Eager to Train.

[GoldenBoy]

I have wanted to practice Kendo for years, however the nearest place to train that I have found is 100 miles from my House. I have spent countless hours trying to find a Kendo Dojo near Harrisburg, PA, with no success. I have posted on several other message boards, including e-budo.com, in which nobody could help. Does anyone know of a Kendo or Kenjutsu dojo near Harrisburg/Southern Pennsylvania? I have a collection of Katanas and other swords, which sadly, I am not proficient with. It is depressing, really. This is my first post here and I am requesting your wisdom, please don't flame me.

[JHusch]

Hello!

Are any of these near you?

Hope this helps and welcome to the message boards.

Pennsylvania



Rei Mei Kan Dojo
Bath, PA
Contact: Scott Lutz (610)837-1272

Shu Do Kan Dojo
831 D Ann St
Stroudsburg, PA
M 7:00-8:00pm W F 6:00-7:00am
Contact: <A href="mailto:shudokan@ezaccess.net">Shuji Matsushita (570)223-1756

Tan Shin Kai Dojo (http://tanshinkaidojo.org/)
Community Education Center
3500 Lancaster Av.
Philadelphia, PA
M Th 7:00-9:00pm
Contact: (215)387-1911
E-mail: info@tanshinkaidojo.org (info@tanshinkaidojo.org)

Thomas Jefferson University Kendo Club (http://www.tjukendo.org/)
Jefferson Alumni Hall Cafeteria
1020 Locust St.
Philadelphia, Pa
Tu F 6:00-8:00pm
Contact: David Smith (info@tjukendo.org) (267)973-8634 Pittsburgh Kendo Club
Contact: D. Greenbridge (412)521-2396

[GoldenBoy]

No, I already checked those places. The nearest one is Bath, PA, which is 105 miles away. Pittsburgh is 5 hours away and Philadelphia is 2.5 hours away. It seems I would have to join a dojo unrecognized by the AUSKF, if they exist in this area, which I do not want to do. However, I appreciate your post and time put forth, thank you.

[Kaoru]

Hi!

Welcome!

IMPORTANT NOTE:

DO NOT TOUCH THOSE SWORDS WITHOUT PROPER INSTRUCTION.

THEY WILL MOST LIKELY THEY BE WALLHANGERS UNSAFE AND MADE FOR THE WALL.

There. Having warned you, most non-practitioners have no clue what a safe sword is. Not only that, NEVER should you use one without being taught HOW FIRST by a sensei in a dojo. You can cut your hand very badly and even lose fingers. That is a very real truth. Besides, you won't be allowed to use what you have anyway. Your swords must be apporved by the sensei when he decides you may use a sword. You will, in a Kenjutsu or Iaido dojo, only be allowed to use bokuto for a long time, and then maybe be allowed to use an Iaito(blunt-edged sword.) It takes about 5-6 years of training before you will even be allowed to use a sword wih a sharp edge.

In Kendo, you will use a Bokuto for kata always, and shinai for the rest of training.

Yes, all those Kendo dojos that JHusch-san posted are what is there as far as Kendo is concerned, in your state.

If you are interested in learning Koryu(Classical Japanese sword arts: Pre-Meiji era) Kenjutsu, please contact me. I have information on Yagyu Shinkage Ryu Kenjutsu in Philidelphia, if you are interested.

Oh, by the way, no complaining about distances. My dojo is 2 hr. 15min hours away. So, hehehe, I won't take "It's too far" for a reply. :D So, you can go twice a month instead. That is what I do. If you are serious about studying Kendo or Kenjustu, then you will drive to get there or find a way to get someone to drive you, if you are not of driving age yet. Getting there can be considered part of your training, because it is teaching you perseverence and discipline to be willing to do that. Patience, too. You will need lots of patience to study a JSA, because it is difficult at times.

Oh, please be aware that the Kenjutsu dojo I have, takes serious students only. So, only contact me if you are serious about training in this art.

Well, I just checked to see if sending an e-mail using the link in my profile works, but it doesn't, no matter what I fix in my CP thing. So, I guess everything is down. Then, I tried to see if I could e-mail you, but it won't work either.

So. I guess we'll have to do this if you want this dojo, because I don't want to post my e-mail here, if you don't mind. Please go to the Samurai Forum and send me a PM there. I am Kaoru there, too. I think you will have to register for that, but you can try anyway.

http://www2.g-com.ne.jp/~japan/cgi-bin301/ikonboard.cgi

Anyway, good luck!

Kaoru

[Masahiro]

No, I already checked those places. The nearest one is Bath, PA, which is 105 miles away. Pittsburgh is 5 hours away and Philadelphia is 2.5 hours away. It seems I would have to join a dojo unrecognized by the AUSKF, if they exist in this area, which I do not want to do. However, I appreciate your post and time put forth, thank you.Perhaps you can drive to Bath, Pa. .. it is 105 miles away right? so 75 miles per hour (which is quite normal on highways I think) would get you there in less than 2 hours. Just a thought, good luck.

[Ginsbork]

GoldenBoy,
If you are not willing to go those extra miles for fufill your dreams. Then may I kindly offer you an alternative, Aikido, http://www.ittendojo.org/. While it may not be what you truely want it may be the best at the present time for you until you choose to move closer to a city or town that has a Kendo dojo.
Best of Fortune to you.

[taganahan]

if you really want to do kendo and you're serious about doing it, then you won't really mind those long drives. some people in this forum drive for 3 hours.

any 3 hour drivers in here?

[Kenshin Axel]

Yeah, I have the same problem.
I've been wanting to do kendo for years, but can't find a club near me.
The closest place is an hour away.
Also Tagahanan, I would probaly drive that long, if it was a very very good school.
I wouldnt be driving for hours just to get to a place that isnt even that good.
Sadly, I cannot help you because I don't even live in the same country.

