Musokai Home

News and Events

Location: Rain City FC (Map)
Day of the week: Fridays
Time: 7:30PM - 9:00PM

ALERT!
Training cancelled Friday, Jan 24
Due to RCFC fencing tournament
We're back Friday, Jan 31.

2025 East Coast Iaido Seminar
Friday, March 7 through
Sunday, March 9
Weehawken, NJ, (map)
Event to include Taikai and Shinsa
Registration deadline February 22
Click for more info and to register.

Spring 2025 PNKF Iaido Shinpan
Seminar and Shinsa (up to 3D)
at Rain City Fencing Center (Map)
Friday, March 28 through
Sunday, March 30
More info and registration soon.

Tameshigiri at Musokai
Cutting sessions are conducted
separately from regular classes.
Contact Dojo Manager to get scheduled.
Click here to learn more about cutting.

ALERT: Class cancelled on Friday, Jan 24th, due to a fencing tournament at RCFC. We return to our regular keiko schedule Friday, Jan 31, 2025

To help keep our Senseis and our Students safe please be fully vaccinated/boosted.

The wearing of face masks at Musokai is optional.

Musokai Dojo

We are a school of Japanese Swordsmanship (Iaido) in the style and tradition of Muso Shinden-ryu.

Our dojo name honors the original vision and teachings of Hayashizaki Jinsuke Shigenobu (1546-1621), universally considered the originator of all styles of Iaido. In the late 1500's Hayashizaki Sensei founded his own style of swordsmanship called Shinmei Muso-ryu, which became the foundation of both Muso Jikiden Eishin-ryu and Muso Shinden Eishin-ryu. In 1932 Nakayama Hakudo founded Muso Shinden-ryu, wishing to return to the original vision of Hayashizaki Sensei.

Introduction to Iaido

This YouTube video is an excellent introductory look at Iaido, featuring

Kishimoto Chihiro Sensei, Iaido Hanshi 8th Dan
honorable mention of both Hayashizaki Jinsuke Shigenobu (1546-1621) and Nakayama Hakudo (1872-1958)
and even a quick look at how the Japanese Sword (nihonto) is made!

For an indepth YouTube documentary on the forging of a world-class katana by the renowned contemporary swordsmith Yoshindo Yoshihara click HERE

Training Location and Time

Note: due to Light Rail Construction study map below carefully.
1776 136th Pl NE, Bellevue, WA
We train in the north gym
Fridays 7:30PM - 9:00PM
Please arrive close to 7PM to start on time!
If late arrival is unavoidable, please follow Dojo Etiquette. See you at training!

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Swordsmanship at Musokai

We study and practice Iaido using practice swords (mogito). These weapons look and feel like Samurai swords (katana), though the unsharpened blade is made of lighter metal alloys.

Please see About Iaido to get more of a sense of what this fascinating martial art is like.

As in all Iaido dojos around the world, for safety our practice is limited to facing only an imaginary opponent. To bring that opponent out of the realm of imagination, some Musokai students also practice Kendo Kata.

~ Please see Kendo at Musokai to learn more. ~

Musokai is affiliated with:

All certificates of rank are issued under the authority of these two Kendo Federations. Musokai members also maintain individual membership in the Pacific Northwest Kendo Federation (PNKF) which includes de facto membership in the All United States Kendo Federation (AUSKF). Please check the document posted on our Sign Up Page to learn more.

If you are looking for Iaido training possibly closer to home than Musokai Dojo, please review the other fine Iaido dojos listed here.