Ishizuka Yoshifumi

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Kyoshi 8th Dan Ishizuka Sensei from Osaka during the kendo seminar at OSULA Dojo (Osaka Sangyo University, L.A.) Feb. 22, 2004

Sensei Yoshifumi Ishizuka, Kyoshi 8th Dan (Osaka Police) has been visiting dojos outside of Japan for the last 5 years to teach kendo.

1 Culture and traditions
2 Ishizuka's Kendo Fundamentals
3 References
4 External Links
5 See also

[edit] Culture and traditions

Osaka castle- - An Edo-era splendor

Osaka kendo dojos have a long history going back to the most significant cultural development in the Tokugawa (Edo period) - the culture of the townspeople. The creative energy of the townspeople was manifested in all artistic areas - prose fiction, haiku poetry, kabuki theatre^[1] and particularly swrodsmanship. During this time of peace and prosperity, samurai wore no armor, dexterity of skills were required, which laid a foundation for the modern kendo^[2]. During the Meiji restoration when the samurai's special status was disolved, at local level the new police system considered themselves to be the heirs to the Tokugawa samurai. Today Osaka Police shelters several hanshi such as Kaku Toshohiko, Honorary Instructor and Shihan for the Osaka University of Dentistry and Kansai Electric Company^[3], Okuzono Kuniyoshi, Professor of Kendo at the Police Academy (retired), Vice President of Outline of All Japan Kendo Federation (AJKF)^[4].

[edit] Ishizuka's Kendo Fundamentals

The many masters who have molded Kendo through its long period of growth have created a large organized body of teqniques of great sophistication. These man have perfected both Kendo technical method and Kendo theory. The only way to growth and development in Kendo is to study under a good teacher and to reslove and master the basics (fundamentals) of the art^[5]. Below is a gallery of some Kendo fundamentals shown by Ishizuka Sensei during his visits in southern California (Los Angeles and San Diego).

Formal kneeling position, or seiza.	Correct grip (Nigiri) - the left hand is aligned with the center of the body (Chushin, Hara or Dantian).	The Shinai should form a natural extension of the arms.	A version of Chudan-no-kamae, a threat is projected at the opponent’s throat by way of the point of ones shinai.
Shomen-uchi - center men strike with relaxed shoulders and elbow not stretched.	Shomen-uchi when upper body is not leaning forward.	An attack step (jumping in - fumi-komi).	Sensei Ishizuka as moto-dachi during practice and using mawashi - shifting his body out of the attack line.

[edit] References

^ Japan, A Short History by Mikuso Hane, Oneworld Publications, Oxford, 2000, p.54
^ Kendo, Its Philosophy History and Means to Personal Growth by Minoru Kiyota. Kegan Paul International, 1995, p.61.
^ Hanshi Says... Kendo World 3(2), 2005, pp. 36-39.
^ Hanshi Says... Kendo World 3(1), 2004, pp.18-21.
^ Fundamental Kendo by AJKF, Japan Publications, Inc., 1973, on the soft cover