Bujinkan Kobudo - Southern Cross dojo, Yungaburra

02/10/2025

Established in Yungaburra 2012 and still going strong.

06/10/2020

This is the new book from Duncan Mitchell, a well qualified Bujinkan instructor, who has many years experience across several schools of martial skills. Drawing from his experiences of living in and travelling to Japan to train with Hatsumi, Soke and other Japanese Shihan this edition provides an insight in to his knowledge and understanding of Budo Taijutsu. An essential addition to any collection of Bujinkan literature.

Budo Taijutsu: An Illustrated Reference Guide of Bujinkan Dojo Budo Taijutsu

25/05/2020

Stay positive, motivated and endure. This period of time is a true test of our heart/spirit, mind, and body. It's a time where many doubts can creep in, debilitate and potentially undo everything gained from training. One has to ask oneself, what will I do if I quit? It’s in these times of challenge that people either find inner strength to walk on or lose themselves in doubt and use hardship as an excuse to fade away.
The dojo is a place of preparedness for hardship. If people viewed classes with this mindset, I feel their spirit would be more focused and unwavering, giving their training a stronger sense of purpose and meaning.
What seems negative and unproductive to some, is positive and inspirational for others. Which one are you? Find the soul of the budoka that sits firm with an immovable heart. This is an essential spirit for the martial artist to cultivate, otherwise, ones training will only become skin deep and be easily cut away from your own lack of conviction.
This is a time where people need to keep a strong sense of conviction and focus on something positive for their continual mental and physical well being - This is why Budo exists!
So many sabotage growth when times are tough and relinquish themselves to past emotional habits.
Without Fudoushin ( immovable heart ) ones ability to follow the martial path will lead to constant internal battles of doubt and conflict. It’s not hard to be a martial artist. It just takes effort and perseverance. But to many, they are unable to create a lifestyle that can sustain training at the dojo, even if it’s only for two hours,once a week.
Budo is a holistic art form with philosophy and practices to protect life and ensure its positive continuance.
When asked what is the secret of life and the martial arts, Hatsumi Sensei says quite simply, to "KEEP GOING!"
頑張ってください！
南虎

08/05/2020

Sound and encouraging words.

Amatsu Tatara: On Bunbu Ryodo

To use the literary and Martial arts for the nation means to prepare for societies turbulence. It is very common to have at least one social disturbance in every reign. You should never abolish learning the bugei (warrior arts), even in a short period. There are so many kinds of martial arts and among them only ju-jutsu is needed, this is also true in times of peace. At this time it may be used for self-protection.

At the same time, a person that studies ju-jutsu, also learns how to endure. The warrior understands the importance of separating anger from everything. Those who study ju-jutsu have good common sense and great character. If you ruin yourself over trivial things you may lose yourself, if you lose yourself you may eventually lose your home. This is a never ending cycle and... you may not ever be able to recover from it.

As with children and parents, the people to the nation, and to the country, sometimes you must sacrifice yourself for these things, in other words place them above yourself. To give an example, the Ōtomo family was prepared to die in the mountains or the sea (in the poem to die for the emperor).

Complete mastery of Budō in ancient times allowed warriors to make flying birds drop from the sky by using Kiai (spirit shout), through training in martial virtues. Training with the essence of breaking evil and allowing just to prevail. If I paraphrase this you could say, the way to attain the summit is to follow the laws of nature.

Therefore, there is no space between heaven and earth, yourself and your opponent, there is no space between anything in nature, all is connected and all is chaotic. In heaven it is natural to have In and Yō (positive and negative aka yin and yang), and on earth the virtue of hard and soft.

There are two main things that should be studied in Bunbu (literary and martial arts). These are the Golden rules (Iron rules in Japanese) of nature.

The true warrior learns by himself.

In the middle of heaven and earth, one learns the mental status of preparing to die."

— Kuki Takaharu (Showa 18, Jan 5)

Where is Your Attention? Is that place, or thing, or idea, worthy of your attention? You have a choice. Consider for a moment a specific event or condition that has challenged you this week.

With that situation in mind, ask yourself, "Where is/was my attention?"

Is your attention on the inner or the outer?

On the seen or the unseen?

On the good or the bad?

On what is right or what is wrong?

On the frustration or the opportunity?

On worry or joy?

On satisfaction or lack of satisfaction?

On what you desire or the lack of it?

On the light or the dark side?

You have a choice.

What do you want to see with your attention?

Be gentle with yourself as you answer these questions.If you do not like your answer, laugh at yourself with loving appreciation and make a new choice.

Where is your attention?"

— Takamatsu Chosui (commentary)

[An extract from the Kukishinden Zensho]

Updated post with thanks to Joe Maurantonio.

05/02/2020

Training times have changed for this year.

Training is every Wednesday evening from 6pm until 8pm at Yungaburra community hall.

Starting next week we will commence an afternoon class from 4 - 5 pm for ages 11 - 15y.o.'s.

17/06/2019

Some classic footage of Soke and other Shihan.

21/05/2019

The most important thing is taihenjutsu. The ability to change the body requires more than just weightlifting strength. Those who merely "bulk up" lose the essential freedom and resilience required to perform ninpo taijutsu. As always, a balance is the key. This is the training, to seek a balance in body, mind and spirit. As students, please discern well of who openly walks the path to strive for this balance. If you look at the Japanese Shihan carefully, you will be able to be guided correctly. However, if you are full of animosity, ego or your own bad habits, you will struggle to learn properly.

13/09/2018

There will be extra training this Saturday morning 9 until 12 at my home dojo. We will continue with handbo jutsu and taijutsu.

31/08/2018

30/08/2018

Perfecting a martial art is not an easy path,” says Hatsumi, casting his mind back over his own long journey. “I have come as far as I have in this life out of my one great desire, to help lead other people to know the true ninjutsu, to know the true martial arts. It’s been fifty years since I first opened this dōjō, and at last I’ve been able to train and raise successors from all over the world. I’m just content that I have been able to pass on the true essence of martial arts. All I want now is for my deshi around the world to continue to learn and grow into outstanding people who can earn the respect of all.”