but in fact sneakily try to find out everything about the Jinenkan way of training.  Sensei himself isn’t too concerned about this. 

I for one hope that strong students will be born out of the Kounryusui Dojo, the number doesn’t matter.  One can determine the qualities of the teacher by the nature of the student.

I also hope to be able to contribute to the further growth of the Jinenkan.

And I hope the Jinenkan will stay clear of bickering and all kinds of “political” disputes, because as Sensei recently pleaded; the mutual human relations should remain our prime concern!

It’s my hope that fellow earnest budo practitioners who train their own martial art with heart and soul come to realize that Jinenkan Jissen Kobudo is everything but rubbish. 

I sincerely hope that the personal relationship between me and Sensei continues to prosper.  And finally I wholeheartedly hope that some day my son Kyro will carry on my efforts and contribute his share to the Jinenkan.

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Seiza no Kamae

Kukishin ryu Bisentojutsu Hira Ichimonji no Kamae

Jinen  ryu Tantojutsu Jodan no Kamae