London Naginata Club

With much warmth this weekend, our dojo welcomed back after a few years break, Stephen who was one of the original early students in the dojo. And passed Shodan way back in 2014… and has returned at sporadic times.

One pandemic 😷 later… via working hard serving his community for the NHS and now supporting in an academia role, Stephen caught the train all the way from Stevenage to return to his dojo, and it wasn’t a bad memory-recall effort … even taking on board practicing ShikakeOji roppon-me (kata number 6) after rotations practicing 1-5.

No matter how long the gap since life’s challenges intervened - former London dojo students who may have had a protracted break - no matter how many years away you’ve had, our dojo and hearts will always welcome you back with open arms and smiles.

We’ll show patience and friendship to get back into the Naginata “grove”.

As ever a Valentines 💘 Day practice competed for students’ loved 🥰 ones…

But those of who made it today - saw Sophia, one of students who joined in 2019 a good time before the pandemic 😷 then we lost her until she returned in late 2022 when the world 🌍opened up.

As with any students who needs to borrow club armour, Sophia bought what she could when she could, and finally secured the rest of it following a recent January trip to Japan 🇯🇵 to buy and try in person 🙌🏼.

She loves 💕 her complete new bogu set and so do we 🫶🏻 Sophia!
Remember any student can borrow any club item, for as long as they need - short visit or long term - we just love you attending our practices✌🏻

So our London dojo closed with an extended last bash to round off an incredible 2025 🎄

A student had his Zekken - and five more students made the now traditional Japanese Tonkotsu ramen meal 🥟🍜 (who missed the bash due to: jet lag ✈️ , baby 👶🏼 lag, shift work 🔧 , flu 😷 etc to attend practice 💪🏼🫶🏻 🥴).

Here’s to prepping a good handful of students for Dan exams in 2026 🤞🏻🙏🏻

We’re restarting our mid-week practice on Thursdays 18:00-19:20hrs (8th January+) that supplements our established main Saturdays 11:00am-13:15hrs (10th January+).

Watch this space for a Newbie Beginners (only x10 spaces) Taster Session on Thursday 8th January 2026.

Enjoy the Festive holidays 🎄

Today was both Day 1 of the seminar and Nidan exam day for Cambridge dojo leader and much loved student who is part of our London dojo, Oliver - he passed with flying colours 👏🏼🙌🏼🫶🏻💪🏼.

We’re so proud of your hard work Olly, a deserved pass especially as you were the last one at the written ✍🏼 exam tables, worried you were writing War & Peace.

Shout out to Roy who looked like having his first master class of Zen Nihon kata with Takahashi sensei, kyoshi. And Gheorghe who stayed on to complete the quad from TeamGB.

Rachel was in the senior group with Yoshii sensei, Hanshi and finally picked up both her Godan menjo and 2019 Shimpan (referee) qualification badge …

A huge applause all round for the Sweden 🇸🇪 ENC, Goodwill and seminar with a Nidan pass for Great Britain 🇬🇧

Would great to have a bigger TeamGB for ENC 2026, Paris 🇫🇷… October 2026 folks 🙏🏻

Today was the Dan and Kyu Goodwill tournaments 🏆 (& ladies day …)

Roy for our dojo, came out of his pool and unfortunately met Gheorge so that was two GB 🇬🇧 flags on the court 🫣.

Olly of Cambridge dojo won 💪🏼 and lost matches and fought really well. He’s gunning fit for ENC 2026 🤞🏻.

Gheorghe and Aaron - it was their first tournament and did so very well. Gheorge placed 3rd 🥉 in the Kyu 🙌🏼 competition

Congratulations everyone for strong TeamGB fighting spirit

Today Roy was the senior for TeamGB as Taisho for the team matches at the European Naginata Championship in Sweden 🇸🇪 2025.

As Men’s TeamGB, Roy was joined by Olly of Cambridge dojo and Gheorge & Aaron of Aspire dojo.

