Omaha Kendo & Iaido Kyokai

Congratulations to our OKIK members for their promotions at the Tulsa event this weekend!

Iaido teaches many things through the drawing, wielding and resheathing of the katana. Mental focus, agility and situational awareness are some of its many benefits.

OKIK provides authentic instruction in Seitei Iaido and Muso Shinden-ryu. Our Iaido class is Saturday mornings from 9:30 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. at Camelot Community Center.

Iaido just might be a journey waiting for you. Message us to learn more.

Spring is here. Wecome to our newest iaidoka. 🌸🌸

These forms were first established in 1912 by the Dai Nippon Butokukai, an organization disbanded after WWII. They survived the war and were renamed the Nippon Kendo Kata. They are few in number (10), but have incredible depth. Those aren’t just stagnant poses in the photos below. In the current era of endless distraction, these forms develop being “present” and connected with those around you. We’ve been fortunate to have received excellent instruction over the years, and by practicing them have come to appreciate that there is so much more to learn from these forms. That infinite spiral of learning is something that carries over into the outside world. After WWII, the leaders of Kendo put a great deal of thought into what they wanted Kendo to be, and how they wanted it to benefit society. More and more over the years, one appreciates how insightful they were.

*Photos courtesy of Beadle Middle School

This weekend, we attended a top-notch Iaidō seminar with Kaneda-sensei, hosted by the Miami Budokan. Thank you Kaneda-sensei for making the long trip to teach us and thank you M.B. for the warm hospitality.

We were excited to team up. Go Bulldogs!

Heavy Metal: Happy Warrior (USMC) enthusiastically soaking up the lessons a suburito can teach about the precise (some would say “surgical”) art of Iaidō. We don’t use it to develop power, but rather centering, proprioception and non-reliance on arm strength. You can’t “muscle” a suburito for long, so among other things, you learn to use proper technique to wield this ungainly tool.

No classes today due to the extreme temperatures. Stay warm.

Moving Zen day at Iaido class.

We’re cancelling classes today at Camelot, due to the weather. Stay warm and safe.

The 2025 Japanese Ambiance Demo at Lauritzen Gardens.