Sekiguchi Sensei Seminar Review

The training schedule was very intensive. The days began at around 10 AM with a private instructors only session that lasted until 1:30 PM. At around 2 PM general sessions started that included the mudansha level students and some guest instructors. These sessions lasted until around 10:30 PM at night with a one-hour break around 6:30 PM for dinner.

During the course of the seminar we covered, at varying levels of detail almost all of the kata within Muso Jikiden Eishin-ryu Iaijutsu, see the tables below.

In addition to Sekiguchi sensei's knowledge of swordsmanship, he also has a tremendous sense of humor, and is a very personable individual. Sensei would demonstrate a kata or series of kata, then he would have us repeat the kata over and over again. Sensei would continually make adjustments and corrections, usually only one thing at a time. He would then demonstrate the bunkai and oyo (interpretation and application) of the kata, and we would again execute the kata. Frequently he would also show the proper cutting movements by using sections of newspaper as a cutting target.

During various times during the training he would share with us things such as the proper method of folding your hakama, or the proper method of cleaning your katana when you have finished training for the day. We would do exercises which empathized proper cutting and deflection methods, and many drills to improve our footwork.

While watching Sekiguchi sensei move and by watching some of his explanation and demonstrations it is also very obvious that he is a very powerful and accomplished Karateka.

Sensei never imposed or forced his methodology on any of us, but frequently would point out the differences in the various ways we did things and how those things, such as noto are done in his ryuha. More times then not, the new method he demonstrated was superior to the methods we had been using.

Sekiguchi sensei never seemed to tire. This was not the case with the rest of us who spent the entire day dripping with sweat, and working hard just to try and keep up with him. Sekiguchi sensei's movements were so smooth and fluid, yet they possess incredible power and intensity. I know for me personally, I very much felt like a beginner.

Sekiguchi sensei spoke at length about the differences between Iaido and between Iaijutsu. During one of the many conversations that took place after dinner one evening, Sekiguchi sensei shared his view on the importance of passing on his teachings of Muso jikiden Eishin-ryu Iaijutsu (my own paraphrased translation):