At our Samurai school, we teach “Tate” (the art of sword fighting), which is an essential part of Japanese culture. You’ll learn the authentic movements of a real Samurai, but we do not actually make contact with the sword. Instead, we focus on safe action techniques that give the appearance of real sword fighting, such as “pretending to strike.”
Participants in our Samurai experience come from various backgrounds. Many have experience in martial arts, and a lot of them are familiar with Japanese anime like Naruto, Vagabond, and Samurai Champloo. Some even learn Samurai action through video games.
In particular, the customers who join our private classes tend to have deep knowledge of Japanese culture and Samurai history, and they have a variety of interests and needs.
On one occasion, we started by discussing the history of the Samurai and explaining the “Five Elements Stance.” We covered defensive and offensive stances and when to use the “Fire Stance.” During this, one customer asked, “I just want to have a real fight, even with toy swords!” They wanted to experience something more like a genuine duel, not just choreography.
Even though we use replica swords, swinging them can still be dangerous. So, after emphasizing safety, we had the two participants face off using bamboo swords (Takemitsu).
They used the techniques we taught, measuring each other’s distance and fighting with the intensity of a real battle. They didn’t wildly swing their swords. They understood that swinging too wide could create openings, so they carefully adjusted their distance, enjoyed the tactical exchanges, and determined the outcome on their own.
Even though the swords were made of wood, the tension of facing off with an opponent was a valuable and rare experience. Private classes offer unexpected requests, which makes them interesting for us as instructors.
If you’re interested in Samurai culture, we invite you to try this unique experience!
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