If a distaste for machismo and testosterone has turned you off to martial arts, the lefty politics and queer-friendly attitude of Suigetsukan might be more your style. Dedicated to making martial arts more accessible to all members of the community, this dojo is a collectively run nonprofit offering all sliding-scale courses with no one turned away for lack of funds. In addition to their courses in Japanese martial arts, including Danzan Ryu Jujitsu, Aikido, and Battodo (Japanese sword), Suigetsukan also offers courses in lesser-known disciplines such as Wing Chun, Ba Gua, and Eskrima, and a weekly Zen meditation group. They boast an especially high retention rate among female students, and offer courses from the long-running Girl Army Collective, which teaches self-defense skills to women. Kids age six and up are welcome to enroll in the youth courses, taught by Oakland native Sensei Gina Rossi.
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Suigetsukan