Bushido

This is a short attempt, to give some content to the word
Bushido, which is used with much lightness and easiness,

when one talks about, Japanese Arts of Budo. I believe

that, we should understand the philosophical concept,

but take into consideration, the times in which we live...

today.
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Sensei Alex DaCosta

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Bushido

= Way of the Warrior Kamakura (Shogun) 1192 =

Warrior principals of the Minamoto Clan

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The three eras of Bushido
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1 = Kyuba No Michi = (Way of the arch and of chevalery)

it begins in the period of the Taira - Minamoto rivalry

XI - XV _ 1600.
2 = Reformed Bushido = Tokugawa (Shogun)
1603 - XVII.

3 = Modern Bushido = Restoration of the Imperial regime in

the beginning of the Meiji Era (1868). Bushido becomes popular

for the book " Bushido to soul of Japan " of Nitobe (1899).
One treats the Bushido as the result (name that was gaven much

later) of a long inheritance of precepts, Shintoists, Buddhists,
Confucionists, Nationalists, Chinese or diverted from the

severe customs of a rural people, where there was , the

reverence, for ancestors, the obedience to a Sovereign, the trial

of the spirit, the patience, the resignation to the inevitable and

to scorn for death. In spite of all the influences, Bushido

is the expression of the Japanese pure and hard character.
Giri=Duty, Correction, Rectitude. Budo Shoshin
Shu = Elementary Readings on Bushido. Daidoji Yuzan

(1639-1730). Buke Sho Hatto = Tokugawa Ieyasu (Shogun)

codification of Samurai Ethic . Koyo Gunkan XVII = Kosaka

Danjo Nabumasa e Obata Kagenori (1572-1662). It takes, as

model, Takeda Shingen, of Kaishu island (unbeaten) .

The main ideia of the Gunkan, is " that any begun battle, has

to be own ". Hagakure 1716 = Hidden under under the leaves =

Yamamoto Tsunetomo ( Saga clan) = Kyushu.

HAGAKURE = The death is the central subject =

It comes to the conclusion of which, Bushido means the

death. When it is needed to chose between life and death,

what matters is, to be able to choose without hesitation,

without weighing, the pros and cons, in infinite indecisions. It is

necessary, to be able to decide simply and ... to act. The idea,

according to which it is absurd to die, before the proposed

objectives have been reached , it is despicable and frivolous,
characteristics of those persons from Kyoto and Osaka.
That we all, would prefer life over death, it is an undeniable

fact and therefore, so many people believe that, what we

prefer, is what is just. In fact, he who cannot live assisting the

defeat of his ambitions, he is a "whiner". It is unnecessary to

think, that we would not be able to die, leaving objectives

to be carryied out. It is false, it is not a shame . It is there

and only there, that passes the true Way of Bushido . If

the Samurai practices the introspection and to autocriticism,

at every moment, and if on the other hand, he is disposed

to abandon life, when and where it is necessary, he will be

perfect, in all the Martial Arts and it will live, a life pure as

a diamond.

CONCLUSION = Between two solutions : life or death, it is

always worth choosing death. Between an expressed love

and a secret love, it is better, to choose to be concealed and

choose the secret love.

SEPPUKU (hara-kiri) = Ritual of suicide by opening of the

belly. Opposite to the normal current of Shinto, who sees

death, like something very unpleasant. But the rules of the

Bushido : despise death, total submission and loyalty to

a Feudal Lord, when allied to the idea of the Hagakure, that

made Seppuku become a common ritual among the Samurai

class . Buddhism accentuated equally, the foundation of this

custom of personal immolation as " sign of loyalty ".
The Seppuku was effectuated :
1 = To release oneself from a mistake or fault ;
2 = When the Lord died, to show him loyalty ;
3 = To show one´s displeasure on any decision or

attitude, in this case the Seppuku, was effectuated in front of

the Lord´s front door . Example of this, was in 1945 after the

Surrender of Japan to the Allies, numerous hight personalities,

committed Seppuku in front of the Imperial Palace. This ritual

was very rarely approved by the Great Masters. In 1663 the

Bafuku (feudal government) forbid the Seppuku, and it imposes

very heavy santions on the familie of the suicide,

withdrawl of all the belongings and the fault would fall on the

children, (the men would be condemned to Seppuku and the

women would be banished).
In 1882 a complement to the Edict of the Seppuku, will prohibit
totally the practice of this ritual. The last two famous suicides

were, general Nogi and his wife, during the funeral ceremonies

of the Emperor Meiji. The most recent , was that of the writer

Mishima Yukio, in protest against the evolution or for the

direction that the evolution of the Japanese took . The Seppuku

was a punishment of the Emperor, as in 1868 in Kobe, for the

soldiers, commanded by Samurai, that fired on foreigners in

the port of Kobe.