If anybody knows of any dojos in Sydney,Australia, Word Kendo Affiliated or not.
Please tell me!!! :smiley:

[Kyros Nighle]

QUOTE* I have wanted to practice Kendo for years, however the nearest place to train that I have found is 100 miles from my House. I have spent countless hours trying to find a Kendo Dojo ...... I have posted on several other message boards, ......... in which nobody could help. ........ I have a collection of Katanas and other swords, which sadly, I am not proficient with. It is depressing, really. This is my first post here and I am requesting your wisdom, please don't flame me. *QUOTE
WOA! it seems as if i had written this, its truly the story of my life!:confused2

but to differ from goldenboy and to kaorus dismay, i do use swords without training (i havent heard about your warning, i started swinging swords at 12 and im 17 now, so dont get mad at me:wink: )

ive had 4 bokkens through my history (3 broken down, the one i use currently splintered) 2 katanas (i started with a blunt edge one like for a year, now i use the real thing) a tanto (edged o`course) 2 shinais (one s broken, the current one i havent taken out the plastic grapping in hopes it lasts longer than the last one ) a jo staff (splintered), 2 wooden broadswords (for crav magra i think, both of the things are still as good as new, ty god:) ) and an uncountable amount of broom sticks (broken all, i used to use them as bokken before i knew there was something called "bokken" :lick: lol).

all of this to serve me on my self samurai-ninja-sword-thing training

all this stuff lasted me through these last five years, and armed with nuthing but the named above, a bicicle helmet and a pair of weight-lifting gloves (couldnt find anything better :p ) me and a friend o mine smacked the shit outta ourselves every so often that we could meet, having as my teacher only samurai movies and iaido and kendo internet-downloaded-videos (and only through this last year that i found out about kendo! yay!).

so well...ye, i can copy most o the moves ive seen on video (iaido specially) and though im completelly sure i do the basic stuff wrong (hand position, feet pointing, stance , etc, all the stuff that can be apreciated well in a video) it sure server for something, cause now ive been swinging a katana for like 3 years (maybe totally in a non-chalant way and without any technique, but the thing is that i have ) and so i have reached a lvl on familiarity with the sword that i couldnt hope to have at the beggining, or some years ago, so i can do some of those hollywood flashy stuff you see on movies, (to the demise of my plants and garden 0_o ) like rolling around, the suddenly jump and make a cut so that you chopp off EXACTLY the marked branch (in a many branched tree) with a clean swipe (got no idea if its the right way of cutting, but the other branches dont stir as i cut down, i know in reality is pretty useless to jump and roll, but still it looks pretty cool )

so anyway, yea.....srry i got carried out with the story of my life :o , but now that i got vacations, and finally having found a kendo dojo less than 3 hours of trip in car (witch i dont have by the way, lol). the one i found is in another city, but im sure itll be worth the trip ,
so i would presume that even if some of my "wild-free-style-training" wouldnt have taught me proper swordfighting technique at all, i would guess that the coordination and space-sensations that handling a sword gives you, would at least make it easier, (or less harder :puzzled: ) to master the basics.

.............i dont even know why i wrote all this down 0_O ,...... hehe : D

[Kaoru]

Hi Kyros-san,

Well, hehehe, I guess you saw my warning... :P

Hey, did you see my post on dojos for you I made? I replied to your request, and there is a dojo an hour or less from you it looks like, in Mexico City. I posted in Spanish in my other post. Tonight, I am too lazy to write in Spanish. I gave you a website with the dojo info, too. :)

Ok. PLEASE go back to bokuto. Really, being untrained with that thing is very unsafe, and your sword is probably a wallhanger, which is VERY bad. You can kill someone with that, because those display sowrds are not meant for anything but a wall, and CAN break even if you just swing it. And, since the blade is glued in, in the majority of them, it is even worse, should it come loose and fly out and hit you or someone watching. And yes, wallhangers are 440 steel, which is very breakable. There's a video around here somewhere demonstrating this. The guy on the QVC network was all, "This is a great practice katana," *thwacks sword lightly on table* and the blade broke and stabbed him. He didn't even hit the table hard.


cause now ive been swinging a katana for like 3 years (maybe totally in a non-chalant way and without any technique, but the thing is that i have ) and so i have reached a lvl on familiarity with the sword that i couldnt hope to have at the beggining, or some years ago, so i can do some of those hollywood flashy stuff you see on movies, (to the demise of my plants and garden 0_o ) like rolling around, the suddenly jump and make a cut so that you chopp off EXACTLY the marked branch (in a many branched tree) with a clean swipe (got no idea if its the right way of cutting, but the other branches dont stir as i cut down, i know in reality is pretty useless to jump and roll, but still it looks pretty cool )

Ok, Sorry... I have to lecture... DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW DANGEROUS THIS IS WITH A SHARP SWORD AND NO PROPER TRAINING?!? *said being incredulous wirh great surprise and shock* For heaven's sakes, you will cut yourself VERY BADLY one of these days! OMG I can't believe you actually DO this stuff with that thing. AND STOP CUTTING STUFF AND DOING ROLLS BEFORE YOU CUT, WITH THAT SWORD!! *covers eyes* PLEASE... With the sword you have, that is ASKING to be seriously cut or worse. Your blade WILL break cutting from fatique on the blade, which is NOT meant for cutting anything at all. And anyway, NEVER cut tree branches with any sword. That will damage it or you, whichever comes first. It may look cool, but you can kill yourself. This is a fact. Please don't do this with a live(sharp) sword. ASI: NO MAS!!! Es MUY PELIGROSO que Ud. esta haciendo!! Es la verdad. Da un bokuto si Ud. quiere hacer esto.

