Yagyu-Shinkage ryu

[Light Samurai]

Hey all.

I was curious, if I syudied Yagyu-Shinkage ryu, (YSR) could I later transfer to Katori Shinto-ryu?

See, I have a choice between Aikido and Yagyu-Shinkage ryu. But once older, I'm moving to Japan, to Chiba.

Since Katori-Shinto ryu (KSR) has Kenjutsu, Iaijutsu, Naginata jutsu, yari-jutsu, ninjutsu, and Heiho, and think I'll get alot more out of kSR then YSR, but I would also like some eexperince in Koryu.

Is training in two Ryu feasible?

Peace.

[DCPan]

Hey all.

yari-jutsu

I believe that's So-jutsu.

[Kaoru]

Hey all.

I was curious, if I syudied Yagyu-Shinkage ryu, (YSR) could I later transfer to Katori Shinto-ryu?

See, I have a choice between Aikido and Yagyu-Shinkage ryu. But once older, I'm moving to Japan, to Chiba.

Since Katori-Shinto ryu (KSR) has Kenjutsu, Iaijutsu, Naginata jutsu, yari-jutsu, ninjutsu, and Heiho, and think I'll get alot more out of kSR then YSR, but I would also like some eexperince in Koryu.

Is training in two Ryu feasible?

Peace.

The best place to ask, is on e-budo where some YSK Ryu guys hang out. Chris deMonch is the guy to ask since he's there fairly often and here, sometimes. Or, just e-mail the sensei, Paul Manogue. I sent you his e-mail a long time ago. Still have it? If no, ask Chris-san. (Making you contact those guys. :D )

Anyway, from what I understand, Koryu people don't really like it when people switch Ryu without a valid and good reason. There is YSK Ryu in Japan too. The reason is because it shows a lack of committment to the Ryu.

And, to study TSKSR, all you need to do, is move to Seattle someday. You don't need to go to Japan first. It's actually a good idea to do it here first, since Japan is incredibly expensive to live in. And, you can't really work there either. Well, the guys on e-budo can explain a lot more than I can on this issue. Ask them about living there.

Phil Relnick-sensei is the only person authorised to teach TSKSR in the US. Sugino-sensei's(deceased) students are not recognised as allowed to teach it by the current head of this Ryu. Ask Relnick-sensei for more info as to why.

Anyway, I really think you need to try Yagyu Shinkage Ryu first, to see if you like it. It's practically in your backyard. *envy!* So, please do take advantage of that. You ought to try Kendo while you're at it too. Only talking about trying these styles and not trying out each style will not help you at all. You have to get to the dojos and see for yourself and try them. That is the ONLY way to find out for sure what you want to do.

So, that is the best advice I can give you right now short of dragging you to the dojos myself. :D

Oh yeah... Stick to one Ryu for now. You'll see why once you start. There are so many details that you do not want to confuse them. Each Ryu is different. However, you could do Kendo and then Koryu. I don't see that being a huge problem. But, you might want to wait year after beginning one because it will be loads of work to trying to do two. Get good at one first, then add, and perfect(Well, it will take your entire life!) both.

Two Koryu? I wouldn't, but that's just me. Getting too much on your plate could overwhelm you.

Hope this helps! :)

Kaoru

[Light Samurai]

Thanks Kaoru!

Yes, I could always move to Seattle if I really wanted TSKSR, but for some reason I'd LIKE (not have ;-) ) to move to Japan. ^^

Thanks for the suggestions! I've decided to do Aikido, and then mayne a Koryu. One art at a time.

Peace.

[ScottUK]

Two ryu may not be a problem, but TSKSR and YSR are veeeery different arts. Good luck with your training...

[Bruce Mitchell]

Hey all.

I was curious, if I syudied Yagyu-Shinkage ryu, (YSR) could I later transfer to Katori Shinto-ryu?

See, I have a choice between Aikido and Yagyu-Shinkage ryu. But once older, I'm moving to Japan, to Chiba.

