月山館兵法剣術

I continued my practice of Jikishinkage-ryū kenjutsu after moving to Seattle in 2016, first with solo and free practice, and later working on traditional kata with a few brave souls.

I have since graduated two of these students in my approach to that art: Jake Harlin and Nicky Sayah Sina now both hold mokuroku in Gassankan Heihō Kenjutsu [月山館兵法剣術], which is the name I use to formally refer to my continued practice of kenjutsu.

Those interested in a kenjutsu practice that contains aspects of internal martial arts training and also free practice in addition to kata, can contact Tōsha Dōjō, led by Nicky and Jake, which meets as part of Lonin League, a martial arts cooperative in Seattle.

Training begins with formal katageiko (form practice) that includes methods of walking, cutting, breathing and foundational methods called hōjō [法序] that consist of paired partner practices introducing five element theory. Then an austere set of seven tactical kata called tō-no-kata [韜之形] are introduced.

We take time to conduct pressure testing called tameshi-ai and introduce methods of the small sword called kodachi. Those methods serve as a point of departure for armored grappling methods called kogusoku. Older versions of the foundational practice are later examined with steel swords called habiki-tō.

At higher levels of practice focus of practice increasingly becomes on cultivating shugyō rather than collecting additional techniques.