Ok, end of lecture, rant off. Sorry. I had to say it. *takes deep breath.*

Well, please see my other post for dojos, ok? You posted a thread in this section asking. Good luck! :)

Kaoru

[Kaoru]

Yeah, I have the same problem.
I've been wanting to do kendo for years, but can't find a club near me.
The closest place is an hour away.
Also Tagahanan, I would probaly drive that long, if it was a very very good school.
I wouldnt be driving for hours just to get to a place that isnt even that good.
Sadly, I cannot help you because I don't even live in the same country.

If anybody knows of any dojos in Sydney,Australia, Word Kendo Affiliated or not.
Please tell me!!! :smiley:
Kenshin Axel-san,

One hour is nothing. Go there. :) Mine is two hours 20 min way. Getting there is part of the training. :) I consider you lucky if is only an hour way. You can't assume anything until you go there, visit the dojo, and then decide if it good or not. Ok? :)

Kaoru

Kaoru

[Kenshin Axel]

Yeah Kaoru,
I understand what you mean.
But I'm only thirteen, I can't exactly just get in a car and drive off, my parents have to take me. And my parents are pretty busy, there are six kids in my family, and we're getting a foster child soon, so they havent got alot of time.

Although, if I took a train it wouldnt even take half as long.....
But there are alot freaks who are around the train station, at least I'll be able to use my skills in Jiu Jitsu. :smoker:

[Swissv2]

I would never train in Kendo to learn self defense.

my 0.02

[Kenshin Axel]

I wouldnt either.
I said Ju Jitsu, the unarmed combat of the samurai.
That stuff kicks ass, like myself :wink:

[Kyros Nighle]

i know that i must seem reckless or something, but i assure you that i didnt start rolling and cutting like the very first day, i was carefull the first months (even too carefull i think) thats why ive never cut myself. (in fact ive received more damage training with the boken than with the katana,) but of course that i first tried the crazy stuff and moves with the bokken (and therefore i received all the amount of hitting and bashing posible,) and then, when i had mastered the move, i did it with the katana, so no harm done.

quote* Ok, Sorry... I have to lecture... DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW DANGEROUS THIS IS WITH A SHARP SWORD AND NO PROPER TRAINING?!? *said being incredulous wirh great surprise and shock* For heaven's sakes, you will cut yourself VERY BADLY one of these days! OMG I can't believe you actually DO this stuff with that thing. AND STOP CUTTING STUFF AND DOING ROLLS BEFORE YOU CUT, WITH THAT SWORD!! *covers eyes* PLEASE... With the sword you have, that is ASKING to be seriously cut or worse. Your blade WILL break cutting from fatique on the blade, which is NOT meant for cutting anything at all. And anyway, NEVER cut tree branches with any sword. That will damage it or you, whichever comes first. It may look cool, but you can kill yourself. This is a fact. Please don't do this with a live(sharp) sword. *quote


ok thats would have come in handy 3 years ago, hehe:wink:
but as both swords have standed considerable punishment (i have no garden anymore :D ) uncountable amount of branches have been cut, uncountable amount of swing have been given, and they still stand, not one scratch, (well seeing theyr price, i had to save for like 4 months to buy each of them, they were like 1600 pesos, = its like 160 dollars each)

an though i agree swinging in a wild mood a sharpened katana may seem dangerous at first, well i gotta tell you its almost as using one with a blunted edge, you NEVER touch the edge, thats the only rule, so even if i swing it and the point swings just centimeters beside my head, well........i practice! :smiley:

at the beggining, when i used the blunted one and i wasnt sure if i touched the edge with my wild movements, i used to use in the swords edge just a bit of red paint, and put some old clothes on, and i started swinging, never did i got a mark (meaning a cut, in reality terms) just some drops of paint in the floor (cause with the speed of the swings, when i stopped the momentum of them, the paint, not dryed went ricocheted towards the direction of the cut) so if you have some nice floor tiles you dont want painted, dont do this :D

now i use the reall thing, and dont worry about that so much, with practice you get to calculate the size of the blade, and so you insctinctively know if your swing can or could reach a body part in its momentum and cut you.

[Kaoru]

Yeah Kaoru,
I understand what you mean.
But I'm only thirteen, I can't exactly just get in a car and drive off, my parents have to take me. And my parents are pretty busy, there are six kids in my family, and we're getting a foster child soon, so they havent got alot of time.

Although, if I took a train it wouldnt even take half as long.....
But there are alot freaks who are around the train station, at least I'll be able to use my skills in Jiu Jitsu. :smoker:
Hi!

I see why now... :) Yeah, it's kinda hard to just take off at 13, hehehe!

hehehehe, Guess what I just found for you in Sydney! :D

Kendo!

Here is the dojo information. Be sure to call first to ask to watch a practice. That is standard for a beginner. Ok, I just looked at a NSW map, and then a map of Sydney and I guess I must be stupid, because I can't figure out, what is what! I can't figure out where the heck the towns are. (Or whatever they are.) Never have I been THAT stumped by a map... Grrr. I can't believe I was beaten by a map! haha! See, I found a Kendo dojo right in Sydney. And then, there are a bunch of others in NSW too. But for the life of me, I don't know on a map, where they even are, in relation to Sydney. So... I'll post the dojo information for the one in Sydney, and then give you the link to the list of others to see for yourself, to see if any are closer to you.

