ASSOCIATION
STAFF
HONORARY MEMBERS
• Grandmaster Tanemura Tsunehisa Shoto Sensei
• Shibu-Cho Shihan Guy Aerts
• Chiryaku Dojo Instructor Benjamin Lenaerts
EFFECTIVE BOARD
• Chief Dojo-Cho Kyoshi Filip Poffé (Chairman/Secretary)
• Tetsukabuto Dojo-Cho Renshi Pieter Thijs (Vice-Chairman/Treasurer)
• Shiraha Dojo-Cho Reinout D'haeseleer (Commissioner)
Since 1 January 2006 Chiryaku Dojo Belgium vzw is an official regularized club, recognized by the Belgian government as a non-profit organisation, with official standing rules and Board Members. The executive committee exists of Chiryaku Dojo Belgium vzw Chairman and Secretary Filip Poffé.
Shiraha Dojo and Tetsukabuto Dojo are both Branch Dojo of Chiryaku Dojo. All decisions taken by the Staff are applicable to Chiryaku Dojo, Shiraha Dojo and Tetsukabuto Dojo. Every year there are two board meetings and an annual meeting for all members.
Enterprise number: BE0877.970.754
Bank account number: IBAN BE11 0682 4364 6748
MEMBERSHIP
Contact your health service for partly withdrawal of the membership of a sportsclub!
Please notice the following rules, when joining:
• By entrance one must show a certificate of good character + a proof of medical aptitude.
• Members of other Ninpo organisations are refused.
• One must fill in application forms and agree with the internal regulations of Chiryaku Dojo Belgium vzw and the standing rules of the Genbukan World Ninpo Bugei Federation (Japan).
• Each year one must pay insurance-fee.
• Each year one must pay membership-fee to Chiryaku Dojo Belgium vzw. As a new member you will receive a patch + sticker + T-shirt + pin of Chiryaku Dojo Belgium vzw. Students get a 10% discount on their application for Chiryaku Dojo Belgium vzw, when showing their students-pass.
• Each year one must pay membership-fee to the Genbukan World Ninpo Bugei Federation (Japan). As a new member you will receive a patch of Genbukan Ninpo Bugei and/or Kokusai Ju-Jutsu Renmei + membership licence-book(s) + an autographed greeting-letter by Grandmaster Tanemura Tsunehisa Shoto Sensei.
HISTORY
Genbukan Ninpo Group Tienen was originally founded on 29 May 1988 in the city of Tienen by Groupleader Danny Govaerts (Seizan Dojo). The first two students were Filip Poffé and Koen Mertens. The Dojo where everything started was called "Budo Center Tienen". Hereafter we trained in almost every sports-center in the area of Tienen, Hoegaarden and Glabbeek. Filip Poffé and Benjamin Lenaerts became Groupleader in 1993 and kept training directly under Shibu-Cho Shihan Guy Aerts. It is Filip Poffé who officially became Dojo-Cho in 1995.
Grandmaster Tanemura Tsunehisa Shoto Sensei gave the name Chiryaku Dojo Belgium to Chief Dojo-Cho Kyoshi Filip Poffé during the 4th European Tai-Kai in Belgium (April 1996). Chiryaku literally means Earth-strategy and can be symbolised with a globe. It stands for the fundamental, basic principles where everything of Ninpo is built on.
In 1997 Chiryaku Dojo Belgium (together with some other Genbukan/KJJR Dojo) had the honour to introduce and demonstrate traditional Japanese martial arts at NATO Headquarters in Evere (Belgium).
On 21 July 1998 Dojo-Cho Filip Poffé and his student Tom Degreef launched the first official Genbukan website in Europe, approved by Grandmaster Tanemura Tsunehisa Shoto Sensei, and completely made by themselves. On 25 December 1998 they released the Genbukan Belgium & Holland Shibu website, which was also approved by Grandmaster Tanemura Tsunehisa Shoto Sensei.
In 1999 Dojo-Cho Filip Poffé translated the book "Fundamental Taijutsu Vol.1" into Dutch language.
In 2000 he launched the Amatsu Tatara Ring with support of his student Tom Degreef. This website gathered all Genbukan/KJJR links all over the world. In 2005 the Amatsu Tatara Ring was suspended because all those links were from then on included in the new Genbukan Honbu Website.
In 2001 Chiryaku Dojo Belgium opened a women-class club under guidance of Dojo-Cho Joke Delronge. Later this Branch Dojo received the name Nichirin Dojo Belgium from Grandmaster Tanemura Tsunehisa Shoto Sensei. Dojo-Cho Filip Poffé received automatically the title Chief Dojo-Cho.
On 26 July 2002 he became Renshi after passing the test, conducted by Grandmaster Tanemura Tsunehisa Shoto Sensei, in front of public. In the same year he translated the book "Ninpo Secrets" into Dutch language.
In 2003 he released a 2nd revised print of the book "Fundamental Taijutsu Vol.1".
In 2004 Chief Dojo-Cho Kyoshi Filip Poffé became a moderator of the official Genbukan Honbu Forum. In the same year he translated the book "Fundamental Taijutsu Vol.1" into French language (with the help of his student Jean-François Janssens).
