Basically Amatsu is a natural method of restoring the overall body after it has experienced structural and physiological trauma. Organised by Chris Roworth and Dennis Bartram who have Menkyo Kaiden in Hicho Buko Joshin Jutsu Ryu it was going to be the first time Soke had ever taught any principles at a specific 'seminar'. The group consisted of Amatsu practitioners and students with quite a sprinkling of Judan. I remember when Chris first bought back the basic principles of Amatsu with him after being shown them in Japan. This was during the mid eighties and as he passed them on to us we didn't have a clue as to what we were experiencing, just that it worked and made you feel better. It was good to see a number of that original training group still involved. The afternoon was organised so that Chris and Dennis supplied some basic principles before Soke arrived.

Soke walked in, relaxed as always he was sporting one of the better shirts I have seen. Not relevant to anything I know but it has dogs 'peeking' out from behind the lapel and as my dog is in enforced 6-month quarantine it touched me. Anyway his first words were that he thought he was in the wrong place as it looked like the place was full of killers not healers! Although it would be impossible to describe all that happened there were some recurring themes that need passing on.

Soke related most of what we did to how you would have to treat people traumatised on the battlefield. This meant that you had to be able to treat them on the ground in armour. The techniques shown used multiple people 'working' on a single 'patient'. Also a lot of the tsubo (points) used in acupuncture or shiatsu are impossible to get to so we worked on points on the extremities and by joint manipulation.

All the afternoon Soke kept reiterating that shiatsu had on the whole become too obsessed with specific tsubo. He said that the feeling you treated someone with was as important as the actual tsubo. During the session he 'worked' on a couple of people with various ailments. For me it was an unforgettable experience to see Soke teaching specifics of healing as where normally it is the opposite. At the end of the session he said he had presented enough information to enable us to practice for a year before moving ahead.

Before the Amatsu session Chris had said something that was to hold true for the entire weekend, "Soke does ordinary things extraordinarily well."

The theme of the Tai Kai was Kukishinden Ryu Happo Biken and we covered mainly rope techniques and Tai Jutsu with some other weapon work using the concepts shown. Describing the specific kata we worked on and the henka arising from them would be a waste of time. If you are looking for specifics I am sure that the Tai Kai videotape will be awesome. Yet again though there are some specific concepts that cropped up during the three days.

Soke kept saying that the space (kukan) between the uke and tori was very important. But he expanded the concept further to say that the space between the time he showed the technique and the time you understand what he has said is very important. He said it was like a form of jet lag.

We did a lot of work using a 3m rope, most of these were incorporated into whichever kata we were working on. Soke said that the rope must be alive. To achieve this you must not grasp the rope tightly or try to keep hold of a specific part of it. This meant coiling the rope up loosely in the hand and letting it catch onto your thumb or finger as you let it go.

Another important principle is to not 'look' for the technique. Although this holds true for all of our training it is especially pronounced when working with the rope. Often Soke would release the rope during a technique and the uke would basically wrap themselves up before Soke came back to the rope. It was truly as if the rope was alive.

This concept of wrapping the uke up without them even being aware of what was happening was spread throughout the whole Tai Kai. A number of times we were told to move like a rope to which enabled us to effectively 'tie' uke up.

Throughout the three days Soke amazed me with the ease with which he managed to use the rope to envelop people. It was always done in a very natural manner that contrasted with the way in which you often seem to have to 'force' the rope techniques to work.

Many people have seen and experienced the 4-person capture using rokushaku-bo and Soke showed a variation on this using the rope. The target was wrapped up as the four people threw the rope to cover them much in the same manner as the bo are used. The throw was done in a 'sanshin' type motion but after the live ends of the rope (the ones in your hands) were 'passed' from one person to another as the target kept struggling to escape. Again the uke basically did all the work.

The weather displayed all the fickleness that English weather is renowned for. After weeks of glorious weather the Tai Kai saw the odd patch of determined rain force us indoors. Although this meant close to 700 people training inside a school gym it did throw up some good things. One was that everyone's awareness needed to be more switched on. Another was that like always Soke gave us techniques that were applicable to the situation. An example was how he altered one of the basic kata movements slightly to show how to use it in a cramped situation.

These little insights into training only ever happen if the situation allows it. Therefore it can be seen as being lucky when we were forced into training inside the hall. Another situation arose when we were practising a technique and Soke knew the person demonstrating had bad knees. He therefore showed how using the ankles could help people in similar situations to be able to do the technique effectively.

As the theme was Kukishinden Ryu Soke often explained how armour would effect the technique. For example instead of the 'normal' jodan uke we all know and love the kata involved a 'token' strike when receiving a tsuki. Basically this involved a lifting of the arm straight up so that the hoshi area of the inner elbow was hit. This meant it was an easier way of striking when in armour and also hit to the lesser-protected parts.

Another concept that Soke touched upon was how you shouldn't just focus on one part of the technique. He emphasised how the trinity or sanshin principles of past, present and future are all linked together in a technique. One relies on the other and to focus on one part is not the best practice.

Supplementing Soke's teaching were the various Judan who were there. From almost all corners of the globe they were called on to demonstrate what we had been practising and to teach various points. Often these points were things related from Soke as they themselves were practising. This 'eavesdropping' into their private sessions is good on various levels. At various times the Judan expanded on the Kukishinden Ryu theme. An example was the explanation of the four principles of the Kukishinden Ryuha. All these four were entwined heavily into the training, although without the explanation it is doubtful if many of us would have picked it up.

As always there was a lot of humour shown throughout the weekend and the overall feel was excellent. The Godan testing took place on the second day with around half the candidates being successful. They had to wait until the last day to be called on to demonstrate something they had learnt.

At one point Soke saw that people needed an unscheduled break and a spontaneous question and answer session ensued. As always happens Soke asking for questions seems to put a hold on your tongue so that all those questions you always wanted to ask refuse to come out. A shame really as he appeared to be answering the questions very candidly.

However, one person managed to force a controversial question out. Although it passed over most people's heads it was aimed at answering a few questions arising over claims made by Genbukan practitioners. Basically some Genbukan people trace what they do to Takamatsu Sensei through the claim that Ueno trained with Takamatsu Sensei and received scrolls and Menkyo from him. In this way Soke can be bypassed in any acknowledgment of their lineage. People on the Ninpo-list on the internet will have heard these claims.

Normally never asked, the information floating around is usually hear say and second hand at the best. In response to the question however Soke kept saying that without a doubt Ueno had never trained with Takamatsu Sensei and that anything he had from him in the form of scrolls were basically presents and favours. Again while this may have been over some peoples heads it was a very direct answer and one I had never heard discussed before.

As always Peter King and his extensive group of helpers did an excellent job. What may have looked like chaos from their position translated into smooth running from ours. The fact that Peter managed to keep the cost below that of the first UK Tai Kai some 12 years earlier was amazing. Only his hard work and that of his staff enabled this to happen. Security was basically low key and friendly which is in marked contrast to some world Tai Kai. Ben Jones did an excellent job as usual and we are lucky to have someone who can translate so rapidly and also have the Bujinkan knowledge base to realise what Soke is referring to.