Budapest Főnix Kendo and Iaido Club

Kendo, literally meaning ‘the way of the sword’ has a long tradition originating from the era of the Samurai in Japan. This martial art chosen by many people today, is based on sword-fighting and is both physically and mentally challenging. Budapest has also a great Kendo club where people can practice the way of the sword. Phoenix Kendo Club was opened in 1982 as a non-profit organization to teach people Kendo.

Iaido is the technique of quickly extracting a Katana (a sword), finishing off your opponent then elegantly putting it back into its sheath. Although the club does not have a traditional dojo in which to practice, each training session is usually held in a gym and is structured according to every Japanese tradition. It is free to join and children are welcome. The highly skilled instructors are qualified between 3rd and 6th Dan levels.

Venue: Marczibányi Square 1. Budapest, II. District
Time: Tuesday/Thursday/Friday 19:00 – 21:00pm (advanced), Tuesday/Friday 18:00 – 19:30pm (beginners)
Costs: HUF 13.500 for 3 months

Budapest Jiu-do club

Judo, another martial art originating from Japan meaning the “gentle way”, has not been around as long as Kendo and was introduced in 1882. Today this sport has made considerable inroads and is now a much favoured combative sport and has reached Olympic status. Unlike other combat sports, it is more about self-restraint as there are only a limited number of moves used: throws, takedowns, joint locking, etc.

If you are interested in Judo, Budapest has several schools to offer. The Budapest Jiu-do club has probably the longest history and offers a high quality of tuition. Anyone over 16 years of age can participate and the training is based on the entry level of new members. Numbers are limited and admittance is only allowed in September and February each year.

Venue: Somogyi Béla Street 13. Budapest, VIII. District, JDSE dojo
Time: Monday & Wednesday 18:30 – 20:30

Victory Martfű

Karate, the “empty hand” originates from Okinawa before the Ryukyu Islands were annexed by Japan in the 19th century. No one knows the exact date of its origins, but this martial art which uses punches, kicks, elbow strikes, etc. has become widespread and it is practiced in many countries including Hungary.

Victory Martfű teaches a special style of karate, the ‘kyokushin’ style, and has done so since 1987. The devoted and qualified 4th Dan instructors currently teach over 100 students. The club has organized many tournaments and many of its 2nd – 3rd Dan black belts have won national and international tournaments. Since 2003, Victory Martfű has officially been the most successful martial arts club in Hungary.

Venue: Dózsa György Way 17. Budapest, XIV. District
Time: Monday 19:00 – 20:30, Wednesday 18:30 – 20:00, Saturday 10:00 – 11:30

Sasok Taekwondo

The Korean martial art, Taekwondo, is one of the most dangerous combative sports with its precarious breaking techniques. It is also one of the most popular martial art in terms of the numbers of its practitioners. This combative sport also doubles as an efficient method of self-defence and in Hungary it is now gaining more popularity. The Eagle Taekwondo club in Budapest, formed in 1999 and now with more than 70 members, is amongst the largest martial arts clubs in Budapest. Three qualified 4th Dan instructors run the club, so if you decide to go for Taekwondo you will be in safe hands!

Venue: Újhegyi Street 16. Kőbánya – Budapest, X. District, Sasok Sportcentrum
Time: Tuesday/Thursday/Friday 17:30 – 19:00 (beginner) , Tuesday/Thursday/Friday 18:30 – 20:30 (advanced)

There are of course, other martial art clubs in Budapest which will come as no surprise. What is surprising however is that, except for a handful of clubs, the majority of them are non-profit organizations, so anyone can join most of the clubs for free. Check them out!

By László Kelemen for XpatLoop.com

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