I stayed at the Bujinkan Mansion during July while on a stress-filled business trip. It was the perfect set-up in that I could hole up with broadband Internet access and work in air conditioned comfort during the hot part of the day and then walk five minutes to the Honbu dojo that evening for the best training of my life. Don't mess around with finding a cheap hotel. You'll save a 1000 yen here or there but will chew up the difference in train tickets and mini bars. Just take a little responsibility for living like a Japanese (e.g. learning the rules about throwing rubbish out !) and you'll have a solid, rewarding experience in Japan. Additionally, its good etiquette to leave at least one cold beer in the fridge for the next person who's just travelled 20 hours to get there. I highly recommend it.

John Gauntt, 5th Dan
New York City

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If you plan on staying in Japan for training at Bujinkan hombu dojo, I would like to recommend The Bujinkan Mansion of Darren Horvath. With just a few minutes walk from Hombu dojo, you save a lot of money and time just on living so close by. As there are more and more shihan giving extra classes at Hombu dojo it makes it even more convenient.

With a lot of space you have access to a living room and separate kitchen and bathroom (Separate toilet, shower and washbowl).

As it is such a big apartment, very big by Japanese standards, you can also have some privacy when staying there together with other people.

The last couple of times I've been to Japan I have stayed at the Bujinkan Mansion cause of its convenience, close to Hombu and the classes given there. I also save a lot of money on being able to cook meals my self in the fully equipped kitchen, and don't need to spend time and money going out to eat. Of course you also save a lot of money on not having to take the train every day to class. You can fill your schedule with hombu classes all of the days in the week when the training is not in Ayase (Ayase classes are maximum two days a week).

If you anyway would like to eat out, the Noda main street is just a block away, with lots of places to eat at.

If you bring your laptop, there is also a possibility to use the high-speed Internet connection Darren subscribes to. I¹m dependent on the Internet connection to keep contact with my family in Europe, using mainly the Internet Protocol phone software of Skype, which make it bearable to be away from my girlfriend and son, both for them and me.

If you have the possibility to borrow a bike you can reach everything you need with only a few minutes away, most convenient.

If you are tired of having cockroaches all over, hard beds on the floor, crowded accommodation, tiresome journeys by train to get to class, I sincerely recommend the best accommodation for Bujinkan training in Japan The Bujinkan Mansion.

See you at the Mansion, hoping to make your acquaintance.

Best regards,

Christian Appelt, Shidoshi,

Bujinkan Dojo Göteborg, Sweden

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