SAMURAI = officially the Samurais appeared in the Heian Era

(794-1192). When the Fujiwara family , "took" the functions of

1st Minister and the insecurity reigned in all Japan, even in

Heian Kyo (Kyoto), it is then that the chiefs of clans, owners of

lands and farms, employed people for " protection ", so Samurai

appeared , (word that means " to feel beside ").
Two great rival families, distinguished at this time, the Taira

and the Minamoto. Yoritomo Minamoto destroyed the Taira,

in the celebrated naval battle of Dan No Ura (1185).

ANCIENT BUSHIDO = Kamakura Era (1192-1333)
Yoritomo Minamoto, reorganizes Japan and reinforces
" Kyuba No Michi ". The capital. is Heian Kyo, and the Zen is

introduced to reinforce the moral principals of the Samurai, it

is introduced then, the strict obedience to Feudal Lords.

Mongol Invasions = 1274 and 1281.

Mongols, Koreans and Chinese try to invade Kyushu the island

South of Japan , but they sudenly went away, after losing

around 13.500 men, in a sea storm. The Japanese built then,

defenses along the sea coast, walls of 2.10m of height for 2.80m

of thickness. In 1281 again in Kyushu, two immense fleets

appeared one of 50.000 and another one of 100.000 men. The

battle lasted forty nine days. The Mongols would have won

again, but a Typhoon, destroyed their armys in two days .

The Typhoon was called : " Kamikaze " in other words ,

"God of the Wind" . Japan maintained a close vigilance, held tight

up to 1320. After the death of Kubalai in 1294 the Mongols

abandond the idea of conquering Japan.
Muromachi Era = (1336-1574) period of anarchy due to the

ruling of the Ashikaga clan . During fifty years, up to 1392,

Japan will have two Emperors : one to North, imposed by the

Shogun and another to the South, considered the oficial one. In

1392 Kyoto, was destroyed, due to the war between clans and

families. 1574 sees the appearance of three dictators:

Oda Nobunaga, Hideyoshi and Tokugawa Ieyasu. All of

modest origin , up to that time, all of the great figures, were

of noble origin. It was especially Hideyoshi that fixed the rural

people to the fields and imposed extemely hard laws .

REFORMED BUSHIDO = A blend of Conficiunismo and Zen,

began with the Tokugawa Shogun in 1603. This government

lasts 264 years and it is basicly a Samurai government .

It is the Edo Era (1603-1868) period of peace, in which the

Samurai had the right over life and death, over anyone of

inferior class.

Due to the peacefull times, many Samurai became farmers,

craftsmen or Ronin (Samurai without a Lord) or " Samurai

without a job " and many became military officers .
The Ancient Bushido, was already, not corresponding to the

new realities. The famous monk Zen Takuan (1573-1645)

explains Bushido, from Zen´s point of view ; many authors

write Confucionist versions. The Tokugawa Era sees the start

of the repression over foreigners: Englishmen, French,

Americans, Portugueses, Spaniards and Russians

who were trying to establish commercial relations with Japan

and they where confronted with an absolute opposition. 1854

Comodore Perry, in command of a strong fleet, will impose a

heavy defeat, and took Japan to sign a treaty, that included

most of Western nations, and finished the long period of

isolation. So suddenly Japan takes conscience of his retard,

(200 years), in relation to the Western countries.

In 1868 (Shogun XV) the Shogun returns the political power

to the Emperor. Between 1803 and 1867 , there would exist ,

between 450.000 and 500.000 Samurai.

