During the Genpei War, it’s believed Tomoe played a prominent role in samurai warlord Yoshinaka Minamoto's victories over the Taira clan. (The three samurai who unified Medieval Japan.) ...

About 150 years ago, at the end of Japan’s Edo period, a civil war resulted in the end of the samurai culture and the birth of modern Japan. One rebel clan of samurai chose mass suicide.

Run by Kiyomi Vanessa Shibata, the 20th generation representative of the clan, the centre offers hands-on ninja and samurai experiences using weapons handcrafted by the clan’s current leader.