"We do not rise to the level of our expectations. We fall to the level of our training."

Black belts candidates will pick a cultural study topic to analyze and write a full report to accompany their testing. 

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• Bushido - The traditional military code observed by the samurai warriors.

• Chaji - Japanese tea ceremony,  Chaji, all about the Tea Ceremony.

• Kodo - Incense ceremony, Nippon kodo Incense.

• Bonsai -  miniature trees, the bonsai web.

• Bonkei - Miniature landscapes created trays.https://www.holymtn.com/tea/Japanesetea.htm

• Shodo - Calligraphy

• Art of Sushi.

• Yoga - Hindu art of stretching your muscles and your mind,

• Martial Arts and Yoga
  Master your health with yoga

• Ceramics/Pottery - Japanese pottery making.

• Kabuki - Japanese drama and theater.

• Mahjong - History and how to play.

• Feng Shui - The art of perfect placement and harmony.

• Haiku Subtle 5, 7 and 17-syllable poems.

• The History of Ikebana - The oldest anthology of Japanese poetry through flower arranging. From the fifth to the eighty century.

• Kado - The art of flower arrangement.

• Kagura - Shinto dance and music.

• Sensu Logo - Fan folding. The Kyoto Fans project

• Origami - links - Paper cutting and folding Origami page.

• Sumi-e - Black and white painting drawn using India ink.

• The Art of War - By Sun Tzu. video

• Buddhanet - Buddhism Information.

• Seppuku - INFO 1, How and why it was done, and the differences in styles.

• What is Zen?

• Uses of Herbs in health and medicine - Index of links,

• What is Chi, Ki, or Qi.

• Mythology, Folklore, and Legend.

• Meditation - Other than Zen... info.

• Zen and the Gateless Gate - A dozen stories. There are myriad of fascinating Zen stories which recount actual experiences of Zen teachers over a period of five centuries. PDF Download

• The Art of Breathing - The different styles, methods and techniques, info.

• Go Rin Nosho - 'The Book of Five Rings' by Miyamoto Musashi.  AUDIOBOOK

• Yin-Yang - The original meaning of yin-yang was the sunny side-shady side of a slope. Yang is the sunny side of a slope and Yin is the shady side of a slope. Classical Chinese thought describes and explains everything in the world with Yin-Yang. The way it is related to life, how it is used in health and medicine.