MODERN BUSHIDO = 1868 marks the end of Shogun Era, in

1870 the Emperor Meiji, abolishes feudalism formally ; 1872

the Samurai, are obliged to stop wearing their traditional hairdo;

1875 carring the sword, is prohibited and it´s teaching as well .

Saigo Takamori revolts, with 42.000 warriors, but it was

defeated by 60.000 soldiers of the government, in 1877.

Bushido, keeps on being the fundamental aspect of the great

business, the economical competition was driven by a small

number of men that pass the interests of the " Great Japan "

above particular interests. The Bushido is the unwritten law

of Japan, the Japanese mentality are still strongly impregnated,

so the change is very dificult. The society is established, upon

the idea of blind loyalty and interdependence.
The unity of the family is still very strong. The diffusion
of Buddhism and Confucionism, is the deep sense of the Shinto

Spirit itself, and it reinforces this state of mind .

The " Great Japan ", led to what we know as :

Japanese Militarism .

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Budo Trip to Japan

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...............Masters at 2007 BUDOSAI Bisham London

Sensei Alex DaCosta
2008 Agenda

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January.............26~27 ...........Quarteira Algarve.... Portugal
June ................. 21~22........... Gdansk....................Poland
June ..................28~29............ Hull... Yorkshire... ..England
September.2008 BUDOSAI.5/6/7.....Bisham...............England

For details please e-mail CyberBudo

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============== ////////////////===============
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CyberBudo

Is very pleased to annonce A TRIP OF A LIFETIME
a superb package deal to include direct flights, 3 centre (Kyoto.

Kobe & Tokyo),top hotel accommodation with breakfast ,
Bullet train tickets, training with top masters and tickets to the
World Karate Championships in the Budokan,Tokyo

(if required). Plus guides and sightseeing trips. This is suitable

for all serious students/instructors to benefit from this lifetime

opportunity. To provide the best service we have to limit this

group to 40 people whio will be accompanied by Hanshi

Terry Wingrove (resident in Japan for 21 years) The total all

in cost will be £2000 and we would ask those interested to

e-mail us ASAP at at sensei@cyberbudo.com ~

ref JAPAN TRIP for full details.

Budo

These rudimentary notes, were accumulated along my
stay in Japan of 70/73, with the intention of serving, some
day, to be part of the material, to be published, some time
around the year ..........? They reflect a lots of conversations
maintained, in a quite serious environment and with sincerely
interested people, in the deep study of Budo, with some
Masters of several Arts but specialy with Don Draeger, perhaps
one of most serious Ocidental Budoka , which, during 25 years
settled down in Singapur, where he established the magazine
" Martial Arts International ", of which I was a correspondent.
The world of sensations, that these notes hardly emerge, was
brought to me by the familiarity, with Mtr. Hayabuchi Iai-Do
9th Dan , National Monument of Japan for his knoledge in the
Arts of Kembu, Sho Do and Kabuki,( died in 1998) and whose
memory and spirit will accompany me for the rest of my days.
These notes are like the route drawn in a small map of the
Oceans, so they have a tiny dimension, when compared
with the real dimension of the World of the Budo ... "

Sensei Alex DaCosta


" There are two mountains .... where there is light and wisdom,
the mountain of Nature ...... and the mountain of the Gods,
between them stretches out ... the gloomy valley of men...
When once, one of them .......... looks at the top,
he feels a sign...................... an inextinguishable nostalgia,
he, who knows that............. does not know anything...
for those, who do not know ... that, they know nothing...
and for those, who know .......... that they, know everything .... "

