マツイエルマ Mats Hjelm
Been training Bujinkan for 25 years
Been to 16 Taikai around the world
Done 16 training trips to Japan
伝記 Biography
My first experience with Ninpo Taijutsu (Ninjutsu) was in 1983 or 1984 (can't exactly remember). A couple of friends of a
friend had been to Stockholm training with Bo Munthe. But living so far away from a real instructor I couldn't do much more
than ukemi training, and very amateurish copying from videos and books. After my military service (which was just a waste of
time, please don't ask) I moved to Stockholm 1986, and started training regulary with Sveneric Bogsäter.
After my first visit to Japan in march 1990 when I came home Sveneric had abandoned us and moved to Malmoe. And the dojo
we trained in was history. We moved in to a small basement on the other side of town (20 square meters big, no toilet, no
showers). I kept training there for a short while, then I also started training with many other instructors around Stockholm.
At fall 1990 I found a new dojo, after all restauration, painting and hard work me and my friends founded and opened Kaigozan Dojo in January 1991. Without someone "above me" and being only
a 3:d Dan I did my best and went to nearly all Sveneric seminars and Taikai around Sweden 3-4 times a year.
I passed my 5'th Dan test in august 1992 on my first attempt. This was a surprice since I really wanted to get hit (just
for the experience), but something else beyond my intelligence moved me out of the way.
I realized in 1995 at the UK Taikai that there was so many other fine instructors that never came to Sweden. So after
seeing Pedro Fleitas for the first time I decided to invite him to Sweden, since no one else seemed to dare doing it. So I
invited Pedro and Arnaud Cousergue to the first Kaigousuru (at the
time we called it Mini-taikai). Next year I invited them again plus Sveneric and Peter King. Then suddenly Kaigozan had it's
10 year anniversary and we invited 15 instructors, and this was such a big success we had to do it again. A new way of
organizing seminars was born.
Apart from Kaigousuru I like to organize seminars with anyone that have something to teach, especially those who have
been to Japan recently. I strongly believe in training with those who have trained with Hatsumi Sensei recently. I'm
not afraid of beeing compared to other instructors, I don't like to hunt for grades, but saying no to Sensei is somewhat
difficult.
The best trainings I know is of course Hatsumi Sensei training's in Honbu Dojo, When I go to Japan I usually train with
Shiraishi Sensei, Noguchi Sensei, Seno Sensei, Oguri Sensei and Nagato Sensei. Sometimes I also train with other Shihans
both Japanese and western. The best trainings is without doubt in Japan. I wish I could afford going there more often.
I think teaching is fun and enlightening, but training under other's (anyone with something to teach regarding rank
actually) is sometimes even more enlightening. So if you happen to pass by the area, please drop by.
To the right is a list of some of the more important training related dates (writing down every seminar I've been to would
be to much waste of space, I usually go to around 15-20 seminars every year!)...
Many people have seen my websites.
If you want to contact me please click on the contact link in the main menu above.
/Mats Hjelm - September 2005
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