Our Men’s TeamGB had tough pool draws with European 🇪🇺 champions in theirs but gave so much fighting spirit. Then the individuals with equally tough pools and draws but no decline in our fighting spirit 🙌🏼.

Rachel our dojo teacher was on Shimpan (referee) duties completing the effort of our dojo, in joining with two other dojo for TeamGB 🇬🇧.

Bring on 💪🏼day 2, which will include individuals for our guys entering the Good Will tournament matches, thankfully split into Dan and Kyu

What a huge group today for the Kyu exams and Congratulations 🥳🥂 all

Thank you to Abdul and Mikey for taking time out for 6 kyu candidates 🙏🏻 to settle nerves on their first exam but the three musketeers did great 🙌🏼

Huge shout to Alexandra B who’d flown ✈️ in from Hungary 🇭🇺 the night before 💪🏼…

Thank you 🙏🏻 to Roy sitting on the panel for the first time 🙇🏻‍♀️ and handed out menjo on behalf of the panel at end of Bogu practice.

And a big welcome to Brian from Ireland 🇮🇪 who’d flown ✈️ in too for Naginata and meeting friends in London city 🏙️ …but had Koryu Naginata background and practiced in Australia 🇦🇺 with Emily J (sandan) 🥰 - it showed 😎

Any visitors to our dojo, are always warmly welcomed and provided with clothes, bogu and naginata. Just drop us line 📧 and ask to borrow anything so you can travel 🧳 light.

Thank you everyone!

After waiting some time due to an incorrect name made-up - today our dojo students new Zekken (name bags) and nafuda (gi name badge) arrived and were proudly handed out.

With huge thanks to Abdul’s 👏🏼sewing 🪡🧵 skills to help lower costs - it was smiles and applause all round from all.

Proudly one student had not one, but two Zekken as next month he’ll represent his new adopted country Great Britain 🇬🇧.

ps two absent students, (J+J) your Zekken are waiting for you ! 🙌🏼

Following a recent trip to Japan to pick up a huge Shodan certificate, Genevieve with student applause 👏🏼 in the dojo this weekend, everyone beamed with pride for her May exam success.

Rachel will have to wait a while longer for her certificate though, having passed Godan in July in Nara, Japan.

Congratulations to the Dojo’s hard work supporting them both to new Dan ranks. May more successes follow for others.

Celebration day….🥳🙌🏼

After two recent seminars in May, one in London 🇬🇧 and Bruxelles 🇧🇪 respectively and after a modest rest, today we belated celebrated those students who passed their Kyu exams and shout-outs to three Dan ranks 🤜🏻🤛🏼🙏🏻

Really proud Genevieve achieved her Shodan last month (sadly without her training partner who fell ill) and also belatedly from the INF Japan, today Abdul’s Shodan and Bruno’s Sandan certificates (Menjo) were delivered to both so a modest applause 👏🏼 in our dojo together both finally holding their Menjo 😎 after passing last November 2024.

Menjo picked up, after Rachel travelled last weekend an 🇪🇺 internationally attended, Belgium hosted Naginata seminar led by the much loved and respected 🙇🏻‍♀️ , Yasui sensei.

Congratulations 🙌🏼🥂 to all who survived recent seminars and double salutations to those who came out with a new rank !! We’re proud of your hard work and achievements 💪🏼👏🏼

On 10-11th May weekend, Great Britain 🇬🇧 hosted its first international seminar since the pandemic and pulled out all the stops both sides of the weekend too, to host Mrs Sumi Kaoru sensei, hanshi from Fukuoka.

At our fullest we were x28 students made up from four Britain based dojo students, and student guests who flew in from Germany 🇩🇪 and Hungary 🇭🇺.

Congratulations to the x14 students who passed their Kyu rank exam and a big shout-out to the new Shodan success!

Thank you to everyone who made last weekend and additional days, a success.