
Contents
1. What is tate-do?2. Samurai Experience
3. Summary
If you’re in Osaka and you want something unique to do (or maybe some exercise), try the Samurai Experience offered by the Japanese Tate-do Association. Dress up, learn to how to hold and swing a sword, and even star in your very own (short) samurai battle show! Best done with a group of your friends (or those you wouldn’t mind taking a swing at).
What is Tate-Do?

Tate-do as the art of Japanese sword fighting for stage acting. But it is more than just swinging a sword like a true (movie) samurai. According to the Japan Tate-do Association, it is an art that teaches a “moral principle – or “Do” in Japanese – to discipline our souls and spirit.”
Samurai Experience
The Japanese Tate-do Association offers 5 different courses. Reservations should be made at least 24 hours in advance (same day reservations are possible for the 30 minute courses). All courses are done in groups of up to 12 people. For larger groups, please contact the association. Check their website for specific hours of operation and to make a reservation.
1. Souvenir Photo Session (30 min., 2000 yen)
- Put on a kimono, ninja costume, or samurai armor and have a Japanese photo shoot.
- Wear a ninja costume and learn how to throw a shuriken (throwing knife). Rubber shuriken are used for safety.
- Wear a haori (short kimono coat) and learn how to seiza (sit properly and bow), hold a sword, and a few basic movements. End your experience with a photo shoot.
- Wear a haori and learn how to seiza, hold a sword, a few choreographed movements, and some Japanese lines. End your experience with by performing a sword battle with a professional actor AND a photo shoot.
- Watch a 10 min. sword fighting performance.
- Samurai Experience (50 min.): Wear a kimono, ninja costume, or samurai armor and learn a few sword moves. End with playing the lead samurai role in a 1-minute performance.
- Shuriken Experience: Practice throwing rubber shuriken and test your throwing skills with a target. Hit the bull’s-eye and get a prize!
- Calligraphy (Shodo) experience: (optional) grind ink from stone and learn how to hold a calligraphy brush and write a Japanese kanji character.
Summary
Osaka is a great place for shopping, food, and entertainment – all things you can do anywhere in Japan. So why not make your visit special by experiencing a little bit of tate-do? Plus, you get to go home with great pictures and videos of yourself sword fighting like a real samurai.




