[crumoursegemo]

Hi Matt,

Welcome to the forum!

Ok... Since it is a wallhanger, do not use it to practice with. It isn't safe. It also is unsafe to try to learn swordsmanship with no sensei. Especially with a live blade. Katanas are very sharp, and drawing the blade, you can actually cut fingers off or at least, cut yourself quite good. Same for resheathing it. Without proper instruction, you are putting yourself in danger. The danger of using a wallhanger(a sword meant for display.) is that most often everything is just glued together. So, the fitttings(Including mekugi pin, if it even has one. From what I understand, some blades on this type of sword are just glued in.) can come loose, causing the sword to become an unsafe object to handle. Even when learning cutting techniques,(I don't mean tameshigiri. That's something you should never try without proper instruction.) you can hurt yourself, if you don't know what you are doing. You should only use swords meant for practicing a JSA(Japanese swordart.), and even then, you'd start out with a bokken(wooden sword) or Iaito(blunt edged sword) for a long while until your sensei told you otherwise. In the case of Kendo, a shinai and bokken are all you use.

The best way to find out if you like a swordart, is to go watch a practice, and talk to a sensei. Sometimes, a person has to drive far distances just to get to a dojo to practice. It's common and not unheard of. I travel 2 hours and 20 minutes twice a month for Kendo. There are others I know who cross states just to get to a Kenjutsu or Iaido dojo. Kendo is a bit more common so the distances are usually within a few hours or less. That's here in the states, anyway.

I know there are Koryu arts in England. If you head on over to e-budo.com to the forum there, you can put up a post asking about dojos in your country, if you give them your location. There are people there who are in England who practice a Koryu art(that means Kenjutsu and Iaido.) and Kendo. Be aware that you must state your full name in your post in order to be allowed to post. Here is the URL for e-budo:

http://www.e-budo.com/vbulletin/foru...php?forumid=16

Also, another forum worth going to for information on the Japanese swordarts is the Samurai Forum at:

http://www.sword.ne.jp

It's smaller, but there are people from all over there too. who know a lot and may be able to help you learn more about JSA. To find a dojo though, e-budo is the best for that.

But no. You can't learn online. I would not recommend it. You will just end up having to relearn everything anyway, because it's hard to get things right without a teacher. There is no substitute for a sensei. Besides, it's safer for you.

By the way, if you still want to mess around, get a bokken. At least then, you can't hurt yourself and others.

Well, I hope this information is of some use to you. I hope you are able to find a dojo so you can practice the art you like. Good luck!

Kaoru