Yoshin Dojo

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Yoshin Dojo We are the longest running Jujutsu school in Louisville Kentucky. We offer unique training in old Japanese martial arts, Jujutsu (grappling).
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Our Youth classes are Affordable! Blackbelts in Brazilian & Japanese Jujutsu.

Starting to get cold out...Japan has you covered for socks. See a pair that fits you?
10/17/2026

Starting to get cold out...Japan has you covered for socks. See a pair that fits you?

What a great night on the mats!Tonight I shared the mats with 2 other 30 year members of our school. Dabble in some 20 ...
10/16/2026

What a great night on the mats!

Tonight I shared the mats with 2 other 30 year members of our school. Dabble in some 20 and 10 year members as well. This is one of the many reasons our school is so unique.

The youth classes started with some fun with Shuriken and basic techniques. We spent the majority of the class continuing our work on using creative ways to escape side control.

The adult classes started with using 1 submission as the goal so the person clearly knew how to defend but continuing with the pursuit of that single submission. After this we included a second submission so the doors of possibility opened. We finished the night with several ways to apply Juji Gatame (cross arm bar). We also discussed what makes it different for traditional Japanese jujutsu schools like Takagi Ryu Jujutsu and how they applied it.

After everyone left there was some private training in Araki Ryu Kenpo. The training consisted of mainly Bojutsu and Kenjutsu.

What a great night on the mats!The youth classes started with a bit of fun and the basics of Shuriken. We set it up lik...
10/14/2026

What a great night on the mats!

The youth classes started with a bit of fun and the basics of Shuriken. We set it up like the sport of darts just a bit. Afterwards, a few others showed up so back over to the matted area for basics of side control escaping. We learned how controlling the top person's arms in various ways can facilitate our escape. One of our students is taking a school trip to Japan in the future so we have started using more Japanese phrases than usual since Nicholas is hitting Duo Lingo so hard.

The adults class was ideal for grappling. We started with 30 minutes of sparring which broke a good sweat! One of our several, 30+ years students was present so made the training even better. After our warm up we worked several shime waza (constriction techniques) from controlling the head as well as Harai Goshi (Hip Sweep) throw. We then switched gears and finished the evening with the basics of the short chain (Manriki Kusari, Kusari Fundo, Ryo Fundo, Sode Kusari).

A fun bookThis book was done by Nawa Yumio back in the 1980's. Nawa sensei was head of Masaki Ryu as well as a historia...
10/08/2026

A fun book

This book was done by Nawa Yumio back in the 1980's. Nawa sensei was head of Masaki Ryu as well as a historian in several topics, including Ninjutsu. He authored many books on ninjutsu, weapons and samurai. This particular book is done in a manga style with short stories and lots of images for the reader. It discusses the secrets of Ninjutsu (espionage art) and it's relation to magic.

If you would like to get a copy of this book please reach out and we can arrange it for you.

A great night with so many friends on the mats!We are fortunate to have such a good group of people. The youth classes ...
10/07/2026

A great night with so many friends on the mats!

We are fortunate to have such a good group of people.

The youth classes worked on an assortment of movement drills as well as basic components of the defensive position known as the guard. We looked at how to keep someone in our guard, how to sweep them over if they try to stand and then how to "pass the guard" for the other person. We then used the position with resistance.

The adult classes spent about 30 minutes working on how to gain the clinch from standing. It was intentionally very limited in terms of response. If the opponent could do anything they wanted it could lead one to becoming frustrated and making bad decisions. We did this almost as sparring so this got a good sweat going and served as our warm-up. We then continued with this manner eventually getting various clinches and doing some takedowns from the clinch while staying safe the entire time. Our focus was not on an mma environment, but rather in a self defense situation with many unknown variables. Good training everyone!

The image below shows the great Rickson Gracie setting up a clinch in one of his earlier fights.

This image fits a recent discussion perfectly. Many see "new" techniques but fail to understand that many of these tech...
10/07/2026

This image fits a recent discussion perfectly. Many see "new" techniques but fail to understand that many of these techniques have existed for quite some time. New names may be applied and the techniques themselves could be improved, however that does not mean that they didn't exist.

I once heard someone say that the leg triangle choke or guard was invented recently by a certain group or person...nonsense. Both of those have existed in old Japanese Jujutsu manuals and are definitely not new techniques. I heard something similar recently about the "berimbolo". I think the term originated in the late 1990's but the technique was around way before that. The term "berimbolo" means something like to mix up, scramble in Portuguese which is an attempt to describe the movement, however that is just a new name applied to an existing technique. The following image shows Kimura doing the technique from the 1950's.

We should keep in mind that there are an infinite number of techniques to be performed but someone, somewhere may have already used/created them.

Toyama Ryu Gohonme (5th Kata in Kiso Iai) Just posted video on our YT channel.
10/05/2026

Toyama Ryu Gohonme (5th Kata in Kiso Iai)



Just posted video on our YT channel.

Good classes this week!With a mix of Jujutsu and weapons the students got to see content from various levels. From the ...
10/03/2026

Good classes this week!

With a mix of Jujutsu and weapons the students got to see content from various levels. From the basics of proper ground hitting skills (ukemi) to basic wrist locks, ground work and some self defense.

We also got in some Bojutsu and one evening wrapped up with some Shuriken (throwing blades). Our focus for the Shuriken was based on the methods in Japan. We form a solid base with our unarmed training and then easily transfer that over to weapons, including Shuriken.

The focus of the Shuriken is from Kukishin Ryu Uchibari (needle shape) and Kugigata (Nail shape).

Kani Basami ("Crab Scissors") 蟹挟An illegal technique for various grappling competitions due to a high percentage of inj...
10/02/2026

Kani Basami ("Crab Scissors") 蟹挟

An illegal technique for various grappling competitions due to a high percentage of injury to the receiver's knees. There are various versions of this technique and it can be applied as a jumping attack to scissor the legs or as a defensive attack from a prone position.

The two versions given are similar. One if from a document often associated with the original Karate, the Bubishi while the other is from a Jujutsu Manual by Sato Kinbei sensei. Another Jujutsu manual showing the attack.

#蟹挟

Here is an excellent video from the Kodokan showing the attack. You can see the lateral pressure placed on the receiver's knee from the jumping attack.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OR-HGHnarYc

TOYAMA RYU KISO IAI SANBONME HIDARI (Number 3, Left) #戸山流This video is based upon the Yamaguchi Branch of To...
10/01/2026

TOYAMA RYU KISO IAI SANBONME HIDARI (Number 3, Left)

#戸山流

This video is based upon the Yamaguchi Branch of Toyama Ryu. This is the 3rd kata of 8 from the set called Kiso Iai. Toyama Ryu Iaido is used by many schools as a way to start learning basic use of the Japanese sword. Since it was created for the military, the system is very basic without much of the ritual etc. The system usually includes basic practice cutting against various targets as well (tameshigiri) so also tests the effectiveness of ones basics.

Video:
https://youtu.be/E-b2-jwn6lw

Address

4120 S 5th Street
Louisville, KY
40214

Opening Hours

Tuesday 6:30pm - 9pm
Thursday 6:30pm - 9pm

Telephone

+15027673605

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