Top 3 Countries to Train In

[Tenseiga]

Ohayo/Konnichiwa/Konbanwa Minna-sama!

I'm looking for 3 three countries with the most opportunities to train in budo, especially Koryu Bujutsu that include the sword, but good (slightly old school if possible) modern Kendo and Seitei Iai dojo is fine too. I ask this because I am a U.S. Marine and I'm putting in a package for the Marine Security Guard program, where I stand post at our embassies in foreign countries. It's a three year tour, being in a location for 1 year each. If I do end up being selected for this, I would like to know what I should consider putting down on my "wish list". Tokyo is one, obviously ^_^

Honestly, I'd like to pretty much base my selections completely on this factor. Hahah, I guess if I can train for however many days, I can kill the rest of my time in the most desolate place doing universal things like surfing the net, reading, or even better, taking online college classes.

Domo Arigato Gozaimasu!

[GTO]

Japan is obviously number one. Australia and Britain, perhaps, are tied for number two/three.

[Brian Owens]

After Japan, the Good Ol' USA is probably next, but of course you're not likely to get stationed here if you're going to be working at embassies.

The UK and Australia would be next on my list, too.
Sweden, Norway, and The Netherlands have some good stuff too, from what I've seen.

All of them have their fare share of bogus "koryu" of course, so be careful.

Oh, do you speak any non-English languages yet? That would affect your choice, since classes will likely be a mix of the local language and Japanese.

HTH.

[ulvulv]

The backwoods has its qualities, Brian, but in budo, Norway has not that much to offer. Sweden is strong on kendo, Stockholm has several clubs with very high levels in both kendo, iaido and jodo.

Kendo and iaido(both seite & koryu) are very strong in the netherlands, gb and france, with a high number of clubs, and several highranked and excellent teachers. These countries can offer 7th dan kyoshi in all znkr arts. Go and check out

http://www.ekf-eu.com/ekf.htm
On "members", you can see the number of people and grades,in the different arts.

I think France is the country outside of japan with the highest number of arts, and practitioners at top levels. Beside the weaponarts, judo, karate and aikido are biig arts there. Remember that french people are among the most hesitant to use english, even though most of them speak and understand some. In most other european non-english speaking countries, people will be happy to practise their english on an american newcomer. Hopefully, the american would understand english. ;)

[Brian Owens]

The backwoods has its qualities, Brian, but in budo, Norway has not that much to offer.
Maybe not much, but more than Afganistan or Zimbabwe I would expect. And I know of at least a couple of members here on E-Budo from there. ;)

[ulvulv]

Yes, you mentioned the two countries in the world with less exposure to budo than us. Not bad. :D

[h2o]

All of them have their fare share of bogus "koryu" of course, so be careful.
When it comes to swordarts I don't think "bogus koryus" are a big problem in Sweden. Just make sure the club is registered with the Swedish National Budo federation (http://www.budokampsport.se) and you should be ok. There ain't so many of us so if there are strange things going on the whole country would know quite fast :p
On the downside, most people practise seitei iai (which is no problem for me, since that's what I am doing and I like it ;)).

Edit: Since the SBKF siteadministrator seem to have forgotten to make an english variant of the website, I will give you the direct link for searching for clubs: http://www.budokampsport.se/foreningar/ If you are to guard embassies I guess the only "Distrikt" you are intereted in are "Stockholm" or "Göteborg" (Gothenburg)
Oh, oh, and Sweden is full of nice looking babes as well :D

[Brian Owens]

...Oh, oh, and Sweden is full of nice looking babes as well :D
Maybe that's what attracted "Yo Hiroshi Sato" to start a branch of "Sato Ryu" there. :rolleyes:

[Tenseiga]

Thanks for the replies!

As for foreign languages, I'm getting better at my nihongo as a result of being here in Japan on deployment right now, but other than that I speak an extremely broken tagalog/ilocano (filipino). Hahah, I'm full-blooded filipino, but I can speak and understand Japanese far better than my parents' native tongue! Boku no filipino wa taihen heta desu!!

