WELCOME TO THE
SHIN BU KAN DOJO (ROCHESTER)
ABOUT US
The Shin Bu Kan Dojo at Rochester is placed in the centre of the Medway Towns in North Kent. It is one member of a group of dojos that practice Muso Shinden Ryu Iaido and Zen Nihon Kendo Renmei Seitei no Gata.
Iaido is a Japanese martial art or budo, usually translated as 'the way of drawing the sword and cutting', although 'the way of being prepared' is possibly more accurate. In iaido the practitioner performs kata, or forms, using a Japanese sword.
The Shin Bu Kan was founded by Victor Cook Sensei, 7th Dan Kyoshi, in Brighton in 1979. Cook Sensei was introduced to iaido by Ishido Shizufumi Sensei, 8th Dan Hanshi, who runs the Shin Bu Kan dojo in Tokyo, Japan. The Rochester dojo started in 2001 and is led by Tony Devine Sensei, 6th Dan. The dojo currently practices on Mondays and Thursdays.
Mondays 7:30pm - 9:30pm
St. Mary's Island Community Centre
Island Way West
St. Mary's Island
Chatham Maritime
Chatham
Kent ME4 3PA
Thursdays 7:30pm - 9:30pm
Burham Old School
Community Centre
Rochester Road
Burham
Kent ME1 3SF
TRAINING AT THE DOJO
The Shin Bu Kan Dojo at Rochester has two training sessions a week, on Mondays and Thursdays. Each are two hours in duration. In a typical session time will be spent on studying basic techniques (kihon) on using the Japanese long sword (katana) in its application to iaido. Time will also be spent studying either the twelve forms (kata) that make up the Zen Nippon Kendo Renmei Seitei no Gata, a series of kata that is practiced worldwide by ZNKR affiliated dojos, or the forty-three kata that make up the traditional school (koryu) syllabus of Muso Shinden Ryu iaido - a style that has developed over the past three hundred years.
In addition to the dojo's normal weekly activity there are the opportunities to attend all day training sessions led by Victor Cook sensei, and to attend seminars in the UK and Europe.
Dojo fees are currently (2024) £30 per month. This allows the individual to train at any of the Monday and Thursday sessions held in that month. Additional costs are charged for training sessions outside of the dojo (e.g. with Cook sensei or seminars).
Information on starting iaido with the Shi Bu Kan Dojo (Rochester), can be found here.
Information regarding our teachers (sensei), can be found here.
INSURANCE
Please note that it is necessary to join the British Kendo Association (BKA) for insurance and grading purposes. The BKA is the governing body for Kendo, Iaido, and Jodo in the UK and is affiliated to the European Kendo Federation and the ZNKR. Before joining speak to Tony Devine, the dojo sensei, about the temporary membership scheme for new members.
The dojo currently has two British Kendo Association Level 2 Coaches (Tony Devine, 6th Dan, and Richard Reader, 4th Dan).
“The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting.”
Sun Tzu, The Art of War
CONTACT US
Monday 7:30-9:30pm
St. Mary's Island Community Centre
Island Way West
St. Mary's Island
Chatham Maritime
Chatham
Kent ME4 3PA
01634 814590