any iaido schools in oklahoma?

[davidgibb]

thanks for your reply

[Bjorn]

According to the AUSKF (http://www.auskf.info) website, there is a kendo dojo at the Redlands Fencing Centre in Oklahoma City. They are probably your best bet, if not for iaido itself, then for information.

On a related note: I've been unable to find any real information about ZNIR branches in the US. If anyone could provide any links or addresses, they could rest well knowing that they'd helped to make my Little Black Budo Book just a little bigger. ;)

Hope this helps.

[davidgibb]

how is kendo differnt from iaido, i dont know much abotu either one but if you could explain them thxs

[Brian Owens]

Originally posted by davidgibb
how is kendo differnt from iaido, i dont know much abotu either one but if you could explain them thxs

For some information about Kendo try:

http://www.auskf.info/mainpages/auskfmain.htm

[will]

The closest I know of would be just across the border in Denton, Texas -- John Ray (http://dentondojo.com) teaches Muso Jikiden Eishin Ryu Iai. Denton is about 3 hours south of Oklahoma City, but we have folks that travel a little farther than that every week for the Saturday morning class.



On a related note: I've been unable to find any real information about ZNIR branches in the US. If anyone could provide any links or addresses, they could rest well knowing that they'd helped to make my Little Black Budo Book just a little bigger.

Ray Sensei is graded under the ZNIR, but I'm not sure I would call the Denton Dojo a ZNIR branch, as nobody else is. My certificate is from the MJER Seitokai and Ikeda Soke, though we do practice the ZNIR Toho on occasion.

At this time, there isn't any kind of arrangement like what the CIA (Canadian Iaido Association (http://www.iaido.ca)) has, but who knows what may happen in the future.

If you do a search on this sword forum, you will find plenty of info. The senior ZNIR folks in the US are in Denton(TX), Woodbridge(VA), Boston(MA), Seattle(WA), and Berkeley(CA).

[Brian Owens]

Originally posted by davidgibb
how is kendo differnt from iaido, i dont know much abotu either one but if you could explain them thxs

I couldn't find the Iaido site I've seen before; it seems to have been taken off line.

Here's a link to a site in Belgium (it's in English) for a bit of general info on Iaido.

http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Pagoda/8187/Iaido.htm

[Charles Mahan]

While it is true that Ray-sensei holds rank in the ZNIR, and that our dojo is a branch of the Chiba-dojo led by Tanida-sensei, I don't think the Denton dojo is considered a ZNIR dojo as such. We pay dues and get graded directly throught he Muso Jikiden Eishin Ryu Seitokai, which is the MJER exclusive organization led by Ikeda-soke, who is also President of the ZNIR.

The membership of the Seitokai is almost entirely made up of ZNIR members, although the reverse isn't true, because there are lots of non-MJER folks in the ZNIR. Theoretically the Seitokai is open to non ZNIR, MJER folks, but I don't think there are just a whole lot of people in the Seitokai that aren't in the ZNIR. It's a little confusing.

All that said, to my understanding the curriculum at our dojo is no different than at a ZNIR affiliated MJER dojo in Japan. We still do the entire MJER curriculum(as dictated by Ikeda soke), plus the occasional bout of Toho no bu, which is the ZNIR shared set. We don't pay dues to the ZNIR, and we don't test through ZNIR. To test in ZNIR you need 5 pretty highly ranked ZNIR officials to preside over the test, and that is very difficult to arrange in this country. Instead we test directly through the MJER Seitokai, where testing is solely under the purview of Ikeda-soke. I believe we will only be able to test up to 5th dan in this manner.

For 6th dan and beyond, it will be necessary to travel to Japan to test, and at that point I suspect we will be asked to bring our ZNIR dues and testing fees up to date so that we can get the ZNIR certificate as well as the Seitokai. It'll be a few years yet before we are pushing that boundary though so it's a little uncertain.

[davidgibb]

this is no good, redline fenceing only has normal fenceing and kendo and akiako, and i doubt ill be able to goto texas just for classes :(

[Jblackman]

What part of Oklahoma are you from? Becuase I am looking for the same as well?

[davidgibb]

oklahoma city, but your in tulsa thats like a hour drive away i think dunno,from what i hear our best bet would be ot goto denton,texas which is round 2.5 hour drive

[Bjorn]

Thank you, Mr. Schutt and Mr. Mahan. I have to admit that I was surprised that there was no American equivalent to the Canadian Iaido Association, and your explanations went a long ways towards clearing things up.

Thanks for your time!

[Charles Mahan]

There is an equivalent of sorts. There are at least two american dojo including ours, that are directly associated with the Seitokai. I believe the Boston Dojo may be associated directly with the ZNIR, and thus the Seitokai also. Not so sure about Berkley or Seatle. I think they are associated with the CIA and to an increasing degree with the ZNIR directly, but I'm not sure. The ZNIR affiliated dojos will have to test their students in Japan as I understand it.

In other words, there isn't an american equivalent to the CIA. We are all just members of the ZNIR or the Seitokai, or both.

[Shimura]

Is the Seitokai the organization that covers the MJER dojos in the Kawasaki area as well? Just curious?

[Charles Mahan]

I don't think it's really a regional organization. It is possible that the Kawasaki region is exclusively Seitokai, but it's just as possible that there are other organizations in that region. No clue.

[Jblackman]

I really wished there was a sword schoolin Tulsa. Does anybody know if there is something in OKC? Or is it everything is in Dalllas? Also waht type of sword ryus are in Dallas?

[Paul Frank]

I do not know of any good sword teachers in OKC. I sometimes teach seminars in OKC but I do not usually teach Sword. Mostly I teach Sword techniques to relate the movements to Aikido. I know there are many people interested in doing sword. I can get you in touch with the Sensei that I know if you would like. Good luck. I do know a top notch chinese martial arts teacher that really understands the "Old Way". His understanding of weapons is great.

[Jblackman]

Hey thanks man.. Could I have his email address, I just have it on hand right now, I going to college right now and I really pressed for time, but when get more time I would like to train in someetime of kenjutsu. Thanks man!

[cguzik]

Well, this thread is two and a half years old but there is now an established Muso Jikiden Eishin Ryu Iaido dojo in Oklahoma City with an affiliated study group in Tulsa.

Interested parties can PM for contact information.