Ok, here it is...Click on the name for the dojo's webpage:

Sydney Kendo Club (http://www.sydneykendoclub.org/)

Location 1: Willoughby Park Community Centre
Corner of Warrane Rd and McClelland Streets
Willoughby NSW

Training Time: Wednesday 7:30pm – 9pm; Saturday 10:00am – 11:30am

Location 2: Hornsby PCYC

94 George Street

Hornsby NSW

Training Time: Tuesday 7:30pm – 9pm

Location 3: Pyrmont Community Centre (Advanced Class)

Cnr John & Mount Streets

Pyrmont NSW

Training Time: Monday 7:30pm – 8:30pm

Contact 1: Doug Stouffers
Phone: 0411 399 549
Contact 2: Andrew Van Hamond
Email: svanhamond@mail2me.com.au (svanhamond@mail2me.com.au)

---------------------------

Here is the link I told you about:

http://www.nswkendo.org/

I hope this helps! :)

Kaoru

[Kaoru]

i know that i must seem reckless or something, but i assure you that i didnt start rolling and cutting like the very first day, i was carefull the first months (even too carefull i think) thats why ive never cut myself. (in fact ive received more damage training with the boken than with the katana,) but of course that i first tried the crazy stuff and moves with the bokken (and therefore i received all the amount of hitting and bashing posible,) and then, when i had mastered the move, i did it with the katana, so no harm done.

quote* Ok, Sorry... I have to lecture... DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW DANGEROUS THIS IS WITH A SHARP SWORD AND NO PROPER TRAINING?!? *said being incredulous wirh great surprise and shock* For heaven's sakes, you will cut yourself VERY BADLY one of these days! OMG I can't believe you actually DO this stuff with that thing. AND STOP CUTTING STUFF AND DOING ROLLS BEFORE YOU CUT, WITH THAT SWORD!! *covers eyes* PLEASE... With the sword you have, that is ASKING to be seriously cut or worse. Your blade WILL break cutting from fatique on the blade, which is NOT meant for cutting anything at all. And anyway, NEVER cut tree branches with any sword. That will damage it or you, whichever comes first. It may look cool, but you can kill yourself. This is a fact. Please don't do this with a live(sharp) sword. *quote


ok thats would have come in handy 3 years ago, hehe
but as both swords have standed considerable punishment (i have no garden anymore :D ) uncountable amount of branches have been cut, uncountable amount of swing have been given, and they still stand, not one scratch, (well seeing theyr price, i had to save for like 4 months to buy each of them, they were like 1600 pesos, = its like 160 dollars each)

an though i agree swinging in a wild mood a sharpened katana may seem dangerous at first, well i gotta tell you its almost as using one with a blunted edge, you NEVER touch the edge, thats the only rule, so even if i swing it and the point swings just centimeters beside my head, well........i practice! :smiley:

at the beggining, when i used the blunted one and i wasnt sure if i touched the edge with my wild movements, i used to use in the swords edge just a bit of red paint, and put some old clothes on, and i started swinging, never did i got a mark (meaning a cut, in reality terms) just some drops of paint in the floor (cause with the speed of the swings, when i stopped the momentum of them, the paint, not dryed went ricocheted towards the direction of the cut) so if you have some nice floor tiles you dont want painted, dont do this :D

now i use the reall thing, and dont worry about that so much, with practice you get to calculate the size of the blade, and so you insctinctively know if your swing can or could reach a body part in its momentum and cut you.

Hi again,

Well, you are rckless! :D Ok, ummmm *hedge hedge* *Tries for word to describe it* crazy?!? hehehehe :D At least you used a bokuto fuirst. You'd have lost your head, if not. I feel sorry for your poor garden :(

Ok, yeah, at 1600 pesos, yes, it is a wallhanger.(Even $160 sounds(Well, is.) like alot, but it's not, when it comes to a sword. I couldn't justify spending hard earned money on a blade like that. I'd just save like crazy, if it was me, but then, *me,* is not going to be using a blade without training anyhow, so wouldn't buy one anyway. :D Ok, disclaimer: That wasn't meant to insult. You can't compare monetary units. I just think you should go get an Iaito(Blunt blade) if you must have a sword to swing around, and if you totally insist on being crazy and cutting without a sensei near(You just have no idea how dangerous it actually is.), at least try to save up for a real practice blade, like something from swordstore.com or bugei.com. There are low end blades that are meant for cutting. Yeah, I even think 350-400 or a little more, dollars is a ton of money, but it is better to be safe, don't you think? A Paul Chen is at least safe, even if the sword guys don't like them much.) They are VERY dangerous, whether or not you say you haven't had a problem. Why not, if you insist on, *sigh...* using a live blade, save up for a nice one? Yes, they are expensive no matter where you live, but it is better than eventually stabbing yourself because it broke while doing some, forgive me for saying, crazy stunt.



an though i agree swinging in a wild mood a sharpened katana may seem dangerous at first, well i gotta tell you its almost as using one with a blunted edge, you NEVER touch the edge, thats the only rule, so even if i swing it and the point swings just centimeters beside my head, well........i practice!

Nonono... it is always dangerous. You have to keep this in mind. You better not get complacent because one day, you'll be quite sorry! I'm just glad I can't see you do this. I doubt I could watch without covering my eyes. Argh... You'll fall and kill yourself one day. I just know it. :eek:

Well, did you check out my post for dojos yet?? hehe, I haven't had a chance to see if you did. Been posting here!

Anway, actually, you are a pretty funny person, and at least you aren't thinking it is actually Japanese swordsmanship and aren't delusional, hehehe! :D Ok, maybe a bit crazy though... PLEASE... be very careful, since you insist on doing this with a live blade, and can't you please at least save up for a safer sword?? *sigh* *wasn't able to convince not to put down live blade* :(

Kaoru

P.S. Would you believe the boards just told me to get rid of half the smilies in order to post?? So, I had to erase some of yours...

[Kyros Nighle]

ok, now as the training is monday, weds, and friday, i was looking for a place to stay, my aunt will let me stay at her house, so after i do my sho dan jo exam here im gonna stay there to study kendo full time! (yay!!) i found a place thats very near my aunts house, maybe youve heard of it, its called the REN YOU KAN seems like a very good school (its even a member of this forums).

about the swording, ok ill practice with my blunt blade then to make you happy.......happy? :D

ty for the info about dojos man, looking around your link s how i found about REN YOU KAN.

