Joining Kodokan (Seniors)
The cost is £90 for five introductory sessions (student rate: £80 for the course), including:
- Tuition
- NAKMAS membership/insurance cover
- Shinai (Bamboo Sword)
- Carrying bag
Please make payment by PayPal or Bank Transfer when applying
Should you have previous experience or wish to join from another club, then there is an annual registration fee of £10 which applies to all members, juniors & adults alike for renewal.
If you decide to join after the induction course, costs are as follows,
- Adult monthly membership fee is £60
- Student membership is £50 per month
- Family membership with 1 Adult and 1 Junior member or more is £80
- A Junior membership with 2 Juniors or more is £70
- Joint Adult membership where members are from the same family is £50 for each person
- Standard junior membership is £50 per month
The next induction course will start on Tuesday 9th July (7.45 pm to 8.45 pm).
Please note that if you only practise once a month or less, then the monthly membership fees remain the same.
Visitors are always welcome, but please notify us in advance of your intended visit. The visitors’ fee is £7 per session, if however you attend for 3 consecutive sessions and intend to practice further, then you will be required to join the club as a regular member.
Monthly membership payments are accepted by bank direct debit or standing order only.
Private tuition can also be arranged, prices are available by request.
Your membership includes an Introductory booklet, club tenugui, do kamon (badge), usage of club armour is also available and there are no charges for club gradings (up to 2nd kyu).
At Kodokan we operate a kyu grade system at club level: beginners and intermediary, Adults from 7th Kyu to 2nd Kyu and Juniors 12th kyu to 2nd kyu. This consists of learning the fundamentals of shinai and bokuto, practising kata, uchikomi-geiko and Bokuto Ni Yoru Kendo Kihon-waza Keiko-ho, a method for teaching basics developed in Japan utilising a bokuto in shinai techniques. There is an explanation The Kihon Keiko Ho written by Paul Budden sensei.
To take part in British Kendo Association (BKA) events – seminars, competitions and grading – examinations 1st kyu to 5th Dan, Kodokan members are required to be registered members of the BKA (details on how to join are available on request).
For levels: 1st Kyu and above (Dan grades) The BKA National grading level applies and the syllabus be found on their website here
A booklet written by Holt sensei of the Mumeishi Kendo Club is of valuable assistance to ‘Beginners’ and is available here: Beginners Guide
If you would like to register an interest in starting Kendo, Joining the club, just want to ask a question or to arrange a visit to Kodokan, then please fill in the form below and we will be happy to respond.
Please fill in the forms: Kodokan Induction Joining Form and NAKMAS form for starting an induction course and send them via email or print them and bring them at your first day of the course.
If you are joining us without induction course, please fill in Kodokan Joining/Renewal Form and NAKMAS Form, and send them via email or print them and bring them at your first visit.
Joining Kodokan Juniors
Junior sessions are currently suspended. When we have sufficient interest, we will restart sessions on a Saturday morning.
And we are accepting applications for both adult and junior sessions. So if you, members of your family or friends are interested in taking up kendo please contact us using the link here.
Sessions are held weekly for age groups 7 upwards.
The standard procedure for joining the Kodokan Juniors is to come along and watch a Saturday practice session, or even two (if still undecided), before joining the club for the 4 week induction period and progression to beginner level.
Court Drive
United Kingdom
All new members will need to complete 4 ‘consecutive’ induction sessions:
After completing the induction new members are eligible to join the regular practice sessions, which run on the same time schedule.
Kodokan Club fee structure
There is a £40 joining fee which includes, shinai – (bamboo sword), carry bag, insurance and membership booklet/grading record + £50 for the 4 induction sessions: Total £90
After the 4 week induction should the junior wish to continue then a standing order or direct debit needs to be set up to cover the monthly fee of £50 at that time.
We offer discounted fees where there are other Junior members from the same family practising, a collective fee of £70 for 2 or more members and where there is Adult(s) as well as Junior(s) then a collective fee of £80 per family.
All monthly fees are payable by Standing order or Direct Debit only.
The Annual ‘Club’ renewal for an existing member is £10.
Gradings are held every 2 months (8 weeks) this means 2nd kyu is attainable between one and a half to two years practice. Certificates are issued according to the Grade level achieved.
We operate a 12 kyu System Grading System but for gradings within the age group, 15 to 17 the Adult system of 7th Kyu levels applies and is based on a similar time frame.
Juniors wishing to grade for Ikkyu and dan grades will need to do so through the British Kendo Association. Full details are available on request.
Ideally, hakama, keikogi & zekken should be purchased around the time of the first grading