complete samurai curriculum

[Nokori 3byo]

I've been noticing lately how many of the traditional budo used by the samurai are still being studied in modernized forms. Some, like kendo and kyuudo, are immensely popular in Japan. Others, like Iai and horse archery (yabusame anyone?) are more esoteric, but are still practiced. You can even find places to study yari here.

The question is: if someone who had a lot of leisure time and disposable income were minded to pursue a complete samurai curriculum, how far could s/he go and how close could s/he get to the full skill set of samurai from a given historical period? (let's say the turn of the 17th century)

Obviously not all the way. Samurai also practiced various non-martial do (like calligraphy) and in some cases, literary arts. Then, there are other tricky pre-requisties like awareness of court etiquette, actually being Japanese and living in medieval times.

But, for the sake of argument, what would some of the essential things on the list be?

[Charuzu]

Well some things are hard, I have been looking to learn Cha-no-yu, Ikebana and shodo but I have found no sensei. ：-(

[Nokori 3byo]

Well some things are hard, I have been looking to learn Cha-no-yu, Ikebana and shodo but I have found no sensei. ：-(

All three? That's ambitious!

I've long had an interest in shodo, though. If only I had the time...

[Charuzu]

No, I mean I would like to learn them but I can't :-(
Yes, I could just take out a book but.... that would be the same as some one reading a book on kendo... you just cant learn it that way.

[nodachi]

With lots of disposable income and the desire to do this, I would say just move to Japan for a long length of time. No need to worry about not finding sensei there. Learn budo in the mornings and all the other calmer stuff at night. Problem solved.

[akumalkenshi]

I think that becoming proficient in the use of yari was the basis of samurai soldier (infantry) and the training of new recruits took about three years.

thats why gun powder guns became popular ( RAN movie by Kurosawa exemplifies this).

in another Kurosawa movie, the hidden fortress, Toshiro Mifune battles another general with the spear as the weapon of choice.

in art depicting the 47 ronin avenging their master, you see the yari , along with naginata in use.

just a thought

[Bruce Mitchell]

I think, looking at this question from a historical perspective, as best I understand it, you would be best off finding a Koryu which is still considered Sogobujutsu (there are a few around). Of course what you will find is that even though there are arts out there that are sogobujutsu, many of them have lost portions of their curriculum (i.e. Tenshin Shoden Katori Shinto Ryu has "lost" it's archery portion). Then again, durig the periods you are referring to, as a samurai, you would be attached to a fief and would get to practice whatever was taught there, so if they didn't teach Yabusame, then no Yabusame for you!

But since we are talking fnatasy here, no reason to spoil it. I would want to study (In order of importance, by weapon, to the olden days AFAIK):
Kyujustu~Archery. the bow was the primary weapon
Yabusame~might not be covered in the above art
Sojutsu (Yari)~Spear being second to the bow
Naginatajutsu~okay, I have a bais here, but at least I didn't list it first :)
Jojutsu~in case either of the above weapons break
Kenjutsu~Tachi anyone?
Kogusoku~armored grappling
Suijutsu (Sp?)~the martial art of swimming
Could go one here (Shurikenjutsu, shinobijutsu, etc.) but will stop

More realistically:
Kyudo
Atarashi Naginata
Kendo, Iaido
Judo
Chado
Shodo
Go

[Optomitrist]

With lots of disposable income and the desire to do this, I would say just move to Japan for a long length of time. No need to worry about not finding sensei there. Learn budo in the mornings and all the other calmer stuff at night. Problem solved.

haha for a minute there I thought you were saying "quit your job, move to japan, and just live there amoungst all of the asians and suck up their ninja skills like a sponge." good thing we didn't go there. :)

[[Kensei 剣の聖者]]

for the sake of argument i can refuse to shower for 5 years and call myself a viking

[ShinKenshi]

If only we all had the time and money to do all that *sigh*...