It was while visiting the Gassan (月山) Dai-jinja shrine on Mt. Haguro in the Dewa Sanzan area of Japan in 2004 that I decided to focus my martial arts practice on classical weapons arts and traditional approaches to internal martial arts instead of continuing to teach modern goshin-jutsu.
I am now a lineal member of Yin Cheng Gong Fa under Zhang Yun, where I study Northern Wú (吴) Tàijí Quán, Yin Bāguà Zhǎng, and Hebei Xíngyì Quán. Yuè Shān Guǎn (月山館; “Moon Mountain School”) was chosen in homage to that area above.
I also mentor a small group in Seattle on the practice of Kashima-shinden Jikishinkage-ryū heihō kenjutsu (opens in a new tab) I learned at the Hōbyōkan under Dr. David Hall, who trained under Namiki Yasushi and Itō Masayuki when he lived in Japan.
Mark Raugas
Seattle, WA
