Dainihon Iaido Federation

“Genryū Seiden” — Preserving the Authentic Lineage at Its Source

The Seishinkan Gold Coast Branch was formally established in February 2020. It stands as the parent Dojo among Seishinkan’s Australian branches, carrying forward a style of practice marked by tradition and adherence to the fundamentals of Iai.

Iaidoka have trained here since 1995 (Heisei 7), when Director Stockwell returned to Queensland as a professor and opened an Iaido Dojo—which would become the first Seishinkan base in Australia. From those beginnings, a steady stream of students trained under this tradition. Over the years, many have progressed from beginners to Yūdansha, with some later serving as leaders and instructors as the art spread.

As the mantle passed firstly from Director Stockwell to Deputy Director Watanabe, then to the current branch manager, Deputy Director Nathan Nilsen (Renshi), the Gold Coast Dojo continued to develop. Instruction is grounded in solid basics, with particular emphasis on practical and accurate techniques, as well as preserving Seishinkan’s traditional stylistic lineage, through enthusiastic and diligent training.

Deputy Director Nilsen was recently inducted into the Australasian Martial Arts Hall Of Fame (AMAHOF), in recognition of his commitment to the instruction, development and preservation of Martial Arts in the region.

There are currently 16 students enrolled at the Gold Coast Dojo. The student body is diverse—with ages ranging from teenagers to 80+ years old—all training together with a sense of purpose, in an environment based on mutual respect and common Budo values.

The branch has also become a source of leadership: practitioners who forged their skills here have gone on to establish Sydney, Brisbane, and Melbourne　branches, thus expanding Seishinkan’s presence nationwide.

With the establishment of these branches, the Gold Coast Dojo continues to play a central role as the Australian hub—maintaining rigorous, faithful training while supporting sister dojos across the country, and regularly hosting gradings and tournaments under the Renmei’s guidance.

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