Since Katori-Shinto ryu (KSR) has Kenjutsu, Iaijutsu, Naginata jutsu, yari-jutsu, ninjutsu, and Heiho, and think I'll get alot more out of kSR then YSR, but I would also like some eexperince in Koryu.

Is training in two Ryu feasible?

Peace.
Okay, first off I would recommend that you read volume three in Diane Skoss' excellent series. There are pieces in there that address training in multiple ryu-ha.

Second, I am not so old that I can't remember being a teenager and studying karate. I had a lot of ideas about the martial arts then (and still some now) that were not s.m.a.r.t. (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, timebound). But you don't join a ryu to "get experience", it would akin to converting to Judaism and Catholocism at the same time. Sound like I'm being sarcastic? I'm not. Joining a Koryu school is about making a lifetime commitment. Now there are people who have succesfully made this commitment to more than one ryu, but it is difficult, and they are fully committed to the schools that they belong to.

Now, I would also recommend Forrest Morgan's "living the martial way" (or is it living the warrior way"?). He has some good advice about how to apply traditional approaches to what ever training you may be doing. The Gendai arts have just as much to offer as the koryu, and if you can find a great teacher in any art then you should stick with that teacher. Give yourself some time and see where your practice takes you. You may very well end up studying TSKSR or YSR, but it sounds like you are off to a good start with Aikido.

[ZealUK]

Studying two seperate Koryu Kenjutsu Ryu is not a good idea.

This isn't like Seitei Iai and an accompanying Koryu school (even seperating these can be immensely difficult). Most of the time the differences will be so great that you will just end up getting confused and being poor at more than one thing instead of good at one.

Chainging between Ryu can be incredibly frustrating. I have had this experience myself over the last four months (I had to think very hard about what to do, not an easy choice). The kihon you learned initially may be of no value to the next Ryu you decide to try your hand at. There will be transferrable factors, however you really have to forget everything and learn as if you started from scratch.

I guess what I'm trying to say is if you flitter about too much all you will end up with is a superficial understanding of basics. I think you really need a solid foundation in something before you can start to look at other arts.

I say choose one and stick to it.

[ScottUK]

Lots of agreement here. I study an iai ryu and a kenjutsu ryu and I can practice them independantly fairly easy. If you choose two kenjutsu ryu you will have problems. Definitely with the waza, and maybe from the teachers.

If you have the opportunity to practice a genuine ryu, count yourself lucky. Practice at it. Hard.

[Saitama Steve]

It won't really be looked upon favourably if you are doing two sword arts at the same time, the teachers won't take you seriously. They might even be offended and then you're really in deep doggy doo, reason being that then they won't teach you.

Tenshin Shoden Katori Shinto-ryu teaches comprehensive military sciences, including weapons usage - tachijutsu, iaijutsu, bojutsu, naginatajutsu, sojutsu, jujutsu and shurikenjutsu. It's rather exclusive and if you want to join it, you will be observed by your peers in the dojo with great scrutiny. You have to be serious about it in short.

Starting training in two koryu ryuha at the same time is a good way of insuring that you will NOT have a personal life. I'll paraphrase Ellis Amdur on what he said about doing multiple koryu; It's like being married to two wives, you have to keep them both happy, otherwise your life is a misery.

If you are going to do two koryu regardless, make sure the arts don't clash, take tons of notes, and ask your teachers for as much clarification as time allows. And be sure that you are going to spend at least 7-8 years in Japan minimum, training and studying the culture, subsequently followed by regular trips to Japan to touch base and to also ensure that the forms you have trained in haven't mutated that much.

[shinmyoken]

Its really difficult to master one school let alone 2 (even more so with similar primary weapon). I would recommend you read up 1st, thought materials for both schools in English are few.

Bests Wishes in your budo

[Phil]

If you are interested in YSR there is a nice book/manga about Yagiu Clan
"KAZE NO SHO" "The book of the wind"
it s realy good, i don t know if it s out in english...

++

Phil