Budo

The Great Masters taught that man does not live, in the past,
not in the future, but he lives in this moment ...(here and now)
BUDO = Way of the warrior ( includes all M.A.), it associates
closely the spirit and the body in a transformation or total
change. It is not possible to practice Budo for amusement or
pastime. We cannot approche BUDO lightly, it is a serious
decision. As soon as our feet touch the Dojo´s surface,
we are committed forever.
The Westerners need to understand and to analize, with a
critical spirit and to draw conclusions. Qualities that become
rapidly an enormous impechement, if we maintain this
attitude. An agitated and very occupied person cannot
understand or listen to the "silence". We can not learn if we
imagine that a discipline is, " by itself ", the finality of
all the things. If we oppose the body to the spirit, the
technique to the spiritual , if we believe that we will be able
to keep for us, everything that was been given to us :
" a received idea, will become a wall before the horizon " .
Every teaching presupposes stages (levels), but it is not
" to reach a goal ". The objective is to reach that moment
where the change operates, where the movement
produces movement, where man becomes his own Master.
Therefore the traditional teaching, puts the importance on
"practice", avoiding the verbal explanations, for reasons
that are obvious ... (words are obstacles).
What does it mean, the search, of the efficiency, at all cost ?
Such discussions, that oppose the “white” to the “black”, forget
that the body is a debate in itself, that we will not be able to talk
about real efficiency without the total power of the body and the
spirit. once we carry out this power, even a little bit, the man
notices, by himself, what is the sense of the "Way" and of the
"Search". Any discussion becomes a superhaste.The modern
myths of Supermen, the Invincible ones, they are a
dangerous invitation, stretching the arch of the energy to the
point in which the rope breaks, moment in which the man
"implodes" totally. Even if such Men become, commercial idols,
which are imposed to the wonder of the public, they will remain
on being disarticulated, animated by unreal energies and
powers, that because of not having been really assimilated, it
will turn, fataly against themselves...The "energy" is ... what we
do with it. It can become a fountain of life or a fountain of
death, of creation or of destruction. It does not exist a
particular wisdom in Budo, but Budo does not escape, to the
Universal Wisdom, which finality is not, nor the retraction
neither to dissection of the "Being", but realy, the plenitude and
harmony. To "Be", it is in this sense, to know, and to know, it
is to add energy to the energy, life to the life, love to the love.
This is the " Universal Way ". Those who really look for
" the way ", realize that, what is true teaching :is the "hard"
practice (witch is, the apprenticeship of the essential techniques),
it must allie with the "gentle" practice, like the movement must
be the expression of "breathing". If the practice is unilateral,
there will be, blockage and sooner or later the " road accident ",
(the diviation from the right direction ), will hapen...
Budo expresses life, it is therefore why, many Masters adapt
the received teachings and create new personal synthesis.
Such synthesis leed, frequently, to "perfecting", to "clarify" and
to "simplify" the fundamental "nucleus" and not gather new
techniques, to other techniques. If many Masters practice
different disciplines, (Iaido,Judo, Karate, Bo, Kyudo, etc.), it is
because, they are fascinated to find in the different Budo, the
same basic principles. The great tree of tradition, has a trunk
and inalterable roots, but the branches, they express, at the
same time Life and the "Become". The emanation of all realities
(the famous ”here and now”) it joins, with respect and deep
reverence the Universal Laws. When the feeling of the sacred,
is born, it is nothing rare at all or mystical, it is an everyday
life´s fact, a glance that includes the individual inside a "Whole".
Such feeling is born of the participation of the complet “whole
being", in this Universal fact, with which it links, it feels in deep
harmony. This harmony, is not another thing than, life itself.
The life integrates itself in the "become", what expresses the
law of the rotation and also the vibration of the continous and
discontinuous. The dialectic reasoning, the mechanic, the
quantitative thing ... everything that is the emanation of the
Western modern culture, breaks the natural "become" of the
things, it breaks the expontanious order. Conceptual and
abstract systems, have substituted this order.The rule, the
implicit "play" of life, have no longer place any more, the gentle
hierarchy stays away, (and by this fact), counter-nature is
produced and only conflicts result. It is significant to see how
the idea of "play", meaning, apprenticeship of the things on
their own, which exists in Budo. The custom, (that all Great
Masters, from Musashi to Ueshiba, practiced), of walking from
school to school, facing adversaries, to measure their efficiency,
this custom only has a time. What happens, when the Master
feels that he is the strongest ? He leaves the struggle, the
competitions and searches to know more. The meditation,
(abstinence), and the retirement, very often, during several
years, they substitute the fighting. And sometimes the
"enlightnement" is produced : that means the perception, at the
peak of the volunteer effort, of a non-will, even bigger and more
efficient, but this time, it does not look to cut the enemy, since
there is already, no adversary,"the other, became the Oneself "
The reality is not but a efect of mirrors, reflecting exactly what
we put infront of them. The " Enlightnement of the Masters " is
the expression, this time, of a vision of totality. Fundamental
experience, putting out all the oppositions, the interpenetration
of all the things, the indiscribeble movement of " becoming ",
the institution of one atemporal space-time, imperceptible
sliding of energies that are at the same time : light, vibrations
and sounds, all that, translating a strength so powerful and
sudden , that only the word Love in it´s most absolute sense,
can answer . The Orientals, very little inclined, to talk about
even simpler things, guard deep secrets of such experiences,
and precisely in Japan, there is a whole secret power of Budo,
and numerous Masters, who have taken refuge in the
Mountain, continue their lonely retirement.
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......

