How long does it take to master Yagyu Shingan-Ryu?
(A) One inquirer once wrote, “If I study for 5 years, what level am I likely to achieve?”. If time constraints are an issue, don’t study koryu. Karate, Judo or any other modern martial art can usually offer you a black belt within a few years — if that’s what you’re looking for. Questions like this are viewed as naive by Japanese koryu practitioners. The path of the Bushi is not simply about memorizing a few flashy techniques; it is a way of life. When new comers enroll with us, they are sternly told to expect a long-term apprenticeship. This statement however, should not deter sincere short-term foreign residents from partaking in kobudo. Even if you only have the opportunity to scratch the surface, the experience will be most rewarding.
