Top Japan Swordsmanship Classes

Instead of just watching samurai films, enjoy the opportunity to take part in a hands-on workshop that lets you experience samurai techniques firsthand. Learn basic sword movements using wooden training swords in a safe setting, led by a former action actor. It’s the perfect way to master the basics, and upgraded options offer the flexibility of a private experience just for your personal group.

Skip the tourist traps and immerse yourself in an authentic samurai experience at a dojo just outside Tokyo. Learn proper technique while dressed in traditional training clothes, and gain a comprehensive understanding of the blade by learning about samurai history. Then, you practice your skills by slashing, sparring, and using the bow and arrow in a 3-hour class.

Find out what's it's like to be a ninja. This small-group beginners class in a Kyoto dojo introduces you to the basics of ninja training. You'll learn how to breathe, walk, and meditate like a ninja, practice throwing ninja weapons, and learn how to use ninja swords. It's a unique Japanese experience for all ages.

Experience the samurai experience in a museum-like place with lots of armor on display! You will choose your favorite kimono and hakama, change into a samurai costume, and learn how to use a sword from a samurai. You will learn how to draw a sword, hold a sword, swing a sword, and retract a sword. After learning basic sword usage, they practice a simple chambara (sword fight). Then we will try to exterminate bad guys to the music! You can take videos with your smart phone, take pictures with the samurai, and have a great samurai time. The teachers are authentic teachers who have appeared in major Japanese dramas and movies. Since you have come all the way to Japan on a trip, you will have a wonderful experience of Samurai culture! The dojo has many weapons on display, including swords and spears. You will also find armor on display. Samurais are waiting for you in a space that does not seem modern. ・One person can also join the tour. ・Same-day reservations are also possible.

Why Choose Our Experience: ★ Train in an authentic dojo with a master who has over 20 years of experience ★ Enjoy a more personal experience with small groups—only 6 participants per class (Disclaimer: There may be more than 6 participants if there are only a small number of parties) ★ Witness a powerful two-katana performance by the master—something you won’t see anywhere else

Step back in time to the old days and experience Japan like a ninja. This small-group class (maximum six people) introduces you to such ninja techniques as ninja meditation (Kuji-In) as well as the use of samurai weapons, including the sword. Get insights into Japanese fuedal times as you practise.

Kendo, a Japanese martial art, descends from the ancient fighting methods of samurai. In this small-group class, immerse yourself in the world of samurai through practicing kendo in a real dojo. You'll even get to wear an authentic uniform as you learn proper form and practice striking with a bamboo sword. The dojo also doubles as a museum with a variety of samurai artifacts and memorabilia.

・Experience sword (katana) training and calligraphy in one compact session ・Safe sword (katana) cutting guided by an expert instructor ・Create and take home your own Japanese calligraphy artwork ・Small groups, easy English, and support for great photos and videos ・Matcha and sweets treat for guests who agree to leave an OTA review

Master the way of the Samurai in Tokyo with a group sword experience available at 10:30 A.M. or 3:00 P.M. Suit up in a traditional kimono, then follow expert instruction as you learn the basic moves of samurai sword fighting from the professionals and try drawing a sword yourself. Gain deeper insight into traditional swordsmanship and ask plenty of questions. Wrap up your session with a photoshoot.

Get a first-hand experience of traditional Japanese culture with this small-group samurai experience in Kyoto. You'll have the opportunity to put on a traditional samurai outfit, including armor and helmet, pose for photos, and learn how to (safely) wield a katana just like a real samurai. The experience includes a tour of the Samurai and Ninja Museum.

Ryuan-ji Temple, nestled in the serene landscapes of Minoh, Osaka, is a hidden gem known for its deep spiritual heritage and historical significance. This sacred site provides a unique setting for an immersive swordsmanship experience, connecting participants with the rich traditions of the samurai. The temple grounds, typically closed to the public, open exclusively for this program, allowing participants to train in an atmosphere steeped in history and tranquility. Under the guidance of our skilled swordsmen, you'll explore the art of swordsmanship that warriors once practiced to strengthen their bodies and minds. As you engage in this transformative experience, you'll witness a special sword performance, a rare display of skill and discipline. The training area, a restricted space within the temple, offers a unique environment where the legacy of the samurai comes to life. The temple where the experience takes place is subject to change.

Samurai are gone. But their spirit remains and has shaped Japan for centuries. This spirit is called Bushido. Walk the path with Kendo Spirit. This experience offers more than a typical cultural activity. You begin the morning by calming the mind through guided breathing, as samurai did before training. In the quiet atmosphere of the dojo, you step away from distractions and prepare both body and mind. You then learn about Bushido, the values that shaped the lives of the samurai and still influence Japanese culture today. Understanding these ideas can change the way you see everyday life in Japan. The session also includes an introduction to kendo, the martial art that carries the spirit of Bushido into the modern world. Through basic movements and handling the sword, you experience this living tradition firsthand.

