Jodo in the UK?

[torashin]

Hi All

Here's an open question to all.

Why is it Jodo appears to be such a poor relation in the UK?

Apart from the Aiki people who seem to openly embrace the Jo, everywhere else in the UK it seems to be a hidden art.

Any ideas & comments?

[Reiver]

I think Jodo seems to be a poor relation anywhere, with a few exceptions, and has always seemed to be an add-on to other arts.

However in the UK it is coming out of the shadows, both within the BKA and other groups that follow the SMR lineage. In the BKA, in terms of numbers, Jodo is where iaido was about 10-12 years ago, and also if you practice Jodo, you almost certainly practice Iaido as well.

I have noticed over the years that it seems that any MA seems to be practiced by few people, then a 'critical mass' is reached, and numbers increase quite dramatically. It also seems to be related to the number of higher grades available for seminars and gradings. I think Jodo in the BKA is on the cusp of the critical mass. I don't know about other groups.

[torashin]

I like it coming out of the shadows :) It has a feel of our friends from the old Iga province in Japan.

I hope you are correct and that Jodo is on the up! It still surprises me how few people who practice Iai and have the opportunity to do Jo actually take it.

[satsumaruma]

I hope you are correct and that Jodo is on the up! It still surprises me how few people who practice Iai and have the opportunity to do Jo actually take it.

I agree but I suspect it is probably down to 'time' and money. Most people run dojos and hope not to make too much of a loss (if they gain a little they often buy equipment for others).

this means that many Sensei can only run sessions per week where they are likely to get enough students to cover costs. If they open too many times per week they are likley to get the same amount of attendees spread over more days. They may get a little more attendance but this is unlikley to cover the increase in hall hire fees. So Jodo, as Gavin noted, tends to be done by Iaidoka as an 'add-on'. The problem here is that these people doing the iai are often going for gradings and a sensei will feel obliged to help them towards being successful in their grading. So for many weeks of the year sessions become 'consumed' by helping people practise for gradings.

Other factors include the practise of koryu and perhaps other disciplines like Tachi Uchi no Kurai or Niten - these may hold more appeal for those who study the sword than Jodo!

I guess you may be aware that to try to promote Jodo a bit more Keith Rose has been running 'mini-seminars' roughly once every two months. He even tries to fit round when people are most likely to have time in their diaries.

Which brings me on to my last thought. quite simply many people have a great many commitments that they simply do not have the time to do kendo and or iai to do Jodo as well. It is easy for those who do have the time (and funds) to criticise but many will have family commitments (holidays, kids events etc) and work commitments that may mean they have to manage their leisure time accordingly.

Lee

[torashin]

I agree, my only other training commitment is Iai (I don't do Kendo :emb:)
but trying to fit training in with family is, as always a problem :confused:

Lee, do you go down to see Keith at all? he's just released dates for his next Sunday session either 16th or 23rd Sep. I think it's likely to be the 23rd now.

How many others know of these sessions around the North of England?

On another note. Are there still places on the Darlington Northern Iai/Jodo seminar? Also, which days do they practice Jo?

[Martch]

Hi Mark,

As you know we turn the last iai session of the month over to 'wood' (no sniggering at the back there!) as there's no option of hiring the hall for another evening in the week. Some people do Tachi Uchi or Niten while we play with broom handles. This seems to work well as everyone gets to do something they they want to. As Gavin said, Jo is behind in terms of its develpment and popularity, and Lee mentioned time and commitment, but also I guess some people just aren't interested in Jodo; Haruna sensei wasn't so its not just over here. It boils down to personal preference at the end.

[satsumaruma]

Mark,

I got the details for Keiths next jodo gig and this does get promoted at both Budokan Dojos and I know that martin will do the same for Newcastle so that is all the North east covered. Keith tends to have something to do with a swathe of dojos in Yorkshire so they will be covered - not sure about Hornsea or Leeds nor the North west.

As for Darlington, spoke with Ian Applegarth last Monday about the Northern seminar here in Darlington and there area few places left but it seems at last people realise they must get their applications in early if they wish to attend a seminar. Obviously there needs to be a cap on the number that can attend (room to practise etc) but I did suggest to Ian that if we get a lot more applications than the recommended numbers we can book an alternative venue for the Jo. We did this a few years ago and it worked really well. Of course, this will depend on the availability of the second hall. Problems with doing iai and jodo in the same hall at the same time include the noise (from jodoka) and the fact that people can 'migrate' at times and safety can be an issue.


Jodo is practised both days of the seminar.

Lee

[torashin]

It sounds like the North East has quite a bit going on it's just a bit sparse over here in Lancashire :confused:

I'll have a think about the Darlington course. Been a little busy on courses at the moment. And I'm planning to goto Madrid in Dec & Geneva in Jan (FEJ courses) It would be nice to do a by monthly northern Jo seminar though, utilising the instructors that are present Keith, Gavin etc. venue TBD

Any ideas comments?

Sounds good for the future perhaps !!!

[satsumaruma]

It sounds like the North East has quite a bit going on

We try. We also do it without pestering the BKA for official support ( not saying they wouldn't give any); we just get together as groups of friends with common interests to practice a bit more. All we do is cover costs and it costs a little in travel expenses. I have also done two tachi Uchi no Kurai events in the past year which were well attended and hopefully all attendees enjoyed - Martin (martch) kindly came along to help on one of them. I hope to set this up as a regular thing but I will need to gauge demand for this. Would be nice to get Peter West Sensei up for one as well.
I also hope to set up a MJER Koryu weekend with Fay Goodman Sensei at some time. I have ttried this year but there has been so much going on there doesn't seem to be a spaer weekend to fit it in - but I think that would be great if we could arrange it. If it comes off, I hope to arrange it with enough time to advertise it on both the BKA and the EKF websites so that any MJER student in Europe could come along if they wished.

It would be nice to do a by monthly northern Jo seminar though, utilising the instructors that are present Keith, Gavin etc. venue TBD


have you spoke to Keith or Gavin about this? It may be that they could do something across your way. equally you could ask to attend the Selby ones - it isn't that far from Lancashire.

[torashin]

Hi Lee

I went to the last course at Selby in July and I'm planning to goto the next one too :)

Yes, it would be nice to get people over here. The course I've organised for 6-7th Oct is just down the road from me and it's not a bad price for the day. I know Keith-san runs his Selby course every month (apart from Aug) and outside of this it might be good to do something else perhaps.

Again everyone has there own set of commitments.

But where theres a will there's a way they say. Not sure about Martin's wood problem though :laugh: might need to put him at the front perhaps.