▁methods . ▁ ▁He ▁is ▁also ▁an ▁author ▁and ▁has ▁appeared ▁in ▁numerous ▁world ▁media . ▁ ▁Early ▁years ▁His ▁grand father , ▁who ▁was ▁in ▁charge ▁of ▁the ▁Emperor ' s ▁protection , ▁inst illed ▁in ▁him ▁a ▁drive ▁to ▁learn ▁k ob udo ▁from ▁an ▁early ▁age . ▁ ▁He ▁began ▁his ▁formal ▁mart ial ▁arts ▁training ▁at ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁ 1 3 ▁with ▁K endo ▁att aining ▁a ▁ 4 th ▁Dan ▁at ▁ 2 5 ▁years ▁old . ▁ ▁International ▁Te aching ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 8 ▁he ▁tra ve led ▁to ▁France ▁as ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁N ih on ▁B udo ▁deleg ation ▁selected ▁by ▁the ▁Japanese ▁Ministry ▁of ▁Education ▁and ▁the ▁Agency ▁of ▁Cultural ▁Affairs . ▁ ▁Since ▁then ▁he ▁has ▁frequently ▁been ▁invited ▁to ▁teach ▁in ▁Germany , ▁Italy , ▁England , ▁France , ▁Den mark , ▁K uw ait ▁and ▁Sweden . ▁ ▁En sh in ▁Ry u ▁In ▁ 1 9 6 3 , ▁F um on ▁Tan aka ▁was ▁accepted ▁as ▁a ▁dis ci ple ▁by ▁Nich ikan ▁Kob ay ashi , ▁ 1 0 th ▁So ke ▁of ▁the ▁old ▁school ▁of ▁En sh in ▁Ry u ▁sword . ▁The ▁Od achi ▁sword ▁employed ▁in ▁this ▁school ▁is ▁more ▁than ▁ 2 ▁meters ▁long , ▁a ▁comprom ise ▁between ▁the ▁large ▁sword , ▁the ▁lance ▁and ▁the ▁hal ber d . ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 5 , ▁Tan aka ▁was ▁selected ▁to ▁succeed ▁his ▁master ▁as ▁the ▁head ▁of