[Kyros Nighle]

hey i found myself!! its incredible how these guys look like me, i had never heard of them untill some mins ago and i have been practicing just like that!

http://dogbrothers.com/

(ye this is how i looked fighting with my buddy so dont laugh, just see the promo thing, it could be me behind those masks you know! :D)

(though i used bokuto, not sticks hehe)

[Kenshin Axel]

Hi!

I see why now... :) Yeah, it's kinda hard to just take off at 13, hehehe!

hehehehe, Guess what I just found for you in Sydney! :D

Kendo!

Here is the dojo information. Be sure to call first to ask to watch a practice. That is standard for a beginner. Ok, I just looked at a NSW map, and then a map of Sydney and I guess I must be stupid, because I can't figure out, what is what! I can't figure out where the heck the towns are. (Or whatever they are.) Never have I been THAT stumped by a map... Grrr. I can't believe I was beaten by a map! haha! See, I found a Kendo dojo right in Sydney. And then, there are a bunch of others in NSW too. But for the life of me, I don't know on a map, where they even are, in relation to Sydney. So... I'll post the dojo information for the one in Sydney, and then give you the link to the list of others to see for yourself, to see if any are closer to you.

Ok, here it is...Click on the name for the dojo's webpage:

Sydney Kendo Club (http://www.sydneykendoclub.org/)

Location 1: Willoughby Park Community Centre
Corner of Warrane Rd and McClelland Streets
Willoughby NSW

Training Time: Wednesday 7:30pm – 9pm; Saturday 10:00am – 11:30am

Location 2: Hornsby PCYC

94 George Street

Hornsby NSW

Training Time: Tuesday 7:30pm – 9pm

Location 3: Pyrmont Community Centre (Advanced Class)

Cnr John & Mount Streets

Pyrmont NSW

Training Time: Monday 7:30pm – 8:30pm

Contact 1: Doug Stouffers
Phone: 0411 399 549
Contact 2: Andrew Van Hamond
Email: svanhamond@mail2me.com.au (svanhamond@mail2me.com.au)

---------------------------

Here is the link I told you about:

http://www.nswkendo.org/

I hope this helps! :)

Kaoru


Geez, Thanks heap's Kaoru!!
The Willoughby one is too far away, but I'll have to check out the one at Hornsby.
I thought I found a place close to me, but the dojo only did Ninjutsu, which I don't want to do at all. :confused2

I'm not sure if Hornsby is close to me or not, but I'll check it out, Thanks heaps Kaoru!!

Also, maybe somebody knows who's reading this: Does anybody know if there is a Kendo club in Sutherland???

Thanks again Kaoru!!!

[taganahan]

hey i found myself!! its incredible how these guys look like me, i had never heard of them untill some mins ago and i have been practicing just like that!

http://dogbrothers.com/
not recommended for younger people...hahaha. those things might kill people. and how do people consider this as a martial art? i mean, they don't have self-control like other martial arts does.

[Kyros Nighle]

quote* no self control *quote



actually when i practiced, one well landed blow ended the match (but then we started all over again :D )

[Kaoru]

ok, now as the training is monday, weds, and friday, i was looking for a place to stay, my aunt will let me stay at her house, so after i do my sho dan jo exam here im gonna stay there to study kendo full time! (yay!!) i found a place thats very near my aunts house, maybe youve heard of it, its called the REN YOU KAN seems like a very good school (its even a member of this forums).

about the swording, ok ill practice with my blunt blade then to make you happy.......happy? :D

ty for the info about dojos man, looking around your link s how i found about REN YOU KAN.

Hi!

No, I haven't heard of that dojo, because the webpage for some reason, only gives the address of the dojos. What city is the one you said, in? I looked out of curiosity, and I can't find it. (Then again the print is kinda small...) I'm really glad one of those dojos on the page worked for you! :)
That is so cool you Aunt will let you stay with her, to do Kendo, too.



about the swording, ok ill practice with my blunt blade then to make you happy.......happy? :D

Oh good! :) Thank you and yes, that make me happy! :D

Oh, and you are very welcome for the dojo information! :) I hope you enjoy Kendo!

Kaoru

[Kaoru]

hey i found myself!! its incredible how these guys look like me, i had never heard of them untill some mins ago and i have been practicing just like that!

http://dogbrothers.com/

(ye this is how i looked fighting with my buddy so dont laugh, just see the promo thing, it could be me behind those masks you know! :D)

(though i used bokuto, not sticks hehe)

Actually, it was pretty funny! hehehe! Sorry, couldn't help it... :D Not laughing at you, of course, but at the pic!

I hope you wear some sort of armor... You could break something getting hit with bokuto if you did get hit. (Or die. Take your pick.) You shouldn't be having full/strong contact with bokuto anyway. :)

Kaoru

[Kaoru]

Geez, Thanks heap's Kaoru!!
The Willoughby one is too far away, but I'll have to check out the one at Hornsby.
I thought I found a place close to me, but the dojo only did Ninjutsu, which I don't want to do at all. :confused2

I'm not sure if Hornsby is close to me or not, but I'll check it out, Thanks heaps Kaoru!!

Also, maybe somebody knows who's reading this: Does anybody know if there is a Kendo club in Sutherland???

Thanks again Kaoru!!!
You're welcome! :)

Hey, did you remember to check out the 3rd location to see if it is close somewhwat? And, please do check the linik at the end of my previous post to you. That is the page where all the dojos in NSW are located. With a good map and this information, that will help you find what you need. Ask your parents for help if you have trouble finding the dojos on a map.

Was the Hornsby one closer? Check on a map and measure the distance, and then ask your parents how far in minutes that is.

