This past weekend, Sensei Mark Roemke traveled to Dublin, Ireland to participate in the 2025 Dublin Tai Kai, an international training event focused on the art of Koto Ryū Koppojutsu, one of the classical lineages within the Bujinkan. This year’s training was led by none other than Noguchi Sensei, now the Sōke (grandmaster) of Koto Ryū since 2020.
Events like this offer both technical refinement and a deep sense of connection to the roots and living transmission of the art. For students of Ninja Training TV, this is a rare and powerful moment, a direct link to one of the most respected figures in the Bujinkan, and a reminder that this art is alive, evolving, and meant to be shared.
What is Koto Ryū?
Koto Ryū (虎倒流), often translated as “Tiger Knockdown School”, is a system known for its emphasis on koppojutsu, or bone-breaking techniques. It is one of the nine classical ryūha of the Bujinkan, passed down through the Takamatsu-den lineage.
Core characteristics of Koto Ryū include:
- Linear, powerful striking designed to disrupt the skeletal structure.
- Use of precise angling and timing to break posture and apply finishing techniques.
- Sharp, concise movements, often entering from off-angle positions.
- A focus on maai (distance), kuzushi (breaking balance), and overwhelming the opponent with sudden structural collapse.
Now led by Noguchi Sōke, the school retains its classical principles while continuing to evolve through his unique and widely respected expression of movement.
The Power of Buyū: Training With the Martial Brotherhood
The Tai Kai is about both instruction and connection. These events gather students and teachers from around the world, creating a web of shared experience, insight, and growth. In the Bujinkan, this connection is known as Buyū (武友), meaning martial friends.
Why Buyū matter:
- They offer different perspectives and body types to test and refine your technique.
- They remind us that our growth is tied to others, both instructors and peers.
- They hold us accountable to the path, especially when motivation fades.
- They represent the living transmission of our art, carried through movement, feeling, and energy.
While we don’t yet know every detail of Sensei Roemke’s experience in Dublin, we know he trained with a hall full of committed Buyū, each helping shape the depth of what will eventually return to us.
We Await Sensei’s Return and the Lessons to Come
At the time of this writing, Sensei Roemke is still traveling, and we eagerly await his return and the insights he’ll bring back.
What he encountered in Dublin, the movement of Noguchi Sōke, the feeling of Koto Ryū applied at a high level, the challenges, the subtle corrections, these will no doubt filter into our training soon. And when they do, it’s up to us to be ready.
Ready to listen.
Ready to absorb.
Ready to evolve.
What You Can Do Right Now
Don’t wait for someone else to bring growth to you.
- Review your kihon — basics build the body for everything else.
- Train your kamae with presence and purpose.
- Stay connected — talk with your Buyū, share insights, train together.
- Be patient, but hungry — mastery is not rushed, but it is pursued.
The path of ninjutsu is lifelong. These events remind us that even senior teachers continue to learn, adapt, and deepen their practice.
Final Thoughts
As students of Ninja Training TV, we are part of something bigger… a lineage that lives through us. And when one of us trains at the highest level, the benefits ripple outward.
We are grateful to Noguchi Sōke for his leadership and generosity.
We are grateful to the Dublin Tai Kai organizers and hosts.
And we are grateful to have a teacher like Sensei Mark Roemke, who walks the path with heart, humility, and commitment and brings it back for all of us.
We look forward to what’s next. Until then…
Ninpō Ikkan – 忍法一貫
Let our perseverance be consistent.
Let our path be unbroken.
Let us train together.
📸 Photo: Sensei Roemke with Noguchi Dai Shihan – Dublin, 2025 – Courtesy of 武 神 館 朙 龍 道 場 Bujinkan Meiryu Dojo – NYC/Jersey City
