I first joined Ryo's class in January 2004 having previously studied Budo Taijutsu for a few years in the 90's before fading away. Since joining I have been amazed at how much I have learned and how many pre-conceived notions of what is or what should be Budo Taijutsu that I have thankfully managed to 'un-learn'. I like to think that as a Budoka and as a person I have grown considerably in the last few months, not just in the sense of physical/technical skills but in what it really means to appreciate and practice Budo, that is, to be a better person. I think Ryo possesses many qualities that make him an excellent instructor. Patience, humility, an eye for detail, passion for what he is doing and a real desire to teach (but not just for the sake of turning up and putting in the hours, it's obvious that he really wants to see us improve and grow as Budoka). On the technical side he is rigorous and demanding in his insistence on the proper application of the basics. He insists that we polish our basics so that what we build on them becomes strong because it has a solid foundation. Despite this he is very relaxed in class and the training is conducted in a friendly, often jovial atmosphere. The more we train, the more enthusiastic I have become about the art. I feel lucky to have found an excellent instructor but also a great Buyu. Gerard Dempsey

© 2002 Shishikudojo. All rights reserved. Designed by Tokyo Talk