1. Why did you decide to join the online lessons?
I have been practicing martial arts for nearly 20 years now, but I never had an opportunity to train in truly authentic iaido, much less in a koryu with such a long, respected ryuha with such a rich history and tradition. When it was announced that Sensei would be offering a live class for online students, I had to join.
2. Why will you train here and not at any other online lessons?
I watched Shogo and Seki Sensei’s “Let’s Ask Seki Sensei” videos and was very impressed with Seki Sensei’s knowledge, skill, and mastery demonstrations. When it was announced that he would be teaching an online course for students worldwide, I knew I wanted to be a part of this incredibly awesome and practical style of Iaido. Also, having a live, full-time interpreter as skilled as Shogo is completely invaluable to someone who doesn’t speak Japanese fluently.
3. What changed before and after you joined?
Before I joined, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I thought maybe it would just be a class led by Seki Sensei with no real interaction or feedback live or directly. But Seki Sensei actually noticed me in the first live class I participated in. I knew at that moment that all of my concerns were completely unfounded, that Seki Sensei was completely genuine, and that I wanted to study under him for the rest of my life.
4. What is the best part about joining?
Attending a live class with Seki Sensei and his team, demonstrating techniques in real-time, participating alongside my fellow classmates, and getting correction and feedback from Sensei as we are training is absolutely invaluable for any martial art. It’s as close to in-person training as you can get. And if this weren’t being offered online, no one outside of Japan would have access to this wonderful ryuha.
5. What future goals would you like to achieve through the training?
I hope to continue advancing in Asayama Ichiden Kobudo and Iaido, to travel and train with Sensei, and his team, and in the long term, I hope to open my own dojo with Sensei’s permission and help share this truly remarkable martial art within my home country and the world.
- Dan Rank
- Katana 3rd Dan / Jō 2nd Dan
- Course
- Katana (Sat & Sun) & Jō
- Training Duration
- Since March 2023
- Camera
- Webcam: OBSBOT Tiny AI-Powered PTZ Webcam
Stand for device: JOILCAN Tripod Camera Tripods, 74 - Screen
- Microsoft Surface (Tablet/ Laptop hybrid, so this could really be any device like this.) It would be helpful if you can cast your device to a bigger screen.
- Any tips for taking lessons?
- Go with the simplest setup you can manage to begin with. Don’t overcomplicate your setup because every step you add could potentially impact your ability to attend/ stream for class. Don’t worry about it being perfect to begin with; just get it working so you can attend class for a few months.
Upgrade as soon as you know you will stick with classes because it will improve your experience immensely. I went from a camera I had to adjust manually every time I wanted to change angles when training, or when demonstrating for Sensei. I now use a webcam that uses AI tracking, so I no longer have to worry as much about where the camera is set up.
