Beginners are welcome at any time. No need to be nervous about coming along we're a friendly bunch, and you'll find it's not all about screaming and shouting and fighting each other. It's a good idea to contact the dojo beforehand to let them know you'd like to come along, on some rare occasions an instructor may not always be able to be present so we wouldn't want you to arrive at an empty dojo. Normal loose fitting gym clothing is all you need to wear for your first few lessons, no jewellery and we train in bare feet. Later on you'll want to wear a keikogi, this is the Japanese training uniform that will likely be familiar to you. We have wholesale discounts with most major equipment suppliers so you are unlikely to be able to find it more cheaply than ordering it through the dojo, so please be sure to ask the instructor before you buy, we wouldn't want you to waste any money.
The Takagashira Dojo takes its name from the Cumbrian Lake District village of Hawkshead where it was first opened (Takagashira means Hawkshead in Japanese). The dojo was founded on 3rd September 2008 in Hawkshead by Mike Haft Sensei and relocated to a venue in Windermere the following year. The dojo moved to Kendal Leisure Centre in June 2016, and then to its current location in the Kendal Judo Dojo in August 2017.
The Takagashira Dojo takes its name from the Cumbrian Lake District village of Hawkshead where it was first opened (Takagashira means Hawkshead in Japanese). The dojo was founded on 3rd September 2008 in Hawkshead by Mike Haft Sensei and relocated to a venue in Windermere the following year. The dojo moved to Kendal Leisure Centre in June 2016, and then to its current location in the Kendal Judo Dojo in August 2017.
