1. Why did you decide to join the online lessons?

Ever since I was a child, I have loved the old Japanese warrior arts, and consequently became involved with shinobi no jutsu and kobujutsu when I was in my mid-teens. I first saw videos of the current sôke of Asayama Ichiden-ryû, Seki-sensei, demonstrating the techniques of the ryûha on YouTube, when Shôgo-san (whose channel I had been following for a good while) created the “Let’s ask Seki Sensei” channel. This was my introduction to Asayama Ichiden-ryû and I immediately fell in love with its principles, philosophies, movements and techniques! I was absolutely ecstatic when I learned that it would be possible to become part of the ryûha and study its teachings online, and as soon as my training conditions were what I needed them to be to sign up as a student, that’s exactly what I did!

2. Why will you train here and not at any other online lessons?

I have seen many different kinds of online lessons, courses etc., but many of them—especially those dealing with the acquisition of more physical skills, such as martial arts—have appeared to be, in my humble opinion, greatly lacking due to the difficulty in passing on such teachings online. However, Seki-sensei and his instructors, such as Tsukada-sensei, Kurosawa-sensei and the others, as well as his student and “Let’s ask Seki Sensei” channel creator, Shôgo-san, have all done an amazing job with these online lessons, and the quality of instruction is the very best I have seen so far in anything of this kind.

3. What changed before and after you joined?

While I had spent years involved in other ryûha of kobujutsu, there was something I could not quite put my finger on that Asayama Ichiden-ryû brought with it that I felt I did not have, and which I really wished I did—a certain kind of perspective, feeling and specific technical aspect, I believe. I was determined to become a student of the ryûha—provided Seki-sensei would accept me, of course—but also to ensure my training conditions (time difference and thus work schedule, training equipment etc.) was exactly what I needed it to be to get the most out of the training; and as soon as that was finally the case, I signed up! After having joined the online classes, I immediately began studying the very first lesson video from the archives and commenced my training. I kept training every day and steadily progressed through the first three videos before joining my very first live lesson that week. I have loved every minute of both the live lessons as well as simply studying and training according to the video archives and I have learned more from my brief time in Asayama Ichiden-ryû than I have from years in certain other martial arts! The feedback and the support you get from Seki-sensei and the other teachers, as well as from Shôgo-san, is absolutely invaluable; and the camaraderie among the students is wonderful! Lastly, that thing I felt I did not have before becoming a student of this ryûha… I feel I am finally acquiring that now!

4. What is the best part about joining?

Hands down that of being part of the amazing legacy that is Asayama Ichiden-ryû Heihô! Being a student of the amazing, logical and powerful teachings of this ryûha of kobujutsu, acquiring this knowledge and these skills, and being a part of its rich history and traditions. I feel immensely honoured and privileged to be a student, and thus part of Asayama Ichiden-ryû and it is my wish to remain so for the rest of my life. Normally, one would feel at a loss, wanting to become part of a koryû that has no presence outside of Japan, but thanks to Seki-sensei, his instructors, students and Shôgo-san bringing modern technology into the picture, this does not have to be the case, despite one living far from the home country of this art; and this is something for which I will personally be forever grateful.

5. What future goals would you like to achieve through the training?

I would like nothing better than to continue studying and training in Asayama Ichiden-ryû for the rest of my life, always learning, always improving; and I would love to also take part in Seki-sensei’s vision of bringing the ryûha back to its glory days. I would like to strive, therefore, to not only increase my own knowledge and skill in the ryûha but also to achieve sufficient knowledge, understanding and skill therein to qualify to teach it one day and thus aid Seki-sensei in spreading this amazing ryûha of kobujutsu throughout the world and thereby give other people the chance to see what I see, experience what I have experienced and come to love Asayama Ichiden-ryû as much as I do.