Eureka! After 25 years and more than 50 trips to train in Japan I finally understood the footwork difference between Koto Ryû and Gyokko Ryû. Better late than never.

We had a class with Nagato sensei and I couldn’t do the Oni Kudaki he demonstrated until I saw. Hatsumi sensei often speaks about mienai waza, a technique that cannot be seen. For me this, had been mienai for a quarter century.

My taijutsu had been mainly influenced by Noguchi sensei. The reason for that is that Hatsumi sensei in 1993 told me to train exclusively with him and Noguchi sensei. This had been valid until the opening of the honbu in October 1997. I asked him again with whom I should train now and he said only at the honbu and with the Shi Tennô teaching there. So I began to train regularly with Senô sensei, Oguri sensei, and Nagato…