Profile

A small medallion about me: "Czech samurai" (only in Czech)

Here you can find my brief biography, bibliography and an overview of my activities.

Jakub Zeman, KEG, born in Prague in the 50th year of Showa era so in 1975, in the year of the Rabit in combination with the Wood element. Since 2000 married to a harpsichordist Kayoko (Fukuda), untill 2013 a piano professor at the International Conservatory. 

Since 2018 Knight of the Order of the Eagle of Georgia (Dynastic Order of Merit of the House Bagrations), since 2019, member of the Royal Academy of St. Ambrosius. In 2021 the pretender to the Georgian throne, Prince David Bagration Mukhrani gave him a baronetcy and the right to use the family coat of arms again. Since 2023, a member of the Order of the Wings of the Archangel Michael. In 2023, he received the medal of merit of the House of Bagration.

After the studies at the Academic Gymnasium, he studied Japanology (today Japanese studies) at FFUK (he discontinued the studies in the 5th year due to accepting the post of the deputy director of the Japanese company Cosmo Kuroda in Lysá nad Labem.

He worked as a lecturer and later a curator of the Asian collections of the National Gallery Prague, Zbraslav Castle, specializing in sword guards and accessories (author of their exhibition in Golz-Kinsky Palace), netsuke. Interpreter, translator, member of the expert committee of the Czech Antique Dealers Association (Asian antiques), he publishes and I lectures at the Rudolphian Academy.

Publicist, a long-time member of the Czech-Japanese Association and an honorary member of the Japanese Sword study Association (Nihontó kenkyukai), which he closely works with.

Chairman (kaicho) of the International Gekiken Jutsu Federation, which at least four times a year organizes an official tournament (Taikai) in this discipline. He has established Hakuzan Dojo in Prague (Toyama Ryu, Happo Ryu). In June 2012 in Prague he organized the first Tameshigiri taikai - Japanese sword cutting competition. This became an every-year tradition of our Hakuzan Dojo Prague. In 2014, the first Enbu Taikai in shuriken jutsu. In 2016 and 2017 he happened to be the winner of shuriken jutsu Taikai in Prague (1st place).

One of the three-member evaluation committee determining the winning exhibits at the "Japan Week 2017" exhibition (category Japanese painting and calligraphy). Apart of the field of Japanese swords and their accessories he is also involved in composing Haiku poetry, ink painting, various martial arts and suiseki (the art of viewing and displaying stones). For many years he has been theoretically and practically also interested in European fencing. He is an honorary member of the oldest Czech fencing club Riegel and the initiator of the national fencing style Czech saber. In 2020 I led a saber cutting workshop at the most prominent regular event with saber fencing in the Czech Republic called "Saber Slash". As a tea lover he happened to be three-times winner of the prestigious tea preparation competition Cajomir (1st place, a special price of the committee, 2nd place). He executed tea preparation ceremony as a substitute master at "China week" (2016, Kaiserstein Palace).

Initiator of the annual festival "Samurai matsuri" (Samurai parade of samurai costumes and armor through Prague, 1st year was 2016). Since 2022 author, moderator and coordinator of a very successful event called "Hanami cherry blossom festival in Strahov Monastery". In cooperation with various entities realization of a project presenting Japanese traditional culture in various places called the "Japan Day". He organizes workshops of creative writing of Haiku and he spoke and introduced this type of poetry in Dejvice Theatre in program called "Vecer jedna basen" (Lukáš Pavlásek and guests), and he regularly participates in the tea and poetry festival in Kadan.

Participation in the organization of Czech-Japanese cultural events, extensive publishing, lecturing, educational and lecturing activities, especially in relation to Japanese culture, art and the phenomenon of the Japanese sword. Since 2019 producer and co-author of the YouTube series "Lords of the blades" (in English), together with Adam Čeladín, the five-time knife throwing world champion. This popular series mainly about cold weapons is from 2023 also available on Stream.cz. It is a successful project at the edge of Living history introduces the world of cold weapons and martial arts in an unconventional way. Within the series, as one of the three swordsmen (Toshihiro Obata, Kawabata TERUTAKA) in the 20th century, he successfully tested kabutówari (slashing a Japanese helmet), teppó giri (slashing a rifle barrel) and tried yadome jutsu (defending against fired sharp arrows using a sword), during which he was injured on his hand.

I regularly collaborate and cooperate with the tea festivals such as Čajomír fest, Advík, Days of Tea and Ceramics, Festival of Tea Enthusiasts, Hokage con... Together with his Hakuzan Dojo a general partner of "Advik" (Manga and Anime) - Japanese pop-culture festival.

