Soleiman Mehdizadeh


Soleiman Mehdizadeh is an Iranian master of Budō.

Biography

He traveled to Japan in 1977, to Tokyo, and started practicing Kendo. After a while he returned to Iran; but, again, in 1978, he went to Japan and in Nishiyama's Dojo practiced Kendo. He also learned Iaido from Totsuka and Goju-ryu Karate under Yamamoto.

Foundation history: Kendo & Iaido in Iran

The teaching of the traditional martial art of Kendo-Iaido in Iran was founded by Soleiman Mehdizadeh. In 1980, the International Martial Arts Federation started supervising Kendo & Iaido. The formal training, which was under the control of Mehdizadeh, was in the Fencing Hall. In the same year the Japan Broadcasting Corporation prepared a film about the first samurai martial arts training class in Iran and then broadcast it on Jan. 6th 1983. Simultaneously Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting filmed a documentary showing martial arts exercises demonstrated by Mehdizadeh. Since Mehdizadeh had to stay in Japan for several months each year, for follow-up technical and specialty exercises, his masters advised him to reside in Japan, in order to pass higher level exams in Kendo-Iaido. Returning to Iran in 1994, Mehdizadeh recommenced training of students, under the supervision of the Karate Federation of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Honors and awards