Mountain Quest 2024
We gather on a training ground on the same latitudinal line as the original Ninja training grounds of Mount Togakure in Japan, it’s the closest to the lineage of ninja you can get without flying overseas. Experience true ninja training on real mountain terrain. Spend the evenings with good friends, old and new, around the campfire and sleep under the stars.
The seminar will begin Friday morning with a Misogi Mountain Warrior Waterfall Training
IMPORTANT: The Misogi Mountain Warrior Experience will be an intensive hiking, training and meditative experience. This experience is limited to participants ages 16+. After the Mountain Warrior Experience, training will begin with a Friday evening training session. The weekend training is open to all Youth and Adult To-shin do students. Saturday will be a full day of training followed by evening black belt demonstrations and evaluations. Sunday will conclude with a powerful immersion in the Dragon's Mouth, the fear banishing waterfall hidden on the edge of the mountain. We will feature break out sessions throughout the weekend from some of To-Shin Do's most accomplished practitioners.
If you purchased a ticket for weekend training only, you may arrive anytime after 4pm on Friday.
We aim to conclude the seminar at 4pm on Sunday. This is not a guarantee, the mountain is our guide. However, we are aware that people have long drives and we make every attempt to be sensitive to our long distance students.
TENTATIVE Schedule:
Thursday
*GATES CLOSED UNTIL 4pm*
4pm – 6pm Misogi participants: sign-in, set up camp
6pm Dinner on your own
Friday
9am Breakfast on your own
9am – 11am Misogi participants: sign-in, set up camp
*GATES CLOSE AT 11am* - anyone not participating in Misogi must leave the mountain
11am – 4pm Misogi training with An-shu Hayes
*GATES CLOSED UNTIL 4pm*
4pm – 6pm MQ Weekend Training participants: sign-in, set up camp
6pm – 6:30pm Warm-up
6:30pm-7:30pm: BREAKOUT SESSIONS
7:30pm Camp Meeting and Dinner on your own
Saturday
8:30am – 9am Breakfast on your own
9am – 9:30am Warm-up
9:30am – 10:30am: BREAKOUT SESSIONS
10:30am – 12pm Training with An-Shu Hayes
12pm – 1:00pm Lunch on own
1:00pm – 1:45pm: BREAKOUT SESSIONS
1:45pm – 4:30pm Training with An-Shu Hayes
4:30pm – 5:30pm Break
**5pm Everyone needing assistance to testing site meet at trailhead for transport
5:30pm Candidates: meet Hardee Hakutoshi Merritt
Family and Friends of candidates walk to testing site
5:40pm Rest of group walk to testing site
6pm – 7:30pm Black Belt Testing: demos, randori
8pm Catered BBQ Dinner and campfire
Sunday
8am-8:30am Breakfast on your own
8:30am – 9am Warm-up
9am – 11am Training with An-Shu Hayes
11:30am Group 1 meet at trailhead for hike to waterfall
[Everyone in Group 2 start packing up camp]
12:30pm Group 2 meet at trailhead for hike to waterfall
[Group 1 start packing upon arrival to campsite from waterfall]
2:30pm – 5pm Clean up campground, pack up, head home
***THIS SCHEDULE IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE. Ninja are adaptable and the mountain has a mind of its own. Be ready.