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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).

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What is Tate-Do?

quick-samurai.com

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

samuraiexperience.com

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.

2. Shuriken Throwing Experience (30 min., 2000 yen)

• Wear a ninja costume and learn how to throw a shuriken (throwing knife). Rubber shuriken are used for safety.

3. Quick Course (30 min., 5000 yen Most Popular)

• 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.

4. Regular Course (60 min., 5000 yen, 2000 yen for children aged 10 or younger)

• 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.

5. Special Course (90 min., 7000 yen, 3000 yen for children aged 10 or younger)

• 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.

You can make reservations at the Samurai Experience website http://samuraiexperience.com/ (Japanese or English). And check out their movies section for a preview!

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.

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