Budo international Martial Arts Magazine Jul.-Aug. 2014 | Page 134

Text: Joho Mitsutake Kawazuki

A brilliant staging that
fascinated the public
A magnificent performance in the
Theater La Rambleta of "The Shizen.
The People of Tengu", an audiovisual
show that, being rightly framed in the
Spain-Japan dual year, a major
initiative of the Embassy of Japan in
Spain, celebrates the establishment of
relations between the two countries.
The show created for the occasion
was also part of the public graduation
party in the Kaze no Ryu school of the
six new Shidoshi or Joho, as it is said
in Shizengo. A documentary is being
produced about this representation,
with its making off, back stage,
interviews, etc., including much of the
show, so that all those interested in
the Shizen culture around the world
and who could not attend, can enjoy
it.
The image of the People of Tengu
was posed as a public depiction of
the Shizen tradition, conveniently
framed historically as well as
culturally, and stressing its two more
interesting aspects: first its Martial
tradition, the Bugei; and secondly its
spiritual culture, the E-bunto. The
play, of which we offer here an
overview and an extensive photo
report, renders a lot of information
available to everyone about a culture
almost unknown even in today's
Japan, because of the distrust that
Shizen people always felt to show
themselves
in
public.
Anthropologically, this is easy to
understand if we take into account
that we are talking about a people
constantly persecuted who managed
to survive only on the basis of the
secret and cohesion around their
traditions.
In the new world we live in today, a
world that has transgressed the
ancient limits of the differences in the
context of the information society, the
reappearance of the Shizen is a

unique opportunity so that its riches
not only do not get lost, but can be
justly admired for their peculiarities,
depth and greatness. Also, the
maintenance of this ancient culture
that has been kept incredibly
complete, with its own language and
its own three forms of writing, will lead
to all those who are destined to live
within it and preserve its richness to
have the opportunity to get to know it,
today and in the coming centuries.

The Shizen:
The people of Tengu.
The story of the Naturals, or Shizen
people, dates back to about 18,000
years ago, in the last ice age, when a
group of tribes, fleeing the cold,
across the Strait of Tartary, reached
the Japanese islands making them
their final abode. The forest gave
them everything they needed to live
and they, aware of their condition,
acted accordingly. This was the main
reason they became, through
observation, deep connoisseurs of
nature, thus earning the nickname of
"Naturals".
But soon their peace was disturbed
by the desire for conquest ... many
tribes led by the Yamato landed in the
south of the island and began their
attack, which meant for the Shizen
and many other native tribes of the
islands the retreat to the North of their
already decimated population.
Throughout the centuries, the
unstoppable advance of the Yamato
secluded the Shizen in the lush
forests of the island of Hokkaido that
became their last refuge and home.
Despite their thorough knowledge of
nature, adjusting to the new
environment was arduous because
winters were long and cold and the
nature around them savage and
merciless. Since that moment, the art

“The image of the
People of Tengu
was posed as a
public depiction of
the Shizen
tradition,
conveniently
framed historically
as well as
culturally,
and stressing
its two more
interesting
aspects:
first its Martial
tradition, the
Bugei;
and secondly its
spiritual culture,
the E-bunto”
of survival became a priority and in
that spirit were prepared the following
generations
They soon developed techniques of
defense, attack, concealment,
ambush,
communication
and
divination through the observation of
nature. The forest was their home
again and this time it wouldn't be so
easy for their foes to expel them from
there.