Cleveland Touyuukai Club has been in existence since 1999 and has been dedicated to preserving and teaching the art of Iaido. Headed by Matthew Swisher, we started out at Cleveland State University and then moved to our current location at Cleveland Aikikai.

Matthew Swisher Sensei began studying Iaido in 1993 under Furuhashi Setsuji Sensei (8th dan ZNKR and Muso Jikiden Eishin Ryu) in Takayama, Japan. He earned his Shodan (first degree black belt) in summer if 1994 under All Japan Kendo Federation (ZNKR). Swisher Sensei continued his training under Furuhashi Sensei earning his second dan in 1995 and his third dan in the summer of 1997 under the ZNKR. Shortly after that Swisher Sensei returned to Cleveland and began teaching Iaido at Cleveland State University as part of the CSU Kendo Club and after a few years moved his Iaido classes to Cleveland Aikikai where he continues to teach ZNKR and Eishin Ryu today. Swisher Sensei earned his fourth dan in 2002 under the Canadian Kendo Federation, an affiliate organization of the ZNKR. His training continues though attending of seminars and occasional trips to Japan where he continues to train with Furuhashi Sensei.