Welcome!  To the Beikoku Rembukan Dojo...


The Beikoku Rembukan Dojo is dedicated to the advancement of Shindo Muso Ryu Jodo, a "stick art" first developed by Muso Gonnosuke in 16th century Japan.  We also study Muso Shinden Ryu Iaido, the sword drawing art.

Our goal is to earnestly learn and perpetuate Japanese budo within the context of Western culture.





Who We Are...

The Beikoku Rembukan (America Martial Spirit Polishing Hall)  was granted charter in 1986 and is named after the famous Rembukan dojo that once served as the hombu for Shindo Muso Ryu Jodo in Tokyo, Japan under the strict instruction of Shimizu, Takaji Sensei.

Although the original RembukanDojo existed for just less than 10 years, it was home to many of today's great Jodo teachers.  The Rembukan became a portal that allowed Westerners introduction to many Kobudo, arts that were virtually inaccessible at that time.  Shimizu Sensei worked closely with Donn Draeger, a senior member of the dojo and the senior ranking Westerner responsible for approving non-Japanese students interested in studying the Shindo Muso Ryu.  Rick began his Jodo instruction in 1974.

Today, Rick resides near Annapolis, Maryland with his wife Yuriko and their two children.  Rick is the senior instructor of the Beikoku Rembukan and has been studying budo for over 40 years.  Having studied under Shimizu, Takaji, Rick also spent many years studying with Kaminoda, Tsunemori serving as his first and only  "Shibucho" outside of Japan.  Despite a twenty-five year hiatus, Mr. Kaminoda came to visit Rick each year from 1995 thru 2000 to compliment Rick's yearly sojourn to Japan.

Times change.  Adapting to economic pressures within Japan many dojo have decided upon amending standards and redefining themselves as "Sports Clubs" in an effort to attract more students.  Coupled with a relaxation of the standards for granting makimono or classical scrolls  of rank for increased revenues has changed the face of many budo and many dojo.  Sadly the Zoshyukan dojo of Kaminoda Sensei and the Nihon Jodokai  has not been immune from these trends.

Although the Rembukan Dojo understands these developments, it would not be in keeping with our stated goals to accept these kinds of changes here. We have communicated our ongoing concerns with some of these kinds of decisions made by the Nihon Jodokai and the Zoshyukan Dojo over the last 6 or 7 years and have attempted to redirect some of these efforts without success.  We resigned our "Shibucho" as a form of protest and as of August 2007 are no longer affiliated with the Nihon Jodokai.

Fortunately we have many excellent relationships with other teachers in our efforts to improve our skill sets and we continue to reinforce our standards in our jodo curriculum.  Happily too, are Japanese instruction in iai has not been effected by these trends. A more thorough explanation can be found under the history tab soon.

Personal Note:


I have been very fortunate to have studied with people of the caliber of Shimizu, Nagamoto, and Draeger Sensei.  Specific to those of us who trained at the original Rembukan Dojo, we were embued with Shimizu Sensei's sense of mission.  He had a strong desire to promote Jodo throughout the world without losing the heart, the essence of what Jodo is.  Anyone who shared the mat with this "Meiji Man" knew him to be single-minded in this task and free from the pettiness associated with self-aggrandizement.  For me as an impressionable young man, these experiences for which I am most grateful  was life-changing.

It is difficult therefore to watch so many changes take place within my own now former dojo of the last  3 decades.  I've seen many excellent people leave the Zoshyukan, questionable lapses in financial accountibility and the wholesale destruction of a classical makimono system.  I can not in good conscience allow the spirit of our Rembukan Dojo to be corrupted and used as a platform for collecting Western students for the purpose of generating revenues or cultivating a cult of a single personality.  There are now plenty of Americans ready to step in and perpetuate this under a more "ignoble" banner. 

This was not a decision that was made lightly or idependantly of our whole dojo membership.  Ten of our number went to Japan as recently as November 2006 to train and to  determine whether there was any positive way forward to reconcile our goals with those of the Nihon Jodokai.  However after this protracted struggle to find solutions to changes beyond our control, the membership unanimously determined that it was in our best interest to stand away from the current affairs of the Zoshyukan and the Nihon Jodokai.

I do wish to thank the many Japanese voices both amongst budo teachers and friends that have supported our actions during these "interesting" times.  Their efforts both privately and publically at some risk to their own relationships have been so very heart warming.

Sincerely,
Rick Polland
Beikoku Rembukan, August 2007

 


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