Samurai School and Show in Kyoto: Samurai for a Day

Study the arts of the samurai, the warrior class that ruled the battlefields of ancient Japan for centuries, during this 1- or 2-hour session in Kyoto. Practice the graceful, stylized movements that make up the samurai technique as you handle a sword and uncover the discipline of Kembu, a samurai performing art that’s been perfected over many hundreds of years.

Start your samurai training by making your way to the Kembu Kyoto Dojo. Your class time will vary depending on the length and option you have selected. Meet your instructor and watch a short 3-minute film detailing the basic practices of the samurai, the warrior class that dominated feudal Japan between the 12th and 19th centuries.

Then suit up in your samurai uniform for the day, including a white belt, Japanese-style socks and, of course, your sword. Start your experience by learning the proper methods to bow, then begin your sword training with an introduction to drawing it and replacing it in its protective scabbard. As you attempt to master this tricky technique, you’ll also test out various methods of striking the sword.

Take a moment during your training to suit up in a traditional samurai costume for a short photo session before learning how to wield the sword against a potential opponent. For those that selected the 1-hour session, your experience ends here with a respectful bow to your instructor.  Grab your photos and a certificate of achievement before departing.

Optional Upgrade: 2-Hour LessonIf you booked a 2-hour lesson, continue to learn stylized movements of the samurai, including how to walk and how to use the folding fan if you wish. Complete your session with some challenging Kembu choreography, which you will perform with your sword on stage, accompanied by a poem and music.