Now that the leaves have begun to change color and the cooler weather of Fall begins to descend here on the southern Oregon coast, our swordsmithing school, the Tomboyama Nihonto Tanren Dojo (Dragonfly Mountain Japanese Sword Forging School), will be closing it doors until classes are planned to resume again in April of 2009. The winter weather here can make for difficult traveling conditions, and it is for this reason that we do not schedule classes during the winter months.
The August Basic Forging Course was full with four students. The sounds of three students hammering at once was like music to our ears! Two students, Phoebe and Joe, returned to take our Forging Course a second time after taking the class for the first time in 2007. This year Phoebe brought her daughter, Davida, to take the course as well. The fourth student was Paul, who had been given the opportunity to take our class as an anniversary gift from his wife. We’re are very happy that all blades were successfully heat-treated, although one blade took a couple attempts.
In September, Bruce, a student who took our July Basic Forging Course, returned to the school with his wife and they both took our weekend-long Habaki Course.
Our October Basic Forging Course was the last of the school year, and we are extremely pleased that Paul, the one student of the class, was able to bring home a well-forged and heat-treated wakizashi.
We would like thank all of our students for making the 2008 school year enjoyable and a great success.
As the new year draws nearer, we will be prepare and post the dojo course schedule for 2009 online.
Anyone interested in our curriculum should feel free to contact us by telephone or by email.
P.S. Some new photos have been added to our photo gallery.
Congratulations on a great year at the dojo sensei. I look forward to attending a session soon. Well wishes to all.
I would dearly love to be able to attend a forging training class, create my own katana