Conditions

CONDITIONS

The Way we follow is one of maturity, awareness, and personal responsibility. For this reason, our training is open only to adults aged eighteen and over. The disciplines we practise include traditional weapons study, and we believe such training is most appropriate for those who have reached full legal adulthood and are able to accept the responsibilities that accompany it.

This policy is not a judgement on ability or character, but a reflection of the serious nature of weapons-based practice and the legal and ethical responsibilities it entails. Our aim is to ensure that all students train within clear, appropriate, and responsible boundaries.

Training places are necessarily limited by the size of the hall and by the need to maintain safe working distances, close supervision, and a high instructional standard. For this reason, the number of students we can accept at any one time is carefully controlled. When capacity is reached, prospective students are placed on a waiting list and contacted as spaces become available. This ensures that every practitioner receives appropriate attention and that training conditions remain safe, focused, and respectful for all.

All new practitioners begin with the bokken, or wooden daitō. Before steel is ever placed in the hand, structure must be established, posture corrected, and intent understood. The senior instructor alone determines when a student is ready to progress beyond wood to Iaito and finally live blade. Advancement is never assumed — it is carefully evaluated and earned.

No replica or imitation blades are permitted within the dojo. Every sword brought into training is thoroughly inspected before practice begins. The blade is not a prop; it carries responsibility and must be treated accordingly.

After an initial four-week trial period, all beginners are required to obtain the appropriate licence and insurance. This must be renewed annually and is required for all dojo training activities, including gradings, in accordance with legal requirements. Your instructor will inform you when you are ready to grade, as rank reflects readiness, responsibility, and a consistently maintained standard.

Above all else, safety is our highest priority and is upheld to the strictest possible standard. Every aspect of training — from equipment checks to instruction, from etiquette to supervision — is conducted with safety at the forefront. Discipline ensures protection. Awareness prevents complacency. Respect safeguards everyone present.

In this dojo, safety comes first — always.

Upon that foundation, true practice can endure.

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