Iai-Do

Iai-Do

The spirit of the Martial Arts is not different, from the spirit

of the traditional Budo . The Budo is a Way, is to start a

discipline, a science, a technique whose essencial principles,

can be found through all the other disciplines.
The times changed, but the fundamental principles, the deep

science of the movements, the gestures, the breathing, the

energy, the tactic ... remain immutable. Those principles, are

the root, ( secret enough, in some cases), of the tree of the

Martial Arts known today.The unitary vision of the principles,

continues be an alive reality. Our Western spirit has a big
difficulty, in conceiving, how the idea of the Sword, that

symbolizes, precisely a weapon of death, can be connected to

a plan of wisdom and more still, to the notion of Way.

Therefore, certainly more than the traditional wisdom, to

which we are acustomed, more than the idea of

contemplation, back to itself , to resign the world, to resign

the material things of life and more than the septic idea , that

she points to, the Way of the Sword, in her final definition,

includes in it, all of the essential paces of the wisdom, and

in a certain way, takes their expressions to the Absolut.

Evidently, we do not already have the necessary conditions,

and it is even extremely díficult to conceive, what would be

the definition and the application of the Way of the Sword in

Japan. Therefore the texts that arrived to us and the tradition

that remained in certain old schools (Koryu) give this idea,

more or less close or a representation than what could signify
this Way. Only the practice and the total endeavor of oneself,

gives the true sense to the Way.

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== Ki == Universal energy

The spirit and the body are two apparently distinct entities,

however the spirit command the body (what is one of the

rules of Budo). The interior achievement, the real efficiency,

the fulfillment of all the action, commands the union of the

body and of the spirit. The energy that carries out that union,

is called the KI, this energy obeys to the spirit that can orient

it, control it in a point, make it flow. ..etc. The Ki is the secret

of all of the Budo, there is not possibility of some progress in

any Martial Art without the control of the Ki, it is defined as

original vital energy, be it as "breathing", be it as spirit. It is

necessary to understand, behind these words, lays an unique

reality, therefore the Ki, fundamental energy of the Universe

(what links, what unites everything), is also the true body of

the things in it´s subtle sense. So the Ki can unite to the

"breathing", to the spirit and be at same time the emanation

of the "breathing" or of the spirit. Ki is the life, while Ki exists,

the life continues, when the vital energy disappears the life

puts out itself. The domain of the Ki signifies in this way the

control of life, of health, of harmony and therefore of the

energy in general. The death is the ending of the Ki, it´s

therefore the hopeless detachment of the body and of the

spirit. Inversely, the more we will maintain the Ki, the more

we will prolong life. If the Ki gives, at least that immortality,

it is because, it is the energy or original power that manifests

itself, since the creation of the Universe, and that is why, the

man being to emanation of the Universal Nature, all the

knowledge returns and comes back to the Nature, thit is for

all men the Golden Rule

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== HARA ==

How to set the Ki? How to learn how to feel it, how to

exercise it and how to Project it ? All of the Budo Arts agree

about a point: the control of the energy passes through the

Hara. The control of the Hara, translates itself often, wrongly,

by control of the belly. The Hara can be imagined as a circle,

that would be the center of a diffuse energy. It is evident that

the center of gravity is always dropped, if we will relax the

body, the force comes down naturally to the lower body, and

this location is the Hara, that is situated two centimeters below

the navel. However if the Hara represents a circle, his central

point is called Seika-no-Itten, what means "The Unique Point"

and that is the true balance point of the Ki, or of all the vital

energy of the body. This point, is the geometrical,

psychological, spiritual, location, where the laws of the spirit
and of the body conjugate.This knowledge alone, permits the

physical and mental coordination, without the which, all the

power is barely momentary and illusory

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== Fundamental Rules ==

The "Nuki" should redress itself of a most supreme, deep ,

and wise form. The natural expression of itself , therefore the

" Nuki " should be the unit of the three principles : "Real,

Beautyfull and Right". Fundamental rule: "One unsheathe...

