Atlanta, Georgia Iaido

[Dark Kendoka]

I have checked many websites and, unfortunately, have not found an Iaido dojo. But upon checking an Aikido site, I found the Dogwood Aikikai (http://www.dogwoodaikikai.com/schedule.htm) website and they say that they teach Iaido with proper approval from the Sensei.

I don't think that I will go to this since I am not interested in learning Aikido, but one question does appear. Has anyone on here been to this place and took the Iaido lessons there? Are they a credible people when it comes to teaching it?

[ShaneLayton]

Hi! I'm not really sure about Dogwood Aikikai. There is also a Buddhist Temple in Atlanta which claims to teach Iaido. I believe that Shinkendo (Obata Toshishiro) also has a presence in the Atlanta area.

I know that at UGA in Athens there is a koryu group which studies Kashima Shinryu. Dr. Karl Friday is a member of the Kashima Shinryu, I'm sure he teaches with this group. I understand, though, that you must be a UGA student with gym priveleges to enroll in the group. You might contact them for better infomation, mine is a little dated. I e-mailed them when I lived in Marietta and Kennesaw and that was the case. I'm sure it was a university rule. Please look here: UGA Kashima Shinryu Club (http://www.uga.edu/ksr/)

I hope this helps you.

By the way, I study Bujinkan in Alabama, but my Shidoshi is Jay Zimmerman of Garrett, Indiana. He does a lot of Japanese sword seminars (Kukishinden ryu happo biken mostly). If you are interested let me know and I'll post his contact information.

Shane

[A.J. Bryant]

You're welcome to come down to our dojo while you're attending Purdue. It's a little over an hour drive. I teach Muso Jikiden Eishin-ryu Iaido in Indianapolis. PM me or email, etc.

Regards,

[shisochin#1]

Try www.atlantamartialarts.com

there are several iado/ shinkendo/ aikido dou in and around atlanta. which part of atlanta are you near.

[Rex Bradley]

I'm interested in knowing where you end up going. I'm in school in at NC state now, but when I finish up I'll be moving down to Suwanee as well. The Aikido dojo you ran across was the only place I found looking online that seemed to teach MSR. Please keep us posted.

Rex Bradley

[Dark Kendoka]

As far as where I live in the Atlanta area, I am in Gwinnett County, north of GA-316 and south of I-985.

Andrew, I have been in contact with one of your students. I do have plans on visiting next semester just to see what it's like. I would definately love to attend, but with the Kendo Club on the same day, tons of homework to do and possible money troubles (depends on the fees) it would be pretty hard to do so. I'll see what I can do to sort things out though.

[M J Moquin]

Sorry for opening such an old thread, but I didn't think it was appropriate to start another for the same area. I also can't find anything for the Atlanta area. Checking www.atlantamartialarts.com didn't show any schools at all. Am I missing something on the site? I am hoping to attend GT next year, so I'm starting my search now. Any help would be muchly appreciated.

[shisochin#1]

If you go to the schools section on the left hand side you will see several flags click on the flag of the countr's martial art you are inerested in and it should come up with several schools in the atlanta area. What type of style and which part of Georgia are you looking if I may ask?

[M J Moquin]

I went to the schools section and it will bring up the country, but nothing else. I tried it on a windows box and the same thing. I finally tried using IE and it worked. Obviously, it just doesn't work for any other browsers. I'm looking for something near Georgia Tech, or atleast within an hour or so. So anywhere in or around Atlanta. Thanks.

[gmanry]

I am not familiar with the Dogwood dojo, but I am familiar with the Atlanta Aikido Center under Kennedy Sensei. I had a friend who trained there and I was fortunate enough to attend a class once.

This dojo http://www.aikidoatlanta.org/ has a study group for Mugai Ryu Iaihyoho and their teacher is in Chicago. Nobody at the group is currently ranked in Mugai Ryu Iaihyoho. However, this would be an interesting opportunity to train outside the more common schools of iaido.

Hope this helps.

[tomtom]

I have checked many websites and, unfortunately, have not found an Iaido dojo. But upon checking an Aikido site, I found the Dogwood Aikikai (http://www.dogwoodaikikai.com/schedule.htm) website and they say that they teach Iaido with proper approval from the Sensei.

I don't think that I will go to this since I am not interested in learning Aikido, but one question does appear. Has anyone on here been to this place and took the Iaido lessons there? Are they a credible people when it comes to teaching it?
This is very late in the day but..
Have you tried Katori Shinto ryu group in Atlanta?
Just found their FB page...
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Tenshin-Sh%C5%8Dden-Katori-Shint%C5%8D-ry%C5%AB-%E5%A4%A9%E7%9C%9F%E6%AD%A3%E4%BC%9D%E9%A6%99%E5%8F%96%E7%A5%9E%E9%81%93%E6%B5%81-Atlanta/397479953627784

Thanks
Tom Webb

[Brian Owens]

This is very late in the day but..
Have you tried Katori Shinto ryu group in Atlanta?
Just found their FB page...
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Tenshin-Sh%C5%8Dden-Katori-Shint%C5%8D-ry%C5%AB-%E5%A4%A9%E7%9C%9F%E6%AD%A3%E4%BC%9D%E9%A6%99%E5%8F%96%E7%A5%9E%E9%81%93%E6%B5%81-Atlanta/397479953627784

That page has photos of and quotes from Bruce Lee, Ueshiba Morihei, etc., as well as some other items that give me pause. I would check with Phil Relnick Sensei at http://tenshinsho-den-katori-shinto-ryu.org/ to verify their legitimacy before training with them.

