Three members of Hikari Dojo Košice, Marián, Sergej, and Adriana, arrived in the Polish town of Raciborz already on Friday evening. They were welcomed at the main square by a pleasant pre-Christmas atmosphere, which they fully enjoyed. Later, friends from Toreikan Dojo joined them in a local restaurant, and the evening was spent in the spirit of friendly conversations, good food, and sharing training experiences both inside and outside the dojo.
The iaido seminar itself took place in December under the guidance of Norio Furuichi Sensei, hachidan, kyoshi. On Saturday, Sensei provided very detailed explanations and demonstrations of all ZNKR kata, placing special emphasis on the recent changes discussed within the All Japan Kendo Federation about half a year ago. Participants were divided into groups according to their technical level, with each group led by an experienced nanadan or rokudan.
Saturday’s training concluded with examinations for 1st kyu and 1st dan. From our dojo, Sergej successfully passed the 1st kyu examination, and we would like to extend our heartfelt congratulations to him.
Sunday was dedicated to intensive practice. Early in the morning, everyone had the opportunity to try tsuki into a “pizza box,” followed by drawing the sword and turning. For many, this was a new and very enriching experience. During this practice, Sensei walked among us, offering valuable advice and joyfully demonstrating how the technique should be performed correctly. A relaxed and friendly atmosphere prevailed in the dojo, and it was clear that everyone truly enjoyed the training.
In conclusion, we would like to thank Furuichi Sensei for his detailed instruction, patience, and the many valuable insights we are taking away from this seminar. It was a weekend full of iaido, inspiration, and good spirits.
