Frequently Asked Questions

We chose this name because the study of martial arts is a path. Zento (前途) means “the road ahead.” Zentokan (前途館) is "the home of the road ahead," a place for dedicated people to move forward on their journeys down the path. Zento can also be translated as “prospect,” a nod to our home in Brooklyn, New York, where we are a short walk from Prospect Park.

We encourage you to learn more about the history of our dojo.

Dojo membership entitles students to attend unlimited classes. Given the breadth and depth of our curriculum, we encourage everyone to train as often as they are able. We recommend coming to class twice per week at a minimum in order to make consistent progress alongside your peers. Students who practice the tanren daily see the best results.

Approached with the proper attitude (and physical technique), regular training can continue throughout one’s life.

The tanren curriculum of Kurikara Ryu Heiho is a system of conditioning for the body and mind.

Tanren (鍛錬) means forging, a process in which heat and pressure are applied to raw material in order to dissolve impurities and increase strength and flexibility.

Yes. The Tanren curriculum offers meaningful physical and mental benefits for those who practice consistently, regardless of whether or not they also study the sword. No prior experience with martial arts of any kind is needed.

We offer a “Tanren only” membership option.

Once committed to practice, new students should acquire a kaku obi (belt), keikogi (jacket), and hakama (pleated divided skirt) as soon as possible. You will also need a bokken (wooden sword), a tanrenbo (heavy wooden training club), and tetsubo (short steel rods used in the tanren).

Within the first 3-6 months of training, students should begin to practice with a mogito, an unsharpened sword made of aluminum alloy. Advanced students train with shinken (live blades).

Please speak with an instructor before purchasing any equipment, as safety, quality, and proper fit are essential.

Zentokan Dojo (and the sword organizations to which we belong) use the traditional Japanese kyu and dan grading system. With consistent training, most students can earn their shodan, the 1st degree black belt, in about two years.

It is important to understand that in traditional Japanese martial arts, the shodan rank represents only absorption of the basics. Shodan (初段) literally means “beginning level” and signifies only that one is ready to cross the threshold into deeper study.

And as one’s rank grows, so does their level of responsibility in the dojo.

These books offer a great start for those who enjoy reading:

• The Spirit of the Sword by Nakamura Taizaburo
• Kurikara: The Sword and The Serpent by John Maki Evans
• Heiho: Strategy and the Art of Peace by Otake Risuke
• Miyamoto Musashi: His Life and Writings by Kenji Tokitsu
• Old School: Essays on Japanese Martial Traditions by Ellis Amdur

We also proudly maintain a small lending library of books and videos at the dojo. Please speak with an instructor if you’d like to browse and / or borrow something.

Anyone, with any kind of body, can begin learning. And everyone, with every kind of body, will see their physique change over time with consistent training. Please speak with an instructor if you have specific injuries or medical conditions we should be aware of so that we can advise and modify your training activities as appropriate. The Tanren curriculum (combined with regular physical activity) is the best way to condition the body for swordsmanship.

If you have significant physical challenges but are serious about studying the sword, we may ask you to focus on the Tanren for a period of time to help you prepare for regular practice with the sword.

All training in martial arts comes with some risk. We employ a rigorous approach to safety that begins with three core rules:

1. When a teacher says “freeze,” that means hold ABSOLUTELY STILL. Do not try to correct your posture or any other mistake. They might say “freeze” because they want to call attention to a mistake, but sometimes it may be because you’re about to do something in a dangerous way. Resist the urge to cover your mistakes and trust that this is of utmost importance.

2. Whenever you take a step, if your sword is in the saya (scabbard), your thumb must be on the tsuba (hand guard). This is to prevent the sword from accidentally falling out.

3. If you fail to follow rule number two and your sword does start to slide out of the saya, do not try to catch it. Put your hands up, and step away from where it is falling.

You will be taught everything you need to know to train safely. Cultivating the mental focus, physical sensitivity, and attention to detail that keep everyone safe is core to proper training.

In traditional Japanese martial arts, etiquette is integral to training. Classes are physically demanding, but the dojo is not a gym. When students cross the threshold onto the mat and bow to the kamiza, they are entering a world wholly separate from everyday life. At first all the bows and the vocabulary and the rituals may seem confusing, but if you are open and receptive and you pay attention to what is happening around you, the proper etiquette will become apparent and intuitive.

Practicing etiquette with sincerity and humility helps maintain the dojo as a separate space and cultivates sensitivity and awareness, which leads to more enriching and rewarding training for committed students.

As a new student, the most important etiquette is to show up on time (at least 10 minutes prior to the start of class), and arrive with an open mind. Everything else will follow in due time, and more experienced students will be glad to guide you.

Our curriculum is appropriate for students 18 years of age and older. We sometimes accept students as young as 16 after an evaluation process, and may ask a parent or guardian to enroll and participate alongside them. Please contact us for more information.

New York City offers many high quality traditional martial arts schools that cater to younger students.

Jikishinkan Aikido Dojo, with which we share our space, offers an excellent children’s aikido program. Kendo is also a great choice for young people, and we recommend the Brooklyn Kenyukai.