In 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2022, I organized seminars with Master Matsuba Ichiro (menkyō kaiden Jiki Shinkage-ryu, 7th Dan Aikido), who is with his artistic name Kagemasa also a swordsmith with the highest master degree - Mukansa.

In 2018 I cooperated with the Veles stunts agency on organizing a workshop of Tetsuro Shimaguchi, Kengido master of the Kengidó style and among others the choreographer of the fighting scenes of Tarantino's Kill Bill. In 2019, I repeatedly performed with him at various exhibitions (enbu).

In 2018 I have organized the 1st annual "Japanese evening in Smíchov", presenting Japanese traditional culture and martial arts.

Since 2020 I have been actively making podcasts mainly focusing on old Japan and samurai culture. I became a model for a samurai avatar of NFT technology speaking in classical Japanese on the Bushido exhibition! Bold gallery in 2022. I participated in middle-age weapons testing for a computer game called "Kingdom come: Deliverance". I was also twice shooting animations with Japanese weapons (Artnet agency). 

Since 2023 I cooperate with Czech cosmetic brand Angry beards and became a model for their new product line called "Sick sensei". The cooperation includes photos and videos promoting top cosmetics for men with an exaggeration in stylization of the Far East and the world of martial arts.

Od roku 2023 pro VOX TV s Petrem Kubelíkem natáčíme úspěšnou sérii Cesta samuraje, při níž ho v různých disciplínách samurajských bojových umění tréningově připravuji na misteriózní turnaj Tenka muteki. K vidění i na YouTube, viz

Od roku 2023 natáčím s moderátorem Petrem Kubelíkem řadu reklam na produkty Maso profit, kde v duchu humorné nadsázky představujeme dvojici asociující tradiční žánr Manzai v obsazení Sensei a Kubelík kun.

Od roku 2023 se stávám jako dlouholetý vrhač šurikenu a dalších čepelových zbraní tváří výrobce vrhacích nožů Ace jet (Mecemaker) a natáčím pro ně videa na Streamu a YouTube.

Podcasts

  • "Český samuraj" (Czech samurai) (Reflex magazine series)
  • "A Day in the Samurai´s Skin" (Reflex magazine series)
  • VOX TV - VOX talk, Nejlepší podcast (The best podcast)
  • Podcast železná koule (Iron ball podcast)
  • Podcast Tekutá krajina (Liquid scenery)
  • Dellinger Academy

Shows

Orders membership and awards

since November 4, 2018, Knight of the Order of the Eagle of Georgia (საქართველოს არწივისა და უფლისა ჩვენისა იესო ქრისტეს უკერველი კვართის)

since 2019 June 23 member of the Royal Academy of St. Ambrosius (lat. Real Academia Sancti Ambrosii Martyris)

2021 received a baronetcy from Prince David Bagration-Murkhani and the right to use the ancestral coat of arms again

member of the Order of the Wings of the Archangel Michael. In 2023, he received the medal of merit of the House of Bagration.

On September 24, 2023, he became a honorary knight of the Order of the Wings of the Archangel Michael (Real Ordem de São Miguel da Ala)

On November 14, 2023, he received the Medal of Merit of the House of Bagration

Publications

  • "Busido" exhibition catalogue!, (together with PhDr. Honcoopova), Bold Gallery, Prague 2022
  • Foreword to the haiku collection "Palette of Life", Libuse Svobodova, The North Bohemian Research Library in Usti nad Labem, 2018
  • "108 Haiku", illustrated by Jiri Straka, with a foreword by prof. Wu Yi, Kant/Busido Publishing House, Prague 2017
  • Sub-catalogue "Feathers" to the catalogue for Jiri Straka exhibition "Ink building sites" 6.3. - 26.4. 2015 in Vaclav Spala Gallery
  • "Haiku", illustrated by Jiri Straka, with a foreword by prof. Wu Yi, Bushido, Prague 2014
  • foreword to the book "Hagakure, the book of the samurai", Cad Press, Bratislava 2013
  • foreword to the catalogue "Lukas Kuta - resonance of absolute", Prague 2012
  • foreword to the book "Hora lebek", Lafcadio Hearn, Volvox Globator, Prague 2012
  • representation in the anthology "Poems to a Tea" - Pajsan'14, Dharmagaya, Prague 2014
  • representation in the Czech haiku anthology "Míjím se s měsícem", Dharmagaya, Prague 2013
  • "Tsuba, The Japanese Sword guards", Busido, Prague 2010
  • "Haiku - three-line poems", Bonaventura Prague, 2000


Translations


  • "So said Lao-Ć", Pragma, Prague 2011
  • "Telc - machi to shuhen" (Japanese), Dobry duvod, Telc 2007


Lectures

Prováděl jsem lektorské a přednáškové aktivity na půdě Národní galerie v Praze, Severočeské muzeum v Liberci, Jihočeské muzeum v Českých Budějovicích, UNESCO centrum Dačického dům v Kutné hoře, Městské muzeum v Kadani, Masarykovo muzeum v Hodoníně, Výstavní síň Mánes v Praze, Muzeum policie ČR v Praze, Masarykova universita v Brně, Palackého universita v Olomouci a dalších institucí.

