Naginata Montreal Dojo Info
At the Naginata Montreal Dojo, we are practicing "Atarashi Naginata" (modern Budo Naginata).
We are a community club open to anyone who wants to enjoy Naginata in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Regardless of age, gender, or nationality, from beginners to advanced ranks, you can join. Instruction is given in a mixture of four languages: Japanese, English, French, and German.
For those who already know the Tendoryu Naginatajutsu kata, we may also practice when the time allows. To learn a new Kata, we will introduce you to other schools in Montreal that only teach Tendoryu Naginatajutsu.
Dojo Policy
The philosophy of this dojo is "Learn to respect each other through the exchange of naginata" (薙刀を交えて愛しむを知る: Naginata wo majiete oshimu wo shiru).
Martial arts are said to be a way to explore life itself and human relationships, and in Kendo it is known as "Koukenchiai" (交剣知愛). We strive to perform beautiful Naginata techniques and attitudes that will make those who have practiced Naginata once want to practice with us again.
Let's practice martial arts together so that we can mature in mind and body.
Current practice space
Location：Collège Jean-de-Brébeuf (Palestre room: Pavilion E, 3rd floor)
Address：3200 Chem. de la Côte-Sainte-Catherine, Montréal, QC H3T 1C1
Station：Côte-des-Neiges / Université de Montréal (Blue line)
Bus: 129, 161, 165, 51, 119
Beginner Trial Lesson
We offer free beginners' trials twice a year, at the beginning of autumn (September) and at the beginning of winter (January). At the end of the trial course, you can decide whether to register for one season or for the year. We may be able to hold trial courses at other times if the number of participants is small, so please contact us as soon as possible via the inquiry form at the bottom of the registration page, or by emailing us directly (naginata.montreal@gmail.com).
Participation conditions and eligibility
Naginata can be enjoyed throughout one's life, regardless of age, gender, or level of athletic ability. One can aim to maintain and improve one's athletic ability and physical strength without straining oneself by continuing to practice. In general, we recommend our Naginata sessions to those who have the concentration and basic physical ability to enjoy a two-hour lesson. But at Naginata Montreal, we adjust the content of the lesson and the timing of breaks according to everybody's conditions, so why not try it out for beginners trial session first? Of course, for those who want to use their bodies hard and to move until they are out of breath, we can offer intensive trainings as well.
Please note, all lessons are conducted barefoot, so if you have any problems with the soles of your feet, please consult us first.
In order to ensure safety and peace of mind, we require that a guardian also participate for minors. If your child is interested, please come to practice together as family.
We also welcome walk-ins from Naginata practitioners who can do at least Uchikaeshi technique anytime.
Basic flow of practice
15:30 Beginning of the practice time
15:30 Cleaning, preparation of equipment, warm-up, free practice time, Tendo-ryu Tachiawase
16:00 Meditation (黙想: Mokusou) and a bow (礼: Rei)
16:10 1st half of practice, usually without protectors (防具: Bogu)
16:50 Break-time and preparation of Bogu
17:00 2nd half of practice, usually with Bogu
17:30 Sparring practice (地稽古: Jigeiko), Shikake-Oji, Kata, and other practice
17:55 Mokusou and Rei
18:00 End of the practice
Practice equipment
For beginners and experienced naginata practitioners, we will lend you a naginata at the Dojo. Beginners can wear anything they like for sports that is easy to move in. Please be aware that Naginata is performed barefoot in most cases.
Once beginners have become accustomed to Naginata and have decided to continue, it is a good idea to start buying your own equipment little by little. First, start with the clothes. Use a white training uniform (稽古着: Keikogi), a thick soft white belt (帯: Obi), and a navy or black hakama (袴). After the clothes, you can purchase your own competitive Naginata (競技用なぎなた: Kyogiyo-Naginata), and as your skills improve, you will get protective gears (防具: Bogu), and as your rank increases, you will get a full wooden Naginata (形薙刀: Kata-Naginata).
