Calling the Blighty lot.

[tommo1]

How many of you guys are from the UK, West Yorkshire in particular.
Which dojo's do you use?
I'm just getting an interest in Iaido, Kendo etc. And wondered how many of you are out there.

[ZealUK]

Muso Jikiden Eishin Ryu @ Shiroi Bara Dojo Leeds.

[chidokan]

slightly north in the land of the free spenders...(not like the tight lot from Leeds, where they negotiate who's round is next) Darlington. Chidokan dojo. and Middlesborough Uni dojo as well. I havent got a name for that one yet, but its still MJER...if I follow the japanese naming method for our clubs it will be something like Boro-juku. Just doesn't sound right does it....maybe I'll call it Chidokan junior... :smiley:

[plewis66]

Depending on how far West in Yorkshire, might Preston Iaido Club (http://www.jitsuka.org/iaido/) be accessible? Again, Muso Jikiden Eishin Ryu.

[ZealUK]

Are these clubs all in Eikoku Roshukai?

I've just started, been going for about 6 months I think.

I prefer the term 'economical' to tight :D

[chidokan]

So far yes. I believe there is also a BKA dojo in Halifax allied to the kendo club there. I started a dojo going in Southsea, not sure if this is still going but that one did not keep in touch (and I still dont know the reason why not...) I know one of the guys joined the BKA if you are interested in doing the modern seitei iaido. The main reason you see a lot of Roshukai dojos is that a lot of the members are from this area, rather than the south of england. I also attended a ZNIR seminar back in the late 80's in the Birmingham area that had people there from Scarborough, again if you want to go there you will have to check to see if this is still around. They are again MJER, but do the ZNIR version of seitei rather than the ZNKR type. You may recognise this as being similar to Toyama ryu.
I'd quite like to do a get-together of all the clubs round here as just a friendly exchange of information would be nice, maybe meet old friends I havent seen for a while or lost touch with when we've moved house etc..
I'll volunteer my dojo at Boro Uni for free if anyone is interested...

[Martin (Wakey)]

Sorry to barge in slightly off-topic but I'm having trouble finding out anything about Shiroi Bara dojo in Leeds.

The links I have for a website lead to nothing. I emailed Mark Sykes but it bounced back as undeliverable!

Where is the dojo? What day and time is Iaido taught? Any contact details?

Halifax is out of the question as getting home at 1 AM on a work night would be insane.

Chuldow in Wakefield just seems a bit sketchy!

So, any help would be very much appreciated.

[Jamie]

I started a dojo going in Southsea, not sure if this is still going but that one did not keep in touch (and I still dont know the reason why not...)
Is this Southsea in Hampshire you are talking about?

I practice at a club there and it's going strong, not sure if we are talking about the same place?

[kundalini]

MJER at the Lancaster Shin-Gi-Tai here. We are Lancashire though....Kinda like Yorkshire but with a sense of humour :wink:

[chidokan]

No its one near Scarborough... is the Southsea one down south Roald Knutsens, Brian Hinchliffes, or is it someone else?

[chidokan]

For Leeds and Mark Sykes be aware that his club is overflowing and there is a waiting list to join! For his new phone number e-mail me...club used to run on Monday night and Wednesday? I think.

[Jamie]

Tim,

The dojo in Southsea (Portsmouth) is Shinbukan with John Piper.

[Martin (Wakey)]

For Leeds and Mark Sykes be aware that his club is overflowing and there is a waiting list to join! For his new phone number e-mail me...club used to run on Monday night and Wednesday? I think.
A waiting list!! Crikey!!

Is it because he has a really great reputation and people are queuing up to join or is it because people seen films like Kill Bill and Last Samurai and are wanting to 'have a go'?

Or a bit of both?

[chidokan]

Mark has been running the club for a long time, about 20 years that I know of anyway, lived in Japan for a few years with Haruna sensei, goes regularly over there etc etc. Also does demos at the Armouries in Leeds and is fairly well known in the MA community round there. I think there may be more than just films to it though...the ease of access through websites and the net in general appears to have made the more unusual arts such as iaido more accessible.
We dont really advertise as such, and I only put up my website as a favour for a couple of students who couldnt remember waza names, along with some basic answers that beginners need to know and always ask when they start so I dont have to keep repeating myself every week...problem is I also have too many students and now train 6 nights a week to keep them all going. God help me if they all turn up on the same night....
Again where did these people find out where I was? Only a couple from the net, some from a student who went to the local Uni, and the rest just turned up through either kendo or MA people who know what I do and pass on the info....

[Tony D]

Down in the South East lager lapping lacky land (we also have some good local real ales) is the Shin Bu Kan. We practice Muso Shinden Ryu and Seitei.

[chidokan]

So Tommo.... did you go to a dojo or not?????

Martin,
did you get into Marks' club or not???

I hate being kept in suspense. :smiley:

[Martin (Wakey)]

Martin, did you get into Marks' club or not???

I hate being kept in suspense. :smiley:
I've decided to delay taking up Iaido and, instead, concentrate solely on Kendo. I'm learning over at Halifax and, so as not to get home at stupid hours of the morning, I've bought a car (something I once swore I'd never do. I hate the things) and if I get home late it is because of the lure of the post-training trip to the pub.

When I do start Iai, maybe in a year or two, I will most likely learn from Keith Rose over at Halifax as well. For now though, Kendo is more than enough to be getting on with.

Thank you for your help though.

[chidokan]

Is Gary still at the dojo? Big guy with black hair....send my regards, I havent seen him for quite a while now as my knee wont allow me to do kendo the way I want to. :disapp:
Keith is muso shinden ryu, nice guy, good instructor...