Customer Reviews

Nakamura Ryu Batto-Do (Tsunami) [VHS]

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4 star:		(3)
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1 star:		(1)

 

 

I have studied Toyama Ryu since 1983, and directly under Nakamura Taizaburo from 1990-1994. This video -- originally recorded in 1985 -- is the best instructional video on the market today for Nakamura Ryu (and Toyama Ryu).

Nakamura sensei gave me a copy of his video in 1990 and its quality was like a 10th generation copy -- very fuzzy and lots of snow. However, this video -- produced by Tsunami Videos -- is pristine and clear with none of the snow or poor sound that I originally had to put up with. I negotiated for 4 years directly with the International Battodo Federation before they consented to releasing the video outside Japan. The IBF was able to obtain the master film from which Tsunami has produced these current videos; therefore, the buyer will get pristine quality.

The reason I rate this video as a 4-star -- and not 5-star -- is because it is still in Japanese. However, it is easy to follow the step-by-step instructions.

Nakamura sensei said to me once, "This video was made when I was young -- 75 years old or so." The viewer will be able to see Nakamura sensei perform test-cutting against straw bundles -- and you will ask, "is he really 75?" But when you hear him wheeze a bit after doing a running charge followed by continuous cutting, please remember that 75 is still "old." I just wish I could get permission to release the film footage of him when he was in his 50s! Truly an amazing master swordsman.

I highly recommend this video for prospective students of Nakamura Ryu battodo because it will give you a firm foundation of this style. However, be advised that there are some changes that were incorporated by Nakamura sensei, one as recently as Summer 2000, when he was 89 years old!

In closing, I would like to state that there are three major branches of Toyama Ryu lead by Nakamura Taizaburo, Morinaga Kiyoshi, and Yamaguchi Yuuki. All three worked together at the Toyama Military Academy in 1939.

MORINAGA KIYOSHI sensei served at the Toyama Military Academy throughout his army career (about 4 different times), from lieutenant through lieutenant colonel and ended up as the academy's Director of Fencing. He retired as a full colonel in 1945. Morinaga sensei lived in the Osaka region and passed away in 1980. His teachings are still carried on by Tokutomi Tasaburo.

YAMAGUCHI YUUKI sensei served for a period of time at the Toyama Academy as an officer (probably as a captain or major) and was later assigned to China to instruct fencing with the army sword. He was known for his and tall height (for that time) and beautiful technique. As of 2001 he was 100 years old. He lives near Sapporo, in Hokkaido.

NAKAMURA TAIZABURO sensei was a noncommissioned officer and "Taito Honbu-sha" -- a person authorized to carry a sword. He entered the army in 1930 as a third degree in kendo, age 20 years. Because of his high level of skill, he was immediately assigned to instruct officers in fencing and enlisted men in bayonet fencing. He was a member of the Quick Reaction Force that Japan dispatched in response to the Marco Polo Incident (Manchuria), and was severly wounded later at the Great Wall of China. Around 1937 he was the fencing and bayonet teacher at a boys military school attached to the Toyama Military Academy. In 1939 Sergeant Nakamura was assigned as a Toyama Military Academy instructor. After his tenure, he was sent to China to instruct "Jisen Budo" -- Battlefield Martial Arts. Sergeant Nakamura taught sword, bayonet, and dagger techniques to many units, including the Yamashita Heidan Nanpo KIRIKOMITAI -- a Special Attack Unit. He also served as First Sergeant in a Border Patrol unit along the Russian/China border until 1944, when he was dispatched to Okinawa, then to mainland Japan. His final assignment was teaching bamboo spear techniques to the Home Guard in preparation for the American invasion. Nakamura sensei retired from army service in 1945; as of October 2001, he has been *actively* teaching swordsmanship for over 70 years.

Nakamura sensei currently holds the following ranks: Hanshi [master teacher] 10th degree in battodo from the Kokusai Budoin [International Martial Arts Federation]; Hanshi 8th dan in kendo (Kokusai Budoin); Hanshi 8th dan in both bayonet and dagger from the All Japan Jukendo Fed; Kyoshi [teacher] 7th dan in kendo from the All Japan Kendo Fed; 3rd dan in archery and judo (1930). Additionally, he is a Hanshi in Japanese calligraphy. Nakamura sensei lives in Tsurumi-ward, Yokohama.

For a different perspective of Toyama Ryu iaido, view the Tsunami video called "Toyama Ryu Battojutsu" by Tokutomi Tasaburo, available from amazon.com. Tokutomi sensei is a senior student of the late Colonel Morinaga (head of Toyama fencing branch from 1939-1945).

GUY H. POWER
Densho (License of Transmission, directly from Nakamura sensei)
Renshi, 7th Dan (Toyama Ryu)
Okuden License (Nakamura Ryu)

It is very encouraging that such material is being preserved and made available to students. This is without doubt the finest record of the most prominent and respected Japanese swordsman of his generation, well-presented and complete.

A good introduction to the more combat-oriented type of iai (Japanese swordsmanship). Ok, in Japanese, but it does not matter very much since this is the type of instructional video where the pictures says it all. Filmed at a beautiful temple site. What I miss perhaps are more close-ups when it comes to certain grips and stances - and slow motion footage - instead of having to use the slow motion button on the video over and over again. I have the 2nd kyu in Iaido (ZNKR seitei), and found this video about WWII-iai very useful in my search for combat-oriented techniques, which does not dominate in the more traditional Iaido.

Maybe I missed something here... but this one was really bad. The instruction was non-existant for a non-Japanese speaker. And the examples of tecnique were not very impressive.