I started with practicing the martial arts when I was 8, practicing Judo for three years.

Then moved on to Karate (wado kai style) and trained for 10 years with a senior student of Sensei Muramatsu.  Then I had relatively short 2 year interest and study of Ninjutsu, with Hans Hesselman in Utrecht.

Then after seeing a clip of O Sensei Morihei Ueshiba, I knew that I wanted to learn aikido. And subsequently started practicing with Sensei Erik Louw at Aikidojo in Amsterdam. After one of the askido classes finished, I saw a Katori Shinto Ryu Kenjutsu class taught by Sensei Louw. I fell in love with the art. This was in 1988. I practiced both aikido and Katori Shinto Ryu Kenjutsu side by side for some years, until my schedule forced me to choose. I choose Katori Shinto Ryu Kenjutsu and have never looked back.

I feel very fortunate to have been taught by Sensei Erik Louw, who is an amazing and gifted martial artist, and to have practiced with Sensei Hatakayama who is also an incredibly gifted and amazing teacher, on many stages in Holland, Italy and England.  

Another great part of the art is that all those that share the love for the art, automatically become part of a family of sorts. Making stages great get togethers without strangers, even when you see each other for the first time.

The joy of each class that I teach and learn makes me look forward to the next class. After quite some years now, I still find the contradictions within the art as inspiring as I did on the first day when I started my study. The requisite of peace and calm in receiving attack versus the ferocity, focus and intent when attacking. The outward visual simplicity of stances and transitions to attack versus the great efforts required to get to this simplicity.Equally there is the incredible beauty and elegance of the art, when performed by skilled practitioners.

Onno van Santen