Bogu is not required at Naginata Montreal, but we encourage you to gradually get used to wearing protective gears. Shin guard (脛当: Sune-ate) can be used at an early stage. Once you have mastered the basics of naginata, you can wear gloves (小手: Kote), body armor (胴: Do), waist and groin protector (胴垂れ: Do-tare) and finally head/face protector (面: Men). Depending on the situation, we can lend you some of Bogu from the dojo.
Those who practice Kendo can use the same Men, Do, and Do-tare. Kote is different from those used in Kendo, so they will need to be purchased separately along with Sune-ate. Kendo uniforms are fine to be used for the beginning, but if you are going to continue with Naginata, we ask that you purchase white Naginata Keikogi (bleached fine cloth), which are a symbol of ease of movement, safety, cleanliness, and tradition.
Fee
Basically, we set the training fee in September each year so that everyone can cover the rental fee for the training space. There are about 8 to 12 training sessions per season, and about 30 training sessions throughout the year. We are offering several options for the registration.
Beginners course: Free (courses are held twice a year)
Non-Naginata Federation members, one-time participation: $20 Naginata Federation members, one-time participation: Free (up to two times per season)
One season (Autumn, Winter, Spring): Approximately $18 * number of sessions
Year-round: Approximately $500 (For those who register for the whole year, the dojo will cover the federation membership fee and some event fees, etc.)
Naginata Federation
The Naginata Montreal Dojo is a member of the Canadian Naginata Federation (CNF).
CNF is a member of the International Naginata Federation (INF) and is responsible for promoting Naginata in Canada and holding tournaments, seminars, events, etc. Practicing at the Naginata Montreal dojo does not automatically make you a member of the CNF, but you can become a CNF member by paying an annual membership fee through the dojo. Membership allows you to receive Naginata-related information and makes it easier to participate in seminars, tournaments, and gradings.
We follow the Atarashi Naginata technical regulations, ranks, and competition rules established by the All Japan Naginata Federation (AJNF).
If our practice hours do not suit you, there are several CNF naginata clubs in Montreal, and we can introduce you to them, so please feel free to contact us.
Dan and Kyu ranks (段級位: Dan-Kyu-i)
Dan and kyu (段, 級) ranks are a system that indicates levels of skill and achievement in Japanese martial arts.
To obtain a rank in naginata, you must first become a member of a local Naginata federation. Grades are granted by the local Naginata federation (For CNF: 6th to 1st Kyu), while Dan and above (1st to 5th Dan, Renshi, Kyoshi, Hanshi) are granted by the AJNF if you live in Japan, or by the INF if you live outside of Japan.
The Kyu examination is based only on practical skills, while the Dan examination is based on both practical skills and a written test.
At the Naginata Montreal Dojo, we respect the will of our students and do not force them to take exams. However, at seminars and other events, students are assigned to practice groups based on their rank, so if you have the opportunity, we encourage you to take the challenge without hesitation. Also, once you have taken an exam, you will not be able to take the next exam for a certain period of time depending on your passing rank. Please keep in mind that it takes time to reach a higher rank.
Participating in a tournament
Most Naginata tournaments in Canada are usually registered by individual dojos with the CNF. Practitioners can participate in those events when the Dojo instructor determines that there are no safety issues. There are match competitions (試合: Shiai) and performance competitions (演技: Engi) at the tournaments, and occasionally demonstrations such as choreography with music (リズムなぎなた: Rhythm Naginata) are held.
Naginata Montreal students actively participate in CNF/INF/AJNF competitions. They have participated in official competitions such as the Canadian Winter Classic, Toronto Tournament in spring, Quebec Regional in autumn, Canadian National Championships held every four years, and regional competitions in the United States and Europe. Members of the Dojo participated in the World Naginata Championships as members of Team Canada. In addition, we hold practice matches and mixed matches with other teams, and an in-house tournament is held once a year.