The Search for the Mysterious Sword “Kotetsu” By now, many are aware of Kondo Isami. The broad faced bull of a man with a sharp, piercing stare. He was the head of the Shinsengumi, a secret police force appointed by the Shogunate to subdue unrest in Kyoto and bring unruly Read More
In this week’s article we would like to introduce another easy way to keep your weapons protected from the elements, and that is by applying mineral oil to them.
Getting a new bogu should always be a fun and enjoyable undertaking, and understanding what comprise bogu will help keep it that way.
Tozando How To’s -How to apply wax to your wooden weapons- One of the easiest methods to make sure your wooden weapons are protected from the elements is by applying a wax. In this article we will explain one method for applying paraffin wax to your bokken. The reason we Read More
An introduction to taking care of your wooden weapons An introduction to taking care of your wooden weapons A large part of being a modern Budoka is the ability to take care of your own equipment. This is especially true for wooden weapons. Proper upkeep is vital and can help Read More
An Interview with a Master: Part 6. A: Well, there are many stories. Many of them are in the book. He loved to party and anytime there was an opportunity to party he would and sometimes for no reason he would just ask us to bring beer. He did not Read More
An Interview with a Master: Part 5. Q: Uchi Deshi is not your first book, you have also translated two other books Jinsei and Shugyo. What made you translate these two books? A: Two things, first it was my way to study Japanese, so that was my personal training, Read More
An Interview with a Master: Part 4. Q: Do you think the training you did has had a big influence on your life? A: Yes, because you don’t think too much, you just do. It teaches you how to concentrate, to focus and to put everything into whatever you are Read More
An Interview with a Master: Part 3. I changed the way I was thinking and training to just focus on him and what he was doing. To really focus on him; how he was walking, what kind of personal training he was doing, and so on – instead of Read More
Yes, it is incredible the way he could judge someone just by feeling. He was very instinctive
