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Thread: Norfolk/Suffolk based dojo - or recommendations for style

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    Default Norfolk/Suffolk based dojo - or recommendations for style

    Hi all.

    i'm hoping for a spot of advice.

    I currently study Shotokan and Judo (purely technical, I don't compete - the knees just can't hack it)

    I'm hoping to start weapons training but am at a loss as to what and where to study. I'd like to concentrate on Katana and Bo staff if at all possible. Whilst I appreciate that being prepare to put oneself out in order to train, I think being practical is also important and travelling 4 hours cross country each week really won't work. So, ideally I hoped to find a Suffolk/Norfolk UK based dojo.

    I love Karate, and since adding Judo i've become that little bit more rounded. I feel adding weapons would only aid in my defensive thought process - would rather know how to defend against such attacks and never need it than need it and not have it!

    I had looked at some Ju-jitsu clubs but i've not been too impressed with the techniques employed (basic kicks etc seems lacklustre or poorly executed) which whilst being able to see the strengths and weaknesses of all training is great, i'd hate to add something to my training that's at the detriment of others.

    I saw that ryukyu kobudo trains regular in seminar format and as such i could progress through the syllabus over the coming years and train at home, unfortunately the weapons just don't grab me.

    any advice/discussion would be fantastic. Please bare in mind i'm really not looking for a sport - an art that cultivates mind and body is much more appealing to me.

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    One of the main weapons of Ryukyu Kobudo is the bo (not "bo staff"), specifically the rokushakubo. However if Ryukyu Kobudo doesn't feel like a good fit for you I can suggest another route, one that should meet your desire for something that cultivates the mind and body, and that involves the katana: Iaido. Some Iaido practitioners also practice Jodo, the art of the 4-foot staff, so there's something similar to your desire to practice bojutsu.

    Here's a link to a small group near you that does both: https://kenyukansuffolk.wordpress.com/
    Yours in Budo,
    ---Brian---

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    I would have replied but Kenyukan is in Chelmsford which is way South of Suffolk/Norfolk. I have close family in Suffolk. Very subdued when it comes to Budo. Even the train is on a dead end track to some parts.

    The BKA have google map of all their affiliated clubs.
    Hyakutake Colin

    All the best techniques are taught by survivors.


    http://www.hyoho.com

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    HI both,

    thanks for the replies. I looked into Iaido and actually found a couple really local.

    i've sent an email for a bit more information as the closest one of their Dojos seems to show Bujinkan so i'm curious as to whether they are still teaching Iaido or have moved to Bujinkan. Interestingly the sensei shows as an 8th Dan in Bujinkan... need to dig a little further perhaps they've moved on.

    http://www.seirokan.org/about_us.htm

    that's their site, certainly looks like what i'm after - plus I can continue Shotokan and Judo without fear of learning something contradictory (which was my concern with Bujinkan, techiniques looked SIMILAR to Karate but applied differently and as much as I enjoy cross training i'd hate to end up being bad at all arts as they all teach the same thing in a different way)

    Hopefully they'll come back to me, the one in Harleston is only 20 mins away for me and he does private lessons which would be fantastic as I work from home and being 20 mins up the road at least means I can attend classes regularly rather than every so often.

    do you guys know anything about Muso Jikiden Eishin Ryu? I pressume it to be a traditional sword school

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    Quote Originally Posted by Hudson1984 View Post
    ...do you guys know anything about Muso Jikiden Eishin Ryu? I pressume it to be a traditional sword school
    Muso Jikiden Eishin Ryu (MJER) and Muso Shinden Ryu (MSR) are the largest schools of Iaijutsu/Iaido, and share a common root.
    Yours in Budo,
    ---Brian---

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    Quote Originally Posted by hyaku View Post
    I would have replied but Kenyukan is in Chelmsford which is way South of Suffolk/Norfolk.
    The branch to which I provided a link, Kenyukan Suffolk, is in West Wickham, which is east of Cambridge...north of Chelmsford.
    Yours in Budo,
    ---Brian---

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    Quote Originally Posted by Brian Owens View Post
    Muso Jikiden Eishin Ryu (MJER) and Muso Shinden Ryu (MSR) are the largest schools of Iaijutsu/Iaido, and share a common root.
    showing my lack of knowledge clearly

    the club you posted does appear to be highly regarded but is still around 2hours away which makes classes a little problematic - of course if it's the best option available then 2 hours is nothing in the grand scheme of things but if the MJER class is on par, then 30 mins would be preferable

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    Neil Gendzwill
    Saskatoon Kendo Club

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    The link you provide is for Brian Morrison. One of Iwata Norikazu's direct students. He has probably forgot more about MJER than some people have yet to learn.

