Bujinkan Thailand Dojo's Weblog

Budo etiquette was written for Bujinkan students who are planning go to Japan.
However, Thailand also have same cultures and etiquettes with Japan.
I recommend the new student to read this article before come to the class.

Source http://tanukidojo.wordpress.com/2010/03/01/budo-etiquette/

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Bujinkan Class and Seminar Etiquette
These are 10 unwritten rules of training that are being practiced in Japan.
Adhering to these rules will ensure fun and safe training for everyone.

1. Always address the instructor as Sensei: Man or female, addressing your teacher or anyone teaching a seminar or class you attend, the instructor should always be referred to as Sensei. Depending on Rank, the following are appropriate “Sensei (Reserved for the head of your dojo), Last name Sensei, Last name Shihan, Last name Shidoshi” Example: Sensei (Masaaki Hatsumi), Nagato Sensei, Noguchi Shihan, Senno Shihan, Oguri Shihan.

2. Show up to training on-time: During which you should pay for the class, then get changed and stretch before training begins.

3. Show up with the proper training attire: Everyone should bring the following to training every time. One t-shirt to be worn under one black Gi top; showing proper rank whenever possible. One pair of black Gi bottoms. The proper color belt and indoor tabi.

4. If you are not teaching, you should be training: The reason for going to someone’s class or seminar is to learn. Therefore, everyone should be training during the seminar. No one should be walking around and trying to teach people what the instructor is doing. This is the job of the instructor.

5. When asked to show a technique: If you are asked to show a technique, the proper etiquette is to go to the middle of the floor, show a technique without speaking, and then sit back down, unless otherwise specified by the instructor.

6. Mimic the instructor’s movement: In order to learn, you must be able to follow what the instructor is doing. If not, you are only doing your own technique. Doing this is no benefit, because nothing new is being learned. After one goes back to his or her dojo, they can then explore the techniques they learned with their own taijutsu. While the teacher is teaching, you should sit in seiza. After the techniques are shown, you should bow once. By doing so, this indicates to the instructor that you are listening as well as paying attention to what is being taught.

7. Shut up and train: Talking should be kept to a minimum. Only share your thoughts or feeling if told to do so by the instructor. Never just shout out your own thoughts or feelings. This is very disrespectful to the instructor. The dojo is a place for training. The more talking one does, the less training they are doing. Learn how to train while keeping talking to a minimum. This will also ensure that you are training and not just hanging around.

8. Do not ask the instructor to show you a technique: The Japanese learn by using the eyes. Techniques will be done to the uke the instructor chooses. One must be at a good level in order to receive these techniques. Uke’s will be picked according to the level they can receive a technique.

9. Clean up and pay before you leave: When training is over, and before you change, everyone should pick up any garbage around them. All weapons should be placed back where they were taken from. This should all be done before any goes to change their clothes. Make sure that if you were not able to pay in the beginning that all money is paid before changing as well.

10. No photography or videotaping allowed: Photo and video taken is prohibited unless permission from the instructor has been received. The reason for this is because video taping and photography disrupts and interferes with everyone’s training