New Samurai Sword Class offered through Endless Horizons at Laurier!!

NEW SAMURAI SWORD CLASS!!!

Fukasa Ryu Iaijutsu/Kenjutsu

Endless Horizons Fukasa-Kai Dojo is offering a once in a lifetime opportunity to study the ancient samurai sword arts of Fukasa Ryu Iaijutsu and Kenjutsu as a special interest class through Wilfrid Laurier University! With a lineage that dates back some 18 generations to the Yakota Samurai family in Japan, these techniques form part of a living tradition and are as beautiful as they are efficient. Don't miss out!!!

Laurier is even providing wooden Bokken for each student who signs up! Bokken will be kept in the training classroom at all times, but extras can be purchased through the Sensei for a fee.

Other equipment needed: Nothing else is necessary at this point, but a uniform or Gi is recommended as soon as possible. Then a wooden tanto (knife) will be necessary. Afterwards a Hakama and/or Keiogi and sword belt may be purchased through the Sensei at the students leisure.

This 2 hour class will be run once a week for two hours. Training will be rigorous. The two hours shall be broken down as follows:
1 hour of Iaijutsu
1 hour of Kenjutsu

Iaijutsu is the "Quick draw live blade sword art," and focuses on using the sword from the sheathed position. Not only does Fukasa-ryu Iaijutsu have a comprehensive set of katas which help perfect one's drawing technique, it also has a number of techniques for practical defense in combat.

To train in the Samurai Sword requires the utmost of concentration, discipline and persistence. A student of Iaijutsu is expected to be able to execute Sword techniques from the seated and standing positions as well as from a running scenario, similar to soldiers charging on a battlefield (this is commonly referred to as Batto-Jutsu).


Kenjutsu is a study of the unsheathed techniques of the Samurai Sword. In essence, we might refer to this phase as "fencing" which includes a variety of cuts, blocks, parries and evasive movements. Similar to Iaijutsu, there is a complete system of falling, rolling, and sword disarming techniques that is integral to the practice.

A student of Kenjutsu utilizes the Katana (live-blade), Iaito (drawing tool), Bokken (oak, Samurai Sword-like replica) and Suburito (oak, heavier version of the Bokken) exactly as it was intended to be used by the Samurai... as a cutting tool that is to be maneuvered painstakingly (to prevent it from malfunctioning) as it was the life-sustaining weapon of the Samurai and usually a family heirloom.