So, we've got Australia, France, Britain, and Sweden (+5 points for hot swedish babes). Well, let's see if I can narrow the search down a little bit. Which places have koryu that are commonly present in those countries?

It'd be nice to be able to stick with one for a longer period of time. Ever since I joined the Corps, I've been scavenging for whatever I could get! Some Ashihara karate here, a little Aikido there, saw a Judo demonstration, watched a Mugai ryu class once, saw a Shorin ryu class another day, watched an Ishin Ryu class twice...you get my drift.

I'm trying to keep an open mind and focus on universal things such as Maai, Seme, and Sen, but I'm just not at that level where I can put things in their proper perspective yet, so the various concepts and waza become kinda blended and mixed. It'd be nice to be able to focus on a single art again and actually make some progress!

Thanks for your time!

[Chidokan]

Just to throw a good spanner in the works there are also some good classes in Switzerland and Germany, but you would need to be on the spot I think.
I reckon the UK is the winner, even over the USA. I can be in ANY dojo in the UK within 5 hours from where I live... beat that! (And thats not using airplanes either...) The standards are quite high and getting better here as well. And to just beat Sweden, I have Swedish AND French girls in my class at the moment. :D +10??!!

[h2o]

Maybe that's what attracted "Yo Hiroshi Sato" to start a branch of "Sato Ryu" there. :rolleyes:
Uhm, never heard of him, but from what I see he seems to be into ninjitsu, and I am really not into that sort of things ;)

Okay, five hours, can't beat that. But if I don't count the northernmost dojo, I think I can reach the rest within four hours by public transportation.

[ulvulv]

Just to throw a good spanner in the works there are also some good classes in Switzerland and Germany, but you would need to be on the spot I think.
I reckon the UK is the winner, even over the USA. I can be in ANY dojo in the UK within 5 hours from where I live... beat that! (And thats not using airplanes either...) The standards are quite high and getting better here as well. And to just beat Sweden, I have Swedish AND French girls in my class at the moment. :D +10??!!

And then you of course have the english haute cousine. Excellent diet. One bite of the typical english breakfast, and you are "satisfied" for at least 24 hours. and the memory will haunt you til your deathbed. And beyond. :D

[Brian Owens]

...I reckon the UK is the winner, even over the USA. I can be in ANY dojo in the UK within 5 hours from where I live... beat that!
Well, no way I can beat that; the USA is just too big.

However, within 30 minutes of my house I have Muso Shinden Ryu, Muso Jikiden Eishin Ryu, Shindo Muso Ryu, Tenshinsho-den Katori Shinto Ryu, Araki-ryu, Toda-ha Buko-ryu...

[Chidokan]

I can get to three of the above... but maybe one of the Londoners can compete here? :)

[h2o]

However, within 30 minutes of my house I have Muso Shinden Ryu, Muso Jikiden Eishin Ryu, Shindo Muso Ryu, Tenshinsho-den Katori Shinto Ryu, Araki-ryu, Toda-ha Buko-ryu...
So? I bet you aren't training all of the above nymed styles at the same time anyway? :p

[ulvulv]

Brian is starving in front of the candyshop. He just cant make up his mind. As Miss Dotanuki, the sturdy asian beauty has finally arrived in the Owenesque household, there is no way back. Right, Brian? ;)

[Joseph Svinth]

London, Paris, Amsterdam, and so on work as well as anyplace. However, because everyone wants to go there, your odds of getting to London, Paris, Amsterdam, and so on are not good. As for Oz, the embassy is in Canberra, not Sydney. Thus, in all seriousness, Ottawa would be a better place for training in Japanese martial arts, and probably easier to get assigned.

Wherever you go, the consulate or embassy is likely to be in the heart of the business district while the Marine House is likely to be way out in the 'burbs. So, for transportation, the detachment will be assigned a vehicle, and perhaps drivers and guards. While this system works well for taking watchstanders to work or shopping, it represents a serious problem if you want to go somewhere that isn't on one of the main routes downtown. For that, you'll need public transportation, as MSG Battalion has always frowned on you operating your own private vehicle.

