Martial arts

I have been practicing martial arts since 1986, currently I run our Hakuzan dojo, where I teach Japanese swordsmanship of the Happó ryu style. We organize tournaments in Gekiken freestyle fighting and tameshigiri and cooperate on projects and with various personalities and participate in public exhibitions (enbu)

More details in - Profile.

Hakuzan Dojo

In 2010 I have established Hakuzan Dojo (Toyama Ryu, Happo Ryu) in Prague and I still run it today.

In June 2012 in Prague, I organized the first Tameshigiri taikai - Japanese sword cutting competition. This became an every-year tradition of our Hakuzan Dojo Prague. In 2014, the first Enbu Taikai in shuriken jutsu. In 2016 and 2017, I happened to be the winner of shuriken jutsu Taikai in Prague.

For many years I have been theoretically and practically also interested in European fencing. I am an honorary member of the oldest Czech fencing club Riegel and the initiator of the national fencing style Czech saber. In 2020 I led a saber cutting workshop at the most prominent regular event with saber fencing in the Czech Republic called "Saber Slash".

In 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2022, I organized seminars with Master Matsuba Ichiro (menkyō kaiden Jiki Shinkage-ryu, 7th Dan Aikido), who is with his artistic name Kagemasa also a swordsmith with the highest master degree - Mukansa.

In 2018 I cooperated with the Veles stunts agency on organizing a workshop of Tetsuro Shimaguchi, Kengido master of the Kengidó style and among others the choreographer of the fighting scenes of Tarantino's Kill Bill. In 2019, I repeatedly performed with him at various exhibitions (enbu).

In 2018 I have organized the 1st annual "Japanese evening in Smíchov", presenting Japanese traditional culture and martial arts.

Since 2022, I am organizing in cooperation with the Strahov Brewery "Hanami" - festival of Japanese culture in the Strahov Monastery. This festival with many thousands of spectators aspires to become one of the largest events focused on Japanese culture in Prague and it also includes martial arts demonstrations of many friendly dojos and Taikai tournaments.

Dojo

Honbu (the main dojo) is located at Elementary School Podbelohorska. Trainings are taking place on Fridays from 6pm and Sundays from 7pm. We do not recruit new students, nevertheless, the training class can be visited as a guest/spectator upon prior agreement. We are potentially also able to organize an introductory seminar of Japanese swords and tameshigiri for public.

Activities

We practise Japanese sword fencing of the Happó ryu style, we organize Tameshigiri cutting championships (taikai) and free fencing (Gekiken). We also participate in cultural events with exhibitions (enbu).

History

The Happó ryu style is mainly based on the Morinaga-ha style of Toyama ryu, from which we adopted the formations (kata) and basic techniques (kihon) as well as Tameshigiri as verifying the mastery of the cutting technique. The long sword technique is additionally complemented by a short sword wakizashi and a dagger tanto. In addition, we practise free fencing with training swords Gekiken to verify our technique in real time and space. The highest levels (okuden, menkyo kaiden) also require mastery of secret weapons (hibuki) and the art of throwing shuriken.

Head instructor

I am responsible (daihyo) for the Happó ryu style and the granting of technical degrees in it. From the chuden level it is possible to open your own dojo (shibu), from the Menkyo kaiden level you can establish your own line of the school.

Deshi - students

When acheaving a certain level it is possible to take exams for the relevant technical degree. In our style, these are in the hierarchy of mon iri, shoden, chuden, okuden, menkyo kaiden. Advanced senpai students participate in teaching of the beginners kohai.

Tameshigiri

Basic info

Tameshigiri is a traditional discipline of testing the cutting abilities of a Japanese swords and / or the swordsmen, in which the level of mastery of the cutting technique is verified on standardized material. As such it is a mandatory part of the practice in Hakuzan dojo as a raquirement for a full understanding of the technique. During our training and Taikai competitions organized by our dojo we use tatami omote as makiwara (cut object). These mats offer the same resistance as the human body when rolled up and soaked in water.

Taikai

A tournament in this discipline that we organize regularly. During the tournament adepts of Japanese sword with various previous specialization backgrounds (kendo, iaido, hema, historical fencing...) can compete and test and apply their previous experience in practice.

Events

Our dojo participates (including Tameshigiri) in public exhibitions at cultural events mainly focused on Japan.

Our activities

In 2012 our Hakuzan dojo was the first entity in Czech Republic to organize Tameshigiri Taikai, and currently we organize tournaments with international participation on regular bases.

Ara Tameshi - extreme tameshigiri

I also tried extreme tests which historically took place several centuries ago. Helmet cutting (kabutówari) was in the 20th century was successfully performed by only four masters including myself. Teppó giri (cutting rifle barrel). I also tried as per master Nakayama Hakudō a very difficult tameshigiri using only bare blade (toshin) with the handle removed and held only by the tang "nakago". From the more usual extreme tameshigiri, I tested futomaki (cutting a bundle of several mats rolled into one extremely thick makiwara) or yoko narabi (cutting several mats placed next to each other like a fence).

Shuriken-jutsu

Basic info

For many years now I have been devoted to the Japanese art of throwing blades called "shuriken jutsu". I have won the Shuriden Jutsu Taikai several times (always 1st place). In addition to the traditional bo shuriken (kugigata, futabari gata), after meeting with the five-time knife throwing world champion Adam Čeladín, I began to study his unique no spin throwing method and to apply it to various Japanese blade weapons.