    I will PM Roshukai to see what's happening and get back to you. If you are near him and he's still teaching you hit a gold mine.
    Last edited by hyaku; 2nd April 2016 at 01:32.
    Hyakutake Colin

    All the best techniques are taught by survivors.


    http://www.hyoho.com

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    Quote Originally Posted by hyaku View Post
    I would have replied but Kenyukan is in Chelmsford which is way South of Suffolk/Norfolk.
    Quote Originally Posted by Brian Owens View Post
    The branch to which I provided a link, Kenyukan Suffolk, is in West Wickham, which is east of Cambridge...north of Chelmsford.
    I hate computers. My post got truncated. What I actually wrote was "The branch to which I provided a link, Kenyukan Suffolk, is in West Wickham, which is east of Cambridge...north of Chelmsford. Is that not, despite the group's name, actually in/near Suffolk?" It was a question, not a statement. Apologies if it came across wrong.
    Yours in Budo,
    ---Brian---

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    Quote Originally Posted by hyaku View Post
    The link you provide is for Brian Morrison. One of Iwata Norikazu's direct students. He has probably forgot more about MJER than some people have yet to learn.

    I will PM Roshukai to see what's happening and get back to you. If you are near him and he's still teaching you hit a gold mine.
    Hi. I'm near his Harleston club which looks to be run by and Andrew - forget his surname at the moment.

    But that would be great to have more information from that group as Harleston is very easy to get to and the sylabus looks great so it ticks everything I need. Plus having someone like brian in the group means that seminars would be incredible

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    Thanks for all the advice guys and gals.

    I'll be training Wednesday with Roy Bradford who happens to live 15 mins from me and trains with a small group making things quite focused. Perfect!

    Can't wait he also teaches Bujinkan taijutsu so who knows where my training will lead.

    I am interested to know what the grading sylabus involves though - this isn't a I want my black belt in 2 years question more a case of what I should expect from training and how progression is worked. Judo and karate are both fairly simple in terms of structured progression with kyu-dan grades but I'm unaware of how seirokan work their gradings or how iaido is based in that respect.

    So judo, shotokan and iaido. I think this is going to be a hard and interesting year

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    Seirokan Dojo is Roshukai

    A large group of Iaido Yudansha left the British Kendo Association in 1994 being rather dissatisfied how things were run. They wished to abandon ZNKR seiteigata and concentrate on MJER, a koryu that has it's own fundamentals anyway. This was the prime objective. No one was a grade hunter but wished to practice iai for what it was. I was asked to find a good teacher. I met and spoke to Iwata Norikazu an 80 year old holder of two menkyo kaiden (Toranomaki) and one of the most respected MJER exponents in Japan and explained the situation. In May 1995 I took a party of six sensei including Iwata Sensei to the UK for the first Roshukai seminar. Since then there have been yearly visits by Sensei to the UK and frequent trips to Japan for intensive live in practices. The senior members themselves were no longer interested in gradings as they did Koryu. But they had to do something for members that might be interested. I approached Iwata Sensei for solution and he said that they should sort it out gradings for themselves. Thing is after intensive study iwata Sensei did award certification to seniors to teach MJER and they have a grading system. Brian Morrison Sensei was one of those people.

    Iaido has nothing to do with belts/grades. This is awarded by an association. Koryu generally consists of mokuroku, menkyo (licence) and menkyo kaiden (Full transmission). Although there are of course variations and many different titles especially if you practice something very old.

    Good luck with your training. If you meet any of the seniors please give them my very best regards. I'm still in touch with most of them and mentioned you yesterday to one of them. Lol, I will probably be in Kessingland next year but not to teach.

    Links to Iwata Sensei's books to read online to help you are on my .com

    http://www.hyoho.com/Kiso1.html

    http://www.hyoho.com/Tosa1.html
    Hyakutake Colin

    All the best techniques are taught by survivors.


    http://www.hyoho.com

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    i'm getting more and more excited about learning the more I read lol so I can't wait.

    I'd been looking into making an annual trip to Japan to train in an authentic manner but Karate is a bit closed unless you're in the right association or studying Okinawan Karate and can be recommended to a sensei, and Judo is mostly sport related unless you go to the Kodokan but that's only really open to high grades unless you attend at set times for set things - which I still may do in the future. So who knows, I may be looking to train in Japan with MJER at some point which would be fantastic.

    Small world - I lived in Kessingland since I was 10! well if you happen to come by Roys class while you're over be good to have a chat...and a pint

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    There are classes everyday for foreigners at the Kodokan. You just have to pay the mat fee.
    Neil Gendzwill
    Saskatoon Kendo Club

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