Aikijutsu: White judo keikogi, zori (sandals), bokken (wooden practice sword).  Approximate cost will be $125-150.  
Kenjutsu: White hakama, white iaido or kendo keikogi top, kenjutsu obi (belt), zori, bokken, shinken (real sword), sword cleaning kit. Approximate cost $500-3000 depending on type and quality of sword.  DO NOT buy a sword until you have been accepted into the dojo and have been given the specific requirements as to what swords are acceptable and safe for our training. 
Iaido: Black hakama, white iaido or kendo keikogi top, kenjutsu obi (belt), zori, bokken, iaito (practice sword or a real shinken), sword cleaning kit.  Approximate cost $500-3000 again depending on type and quality of sword.  DO NOT buy a sword until you have been accepted into the dojo and have been given the specific requirements as to what swords are acceptable  and safe for our training.
There are a number of good resources online for obtaining these training materials which we have listed under our Links section or go there directly.

Yamate-ryu aikijutsu: an empty hand combat art, one of the lines that decends from the Daito-ryu.

Itto Tenshin-ryu kenjutsu: a sword fighting school from the Edo period of Japan with roots going back to earlier styles.

Muso Jikiden Eishin-ryu iaido: a very old style of sword that initially concentrates on the batto (drawing and cutting).  As part of this we also do Hiken Muso-ryu iaigirido, a newer off shoot, that is the cutting (tameshigiri) application.

Students are only allowed to study one art until they become proficient, usually sometime after shodan (first dan ).  At that time they may be allowed to start a second study.  If you have not studied any martial arts, and are not sure which one to start with, it is usually recommended you start with aikijutsu.

If you are interested in studying the martial arts we invite you to come and watch several classes of all the styles to see the differences and find what might be best suited for you.  The class times are posted on the web site here but we ask that you contact us first by phone or email to set up a visit.

We are San Diego Ca.   Our dojo, "Hoshin Dojo",  is unique in San Diego  with its rustic and old Japanese physical style.  Additionally, it is unique in the quality of instruction and dedication of the students. If you are interrested in training with us please contact us to set up an appointment to view the classes.  We ask all prospective students to do this prior to starting training.

While many of the "yudansha" black belts senior students  do study all three arts, we generally only allow new students to focus on a single art.  If you have never trained in the martial arts before, and are not sure which art to study, we typically would recommend Aikijutsu.

We teach traditional Japanese martial arts that are primarily related to swordsmanship (this includes Aikijutsu).  We emphasize the traditional teachings of the various styles.  This includes not only the physical and spiritual techniques, the original language and writing, as well as the rules of etiquette, called reishiki.

"Practice with a sword until your arms hurt, read about swords until your eyes hurt, and think about swords until your head hurts. Rest a bit… and then start over." Bujin editor F.J. Lovret 1978 Sept.

Gichin Funakoshi pointed out that "What you have been taught by listening to others' words you will forget very quickly; what you have learned with your whole body you will remember for the rest of your life."

From time to time I will slip in some readers questions from the old Bujin magazine, as a commemoration of the 40th anniversary of the Dojo. Although these questions (and articles) are 30 years old , they still have relevance today. And it's amusing to see how little things really change. Such is Budo. Editor Nicholas Busan