On Sunday April 13th 2025 the 8th edition of the EKC (European Koryū-bujutsu Convention) will be held in the Greater Amsterdam Area (in Haarlem). After a several year hiatus the EKC will once again showcase some of the best traditional Japanese Martial arts being practised in Europe.

The EKC (European Koryū-bujutsu Convention) is a platform for koryū bujutsuka training in Europe in official and authorized lines. Koryū bujutsu is the practise of classical Japanese warrior fighting systems/school that predate the modern (Meiji 1868) era.

The aim of the European Koryū-bujutsu Convention is twofold:

• to encourage the academic study of koryū bujutsu and the exchange of ideas among practitioners of kobujutsu ryūha in Europe.
• to offer the interested public a serious and accessible platform to learn more about authorized kobujutsu and get in touch with the respective study groups in Europe.

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The main events of the EKC 2025 will be held on Sunday April13th:

• 10:30 – 11:30 – Lecture (on invitation only)
• 12:30 – Opening public embu
• 13:00 – 17:00 – Public embu

The lecture will be “Unravelling the Cords” by Alex Allera:

Unravelling the Cords is the first complete annotated translation of the original text of the Taisha-ryū Kaichū (タイ捨流解紐), as well as a document penned by Taisha-ryū’s founder – Marume Kurando (1540–1629) – containing an original text by Kamiizumi Nobutsuna (ca. 1508–1577) – the renowned founder of the Shinkage-ryū school and Kurando’s own swordsmanship master.

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The EKC will be held in the Kennemer Sporthallen: the historical Sport Center in the area:

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There have been 7 European Koryū-bujutsu Convention in the past:
2012: The very first EKC by the founder of the event: Joris van Nispen of Shofukan Rotterdam. Lecture was held by Mr. Hunter B. Armstrong
2014: The second EKC by Joris van Nispen of Shofukan Rotterdam. Lecture was held by Mr. Serge Mol
2015: The largest koryu embu in Europe was held at the EKC by new director of EKC: Arjan F. Tervoort of Kochokai Budokan. Lecture was held by Mr. Willem de Lange
2016: The first EKC outside The Netherlands hosted by Claudio Regoli.
2017: Addition of a inter-ryuha embu-discussion at EKC hosted by Jürgen Seebeck.
2018: EKC focused inwardly to it’s participants with even more exchange of ideas, Hosted by EKC director: Arjan F. Tervoort
2019: EKC collaboration with Kōryūkai in Palazzo Rizzini, Hosted by Kōryūkai director: Lorenzo Quaresmini on September 7th and 8th.