Of Dojos and Study:
Crab Clan
Crab still in training, not actively serving on the Wall, most commonly live in small towns and villages across the lands of the Crab. Rather than have one large dojo for the sensei in town, each town or region will have a Sensei who runs a senior dojo in town. The students of that Sensei, the Senpai, will run a number of smaller dojos scattered throughout the area, accepting groups of kohai to learn under them in a much more informal fashion than the pretentious Crane. The Senpai would gather at the senior dojo to study with the town Sensei, and then return to practice what they learned with their own kohai.
Similarly to the Crane, the Senpai of the Crab are very competitive. However, it is traditional for the students of one senpai's dojo to go out and fight the students of another senpai's dojo to prove which dojo is superior. This is generally a friendly brawl, but the senpai of the winning dojo does win extra attention and maybe even special favors and teaching from the Sensei...teaching they can, in turn, pass down to that senpai's kohai. So the motivation to prove yourself the best dojo in town is strong. It is customary to make sure a magistrate is aware before such a fight takes place, and the magistrates will crack down if something gets too out of hand.
Young kohai who seem particularly promising may be sent to live with relatives or friends in towns with more reputable or famous sensei, to better make their mark. but most normal Hida or Yasuki will study within their own villages' dojos. Prior to Clan Wars, due to the loss of the Hiruma style, many young Hiruma were sent to study with other schools. The relationship with the Shinjo, in particular, was of particular note.
Warriors and sensei from the very finest dojos often tour through Crab Lands, visiting and staying with the sensei of the local senior dojo during their trip. They would take the time to observe some of the classes. If they see an extremely promising young warrior, they will contact the young person's family and offer to send them to the most elite dojo in the Crab clan, such as the Sunda Mizu Dojo, It would be almost unthinkable for a family to refuse. The Crab elite dojos are structured in a fashion similar to the Kakita, though many of the sensei are grizzled veterans of the Wall.
The Kuni, given their roving lifestyle and duties, tend to take a single apprentice as their student who they would train throughout their career.
Crane Clan
Crane towns also have local dojos, though generally it would require a great accomplishment for a child being trained at one of these local dojos to go on to one of the elite dojos: the Crane grant entry to the elite dojos early and do not have the scouting of the Lion and Crab. Local dojos therefore tend to be more cooperative than competitive, and will pool their resources to request sensei from the Elite Academies to come visit them and teach a lesson or two. The parents of local children in the dojo, in particular, will use their favors and influence to host artisans of merit to come and stay in their town for as long as a visiting sensei is willing, Tje sensei gets to enjoy the freedom to pursue their own arts on their own schedule supported in relative luxury, and in return will teach lessons in the local dojos as they see fit. Sometimes, a bushi or artisan of more dubious merit abuses the hospitality of the locals to set up shop, but that is a fast way for them to find themselves in a duel as other travelers of more merit pass through.
All children of shugenja talents are taken to Shinden Asahina for their training unless a political bargain has been made otherwise, their talents identified by traveling shugenja or their local village monk. The Doji and Daidoji elite schools function much the way of the Kakita Academy.
Dragon Clan
The Dragon, if only out of rebellion against the Kakita, teach in a very different style from the Kakita Academy. The tests for candidates into the school are far more esoteric and focus on character or the resolution to a riddle, rather than the Cranes' comprehensive exams. Instead of learning new techniques primarily from senpai, the Sensei presents all new techniques himself, even if he is presenting them before a courtyard full of a hundred children. However, he will only demonstrate the technique once. From there, it is up to the students to master the form for themselves. Senior students are expected to encourage and help the younger students by correcting them, but they act more as mentors and guides, encouraging the childrens' mastery on their own, rather than instructing them over the Sensei's own teaching. Eventually students who have mastered a wide range of techniques and helped in a gracious fashion will earn the attention of a Sensei, who will take that student one-on-one for individualized teaching and coaching.
Like the elite dojos, local dojos are also taught primarily by Sensei themselves with only the assistance of senpai. Exceptional young students who wish to make the difficult journey are usually granted leave to do so on their own initiative. Many who try, however, return from having been met with shut doors.
Lion Clan
Most Lion children are trained one-on-one by an ashigaru or ji-samurai to whom the task is given. In later years, these children gather in small dojos scattered throughout a region, dojos far more disciplined than the Crab. These dojos were formally set up generations ago and grounded in a particular ancestor whose tradition is carried forward. Dojos compete on behalf of their senior senpai, like the Crab, but these are formal competitions in a variety of formats. They are held on a regular basis, for example, during local festivals each year. The students of the dojo are expected to put in their very best effort to make their senpai and original ashigaru or ji-samurai mentors shine.
Sensei from the the most elite dojo of the Lion, including the War Academy, will come out and watch these festivals, and, occasionally, a particularly brilliant student might catch their eye. If one does, that student will be offered a position in the that sensei's dojo to advance their training. It is a great honor. These most elite dojos, like the Akodo War College. are set up similarly to the Kakita Academy.