Taikai

It is a competition in "shihoken shuriken" (four-pointed star) throwing which is easy for untrained individuals. We organize shuriken taikai at the regular Japanese culture festival "Advík".

Personal development

I plan to work hard on my skills so that one day I could aim for all-Japan shuriken jutsu competition. That's why I practice the art of shuriken jutsu as well as the art of the Japanese sword every day.

Gekiken

Basic info

It is a free fencing with softened gekikentō swords that allows the applied training techniques to be carried out at full speed, very close to the reality of real combat. It is one of the disciplines required in the Hakuzan dojo for a complete understanding of the art of the Japanese sword. In Gekiken any part of the body is a considered a target that can be attacked with a cut or thrust. Unlike for example in kendo no protective armor (bogu) is used. Apart of the main dojo (honbu), the Hakuzan dojo, Gekiken is also taught in the individual dojos (shibu).

Taikai

A tournament in the Gekiken discipline which we organize is also visited by international participants. During the tournament swordsmen with various previous specialization backgrounds (kendo, iaido, hema, historical fencing...) can compete and test and apply their previous experience in practice. Technical grades can be obtained by winning the tournament. Gekiken Taikai is often held at the same time as the Tameshigiri Taikai.

My activities

I have designed Gekiken as part of Happó ryu in a way that it would be possible to verify techniques in real time and space, and so the understanding of the path of the sword would became more complex and so also the rules of the match reflect that. Those are based on the a martial arts requirement of surviving rather than scoring a point a fraction of a second earlier as often presented in sport fencing. In such a situation, an aiuchi (simultaneous hit) would be inevitable, which would inevitably lead to the death of both combatants. That is why Gekiken rules punish aiuchi.

Gekiken-jutsu Federation

Today is the international Gekiken-jutsu Federation is a legal entity covering the Gekiken discipline guaranteeing its authentic form and quality. The federation creates tournament rules and at the same time allows partner dojos after verifying their qualities to open their own branch (shibu). The Gekiken tournaments organized by the federation or under its auspices are regular and allow one to get technical degrees for victories achieved.

Articles about martial arts

  • Asiaskop 11.7.2022, History of Japanese political assassinations and the consequences of the last one

  • Asiaskop 13.9.2021, The traditions of authority in China and Japan

  • Fighter´s magazín (Fighter´s magazine) 2021/5, Japanese sword, myths and reality

  • Fighter´s magazín (Fighter´s magazine) 2020/3, Jutte, the medieval Japanese arresting means

  • Fighter´s magazín (Fighter´s magazine) 2019/9, Japanese spear - Yari

  • Fighter´s magazín (Fighter´s magazine) 2019/1, Japanese sword etiquette

  • Fighter´s magazín (Fighter´s magazine) 2017/7, The Japanese Middle ages walked through Prague for the second time.

  • Fighter´s magazín (Fighter´s magazine) 2016/11, True resistancy of a medieval armour

  • Fighter´s magazín (Fighter´s magazine) 2015/7, Tameshigiri In Japan

  • Fighter´s magazín (Fighter´s magazine) 2015/3, Yamada Nagamasa´s legacy, meeting of Japanese sword and Muay Boran

  • Fighter´s magazín (Fighter´s magazine) 2014/11, The soul of the sword in Hodonin

  • Literární noviny 2013/49, Explosive porcelain

  • Literární noviny 2013/49, Prague summer of the Chinese painter

  • Forbes 2013/November, Who is going to buy the Chinese Mona Lisa

  • Fighter´s magazín (Fighter´s magazine) 2013/5, Choosing the Japanese sword

  • Fighter´s magazín (Fighter´s magazine) 2012/11, Fukuda Shuichi sensei

  • Fighter´s magazín (Fighter´s magazine) 2012/9, Tameshigiri taikai

  • Fighter´s magazín (Fighter´s magazine) 2012/5-6, Notes from Japan during the sakura time

  • Fighter´s magazín (Fighter´s magazine) 2012/3-4, Nodachi, giant japanese swords

  • Fighter´s magazín (Fighter´s magazine) 2012/1, Shidokai a Nakagawa sensei

  • Fighter´s magazín (Fighter´s magazine) 2011/1-2, Nakagawa sensei – visit in Czech Republic

  • Fighter´s magazín (Fighter´s magazine) 2008/2, Japanese sword – how to recognize an ogirinal from a replika

  • Fighter´s magazín (Fighter´s magazine) 2007/11-12, Matsuba Ichiro

  • Fighter´s magazín (Fighter´s magazine) 2007/9-10, Kaigunto a shingunto

  • Fighter´s magazín (Fighter´s magazine) 2007/1-2, Wakizashi

  • 100+1 zahraniční zajímavost, Hibuki

  • Fighter´s magazín (Fighter´s magazine) 2006/9-10, Tameshigiri

  • Fighter´s magazín (Fighter´s magazine) 2006/9-10, Visit of Japanese master Ichiro Matsuba Kunimasa

  • Fighter´s magazín (Fighter´s magazine) 2007/3-4, Iaito or shinken

  • Fighter´s magazín (Fighter´s magazine) 2007/3-4, Fujimoto – K1 legend in Prague

  • Fighter´s magazín (Fighter´s magazine) 2006/7-8, Hibuki – hidden Japanese weapons

  • Fighter´s magazín (Fighter´s magazine) 2006/5-6, Yakuza

  • Fighter´s magazín (Fighter´s magazine) 2006/5-6, Tanto

  • Fighter´s magazín (Fighter´s magazine) 2006/3-4, Jutte

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