Ian Kirkwood Sensei

Ian Kirkwood discovered Eikoku Roshukai online at the end of the 20th century and met Neil Kemp Sensei (Kaicho) by arrangement at Pitlochry (a suitable tea stop) on one of his long drives north from Gloucester to Elgin with the family. Ian had been learning at home from Kim Taylor’s Seitei Gata manual and a self-cut curved stick loosely resembling a bokuto. Eager to help, but being at that time resident far to the south, Neil Sensei introduced Ian to Edinburgh's John Honisz-Greens Sensei, then resident in Japan, but whose Edinburgh and Sussex students, came to Kirkmichael regularly to encourage Ian and inform his Iaido. That village hall in Kirkmichael remains the principal Enjukan training place today. Bridge of Cally village hall (nearby) witnessed several intense winter training weekends led by Neil and John sensei that was well suited to young knees and Glenisla village hall later became a trusted and popular larger venue for winter and spring seminars which continue to be held here annually.

Iwata Norikazu Hanshi and his deshi visited Ian and Cliff Schooling (Sempai) at Glenisla in 2004 — a great honour and continued source of encouragement. He named the dojo Enjukan shortly thereafter, inspiring the two to continue their study within the Eikoku Roshukkai group. Ian travelled to Ozu with Neil Kemp Sensei in 2008 to study with Iwata Sensei. Cliff soon thereafter and dojo member Alec Rattray, a little later. In 2024 Enjukan celebrated 20 years of MJER Iaido.