Mantis Clan
Routed in their naval tradition, training for the Mantis is an apprenticeship. A young child is assigned a job...on a ship, or on shore, that they are expected to carry out. Friendly or helpful (or drunk) others will start helping them, showing them how to do that job successfully and well, until, eventually, the child gets good at it. At which point, a new job, with more to learn, is assigned to the child. So child can go from learning to swab the decks, to raising and running the sails, to pinning the catch, to fighting with the bushi...a child is expected to scramble and hustle to win his own education as much as anyone is to teach him.
Phoenix Clan
The Phoenix set the example for the primary training of all the shugenja families, but their methods overall are similar to the Crane. The Phoenix have a very test-locked system. A senpai is assigned a smaller group, or even just one, kohai, and that relationship might last for many years unless drastic changes in the student or the teacher occur that require it to be changed. The senpai can teach her kohai however she pleases, but after a certain period of time, the kohai will be taken aside and expected to perform a task....or fail. A young Isawa might be taken to a big stone room with only a candle in it and be told to light the candle. Then the door will be closed and the student will not be permitted to leave until the candle is lit...or the student has declared that he has failed. A failure means reassignment or being sent home or a much longer and slower course of development, and is a failure for the senpai as well.
Scorpion Clan
Outwardly, the Scorpion Clan schools are just like the Crane schools in form and function, and members from all clans are invited to bring their children to attend. The same classes are taught to all, and many non-Scorpion have done well with the schools. However, the sensei of the Scorpion Clan are always looking out for particular talents among the students that could prove useful, and always setting up subtle tests to allow the students to show their strengths in these talents. If students with the right talents are found, they are pulled away for special, additional training with the sensei. This training, however, is secret. The student is expected to also attend all their normal classes and to give no appearance that they are receiving extra training. If they are found out, the training ends. However, while who might be getting the training is hidden from the other students, almost everyone knows that some among them are getting or will get special training from the sensei. All the students compete to look the best in the senseis' eyes in order to be granted the opportunity to win those special lessons. Of course, you can't compete too much...because then you will be found out...
Unicorn Clan
The roaming nature of the Unicorn Clan makes any stationary dojos small and reserved for only a few. It is far more likely a Unicorn was trained within their own roving family group, by their parents or other family members. Particularly talented children, or children learning skills not found within the family group, can be sent to live with (and roam with), more distant family members or family friends who travel with known teachers. A skilled battlemaiden might have a small herd of young women traveling with her, learning her techniques and following wherever she goes.
Crab still in training, not actively serving on the Wall, most commonly live in small towns and villages across the lands of the Crab. Rather than have one large dojo for the sensei in town, each town or region will have a Sensei who runs a senior dojo in town. The students of that Sensei, the Senpai, will run a number of smaller dojos scattered throughout the area, accepting groups of kohai to learn under them in a much more informal fashion than the pretentious Crane. The Senpai would gather at the senior dojo to study with the town Sensei, and then return to practice what they learned with their own kohai.
Similarly to the Crane, the Senpai of the Crab are very competitive. However, it is traditional for the students of one senpai's dojo to go out and fight the students of another senpai's dojo to prove which dojo is superior. This is generally a friendly brawl, but the senpai of the winning dojo does win extra attention and maybe even special favors and teaching from the Sensei...teaching they can, in turn, pass down to that senpai's kohai. So the motivation to prove yourself the best dojo in town is strong. It is customary to make sure a magistrate is aware before such a fight takes place, and the magistrates will crack down if something gets too out of hand.
Young kohai who seem particularly promising may be sent to live with relatives or friends in towns with more reputable or famous sensei, to better make their mark. but most normal Hida or Yasuki will study within their own villages' dojos. Prior to Clan Wars, due to the loss of the Hiruma style, many young Hiruma were sent to study with other schools. The relationship with the Shinjo, in particular, was of particular note.
Warriors and sensei from the very finest dojos often tour through Crab Lands, visiting and staying with the sensei of the local senior dojo during their trip. They would take the time to observe some of the classes. If they see an extremely promising young warrior, they will contact the young person's family and offer to send them to the most elite dojo in the Crab clan, such as the Sunda Mizu Dojo, It would be almost unthinkable for a family to refuse. The Crab elite dojos are structured in a fashion similar to the Kakita, though many of the sensei are grizzled veterans of the Wall.
The Kuni, given their roving lifestyle and duties, tend to take a single apprentice as their student who they would train throughout their career.
Crane Clan
Crane towns also have local dojos, though generally it would require a great accomplishment for a child being trained at one of these local dojos to go on to one of the elite dojos: the Crane grant entry to the elite dojos early and do not have the scouting of the Lion and Crab. Local dojos therefore tend to be more cooperative than competitive, and will pool their resources to request sensei from the Elite Academies to come visit them and teach a lesson or two. The parents of local children in the dojo, in particular, will use their favors and influence to host artisans of merit to come and stay in their town for as long as a visiting sensei is willing, Tje sensei gets to enjoy the freedom to pursue their own arts on their own schedule supported in relative luxury, and in return will teach lessons in the local dojos as they see fit. Sometimes, a bushi or artisan of more dubious merit abuses the hospitality of the locals to set up shop, but that is a fast way for them to find themselves in a duel as other travelers of more merit pass through.