Kaoru

[Kenshin Axel]

Kaoru, the third location is the advanced class.

[Kaoru]

Kaoru, the third location is the advanced class.
Oh... What a bummer! Well, I guess look at the page I gave you then. Sorry about that. :(

Kaoru

[Kenshin Axel]

Guess what I found Kaoru!!!
A dojo I had already checked out does Kenjutsu, I only thought they did Ju-Jitsu!
Well, I can easily get there!
BUT! It's 16+, I can only do Ju Jitsu, I assume this is because of insurance, maybe if I had my own personal Martial arts insurance theyd let me in, though I HIGHLY doubt that will be possible.

[Kaoru]

Guess what I found Kaoru!!!
A dojo I had already checked out does Kenjutsu, I only thought they did Ju-Jitsu!
Well, I can easily get there!
BUT! It's 16+, I can only do Ju Jitsu, I assume this is because of insurance, maybe if I had my own personal Martial arts insurance theyd let me in, though I HIGHLY doubt that will be possible.
WAIT!!! :) Some kenjutsu-called dojo are not legit. Please give me the complete name of the dojo,(The main dojo) sensei and his rank and who taught him and for how long and where, and the style they claim to teach. I want to see if they have a webpage. We have a few "kenjutsu" guys here in the US, who are not qualified, but teach anyway. Oh, and a sensei will be happy to answer detailed questions like this, if they are who they say they are.

Kenjutsu is so rare,(Try next to impossible to find anywhere, an authentic dojo with a Ryu and lineage traced back to Japan.) that I hesitate to believe that there is a dojo there, unless I see what Ryu(style) it is, and who is teaching it. It is very strange that they also teach Jujutsu there too, because Koryu(Old school classical Japanese swordsmanship.) Kenjutsu dojos teach only Kenjutsu, not any other of the standard empty handed arts.(I mean Jujutsu, karate, etc.) Oh, and not just anyone, even if they are 16+ is accepted to a Koryu Kenjutsu dojo, either. You can't just take the class. And, the classes are always small.

But, what I DO know is that in an authentic dojo, in either Iaido or Kenjutsu, whichever is actually available, which almost always is Iaido, a 13 year old is rarely accepted. So, the thing for you to do, is stick with the Kendo. (I can still look for Iaido if you want it. Though, you might be bored silly at your age, since it is only solo kata and no sparring element. It is a very serious art, and so is Kenjutsu-real Kenjutsu, that is. No sparring in either, too. In Kendo, you'll get to run(Well, not run as in run, but a special type of footwork.) and make noise, and spar eventually. I don't mean Kendo is not serious. I just mean you'll have loads more fun with it since you'll get to move a lot. It is lots of fun, and is less quiet-serious than Iaido and Kenjutsu is by far. When you get older, you might want the more serious arts that require silence in class. Right now, I think you should just give Kendo/Kumdo a try first, IMHO.)

Please go look on the page I gave you. Did you do that yet? Just click on the link at the end of my post above. Kumdo is also ok, and those are listed on that site too. Kumdo is the Korean equivelent of Kendo, and everything wil be in Korean instead of Japanese and there are slight differences in how the classes will be run. Also, Kumdo tends to be more commercialised, and a lot of the time, will cost more to study than Kendo. But, since these dojos are listed with the NSW Kendo Federation, they are authentic dojo. And, you will still learn to use a shinai the way you would in Kendo, if these dojos are closer. So, they may be good too.

Can I ask you, how far is "far" when you say the two Sydney Dojo locations are too far? I forgot if you said or not. If they are an hour or less from you, I think your parents can handle that.(I can understand driving longer than that is hard because of family things you talked about.) Have you asked them? If you haven't you really need to ask them. See, Kendo is not always found in one's backyard and within easy reach. If you want it, you have to go to it, unfortunately.

Ok, do this, if you won't look on the page I gave you. :P Get your parents to go to one practice with you to see what it is like. If you like the class, then you can ask with your parents there to ok this, if there are any students in class who can carpool and take you to the dojo to practice, if any live near you, should the dojo be a little far. Or, you can see if they will take you, and then ask if a student can bring you home, or the other way around, etc. What I am guessing, it isn't so far from you,(Not more than half hour, to an hour away.) if you live in Sydney, and this dojo is in Sydney. Is Sydney that big? *wondering* I bet your parents could take you anyway, once or twice a month. You don't *have* to go every week, just to do Kendo if you can't go every week. That is ok. I go twice a month because my dojo is so darned far. About 2hr 20min away. My mother drives me, since my vision isn't good enough. So, if yours would be much less than that in distance, you are really quite lucky!

Oh yeah... The ONLY way to know which dojo to go to, either Kendo or Kumdo, is to just visit it to see whether you will enjoy it. It is good to have choices. :) Just be sure to call the teacher first before going, to let them know you want to come watch a practice. That's what you'll do first.
The next time, if you choose it, you'll get to practice.

And, which town are you in again? Liverpool? Is that IN Sydney? :confused:

Kaoru

[Kenshin Axel]

I don't live right in Sydney, just close to it.
I don't live in liverpool either, but it's easy to get to.
Heres the website for the dojo, they do Ju-Jitsu and and Buki-Jutsu also.
www.kokororyu.com
It's a full-time dojo, I checked out the Ju Jitsu there, but wasnt impressed, I thought the Junior classes were pretty much like Judo.
I probaly wouldnt be allowed to do it. I mean if other kids arent allowed to do it, why would he make an exception for me?

Anyway, My search continues..........

Also, Sydney is quite big, all those places arent necessarily in Sydney, just real close by.
I might try and persuade my parents to take me to the one at Burwood, I hope thats not the one thats Kumdo though, my friend who has a Dan ranking says Kumdo isnt anywhere near as good as Kendo, he says if I do kumdo, I won't be as good at kendo if I do it after.


