We are open again! Practice is on Saturday mornings (juniors aged 10+, young people aged 14+ and adults). We welcome newcomers all year round, but will be offering beginner focussed sessions in September. It doesn’t matter if you are new to martial arts or have some experience, all are welcome to join us for a no-obligation free trial period for two months. Sessions are Saturday mornings, 10:00 am – 12:00 noon, you are welcome to come along and watch a session first. We hope to reopen up our weekday evening sessions again soon, get in touch to find out more.

You can learn a wide variety of weapons from our extensive syllabus; our focus this autumn will be a return to jujutsu, the core of the system.

A typical training session:

• rei – a formal bow to start
• jumbi taiso – a gentle warm up to get your body moving
• bo kihon – basic staff techniques practiced as a group
• bo kata – formal patterns of practice in pairs
• ukemi – learning how to fall safely
• kata – usually some form of jujutsu and/or weapon work in pairs
• taiso – a simple cool down to check in with your body
• rei – a formal bow to end
• clear up, tea, and chat

Our location

We practice at Mirfield Community Centre, Water Royd Lane, Mirfield, WF14 9SG. Direct link to Google maps.

There is car parking for up to 22 cars including two disabled parking spaces. Buses 202 (Arriva) and 205 (Longstaffs) stop outside the centre. The Centre is approximately a half hour walk from Mirfield Train station served by Transpennine and Northern.

Want to join us? Get in touch:

Frequently asked questions

What should I wear?	Anything you can move in comfortably, preferably without zips or buttons. If you decide to join us we can provide advice on what to buy, but you don’t need anything at the start. If you’ve done another martial art, feel free to bring your uniform. We will ask you to remove all watches and jewelry (including earrings) for the sessions, so if these are valuable, we suggest you leave them at home.
How much does it cost?	The trial/beginners course is free. After that we charge a monthly amount depending on how often you train (once or twice a week) and your income (waged or unwaged). There is also a one off lifetime joining fee (roughly equivalent to two months of fees). We operate on a not for profit basis, all monies go to the cost of running the dojo.
Do I need to buy equipment?	All equipment is provided. We have enough weapons for everyone. Some people prefer to have their own, which is also OK, but it really isn’t a requirement. Please ask for advice before purchasing anything.
I have an injury/ disability. Can I still practice?	We aim to be as inclusive as possible and will always work around individual’s needs. Due to the nature of our activity, there are some things which we can not accommodate or where we (or you) may need to seek further advice but please get in touch to discuss.
What is Takenouchi-ryū Bitchūden?	Takenouchi-ryū Bitchūden is a classical Japanese martial art founded in 1532. For more information on the background, history and influence of the system, see this article on Wikipedia.
Who is the instructor?	Anna Seabourne BA MSc MAODE PGCE PhD opened Shōfūkan, the name of our dōjō, in autumn 2007 after twelve years studying martial arts in Japan. Anna is an experienced teacher and though her main focus has been post-16 education, she has taught younger students, both here and in Japan. Anna has been involved in martial arts since 1987, and before going to Japan in 1995 ran a junior Ju Jitsu club in London for two years. In addition to Takenouchi-ryū Bitchūden, she holds Dan grades in TJJF Ju Jitsu and Shorinji Kempo. Anna completed a doctorate in Japanese Studies in 2017 which focussed on the teaching and learning within Takenouchi-ryū Bitchūden as a community of practice.