All children of shugenja talents are taken to Shinden Asahina for their training unless a political bargain has been made otherwise, their talents identified by traveling shugenja or their local village monk. The Doji and Daidoji elite schools function much the way of the Kakita Academy.
Dragon Clan
The Dragon, if only out of rebellion against the Kakita, teach in a very different style from the Kakita Academy. The tests for candidates into the school are far more esoteric and focus on character or the resolution to a riddle, rather than the Cranes' comprehensive exams. Instead of learning new techniques primarily from senpai, the Sensei presents all new techniques himself, even if he is presenting them before a courtyard full of a hundred children. However, he will only demonstrate the technique once. From there, it is up to the students to master the form for themselves. Senior students are expected to encourage and help the younger students by correcting them, but they act more as mentors and guides, encouraging the childrens' mastery on their own, rather than instructing them over the Sensei's own teaching. Eventually students who have mastered a wide range of techniques and helped in a gracious fashion will earn the attention of a Sensei, who will take that student one-on-one for individualized teaching and coaching.
Like the elite dojos, local dojos are also taught primarily by Sensei themselves with only the assistance of senpai. Exceptional young students who wish to make the difficult journey are usually granted leave to do so on their own initiative. Many who try, however, return from having been met with shut doors.
Lion Clan
Most Lion children are trained one-on-one by an ashigaru or ji-samurai to whom the task is given. In later years, these children gather in small dojos scattered throughout a region, dojos far more disciplined than the Crab. These dojos were formally set up generations ago and grounded in a particular ancestor whose tradition is carried forward. Dojos compete on behalf of their senior senpai, like the Crab, but these are formal competitions in a variety of formats. They are held on a regular basis, for example, during local festivals each year. The students of the dojo are expected to put in their very best effort to make their senpai and original ashigaru or ji-samurai mentors shine.
Sensei from the the most elite dojo of the Lion, including the War Academy, will come out and watch these festivals, and, occasionally, a particularly brilliant student might catch their eye. If one does, that student will be offered a position in the that sensei's dojo to advance their training. It is a great honor. These most elite dojos, like the Akodo War College. are set up similarly to the Kakita Academy.
Mantis Clan
Routed in their naval tradition, training for the Mantis is an apprenticeship. A young child is assigned a job...on a ship, or on shore, that they are expected to carry out. Friendly or helpful (or drunk) others will start helping them, showing them how to do that job successfully and well, until, eventually, the child gets good at it. At which point, a new job, with more to learn, is assigned to the child. So child can go from learning to swab the decks, to raising and running the sails, to pinning the catch, to fighting with the bushi...a child is expected to scramble and hustle to win his own education as much as anyone is to teach him.
Phoenix Clan
The Phoenix set the example for the primary training of all the shugenja families, but their methods overall are similar to the Crane. The Phoenix have a very test-locked system. A senpai is assigned a smaller group, or even just one, kohai, and that relationship might last for many years unless drastic changes in the student or the teacher occur that require it to be changed. The senpai can teach her kohai however she pleases, but after a certain period of time, the kohai will be taken aside and expected to perform a task....or fail. A young Isawa might be taken to a big stone room with only a candle in it and be told to light the candle. Then the door will be closed and the student will not be permitted to leave until the candle is lit...or the student has declared that he has failed. A failure means reassignment or being sent home or a much longer and slower course of development, and is a failure for the senpai as well.
Scorpion Clan
Outwardly, the Scorpion Clan schools are just like the Crane schools in form and function, and members from all clans are invited to bring their children to attend. The same classes are taught to all, and many non-Scorpion have done well with the schools. However, the sensei of the Scorpion Clan are always looking out for particular talents among the students that could prove useful, and always setting up subtle tests to allow the students to show their strengths in these talents. If students with the right talents are found, they are pulled away for special, additional training with the sensei. This training, however, is secret. The student is expected to also attend all their normal classes and to give no appearance that they are receiving extra training. If they are found out, the training ends. However, while who might be getting the training is hidden from the other students, almost everyone knows that some among them are getting or will get special training from the sensei. All the students compete to look the best in the senseis' eyes in order to be granted the opportunity to win those special lessons. Of course, you can't compete too much...because then you will be found out...
Unicorn Clan
The roaming nature of the Unicorn Clan makes any stationary dojos small and reserved for only a few. It is far more likely a Unicorn was trained within their own roving family group, by their parents or other family members. Particularly talented children, or children learning skills not found within the family group, can be sent to live with (and roam with), more distant family members or family friends who travel with known teachers. A skilled battlemaiden might have a small herd of young women traveling with her, learning her techniques and following wherever she goes.