In addition, a typical watch schedule is something along the lines of two days, two eves, and two mids, followed by four days off, and all of the off time is likely to be interrupted by mandatory training and meetings.

Anyway, to train consistently, you'll need to find clubs that are near either the Marine House or the embassy/consulate, and that are willing and able to accommodate a rotating schedule. Consequently, my guess is that your best bet will be the local judo, karate, or kendo clubs.

That said, don't forget to check out the local cognate activities. Examples would include Kirkpinar in Turkey, dambe in Nigeria, glima in Iceland, and so on. Even if you don't practice these activities, you can still go watch, take pictures, talk to old guys, and so on.

[kmorgan]

If you can get to Toronto, they are many fantastic people training there. MJER, MSR, Jodo, Niten just to name a few of what is taught.

[Brian Owens]

So? I bet you aren't training all of the above nymed styles at the same time anyway? :p
At the moment, I'm not training in any of them. :(

I've got to get off the night shift!

[h2o]

At the moment, I'm not training in any of them. :(

I've got to get off the night shift!
Sorry to hear that. Hope you get the time you need :)

[Tenseiga]

Yeah, see, I once lived next to the candy shop which Mr. Owens gets his fill...I lived in Tacoma, and practiced with the Tacoma Kendo Club. Omoto-sensei, Yoshikawa-sensei, Koike-sensei would come down a lot, we had Imanishi-sensei(s) up north, Murosako and Konno-sensei with the Musokai, and more awesome sensei and sempai. I didn't even become aware of the various Koryu available there until AFTER I joined the Corps! Urgh...

Anyway, wow Mr. Svinth, you sure do know a lot about how MSG works. Have you had a lot of time in an embassy, or are you a former Marine who's actually done the job before? Yes, I COMPLETELY understand that transportation dilemma, I'm actually going through it now on this WestPac deployment in regards to attending my religious services, but I find a way. So POVs are frowned upon, huh? Well, if there's ANY way I can have one, I really don't care if anyone frowns at me :p

Toronto also sounds like a good place too. Well, I appreciate all of these posts! If anyone has any other suggestions, please enlighten me! Or I could just throw in the towel and pick me up one of these :) :

http://dojopress.com/pics/cvr-NM.gif

[Brian Owens]

...Or I could just throw in the towel and pick me up one of these :) :

http://dojopress.com/pics/cvr-NM.gif
LOL!

I just sent you a PM.

[Joseph Svinth]

Watchstander, Tehran, Iran, 1977-1978; Pretoria, South Africa, 1978-1980.

Back in the day, owning a POV required the written permission of the company commander and the ambassador. In Pretoria, that was possible, but in Iran, it wasn't happening.

[Oda]

Hi!

I'll just add Finland's capital Helsinki. It's a small town by international standars, easy to get around and filled with excellent dojos. If you'll start working at the embassy in Helsinki, although it's technically U.S. property and you have guns, please don't shoot those naked drunken people running on your lawn. Some day I might be one of them.


Here's a short list koryu schools that came to my mind in short time:

Kashima Shin Ryu
Muso Shinden Ryu Iaido
Muso Jikiden Eishin Ryu Iaido
Niten Ichi Ryu
Taura Muso Ryu
Ono-ha Itto-ryu
Hontai Yoshin Ryu
Daito-ryu Aikijujutsu Takumakai

[Chidokan]

Good idea... Helsinki! lots of koryu, pretty girls, good fishing, nice views for photos, so cold your $%^ fall off... :rolleyes: :D (and don't mention the price of beer :eek: )
Pasi Hellsten is the man to see, he has some good connections there.

[gendzwil]

For kendo, top countries after Japan are Korea, Canada, US, Brazil.

[Chuck Clark]

Definitely, Switzerland ought to be high on the list. Pascal Krieger is menkyo kaiden in Shinto Muso Ryu jojutsu, also a fine judoka with very skillful newaza, sword, and shodo as well. Lots of good aikido and judo around in a small area.

I was in Paris at the embassy when the Viet Nam Peace Talks were going on for three years. Lots of really good judo and aikido there at that time. I have heard that there's lots of koryu there now.

Semper Fi!