Our Dojo Kamon
This is the kamon (crest) of our dojo. It is called "Mitsuwari Tombo" or 3 dragonflies. Each dragonfly represents an aspect of our training philosophy. Kata, Cutting, and Gekken is our training method to help understand the ideas of swordsmanship.
- Kata helps build the structure to learn the techniques. From posture, to movement, to specific details on how to swing the sword. Proper intent and focus should be brought over from gekken and cutting.
- Cutting helps build proper power generation as well as checking for blade alignment. Proper form should be carried over from kata and distancing from gekken.
- Gekken helps build reaction, timing, and distancing. To do proper gekken, you must apply the techniques you learned from kata, and the proper power generation from cutting.
All these aspects of training help supplement each other and should not be focused on more so than the other which is why they are encased within a circle.
The reason why I chose a dragonfly to represent each part of our training is because the dragonfly is portrayed in Japanese culture as a creature that can only move forward. This is a mindset we much embrace in our training. Regardless of good or bad results, you must learn from it and keep pushing forward into our training.