Anyway, thanks for helping me to find a Club, I really appreciate it. [ I hope I spelt that right :confused2 ]

[Kaoru]

I don't live right in Sydney, just close to it.
I don't live in liverpool either, but it's easy to get to.
Heres the website for the dojo, they do Ju-Jitsu and and Buki-Jutsu also.
www.kokororyu.com (http://www.kokororyu.com/)
It's a full-time dojo, I checked out the Ju Jitsu there, but wasnt impressed, I thought the Junior classes were pretty much like Judo.
I probaly wouldnt be allowed to do it. I mean if other kids arent allowed to do it, why would he make an exception for me?

Anyway, My search continues..........

Also, Sydney is quite big, all those places arent necessarily in Sydney, just real close by.
I might try and persuade my parents to take me to the one at Burwood, I hope thats not the one thats Kumdo though, my friend who has a Dan ranking says Kumdo isnt anywhere near as good as Kendo, he says if I do kumdo, I won't be as good at kendo if I do it after.


Anyway, thanks for helping me to find a Club, I really appreciate it. [ I hope I spelt that right :confused2 ]
Hi Kenshin-san,

Thanks for the link! I'll check it out. Well, they won't let you, because a commercial dojo that teaches "kenjutsu" just sets age limits. An authentic Kenjutsu dojo sometimes will make an exception if you are mature enough to handle the hard work and a sword carefully. It takes extreme awareness even with a bokuto.

Ok... I just checked out that site. Forget it. No good for Kenjutsu. According to the sensei's biography, he hasn't any training in it at all. So, he's probably calling the little bit he learned in weapons class in his Jujutsu lessons, "kenjutsu." No good at all. He seems to have no rank in it, and no proof of his qualifications to even teach it. Whatever it is he is calling Kenjutsu, isn't Kenjutsu. So, I'd not train there, IMHO. The site doesn't even say which style it is. Kokoro Ryu is not a real Kenjutsu Ryu, if they call it that. He may be a nice guy, but just not really the right place to train for that art.

To see and read what the authentic Koryu Kenjutsu and Iaido really is, go here: Both of these pages are from the Koryu.com webpage.

Ryu(style guide)

http://koryu.com/guide/ryuguide.html

Koryu Primer article:

http://koryu.com/koryu.html




Also, Sydney is quite big, all those places arent necessarily in Sydney, just real close by.
I might try and persuade my parents to take me to the one at Burwood

Ah, if they are close by, then it ought to be easy to go to Kendo. :)
Yes, try that dojo. And, do try the Kendo and then make up your mind if you like the Korean way of running practice, or the Japanese way of running practice. It's really a personal preference and it really is just what you like best. For me, I was happy to get to do Kendo, because that was what I first wanted, because I feel more comfortable with the Japanese language and way of doing things. I can barely understand and speak Korean, but understand a lot of Japanese and can speak a bit of it too.(I used to do Kumdo. Read farther for more on that.) So, I enjoy Kendo more.

About Kumdo...Your friend is very wrong. If he slams it like that, what point is there in him being a Dan rank? He is missing the point on how to be a good example as a Dan holder.



my friend who has a Dan ranking says Kumdo isnt anywhere near as good as Kendo, he says if I do kumdo, I won't be as good at kendo if I do it after.

He is quite wrong. Kendo, as I said, IS the same as Kendo. And, if you get into a Kumdo dojang that actually is a member of the NSW Kendo Federation, the quality should be very high. He is just full of it, no offense. Does he do Kendo or Kumdo? No? Then he should not talk anymore since he knows nothing about it. You may tell him I said that. You will be just as good as a Kendo person(And vice versa) if you work hard.

The only problem would be if you ended up in a non-Federation Kumdo dojang like I accidentally did last year, and what I was taught was not even correct. There are "kumdo" places that really do not teach true Kumdo. I posted a thread about this very thing in September 2003 in the Bogu forum.

If it is a member of the NSW Kendo Federation like those on the page I gave you, what you learn will be what you would learn in a Kendo dojo, too. There are Kumdo people who compete with the Kendo people in the World Kendo Championships, and they often win. They are pretty much the same art, with the few exceptions I noted in my previous post. It is just that if it is part of a TKD dojo or thing like that, and are not members of the NSW Federation, I'd be very wary. That's what happened to me, and every technique I had learned had to be relearned when I switched to Kendo.

With those dojos on the page I gave you, they should be fine. If you're unsure, then what the best thing to do is, go to both a Kendo dojo and then to a Kumdo dojo and compare what you see. Then, you can make an educated decision. I wish I had been able to do that in the first place. It was a long time before I learned of Kendo dojos in my state. So, take advantage of that opportunity.



Anyway, thanks for helping me to find a Club, I really appreciate it. [ I hope I spelt that right :confused2 ]

You are very welcome! :) Yeah, you spelled it right. :)

Oh, and keep me posted on what dojo you go to visit and etc., ok?

Kaoru

[Kenshin Axel]

I checked a map, I think the one at Burwood might be close enough! :smiley:

I'm not sure though, I couldnt see any roads that went right to it, so it might take longer.

Is the one at Burwood Korean? or is that the one at Chatswood? :confused2

[Kenshin Axel]

Ok Ok Ok,
I have done more research, the one at Burwood is Korean, I don't mind.
I found another dojo, just as close as Burwood, but Japanese, even better.

Now it's just a matter of finding out which one is better.:smiley:

[Aden]

Hi there

As former Secretary of the NSW Kendo Association I can assure everyone that the Burwood Kumdo dojang training is excellent. I trained there occasionally in the late 1990s and was always very impressed by Master Song and his seniors.

No it is not Japanese, so the ettiquete is different as is the kiai, but technically what is taught there was very nearly identical to Japanese Kendo.

