User:Tsuyukir/sandbox

History of Shindo Muso Ryu Jodo in the United States

Shindo Muso Ryu Jodo started in the United States largely due to the presence in the 1970's of a number of American students at the Rembukan Dojo in Tokyo, training under Shimizu Takaji, considered the 25th headmaster of SMR jodo, and under the auspices of the International Jodo Federation whose senior representative was the well-known martial arts practitioner and writer Donn F. Draeger.

A rough chronology follows:

1970?: Shimizu Takaji introduces jodo to the All-Japan Kendo Federation (Zen Nihon Kendo Renmei, or ZNKR) as demonstrated by senior students Kaminoda Tsunemori and Osato Kohei. 1970: Camp Bushido:  Shimizu Takaji, Kaminoda Tsunemori, and Donn F. Draeger demonstrate jodo at "Camp Bushido," in the first sanctioned demonstration of Shindo Muso Ryu Jodo in the United States (ref: "This is recorded in a book about Shimizu’s life."). Camp Bushido was a large gathering of martial arts practitioners from numerous disciplines, sponsored by judo godan Ben Nighthorse Campbell. Basic classes introduced the kihon (basic techniques) of jodo, but it is believed this did not launch any official training for SMR jodo in the USA. 1972-1973: Mr. Rick Polland starts studying jodo in Des Moines, Iowa while attending university. Mr. Bruce Brown teaches the kihon, shoden and tanjojutsu he had learned at the seminar informally to Randy Thompson and Rick Polland. Mr. Thompson did not continue his studies past 1976. Concurrently, a number of Westerners have studied jodo for different periods of time in Tokyo at the Rembukan Dojo, but have had no impact on jodo in the USA at this time. 1974: Bruce Brown undertakes a six month intensive training program sponsored by the 4th Division Riot Police (Kidotai Dai Yonki). Mr. Brown also studies at numerous dojo around Tokyo in jodo, iaido, judo, and aikido, and is introduced to tanjojutsu, the expandable baton, taihojutsu, as well as continuing his study of Tomiki aikido. With this greater foundation, Mr. Brown returns to the USA and resumes teaching Rick Polland and Randy Thompson. Mr. Brown invites Ohtsuka Tadahiko (Goju Ryu karate and jodo) and Miyake Mariko (jodo, Tomiki aikido and judo) to Iowa and jodo is demonstrated. Bruce invites Randy Thompson, David Blanc and Rick Polland to Japan. They gain admittance to the Rembukan Dojo and study jodo, amongst other arts. (ref: jodo website?) 1976: Rick Polland returns to Japan and studies jodo at the Rembukan, Nihon Budokan, Dai Yonki and other dojo around Tokyo. Afterward, he originates a jodo group at Indiana University to study the kihon and seitei (ZNKR forms). This is believed to be the first “official” club in the USA although it didn’t last long. Jodo practitioner Quintin Chambers was in Hawaii but not teaching at this time. Mr. Polland also starts teaching jodo at a karate dojo in Milwaukee, which group continues to study jodo today. 1976: Mr. Polland begins an informal jodo club at Indiana University while attending graduate school. 1979: Mr. Polland returns to Japan to continue his studies of jodo. 1981: After a short stint teaching in Jacksonville, FL, Rick Polland co-founds a jodo club at a local dojo in New Mexico. About this time, a number of American students of the Rembukan return to the USA. Mr. David Pearl starts a club under the auspices of Matsumura sensei in the New York area. (ref?) 1983: Sakimukai Masaharu, a karate instructor, starts teaching seitei jodo. Shiokawa Hosho visits him in 1985. They offer jodo demonstrations at US Kendo Federation and WUKO events across the country. About this time Mitsuzuka Takeshi starts teaching seitei jodo in the New York area. 1985: Rick Polland starts a group studying jodo (as well as iaido) in Southern California. About this time Bruce Brown returns from Japan. They give several demonstrations of jodo in California, Illinois, and Georgia. 1987: Mr. Polland introduces jodo at the Washington Kendo Club to Mr. Kurt Smucker and Mr. Bill Dvorine. 1988: Mr. Polland establishes the Beikoku Rembukan, an officially sanctioned branch dojo of SMR jodo in Maryland. 1990s: Suzuki Kenji comes yearly to the Beikoku Rembukan to teach iaido. As Mr. Polland's sempai in jodo at the Rembukan in Tokyo, they train in jodo as well.

1994: Mr. Polland starts teaching jodo at the University of Guelph, Canada, to Mr. Kim Taylor, Mr. Eric Tribe, and others. 1996: After a 25-year hiatus, Kaminoda Tsunemori returns to the USA at the invitation of Rick Polland, and conducts a jodo and iaido demonstration under the auspices of the Japanese Embassy in Washington, D.C.  The Beikoku Rembukan offers an open seminar with Mr. Kaminoda in Maryland. 1997: A second US jodo demonstration with Mr. Kaminoda is sponsored by the Japanese Embassy and coordinated by the Beikoku Rembukan. An open seminar is again offered by the Rembukan. Mr. Polland continues teaching at jodo seminars in Guelph. 1998: Jodo is demonstrated by Mr. Polland for the AUSKF iaido group at a seminar hosted by DFWKC. The Beikoku Rembukan offers jodo seminars and continues to teach jodo at Guelph. 1999: The Beikoku Rembukan again offers an open seminar with Mr. Kaminoda. Mr. Polland demonstrates jodo for the AUSKF iaido group at a seminar in Memphis, TN. 2001: Mr. Polland and Mr. Tom Calabrese demonstrate jodo in Vancouver, BC, for the West Coast Iaido Embu. From this point, other jodo practitioners were returning from Japan and small pockets of jodo were emerging around the US, with varying degrees of qualification.