Yatsushiro dojo

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Enbu in Tokyo

Last Saturday (11/04/2015) Taisha-ryu took part in the 33rd annual Asakusa Taikai enbu in Tokyo.

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Part of the Asakusa Shrine complex

The event was held at a sports/budo centre not far from the Asakusa Shrine. From the Yatsushiro dojo came: Yamamoto-sensei, Tazoe-sensei, Uehara-sensei, Sato-shihandai and Tsunoda-san and from the Tokyo keikokai (study group) were Nanoka-san, Kawai-san and Kato-san.

Posted by David -36号

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The Kimura – Swordsmiths in Yatsushiro

image The Kimura family have been making swords for ten generations. Prior to the Meiji Restoration they were the swordsmiths for the Sagara Han of Hitoyoshi and thus have a long connection with the Taisha-ryu – an association that continues to this day with Yamamoto-sensei and other members using shinken made by the Kimura family. Yamamoto-sensei took me to meet them at their workshop in the far south of Yatsushiro Prefecture.

Click on photos to enlarge

Posted by David -36号

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Spring grading – part 4

The verdicts. Taisha-ryu gradings happen twice a year; one in Spring and the other in Autumn. In the two previous posts Tsunoda-san and Hashiguchi-kun demonstrated their ability in front the two shihan and the four shihandai who then confer with each other before each giving their opinions to the two in front of the other members of the dojo who were present.

The opinions and criticism on not only technique and skill but appearance, manners and demeanour are very strong and to the point.

Posted by David -36号

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Kumamoto enbu – part 2

At the enbu, from the top: Gotan-shihandai and I, Sato-shihandai and Nanoka-san, Tsunoda-san and Hasiguchi-san, Uehara-san and Saki-san and Yamamoto-Sensei and Tazoe-sensei.

Click on photos to enlarge.

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Kumamoto enbu -part 1

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Today

This morning.

On the way from Yatsushiro to Kumamoto where we will demonstrate Taisha-ryu at the budokan.