I'm not saying that they are NOT legitimate, just that one needs to be careful because there are many groups claiming to teach TSKSR that aren't.

[tomtom]

That page has photos of and quotes from Bruce Lee, Ueshiba Morihei, etc., as well as some other items that give me pause. I would check with Phil Relnick Sensei at http://tenshinsho-den-katori-shinto-ryu.org/ to verify their legitimacy before training with them.

I'm not saying that they are NOT legitimate, just that one needs to be careful because there are many groups claiming to teach TSKSR that aren't.

I see and that is a very valid point. Hence I took it upon myself to delve a bit deeper. I did check out whether they were "legitimate" or not and they seem to be. They post a lot of stuff on their public page but I managed to get access to their private page and spoke to the instructor. They train under Sugawara sensei who was given a training/teaching/transmission license by Otake sensei himself. Further, I found other related groups under Sugawara sensei associated with this group all over the US. It also looks like Mr Relnick is not the only one licensed to teach TSKSR in the US and has not been for a while (as they have been around for over 15 years now). Some in their group have also trained with Otake sensei.
Now Sugawara sensei also published the original "manual" for TSKSR authored by Otake sensei so I think they are quite legitimate.
Hope this helps.
Tom

[tomtom]

I see and that is a very valid point. Hence I took it upon myself to delve a bit deeper. I did check out whether they were "legitimate" or not and they seem to be. They post a lot of stuff on their public page but I managed to get access to their private page and spoke to the instructor. They train under Sugawara sensei who was given a training/teaching/transmission license by Otake sensei himself. Further, I found other related groups under Sugawara sensei associated with this group all over the US. It also looks like Mr Relnick is not the only one licensed to teach TSKSR in the US and has not been for a while (as they have been around for over 15 years now). Some in their group have also trained with Otake sensei.
Now Sugawara sensei also published the original "manual" for TSKSR authored by Otake sensei so I think they are quite legitimate.
Hope this helps.
Tom

This was the email they sent.
We are under Sugawara, Tetsutaka Sensei who began studying in 1975 and received his 'kyoshi' /instructors license in 1986 from Otake, Risuke Sensei. Sugawara Sensei is also 7th dan in Aikido and affiliated with Hombu Dojo in Tokyo.

[Brian Owens]

...I managed to get access to their private page and spoke to the instructor. They train under Sugawara sensei... ...It also looks like Mr Relnick is not the only one licensed to teach TSKSR in the US...

Okay, this gets into politics, which is way beyond my realm. It should just be understood that Sugawara-ha TSKSR and mainline TSKSR are separate entities organizationally. There's also a Sugino-ha. Relnick Sensei is mainline.

[tomtom]

Okay, this gets into politics, which is way beyond my realm. It should just be understood that Sugawara-ha TSKSR and mainline TSKSR are separate entities organizationally. There's also a Sugino-ha. Relnick Sensei is mainline.
Probably but I believe we were talking about them being legitimate...which they are...Besides one can always debate that they are both students of Otake sensei and hence both part of the mainline. Of course if Otake sensei were to make Mr. Relnick the next soke then his would be the mainline...Until then they are both part of the same organisation or am I wrong in my understanding of how the tradition is passed on?

Then again this is, as you pointed out, in the realm of politics and I know too little of the politics to state more...
Thanks
Tom

[Brian Owens]

...I believe we were talking about them being legitimate...which they are...

Oh no, you misunderstood. Once you posted that they were Sugawara-related that covered the legitimacy aspect. I was just clarifying that they were not of the same organization as Relnick Sensei's.


...Of course if Otake sensei were to make Mr. Relnick the next soke then his would be the mainline...Until then they are both part of the same organisation or am I wrong in my understanding of how the tradition is passed on?

A little bit. Otake Sensei is the mainline's shihan (chief instructor/master teacher), but the soke (hereditary headmaster) is Iizasa Soke.

Anyway, this is getting way off the topic of Iai schools in Atlanta, so I don't want to highjack the thread. I also don't want to give the impression that I'm affiliated with TSKSR in any way; I'm just an interested outsider.

[tomtom]

Oh no, you misunderstood. Once you posted that they were Sugawara-related that covered the legitimacy aspect. I was just clarifying that they were not of the same organization as Relnick Sensei's.
Sorry about that...Didnt mean to imply that. I am not sure if they are or are not...Besides I think its better to stay out of it...as this gets dangerously close to the political arena.




A little bit. Otake Sensei is the mainline's shihan (chief instructor/master teacher), but the soke (hereditary headmaster) is Iizasa Soke.

Anyway, this is getting way off the topic of Iai schools in Atlanta, so I don't want to highjack the thread. I also don't want to give the impression that I'm affiliated with TSKSR in any way; I'm just an interested outsider.
My apologies. I meant the shihan-ke lineage and typed out "soke" instead...Yes best to focus on the training and good iai...But again they are there and I am sure the iai-jitsu of the TSKSR is as good as it gets ...afterall how many schools can claim to have tested their techniques in battle and survived....