kenjutsu in arnhem, the netherlands

[jest]

Greetings all,

I have a question I was hoping one of you might be able to help me with. While I've been interested in the sword arts ever since i was 10 or so, I moved around a lot when i was younger and never took the time or chance to find a good dojo where I could discern whether or not it was an art for me.

In any case, now that I've returned to my home country and am set to live here for a while I've started looking into training possibilities for kenjutsu. I found a contact a year ago, but it seemed a little fraudulent, so I decided not to pursue it.
Now I've come across kendo kai higashi (http://httpd.chello.nl/~a.jongbloed/kendo/index.html), a kendo/jodo/iaido/kenjutsu dojo in a school gym.

On the one hand they say they've been around for 15 years, so my guess is that they're probably on the level or they wouldn't have been around for so long.

On the other hand, the prices on the website are still in dutch guilders (which we stopped using 2 years ago) and there don't seem to be any qualifications listed whatsoever. I think their kendo seems legitimate, but I'm uncertain about their jodo and katori shinten ryu.

So, to cut a long story short, if any dutchies out there, or other who perhap have connections in dutch koryu bujutsu, could help me in establishing their legitimacy, I'd be most grateful.

thanks in advance,

[Enamer]

sorry i will explain in dutch if someone demands a english explanation just say it


ik ben ook nog maar net begonnen met iaido en jodo dus eigenlijk weet ik er nog geen f#ck van maar ik denk dat je je niet zo druk moet maken en gewoon ff gaan kijken of het iets is.. in nederland word er wel controle op gehouden of ze kapabel zijn om les te geven in iaido jodo kendo ect


en dat de prijzen nog in guldens staan tja... mischien richten ze zich meer op het lesgeven als op de website

gegroet Ian

[FastEd]

As an observation,

All the Jodo and Iaido pics/vids appear to be from the Canadian Kendo Federation website.

[ulvulv]

Just send an e-mail to the club, get the names of the instructors, and check out the grades on the page of European Kendo Association, where the club is affiliated. Judging the club on internet appearance can be utterly misguiding, some of the best instructors I have met in Europe have bad homepages, or no page at all.

[erik verhagen]

hello,

I can only comment on the TSKSR.If you look under the link you see the name of their sensei jeroen smits.As far as i can see he is a assistant in TSKSR in Ede with Budo Physical.( http://www.yoseikan.nl )
Their Headmaster is Edgar Kruyning and if you visit their website you can see his career in budo.I've trained with him and i think if his students are half as good as him you can't go wrong.

Erik Verhagen

[Martyn van Halm]

I can only comment on the TSKSR - I don't know Jeroen Smits, but I've come across Edgar Kruijning at a few Hatakeyama Goro sensei seminar. I will not comment on his abilities - as my rank is lower than his.:D

I don't know how serious you are about training TSKSR or if you are more interested in training near your place of residence, but the current highest ranking instructor in TSKSR in the Netherlands is Erik Louw sensei. For info, check
www.aikidojo.nl (http://www.aikidojo.nl)

While the Aiki-Dojo is located in Amsterdam, the trip might be worth your time. The current head instructor for the Belgian TSKSR travels every two weeks from Antwerp to Amsterdam to train under Erik Louw, which might give you an indication of the level of instruction.
I'm lucky enough to live in Amsterdam :D

For more info you're welcome to send me a PM or e-mail.

[jest]

Thanks for all the helpful replies.

I've had a reply to my email asking for some more information, so I think I'll be checking them out soon enough.

Martyn: I'm serious in my intention to study TSKSR, but I think I'd better build a foundation for myself in the art here, before I spend an hour and a half on public transportation to get to Erik Louw sensei's dojo in A'dam ;)

thanks again.

[Jasper Meekels]

They also teach Shinkendo in Arnhem. I'm a member of the dojo in Amsterdam and find it very interesting. Pay a visit to www.shinkendo.nl and see if it's what you're looking for.

[Martyn van Halm]

Originally posted by jest
Martyn: I'm serious in my intention to study TSKSR, but I think I'd better build a foundation for myself in the art here, before I spend an hour and a half on public transportation to get to Erik Louw sensei's dojo in A'dam.
You're always welcome to drop by and train with us. Beginners classes are Sundays from 1300-1430. Regular classes Thursday from 2015-2145 and Saturday from 1400-1530.

BTW, not to deter you from studying near your home, but the basics of TSKSR are the most important part to learn. Unlearning faulty habits is more difficult than learning correct basics.

[szczepan]

Originally posted by jest

I think I'd better build a foundation for myself in the art here
You can't do that alone or with bad teacher. Eric is the best instructor, and only he can help you to build good fundation.

If you think that hour and half is too much,well, you are not so serious :D

[jest]

:p I knew I was going to suffer for my apparent unwillingness to go the distance :o

Seriously though, thanks for the warnings, but I'm well aware it's very hard to unlearn bad habits from my days of competition swimming and running as well as participation in other activities, but I'm going to risk it for the time being, considering I haven't actually heard any bad things about Jeroen Smits sensei either...

I don't think I'm going to have a lot of free time on my hands in the next, say, 3 years or so either; I shot myself -repeatedly- in the foot rather accurately last year, academically speaking.

Listen to me, making excuses like a kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar :o

Thanks for the invitation Martyn, I thought I had an appointment in Amsterdam all day on the 24th, so I was looking forward to paying the dojo a visit. I just realised the appointment is in Utrecht instead :( but I'll try to head over to A'dam soon for a beginner's class.

I hope I'll be able to change your impression of me someday Szczepan :)

[Martyn van Halm]

Originally posted by jest
Thanks for the invitation Martyn, I thought I had an appointment in Amsterdam all day on the 24th, so I was looking forward to paying the dojo a visit. I just realised the appointment is in Utrecht instead :( but I'll try to head over to A'dam soon for a beginner's class.
I often assist in instructing in the beginners. Let me know when you'll be around and I'll be there to welcome you!