Renaissance fest features samurai re-enactments

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ISHPEMING - About 220 years ago, the feudal era of Japan came to a close, effectively bringing about the end of the samurai class.

Next weekend, in Ishpeming, the samurai spirit will be brought back to life when the Kojokan Dojo of New Liberty, Iowa, holds three presentations highlighting the ways of a 16th century samurai warrior during Ishpeming's Renaissance Festival.

"We're going to have three presentations and all of them will be unique," said Dan Coglan, the sensei for the dojo. "In the first presentation, we'll be wearing full armor and using metal swords. All of the blocks and the strikes are going to look real to the audience for one reason: We're actually trying to hit each other."

Coglan has complete confidence in the warrior he'll be fighting against in that opening performance, scheduled for noon on Aug. 2 at the Lake Bancroft festival grounds. His 17-year-old son, Michael, has been training five times a week for the past 14 years.

"It's going to be a lot of fun for everyone," said Coglan. "They're going to see battlefield tactics from the 16th century. It's going to be set to narration and taiko drums, which are led by my wife, Jillian."

The second performance will feature Michael and his sister Amanda, 15, who has also been training since the age of 3. The duo will showcase the training exercises of the samurai and the teachings of bushido, which were used as ethical guidelines for samurai to follow and translates to "the way of the warrior."

In Coglan's third performance he'll showcase his cutting ability and will feature a 700-year-old samurai sword, valued at more than $10,000.

In addition to the shows, Coglan will also bring along a litter of Akitas, traditional Japanese guard dogs that were originally bred to hunt bears in Japan.

"We started with one but my wife, who is a big animal lover, wanted to get a second one," said Coglan. "Now we're on our third litter. Everyone wants to pet and see the dogs more than they want to see the 700-year-old sword."

This will be the Kojokan Dojo's second trip to the Upper Peninsula. Last year, they participated in the Great Lakes Renaissance Faire in Ironwood. The family is looking forward to making the 484-mile trek to Ishpeming this year.

"It's beautiful up there," said Coglan. "We were really impressed last year and we're looking forward to seeing it again."

And while the scenery may be impressing the bushido-trained warriors of the Kojokan Dojo, it will be their performances that are impressing those in attendance.

"There is a saying that hangs here in the dojo," said Coglan. "Amateurs practice until they get it right. Professionals practice until they can't get it wrong.

"We do this over and over and over until it becomes second nature."

For more information about the Kojokan Dojo, go to www.kojokan.com For more information on the ninth annual Ishpeming Art Faire and Renaissance Festival, go to www.ishpemingrenfest.com.