kenjutsu school

[Hanzo04]

can anybody tell me where to find a good kenjutsu school in the midwest region? i'm very interested in the sword arts.

 

[Hanzo04]

can anybody tell me where to find a good kenjutsu school in the midwest region? i'm very interested in the sword arts.[/QUOT[

 

[Nikolas P.]

Midwest is a bit vague. Can you be more specific? (State, for instance.) Or are you just willing to drive any distance?

 

[Hanzo04]

if you live in the U.S. there is nothing vague about it. it's a simple and common sense question. the midwest is IL, WI, IN, OH, MI, and Missouri. i didn't specify a state because that's not what i asked for. what i asked for was good kenjutsu schools in the midwest region. Can someone answer that w/o any technicalities? please?

 

[Nikolas P.]

No need to get defensive, my 'technicality' was perfectly reasonable. The midwest is a fairly large region, big enough for there to be dozens of potential dojo to list.

Here's a few:

http://www.chicagobudokai.com
http://www.indiana.edu/~iaido/
http://www.martialdirect.com/directory/usa/missouri/tbcg.htm
http://www.jinenkan.com/default.asp

As stated previously, it would help if you narrowed down the area somewhat.

 

[Charles Mahan]

Wow! You sure seem like a defensive guy. Coming onto the forum asking for our help, and when asked to provide more specific information, you became downright defensive and fairly rude.

Nikolas's return query was perfectly valid. He's been a lot nicer to you than I might have.

Just out of idle curiosity why is geography not an issue?

As for the definition of the midwest, I'd say it's quite vague to most of the rest of the country. Kinda like someone coming on and asking for a dojo somewhere in Texas. That seems specific enough right? Perhaps, but Florida is nearly as close to my house as El Paso is.

 

[Hanzo04]

thanks for being patient with me, even though i still disagree. i am sorry for disrespecting you and it shouldn't happen again. thanks for the chicago link. berwyn is only a few miles away from broadview.

 

[Saitama Steve]

Don't know if it's of any use to you, but it's in Chicago, IL.

The Japanese Culture Centre holds classes in both modern and classical Japanese martial traditions.

Japan Culture Centre Iaido page

Hope is useful to you.

 

[Hanzo04]

hey thanks a lot. i like this too.

 

[Saitama Steve]

Ken Pitchford, the instructor of the Chicago Japan Culture centre is a good man and he has spent quite a long time in Japan, studying and researching classical and modern Japanese martial traditions.

He also teaches classical jujutsu at the culture centre.

 

[Hanzo04]

are you from chicago too? maybe we should talk sometime.

 

[Saitama Steve]

Nope, I'm not American. I'm from Ireland.

 

[Hanzo04]

so how is it you know the instructor so well?

 

[Charles Mahan]

Steve, do you know if Pritchard is ZNIR, or was at some point?

The Japanese Cultural Center webpage states:
http://www.japaneseculturecenter.com/iaido/

In 1982 Pitchford Sensei met Dr. Gordon Warner and started practicing Mugai Ryu Iaihyodo (Iaido). In 1984 he achieved shodan. Since then, Pitchford Sensei received Taikai Sho while a Godan for excellence in Iaido. Pitchford Sensei received his Rokudan in 1995 from the Nippon Iaido Federation. While still a Godan he was awarded two scrolls (something usually only given after one achieves Rokudan) from the soke (headmaster) of Mugai Ryu. These scrolls are a traditional license and a scroll of strategy awarded when a certain level of skill is achieved. This license is from the style, in this case Mugai Ryu, and independent of any rank award from the federation. The next level of scroll is known as Menkyo Kaiden and is the scroll of full transmission of the style.

It's the bit above about the Nippon Iaido Federation that sparked my interest. Would that be the Zen Nippon Iaido Renmei? I know of only two styles associated with the ZNIR with representatives in this country, MJER and Hoki Ryu. If Pritchard sensei is teaching Mugai Ryu under the auspices of the ZNIR, that would make 3. If he is still teaching Mugai Ryu but not ZNIR, is he associated with Renfield Kuroda's group(Shiokawa-gosoke and Niina-gosoke)? Consider my curiosity piqued.

Enquiring minds want to know.

 

[Saitama Steve]

I seriously have no idea about Ken Pitchford's affiliation details concerning Mugai ryu.

 

[Charles Mahan]

Ahh well. I sent an email to the addy on the website, and someone responded asking for a phone number at which Pritchard-sensei could call me. I sent it, but as of yet no call. Not that I'm complaining. No guarantee the person with the email addy has seen him yet. I'm in no hurry. Just curious.

 

[Charles Mahan]

Just got a call from Pritchard-sensei. Nice guy. Very knowledgable. While he was affiliated with Nakagawa-soke before his passing, he is not associated with Renfield Kuroda's, and Tony Alvarez's group. Neither is he associated with the Zen Nippon Iaido Renmei. He is associated with the Nippon Iaido Renmei, a different group altogether. He trained in Japan for a good 20 odd years.

I think this is your guy. Believe me, you could do a lot worse.

 

[Saitama Steve]

Charles,

It's Pitchford, not Pritchard.

 

[Charles Mahan]

Doh! Right you are. And I talked to the guy for like half an hour too. I plead sleep deprivation your honor! Actually I suspect it's because there is a Pritchard in the Canadian Iaido Association. I'm a Texan. Everything north of the Red River might as well be Canada

 

[Eldritch Knight]

I hate to jump this thread like this, but does anyone know any kenjutsu schools in northern KY?