Toyama Ryu Battodo (Nakamura-ha) teach practical 20th century battlefield sword-drills and cutting t
05/05/2025
I thought the "Kenkon" Sword-spirit kanji by Nakamura sensei I copied would be befitting for this painting with the Japanese symbol in the background. The two swordsmen are from an old Sydney School of Japanese Swordsmanship action photo: Darren Chapter drawing and myself cutting.
A rarely ever seen undisciplined public swordsmanship action at a Japanese tameshigiri-demo in 2018.
28/03/2025
KUMITACHI 組太刀 Partnered Sword-precision practice using Battodo 抜刀道 "the way of drawing and cutting with a sword in a single motion".
This old photo from 2016 depicts Abraham Sie san-dan and Hans Fricke kyoshi, cutting a small target (cucumber) at precisely the
same moment.
19/03/2025
Traveling back in time: foundation members of "Toyama Ryu Battodo" Australia at the official opening of the Sei Do Kan dojo, Sydney Dundas Valley NSW, 31 May 2001.
07/03/2025
Down memory-line:
Students of NAKAMURA RYU BATTODO in 2006 at the Sei-Do-Kan dojo in Dundas Valley Sydney, Australia.
25/01/2025
SEI-DO- KAN 24 Year Anniversary
In 2001 Nakamura Taizaburo sensei presented his SEI-DO-KAN calligraphy "To Walk The True Way" to me in Japan and, as far as known, is the only licence in Australia that officially represents Nakamura sensei's sword style at his Sei-Do-Kan dojo in Sydney. The licence is addressed to "Shibu-cho"支部長 chief instructor or head of branch Hans Fricke kenshi; even now, that I'm retired, Shibu-cho 支部長 can not be transferred/past on.
Practicing tameshigiri, just for the sake of cutting something with a katana, must be considered an ineffectual undertaking as the aim in Japanese swordsmanship is based on precision and correct sword-applications: including to be able to "cut a target at exactly the point envisaged"... see the animation outlining the different cutting-stages.
a) Pointing out the neck-cutting-line on the target. b) Placing the blade's cutting edge along the proposed cutting line. c) Stepping back; pointing the tip of the blade at the proposed cutting-line.
d) Cutting along the proposed cutting-line. e) And cut completed on the proposed cutting-line.
27/09/2024
This unedited 2012 tameshigiri video with students Ben, Mathew, Martin, Abraham, Michael, Jamie, and Fricke sensei presents an interesting insight into the past training and teaching methods at the old dojo.
Hans Fricke kyoshi teaches Nakamura Ryu tameshigiri in 2012 "rare video" This tameshigiri video was taken in 2012 at the Sei-Do-Kan dojo, Sydney School of Japanese Swordsmanship, depicting students practicing target-cutting includ...
03/09/2024
Who still remembers "BLITZ Magazine"? This 2006 edition with a reference to the 'Sydney School of Japanese Swordsmanship' now better-known as the 'Sei-Do-Kan' dojo.
23/05/2024
The first Dan-grading was held at the Dundas Community Centre on Wednesday the 15th of May 2024.
Congratulations to Vito Trentadue and Peter Mills for having successfully passed ni-dan & sho-dan respectively.
And, kudos also, to Anish Rai for having progressed to 6-kyu and Mark Lampkin and Carfian Gunawan for having achieved 5-kyu.
"Great to see much commitment and progress by all."
17/10/2023
Sakura Matsuri, Japanese Garden 2008 Toyama- & Nakamura Ryu Battodo Demonstration. This old resurrected video shows the first original Toyama- & Nakamura ryu Battodo demonstration given at the Cowra Japanese Garden by Hans Fricke kyoshi and...