Experience Matsumoto’s Celebrated Samurai Culture! Constructed at the end of the Warring States Period, Matsumoto Castle is the grandest symbol of the city’s feudal origins and samurai heritage. During your experience you will be provided with further insight into the feudal domain that was once ruled by the daimyo and his samurai. To this day, residents of Matsumoto remain proud of that heritage, that can be experienced firsthand through historic activities available in the city. Among those activities, traditional ‘katana’ (sword) fighting and ‘hankyu’ (archery) are two of the most popular on offer, both of which can be enjoyed during this experience. Samurai employed both close combat and long-range weapons including archery. Following-on from your katana experience, you will be guided in use of a hankyu bow inside a room designed for the experience. Learn the art of the ‘Katana’ Sword and extend your skill with ‘Hankyu’ Archery during this half-day samurai experience!

Ninja culture is not something visitors to Japan can just easily immerse themselves in, but this 2-hour, hands-on lesson offers an exclusive experience. In a small group of no more than six people, learn ninja techniques including ninja breathing, ninja meditation, and how to wield a ninja sword. Dress in ninja clothing too, for great photos of the experience.

Live like a samurai with this private experience near Osaka Castle, where you’ll learn all about samurai culture and be professionally photographed in your own suit of armor. A workshop on the martial art of Iaido will teach you about Japanese swordsmanship and let you try some cool moves. You’ll also draw calligraphy and experience a samurai tea ceremony.

Kendo is a Japanese form of fencing that developed in the samurai era. Learn about this unique Japanese martial art from an English-speaking guide with 20 years of kendo experience. You'll get to dress in rented kendo armor and practice combat while learning about samurai culture and kendo etiquette. Embrace your inner samurai and get a hands-on experience of this cultural, physical, and spiritual art.

Japan is known for its martial arts and samurai history, but anyone interested in exploring the traditional Japanese swordsmanship (known as “laido”) has to contend with disappointing tourist traps that only skim the surface. With this private lesson, you’ll get hands-on instruction from a seasoned master. Practice basic movements and techniques, and real sword practice as you cut targets under supervision. Along the way, understand the importance of samurai philosophy to Japan.

I have provided one of the most popular samurai experience at Japan. Over 5,000 people have enjoyed with rating 4.99 stars during 8 years!! Also appearing on the official Olympic channel You will gain more awareness about your body and mind, through practicing swordsmanship, physical exercises from ancient Japanese tradition, meditation. It will be held in the most beautiful natural setting in Japan. Sounds play a critical role in this program. All things, including humans and objects, are said to emit vibrations and sounds. We will shower you with healing sounds. The healing sounds will purify you, while the sounds of flute and energizes you. There also will be playing music improvised on the spot for you along with authentic sword dance, that will reach your soul and ignite your heart.

Experience a side of Japanese culture that most tourists miss and learn some of the secrets of the samurai warriors during this guided Mugai-ryu martial arts experience in Tokyo. Learn the basics of how to wield a katana sword and watch a demonstration by a Mugai-ryu master. There’s no need to worry about safety; only mock katanas are used during this small-group experience.

Train inside a working dojo and learn kendo—“the way of the sword”—from swordsmen who teach the discipline as it’s practiced in Japan today. This session strengthens focus, posture, and timing while giving travelers a direct encounter with a living martial art. It’s a purposeful break from passive sightseeing, offering hands-on insight into how Bushido principles guide real movement and judgment under pressure.

Discover how to fight like a ninja–and take part in an upbeat, hands-on lesson–on this small-group wire action experience, including choreography to perfect the moves. Learn from the experts, step into a harness yourself, and try out new ninja skills. As you perform three wire action steps, your moves are filmed and edited into a video souvenir.

Tennen Rishin-ryu swordsmanship, which began in the Edo period, has been carried on to this day, and students of Tennen Rishin-ryu practice at the Tennen Rishin-ryu Hino Dojo to hone their swordsmanship skills. You can learn the essence of Tennen Rishin-ryu at the actual dojo. The swordsmen who practiced the Tennen Rishin-ryu in Hino City formed the Shinsengumi, said to be the strongest group of swordsmen, at the end of the Edo period and were known as the Last Samurai. You can feel the history and culture of the Last samurai by experiencing swordsmanship in Hino City, the hometown of the Shinsengumi. Masao Inoue, the chairman of the Tennen Rishin-ryu Hino Dojo and a descendant of the Shinsengumi executive Genzaburo Inoue, will lead the experience program. You can actually handle a Japanese sword, which is said to be the soul of the samurai. The experience of touching the soul of the samurai will surely transform you.

Learn traditional samurai fighting techniques against the scenic backdrop of Myokaku-ji Temple in Kyoto. Instead of a nondescript classroom, get striking souvenir photos and videos taken of yourself dressed in a samurai costume on temple grounds. The session is limited to 6 participants so you’ll receive more personalized attention from your instructor.