BATTODO
FUDOKAN
NEW BEGINNERS COURSE
Starting in June 2024
3rd June - 2hrs - 7pm till 9pm
10th June - 1hr - 7pm till 8pm
17th June - 1hr - 7pm till 8pm
Course Fee £50 (3 week course)
The successful practice of Japanese swordsmanship requires a special approach to breathing, mind and body. This course will introduce the basic stances, cutting and thrusting techniques and the first two basic kata (forms). The classes will also include a preparatory sequence of Tanren (forging) exercises to promote the coordination of movement through the tanden (body centre) and the cultivation of Zanshin (mental stability).
Haggerston School South Gym
Dunloe Street
E2 8LS (Hoxton Overground)
(Please note that the Sports centre entrance is at the rear of school on Dunloe St at the junction with Scawfell St. The main school entrance on Weymouth Terrace is closed at this time. Walk into the carpark and climb the spiral staircase on your left to reach the South gym which is on your left at the top.)
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KURIKARA:
The Sword and the Serpent
The Sword and the Serpent sets out the eight basic principles of swordsmanship common to all Japanese sword schools, emphasising the cultivation of power and mental focus.
Accomplished martial artist John Evans provides practical examples from his experience with the sword arts as well as Mikkyo and shugendo (mountain asceticism). The first foreign student to train with Nakamura Taisaburo sensei--widely acknowledged as the master of the sword art battodo--Evans clearly explains how skill such as Nakamurua sensei's can be systematically developed through tanren, exercises that meld "inner" and "outer" power. Filled with fascinating anecdotes from Evans's training in Japan, Kurikara is a useful, inspiring guide to Japanese sword practice and its spiritual underpinnings.
“On the first day of training, sword and human meet as alien objects; over time they become one living thing. Eventually, the blade will magnify and project the actions of the body, reflect mood and mindset, and ultimately point the way to the core of being.”
John Maki Evans
Batto’ means to draw and strike with the sword. ‘Do’ refers to a path of training aimed at the complete development of the practitioner. The closer to the reality of combat one can get the more this training has to offer
Fudokan students train in Nakamura Ryu Battodo and Kurikara Ryu Hei Ho. Nakamura Ryu Battodo is a distillation of traditional Japanese swordsmanship developed by one of the most respected swordsmen of the 20th century. Kurikara Ryu Heiho is a comprehensive system of external and internal training that breaks down the obstacles in mind and body that inhibit natural and spontaneous wielding of the sword.
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