Studying kenjutsu (Japanese sword arts) without a teacher.
Is it possible?
I was recently asked by an interested person in the Japanese
sword arts regarding points of training, it was even possible, to study the
Japanese sword arts without a direct teacher. Their situation was such that
they lived in a location where there were sword arts or teachers to study
under- Japanese or HEMA.
Nothing.
So what about options in a situation like this?
When somebody has an interest in the sword arts, or martial
arts in general, I’m always here to encourage training and pursue options given
how transformative the martial arts art, but at the same time they are (martial
arts).
Studying the sword by oneself, without a direct teacher in a
verifiable Japanese sword art is not recommended, and I can’t recommend it- but
there are a few options until one can study under a teacher.
The sword arts are not academic, they require direct
instruction, adjustment, lessons, and transmission as they deal with life and
death issues. Do you want to be operated on by a doctor who has never gone to
medical school, and learned surgery from a book?
There is just no way around this, and trying to study such a
thing (kenjutsu) on your own is dangerous. The challenge in going at it alone
or through video is that one is not aware of the openings and movements with
the sword that one instructed in it would be. One will be developing bad habits
and dangerous habit in movement that
will leave openings in the movement and get one killed.
That said, there are a few options in the meantime.
If there is no instructor in your immediate area, can you
travel a bit for seminars and workshops maybe one a month or every few months?
Is there some form or training one can get to until one is in a place for
direct study?
If one and perhaps a few friends are interested in the
subject matter, can you host a seminar or workshop and invite a guest
instructor in for a weekend of instruction?
But what if this is not possible?
Are there other sword like arts one can study like kendo,
and perhaps later adjust to study under a traditional Japanese sword school?