Aden
University of Wollongong Kendo Club
Kendo-Iaido-Jodo
http://www.uow.edu.au/~aden/kendo.html

[Kenshin Axel]

Yeah, I'll be checking out the one at Burwood, is it open on school holidays?

[kawa]

[QUOTE=Kaoru]Hi!
..............................
If you are interested in learning Koryu(Classical Japanese sword arts: Pre-Meiji era) Kenjutsu, please contact me. I have information on Yagyu Shinkage Ryu Kenjutsu in Philidelphia, if you are interested.
......................


Can you provide me contact info for the above koryu.

Thanks

[Knicky]

I've been known to drive 1 and half to 2 hours easy for class. I live in Orlando and every monday me and my sensei and some others will drive 2 hours to Bradenton to train.

[12490]

I'm interested in practising kenjutsu but since dojos practising such is rather rare, I cannot find one near me. I live in Chatswood so I guess kendo is another option but I am very much more interested in kenjutsu (after watching kenshin of course XP). Can some one please help me?

[Ginsbork]

I'm interested in practising kenjutsu but since dojos practising such is rather rare, I cannot find one near me. I live in Chatswood so I guess kendo is another option but I am very much more interested in kenjutsu (after watching kenshin of course XP). Can some one please help me?

My suggestion: Find a kendo dojo and then start practice kendo until you master it. And maybe then you will reconsider that you ever thought about kenjustu. However, a big warning, you'll never master it. Yet you'll understand how very, very difficult it is to practice an art form, to harness your spirit and polish your soul. For as I have but the smallest insight into kendo. It can be summed up in this comment, "To learn all the techniques (justu) will only cloud and confuse your way (do) along the path in life." Besides there are more people who practice kendo than kenjustu. Therefore, a HUGE community of experienced teachers and one of the great things about kendo, a chance to make life long friends. The best of luck to you and thank you for at least reading what I think. God Bless.

[12490]

:shocked: I see. I guess I was overwhelmed by the whole coolness of Kenshin and missed out on the whole meaning of kendo. Thank you very much.
However... :cat: I would still like some information kenjutsu. I am pretty sure I won't be able to give up that easily on it. What I plan to do is to begin with kendo and see for myself if it is the right thing for me. Thank you very much for your suggestion.

My suggestion: Find a kendo dojo and then start practice kendo until you master it. And maybe then you will reconsider that you ever thought about kenjustu. However, a big warning, you'll never master it. Yet you'll understand how very, very difficult it is to practice an art form, to harness your spirit and polish your soul. For as I have but the smallest insight into kendo. It can be summed up in this comment, "To learn all the techniques (justu) will only cloud and confuse your way (do) along the path in life." Besides there are more people who practice kendo than kenjustu. Therefore, a HUGE community of experienced teachers and one of the great things about kendo, a chance to make life long friends. The best of luck to you and thank you for at least reading what I think. God Bless.

[Ginsbork]

Attempting to tell you about Kenjutsu, would be like trying telling you about an iceberg and you can you get your head around and only see the part sticking out of the water. If you really imagine that you want to devote the rest of your life to a style of Kenjutsu, then I suggest you read as many internet resources of the subject as well as books. Attempt to find the e-mail addresses of those who practice style that interests you and ask them if you can ask them questions.

The thing is that a sword, no matter from which culture, be it from Ancient Roman, Greek, Celtic, Viking, Chinese, Middle Eastern, Japanese, Indian, Aztec, Incan or European or even the large bladed spears from Africa, has always been a weapon of respect and death. You can probably walk away from fist fight, karate, kung fu or wrestling, but a fight with a sword in the hands of master swordsman had but one result, Death. Let get one thing straight, whatever your faith or religion, death is final. From everyone living, the prespective is "you ain't come back." The sword, once deployed on purpose, has only function, which is to cause brutal, unconditional harm and death. To study the sword is the start to study of war, discipline, power and host of other ideas and concepts. And yet with learning how to defend yourself against a weapon is worthy and noble from my perspective, without that knowledge, you are nothing but the next target or a meal.

However, you are interested so might as well attempt to satisfy your inititial interest. I can at least point you in the direction but you'll have to open the door yourself. First, tell me what you already know about the sword arts and I'm not referring to Japan. But what about all the other cultures were the sword has been used.

Therefore, what books have you read so far? How many different styles, schools or ryu were created? What is the history of the weapon? What is the history of the different schools? How has it shaped history and cultures? What philosophy and religions have had an effect on it? Who were the great swordman in history? Are you still going to school? Then what are your grades like? (the Pen and the Sword in accord. scholarship and swordmanship should never be after part. Without one or the other, you become a helpless dilettante or a burtish barbarian) Have you read The Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli (the study of politics and not the polite ones), The Art of War by Sun Tzu (the study of war), How To Win Friends And Influence People by Dale Carnegie (the study of influence), On War by Karl (Carl) von Clausewitz (more study of war), The Book of Five Rings by Miyamoto Musashi (study of sword and it can be applied to other areas of endevour), or The 48 Laws of Power by Robert Greene (the study of power)? What is the state of your health? Do practice a sport now? Are you polite? Can you listen and follow directions? Do you talk back when someone tells you to do sometimes? Are you honest? A person of integrity, and honor? A person of character? Who are your real life heroes? Do you have money to pay for lessons, equipment, travelling expenses, health, clothing, and weapons? What will you have to sacrifice in order to practice these arts? A home? a job? video games? Freetime? Rest? Sleep? Another dream? Family? friends? Sanity? Love? Your Soul? Know what you are willing to give up before you start this art.

Again there is the door to Kenjutsu, the door is easy to open but on the other side is the mountain to be climbed. Dreams if worked on will come true, but becareful that you don't forget to learn other things along the way as well. Be well, stay safe and God bless.