Coinciding with the exhibition Evangelion y las katanas japonesas organized by the Museum ABC with the Fundación Japón, already mentioned by The Diplomat, this afternoon at 6.00 p.m. at the same location (29 Amaniel Street, Madrid) a meeting on La cultura del budismo Zen y los samurais (the culture of Zen Buddhism and samurais) is taking place, where historians Javier Villalba and Marcos Sala will create a space to reflect and investigate the relation of samurais and Zen Buddhism. Entrance will be free while seats are available.
The event will alternate the theoretical exposition of the history and the practical demonstration of the use of the sword (iaijutsu) in a dynamic way. It will analyze the origin of samurais and their evolution until the end of the Edo period (1868), and it will go more deeply into the intimate relationship established between the Zen monks and the warriors in different periods of Japan’s history.
Javier Villalba Fernández is doctor of Geography and History (Art History section) by the UCM. As an expert in Japan’s Art History, he has taught at the Faculty of Arts of the University of Chile (2005-2007) and in the master on Eastern Asia-Japanese Studies (2011-2012 and 2013-2014) of the University of Salamanca. Besides, he has given courses and conferences in Spain and in several countries of South America and Central America. His doctoral thesis is about Zen Buddhism and the arts.
Marcos Sala is a graduate in Art History and doctor by the Complutense University of Madrid. He is founding president of the first Spanish Association for the study of the nihontô (Japanese sword) and the koryû (Old Japanese schools). He is Spanish representative (Spain Hombuchô) of the old Japanese schools Musô Jikiden Eishin Ryû iaijutsu Komei Jyuku and Ryôen Ryû naginatajutsu. He is direct student of the 21st lineage head of this school, Sekiguchi Komei sensei, who has given it his surname. Besides, he has other titles such as: 3rd Dan ZNKR iaidô; 1st Dan Shintô Musô Ryû jojutsu; 1st Dan Okinawa Kobudo.
