1053 San Pablo Avenue
Albany, CA 94706
USA

1-510-526-7518

e-mail inquires are welcome, but phone calls tend to receive the fastest response

visits by appointment only

Serving the San Francisco East Bay Area, including the communities of Albany, Berkeley, El Cerrito, Kensington, Oakland, and Richmond

Testimonials from Top Martial Arts Experts

Stephen M. Fabian, PhD

H. E. Davey is unique in the West for his active and holistic training in, and application of, a true East Asian Way of life. What I find most impressive in Davey Sensei is his true commitment to journeying along this Way and to sharing it with others. He is one of those rare individuals who not only knows what he's talking about, but can "walk his talk" and deliver; he's the genuine article, and that is indeed rare. It has become common for Westerners to claim "mastery" of this or that martial art or Asian cultural practice, but it is relatively uncommon for any individual to have the depth and breadth of mastery of the arts—in or out of Asia—as does Davey Sensei. — Stephen Fabian Sensei has been involved in the Asian martial arts for many years. He lived in Japan and is a direct disciple of the 18th and 19th generation Headmasters of Hontai Yoshin Ryu jujutsu. Fabian Sensei has received a high-level teaching certification, and he was the first American licensed to teach this ancient art in the U.S. He holds s seventh-degree black belt from the Shudokan Martial Arts Association.

Kawabata Terutaka

One of the most important qualities in any Japanese martial art is an elusive, but clearly discernible, "sharpness." Without this sharp, decisive, and resolute quality, our techniques degenerate into nothing more than an exhibition of stylized movement. Although Davey Shihan's aiki-jujutsu techniques are unusually flowing and exceedingly beautiful to observe, he never loses the vital and dynamic "sharpness" which lies at the heart of all budo. (Shihan is an honorific title that is similar to Professor and is used to refer to a "master instructor.") It is also essential that followers of budo apply the spiritual and philosophical lessons they learn from their martial art in their everyday lives . . . Davey Shihan has realized this and he is a true gentleman in the martial arts as well as in his daily life. Davey Shihan's aiki-jujutsu skills are powerful, intense, and effective. — Kawabata Terutaka Sensei, ninth-degree black belt and shihan in the Tenshin Sho Jigen Ryu system of classical martial arts, lives in Yokohama. He is one of Japan's preeminent teachers of ancient martial arts and an expert swordsman.

Wayne Muromoto

H. E. Davey, an old friend and fellow traveler on the Way, has written a series of books pointing out the winding road that meanders up the Taoist Ways. In his books, he lays out the first steps. He is surely one of the few writers in the English language who is qualified to describe the general lay of this land. Davey Sensei has studied Japanese systems of calligraphy, yoga, healing arts, and classical martial arts for most of his life. He therefore goes beyond an academic, clinical survey of such arts, and also beyond a narrow, technique-oriented "how-to" type of book to give us the spiritual and conceptual foundations of the Do arts. Finding such a teacher, who can verbalize such concepts, is a rarity even in Japan. His books are of great service to people studying any of the Japanese arts, or anyone curious about what such study entails and offers the student. — Wayne Muromoto Sensei teaches Takeuchi Ryu jujutsu, one of Japan's most ancient martial arts. He is a direct disciple of the current headmaster of Bitchu-den Takeuchi Ryu, a form of jujutsu rarely taught outside of Japan, and he has extensive training in Muso Jikiden Eishin Ryu swordsmanship, along with Urasenke tea ceremony. Mr. Muromoto is widely regarded as one of the leading American authorities on ancient Japanese martial arts and culture.

Sato Shizuya

I would like to take this opportunity to introduce Mr. H. E. Davey. Mr. Davey has achieved a deep understanding of traditional Japanese culture and martial arts . . . Mr. H. E. Davey, a friend for whom I have the greatest fondness and respect, has been studying and teaching Japanese budo ("martial ways") for many years. For an equally long period, he has also engaged in serious research into the history and lineage of aiki-jujutsu, which is a form of kobudo. — Sato Shizuya Sensei of Tokyo is Chief Director of Japan's Kokusai Budoin HQ and a tenth-degree jujutsu black belt. Having trained in Japanese martial arts for over 50 years, Sato Sensei travels the world teaching budo.

Nicklaus Suino

The Sennin Foundation holds a respected position among those who value the unique cultural arts of Japan. Few institutions anywhere in the world do as much to disseminate the techniques and values of such diverse arts as shodo (Japanese brush calligraphy), Japanese yoga, and dento bujutsu ("traditional Japanese martial arts"). Davey Sensei's lifetime commitment to these arts has given him a remarkable understanding of their deeper aspects, and his students are very fortunate to be able to study with him on a daily basis. — Nicklaus Suino Sensei is the Director of the Japanese Martial Arts Center in Michigan. He has practiced martial arts since 1968, studied in Japan for several years, authored a number of martial arts books, and he holds a seventh-degree black belt in Muso Jikiden Eishin Ryu swordsmanship, a sixth-degree in Kodokan judo, and a fourth-degree in Sato Ryu Nihon jujutsu.

Walter Todd

Mr. Davey is one of only a relatively small number of Americans and Europeans that can truthfully be called a kodansha. In Japan, this title is usually reserved for martial arts teachers ranked sixth-degree black belt and above . . . I have watched Mr. Davey interact with high-ranking martial arts masters from Japan on many occasions. He is treated as a respected peer by these instructors, many of whom are notably difficult to impress. — Walter Todd Sensei (1927-1999) studied martial arts in Japan starting in the late 1940s. An early pioneer in the US, Todd Sensei held an eighth-degree black belt in judo, an eighth-degree in karate-do, and a sixth-degree in aikido, all from organizations in Japan.