In 2005 Chiryaku Dojo Belgium had the honour to introduce and demonstrate traditional Japanese martial arts at SHAPE Headquarters in Mons (Belgium). End 2005 a new logo was founded, known in Japan as Mitsu Tomoe: a "Mon" or crest comprised of three teardrop or comma-shapes, symbolising "In" (Japanese equivalent of the Chinese "Yin"), "Yo" ("Yang") & "Mu" (Nothingness). Also representing, among other things, the interrelationship between Heaven, Earth & Man(kind) known as "Ten-Chi-Jin" in Japanese. Kukishin Ryu uses the same symbol as well and the logo can also be found in the Genbukan Honbu symbol.
Since 1 January 2006 Chiryaku Dojo Belgium vzw is an official regularized club by Belgian government (non-profit organisation) with official standing rules and Board Members.
In 2007 the omnisportzaal of Sporthal Houtemveld was completely renovated: new windows and doors were placed, a wall was taken down so the Dojo became bigger, new lighting was placed, the ceiling was heightened and the walls were painted again.
In 2008 Chief Dojo-Cho Kyoshi Filip Poffé received for the first time in the history of our club a grade (Shoden Menkyo) in a traditional school: Shinden Fudo Ryu Daken-Taijutsu (Tanemura-Ha).
In 2009 Chiryaku Dojo Belgium vzw opened a second Dojo in Tessenderlo and also a Ju-Jutsu club for youth from 6-13 years old in Tienen.
The book "KJJR Jujutsu Vol.1" was translated in 2010 for the first time into Dutch language by Chief Dojo-Cho Kyoshi Filip Poffé. He also released a 3rd revised print of the book "Fundamental Taijutsu Vol.1".
2011 was unfortunately overshadowed by the tragic nuclear disaster in Fukushima (Japan).
In 2012 Chiryaku Dojo Belgium vzw Children Branch received the name Shiraha Dojo by Grandmaster Tanemura Tsunehisa Shoto Sensei. Chiryaku Dojo Belgium vzw Tessenderlo Branch received the name Tessen Dojo.
In 2013 Chiryaku Dojo Belgium vzw celebrated its 25 years anniversary. A new Dojo was opened in Boutersem. Chief Dojo-Cho Kyoshi Filip Poffé designed a logo for Shiraha Dojo and Tetsukabuto Dojo.
In 2014 Tetsukabuto Dojo moved to Hoegaarden.
In 2015 Chief Dojo-Cho Kyoshi Filip Poffé received for the first time in the history of our club, after doing succesful check-test of Shoden Menkyo, a scroll (Shoden Mokuroku) in Hontai Takagi Yoshin Ryu Jujutsu, directly from Grandmaster Tanemura Tsunehisa Shoto Sensei during a special ceremony in Japan.
End 2016 a new club was opened in Gent under supervision of Shibu-Cho Shihan Guy Aerts and Chief Dojo-Cho Kyoshi Filip Poffé.
In 2017 Axel Boets became Dojo-Cho of Shiraha Dojo.
In 2018 Chiryaku Dojo Belgium vzw celebrated its 30 years anniversary.
Chief Dojo-Cho Renshi Filip Poffé received in 2019, during the 40th edition of the Sportawards of Tienen City, the award "Laureate of the Sport".
Unfortunately, 2020 was dominated by the Covid-19 virus pandemic, which introduced online teaching and taking classes via Zoom and YouTube within Genbukan.
In 2021, during the still ongoing Covid-19 virus pandemic, a video (36 minutes) about the Genbukan martial arts was recorded, on request of Tanemura Soke.
Online lessons were also taught by Tanemura Soke in 2022, special schools such as Tenshin Koryu Kenpo and Kumogakure Ryu Ninpo, among others, were shown.
In 2023 Chiryaku Dojo Belgium vzw celebrated its 35-years anniversary with a big demonstration performed by the youth (video) and the adults (video).
On 27 June 2024 a big fire destroyed the sportshall of Hoegaarden, where Tetsukabuto Dojo is located. On 20 October 2024 Chief Dojo-Cho Filip Poffé passed the test for Kyoshi, performed by Grandmaster Tanemura Tsunehisa Shoto Sensei, in Japan. Tetsukabuto Dojo-Cho Pieter Thijs passed the test for Renshi.
CREDITS
Respect and thanks goes to:
• Grandmaster Tanemura Tsunehisa Shoto Sensei: for his endless support, patience, kindness, spiritual guidance and all marvellous direct teachings.
• Shibu-Cho Shihan Guy Aerts: for his experience in teaching and guidance.
• Danny Govaerts: my first teacher, for the introduction into the martial arts world.
• The staff of Chiryaku Dojo Belgium vzw.
• All friends and students inside Genbukan.
• Luc Rems, Tom Degreef: for the help in making this website (and previous versions).
• Thanks to:
Bakkerij Vanderveken, dry.media, La Piccola Cantina, Cafe Kennedy, Kineboutersem, Benjamin Coiffure.
• Photographers: Frederic Serré, Stefan Dunon.
• My parents: for all help behind the screens.
• My daughter Robin Hikari.
Kyoshi Filip Poffé
Chairman Chiryaku Dojo Belgium vzw