Iaido Kyoshi 7 dan, Kendo Kyoshi 7 dan.

Konno Tatsuhiko was born in Hokkaido, Japan in 1947. At 15 he began Iai studies under Homa Jisuke Hanshi in Hokkaido. In 1962 at Kokushikan University, famed for its Kendo program, he added Kendo to Iai. Here he also began to intensively study the Japanese sword. In 1973 he moved to Seattle. The following year he began teaching Kendo and Iaido at the University of Washington Kendo Club, where he remained until 1980. In 1975 he opened his first sword store in Uwajimaya. Meanwhile, he returned frequently to Japan to continue high level swordsmanship studies, and in 1992 the renowned Kino Minoru Hanshi of Tokyo accepted him as student. Konno Sensei was awarded the title "Renshi" in 1999. In 2001 he attained 7th dan Iai in Japan, while that same year back in the U.S. he co-founded Musokai with Pat Murosako Sensei. In 2009 he was awarded the Iai title "Kyoshi".

Iaido 5 dan, Kendo 3 dan.

Aniceto Seto began his martial way training in Kodokan Judo in 1962 and continued through his college years. In February 1974 he switched to Kendo training with the University of Washington Kendo Club. In May of the same year he started Iaido training under Konno Tatsuhiko Sensei. He continues to train with Konno Sensei to this day in both Iaido and Kendo, attaining Iaido 5th dan rank in September 2005.

Seto Sensei retired from Boeing, where he had worked as an airplane flight deck displays, optics and lighting systems engineer.

Iaido 5 dan.

Gunnar Goerlitz began his martial way training in Tae Kwon Do in 1967 in Canada, continued his study in Germany, eventually teaching TKD in Seattle until 1982. In 1994 he began studying Japanese Sword renovation under Konno Tatsuhiko Sensei, adding Iaido in March 1999. He continues to train with Konno Sensei to the present in both Japanese Sword renovation and in Iaido, attaining Iaido 5th dan rank in October 2022.

Goerlitz Sensei retired from King County IT in January 2020, where he had worked as a GIS Specialist.

Iaido Kyoshi 7 dan, Kendo Kyoshi 7 dan.

Murosako Sensei passed away peacefully the morning of June 20th, 2016. The legacy of his instruction lives on!

- Certified Sword Appraiser
- Sword Polisher (Togishi)

Learn more at The Art Sword Gallery