TPFox
28th April 2009, 00:29
I am in New York City, and came across a few places to study iaido - but wondered what is best and what to look for.
I found the Nichibuken (through the Japanese Swordmanship Society http://www.ny-jss.org/iaido/what.html) which teaches Seitei-gata iaidô and Musô Shinden Ryû. This group is run by 4th Dan - John Prough (he appears favorably and even has an interview in google searches - I tried it) and the group is affiliated with AUSK for widely recognized certifications. They participate in events in NJ and try to get AUSK and Japan certifications etc. The group also has Naginata. Unfortunately, the group meets both in Hoboken, NJ and in New York City - extra train ride to New Jersey.
There is the Ken-Zen Institute. It has iaido a couple times a week and Kendo most days. This one appears to be a chain of schools. Little information, and I have a feeling instructors certify themselves - but I am not sure. Web page has little info (http://www.kenzendojo.org/Ken-Zen4.html#7836).
There in Shidogakuin also offering iaido Seitei-gata iaido, and muso shinden ryu, and offering some days iaido and some days kendo. I don't know that much about this place and they have little information on the web. (http://shidogakuin.com/dojos_ny.html)
New York Budokai is an iaido only school that is independent and draws its lineage from Sensei Yoshiteru Otani (deceased) and a headquarters school in Tokyo. It looks like it has an involved curriculum and skilled instructors who pop up throughout the internet and one teacher writes many articles. They offer 2 or 3 styles of iaido and also pole and cane fighting. They have a philosophy of not participating in any competitions. Dan Ortiz has an 8th and 5th dan ranking with two styles, and levels are awarded with visits to tests overseen by notables in Japan (Kunikazu Yahagi, Shihan, and Terutaka Kawabata, Soke). Great information and seems like good school, but not sure about non-affiliation with larger organizations of iaido or kendo (http://www.newyorkbudokai.net/curriculum.html). But, stresses visits to Japan and tries to host guest teachers for seminars from time to time.
I also found Tamiya Ryu Iaijutsu New York City Study group. Very little information on this. (http://www.newyorkbudokai.net/tamiya/tri.htm)
There is also the New York City Kendo Club (http://www.nyckendo.com/sensei.html). The curriculum is mostly kendo with a little iaido. The group looks very large from the photos, and the sensei has a high rank in kendo. He claims to be very experienced in iaido, but lists no rank.
Thanks for reading this far! As you can see, I've worked hard to dig up what I could. Any thoughts from what I listed or do you know from reputation or personal experience who would be the best to study iaido? Anyone I missed? Just will add, I practice Yang style tai chi with push hands etc. so am much more interested in iaido than kendo.
Tim Fox
I found the Nichibuken (through the Japanese Swordmanship Society http://www.ny-jss.org/iaido/what.html) which teaches Seitei-gata iaidô and Musô Shinden Ryû. This group is run by 4th Dan - John Prough (he appears favorably and even has an interview in google searches - I tried it) and the group is affiliated with AUSK for widely recognized certifications. They participate in events in NJ and try to get AUSK and Japan certifications etc. The group also has Naginata. Unfortunately, the group meets both in Hoboken, NJ and in New York City - extra train ride to New Jersey.
There is the Ken-Zen Institute. It has iaido a couple times a week and Kendo most days. This one appears to be a chain of schools. Little information, and I have a feeling instructors certify themselves - but I am not sure. Web page has little info (http://www.kenzendojo.org/Ken-Zen4.html#7836).
There in Shidogakuin also offering iaido Seitei-gata iaido, and muso shinden ryu, and offering some days iaido and some days kendo. I don't know that much about this place and they have little information on the web. (http://shidogakuin.com/dojos_ny.html)
New York Budokai is an iaido only school that is independent and draws its lineage from Sensei Yoshiteru Otani (deceased) and a headquarters school in Tokyo. It looks like it has an involved curriculum and skilled instructors who pop up throughout the internet and one teacher writes many articles. They offer 2 or 3 styles of iaido and also pole and cane fighting. They have a philosophy of not participating in any competitions. Dan Ortiz has an 8th and 5th dan ranking with two styles, and levels are awarded with visits to tests overseen by notables in Japan (Kunikazu Yahagi, Shihan, and Terutaka Kawabata, Soke). Great information and seems like good school, but not sure about non-affiliation with larger organizations of iaido or kendo (http://www.newyorkbudokai.net/curriculum.html). But, stresses visits to Japan and tries to host guest teachers for seminars from time to time.
I also found Tamiya Ryu Iaijutsu New York City Study group. Very little information on this. (http://www.newyorkbudokai.net/tamiya/tri.htm)
There is also the New York City Kendo Club (http://www.nyckendo.com/sensei.html). The curriculum is mostly kendo with a little iaido. The group looks very large from the photos, and the sensei has a high rank in kendo. He claims to be very experienced in iaido, but lists no rank.
Thanks for reading this far! As you can see, I've worked hard to dig up what I could. Any thoughts from what I listed or do you know from reputation or personal experience who would be the best to study iaido? Anyone I missed? Just will add, I practice Yang style tai chi with push hands etc. so am much more interested in iaido than kendo.
Tim Fox