one life...". Put your life, in the hands of one unsheathe of
sword, "Nuki" is learned without Verb. If you want to live in

the harmony of heaven and earth, agreement that is the Way

of the Iai-Do, don´t try to reach the objective, don´t try to

find the pleasure of the objective, take the road of the union

between the soul and the body. The identification of the

conscience of the "Nuki" and the action of "Nuki", this is the

true form of the "Nuki". All the training that does not have the

Spirit of the Way, can contain violence, the "Nuki" without

the Way, becomes mediocre and degenerated, because the

true "I" or the "I" authentic, is the divinity, the Buddhism or

Inner Self, is especially the immortal soul that resides Fìsicly
in the Belly (tanden). This pure soul that exists in the Tanden,

works efficiently, and is correctly what should be called the

true "I". The disciples of Iai-Do that want to live on this, most

supreme and noble Way, should never forget, neither by an

instant, that only the big spirit of desinteressament, and the
abandonment of themseves , can permit to enter the Sacred

world of the Absolute "No Ego" and "There" achive the

Supreme Beautiful. It is therefore necessary to separate the

Way of the Iai-Do and the technic of the "Nuki" = Iai-jutsu.

The Iai-Do is a Test of the "I", created for the relation that
exists between the adversary and the "I", while the Iai-jutsu is

the handling of the weapon aiming at to kill the enemy. To

grab the moment of vulnerability is the point of the Great

Masters. That is why it is said, that the adversary should

continue transparent and that at the same time is necessary
"to see and not see the adversary, look at him, as you look at

the Mountain in the distance"..." the adversary is the mirror

of himself ", it is therefore a fight against oneself that the Arts

of Budo, invite in its purpose. It is therefore necessary the
meditation and the silence to obtain the calm of the "clear

water", a state of mind without tension, a total interior

calmness, an Absolute Disatchement. "Pure mirror, Quite

water" or "The refletion of the Moon over the water",
healthy examples of the state of that one, that being a

Master acquired a similar, interior harmony, to the subtle

union of the refletions of the Moon over the Water.
The Kiai in battle can be definite as a force of union between

the spirit and the body (or the sword), so we can say, that the

totality of the physical body...is invested in the Art, as the

totality of the spiritual functions as well.
Finally the Sword represents the vector unique of those

forces, unifying them and concentrating them in one point.

This "point" is the final objective that decides to Way of a

progression, at the of which, the Sword and the Battle are

only the instruments of a different achievement,diferent

and inexpressable of the Life Itself.

............

Iaido Dojo

Iaido Dojo

The Faro Iaido Dojo was inaugurated, in September of 2001, with

the objective of divulge Iaido as an Art of self-improvement of it´s

practitioners. The Dojo is to be used, exclusively by adults and

performs-itself in free regime, meening, without determined hours

and without practice time limit . The Dojo is situated in the Prct. Dr.

Aleixo da Cunha, nº 8 in Faro and has the following contacts :

iaidojo@gmail.com and Mobile : 00351-937303071
In the Dojo, we practice Kosheta Ryu Batto Do wich kata are based

on the following Koryu : Eishin Ryu, Shigen Ryu, Araki Ryu, Seitei,

Tamiya Ryu, Katori Shinto Ryu, Muso Ryu, Ogawa Ryu, Shinkage

Ryu, Toyama Ryu and Kenjutsu for the more advanced members.

The Dojo can be utilized by passing practitioners , as local of

training, without any technical interference, from the Dojo´s

responsible body or by his practitioners. It is required, however,

an "absolutly adquate" behavior.

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The Dojo´s owner and tecnical director is :

Sensei Alex DaCosta

Kosheta Ryu Batto Do

8th Dan Hanshi

(practicioner of the Arts of Budo since 1953)

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