Articles

  • Asiaskop 11.7.2022, History of Japanese political assassinations and the consequences of the last one

  • Asiaskop 13.9.2021, The traditions of authority in China and Japan

  • Fighter´s magazín (Fighter´s magazine) 2021/5, Japanese sword, myths and reality

  • Fighter´s magazín (Fighter´s magazine) 2020/3, Jutte, the medieval Japanese arresting means

  • Fighter´s magazín (Fighter´s magazine) 2019/9, Japanese spear - Yari

  • Fighter´s magazín (Fighter´s magazine) 2019/1, Japanese sword etiquette

  • Fighter´s magazín (Fighter´s magazine) 2017/7, The Japanese Middle ages walked through Prague for the second time.

  • Fighter´s magazín (Fighter´s magazine) 2016/11, True resistancy of a medieval armour

  • Fighter´s magazín (Fighter´s magazine) 2015/7, Tameshigiri In Japan

  • Fighter´s magazín (Fighter´s magazine) 2015/3, Yamada Nagamasa´s legacy, meeting of Japanese sword and Muay Boran

  • Fighter´s magazín (Fighter´s magazine) 2014/11, The soul of the sword in Hodonin

  • Literární noviny 2013/49, Explosive porcelain

  • Literární noviny 2013/49, Prague summer of the Chinese painter

  • Forbes 2013/November, Who is going to buy the Chinese Mona Lisa

  • Fighter´s magazín (Fighter´s magazine) 2013/5, Choosing the Japanese sword

  • Fighter´s magazín (Fighter´s magazine) 2012/11, Fukuda Shuichi sensei

  • Fighter´s magazín (Fighter´s magazine) 2012/9, Tameshigiri taikai

  • Fighter´s magazín (Fighter´s magazine) 2012/5-6, Notes from Japan during the sakura time

  • Fighter´s magazín (Fighter´s magazine) 2012/3-4, Nodachi, giant japanese swords

  • Fighter´s magazín (Fighter´s magazine) 2012/1, Shidokai a Nakagawa sensei

  • Fighter´s magazín (Fighter´s magazine) 2011/1-2, Nakagawa sensei – visit in Czech Republic

  • Fighter´s magazín (Fighter´s magazine) 2008/2, Japanese sword – how to recognize an ogirinal from a replika

  • Fighter´s magazín (Fighter´s magazine) 2007/11-12, Matsuba Ichiro

  • Fighter´s magazín (Fighter´s magazine) 2007/9-10, Kaigunto a shingunto

  • Fighter´s magazín (Fighter´s magazine) 2007/1-2, Wakizashi

  • 100+1 zahraniční zajímavost, Hibuki

  • Fighter´s magazín (Fighter´s magazine) 2006/9-10, Tameshigiri

  • Fighter´s magazín (Fighter´s magazine) 2006/9-10, Visit of Japanese master Ichiro Matsuba Kunimasa

  • Fighter´s magazín (Fighter´s magazine) 2007/3-4, Iaito or shinken

  • Fighter´s magazín (Fighter´s magazine) 2007/3-4, Fujimoto – K1 legend in Prague

  • Fighter´s magazín (Fighter´s magazine) 2006/7-8, Hibuki – hidden Japanese weapons

  • Fighter´s magazín (Fighter´s magazine) 2006/5-6, Yakuza

  • Fighter´s magazín (Fighter´s magazine) 2006/5-6, Tanto

  • Fighter´s magazín (Fighter´s magazine) 2006/3-4, Jutte

  • curator of exhibition ,,Posedlí čajem a orientem", K. Hostas Natinal History Museum, Klatovy 2024

  • curator of exhibition ,,Tajemství lustru z čínského salonku", Clam-Gallas pallace, Praha 2024
  • co-author of "Busido!" exhibition (together with PhDr Honcoopova), Bold Gallery, Prague 2022
  • curator of "In the coat of arms of the Chrysanthemum" exhibition, Masaryk Museum in Hodonin, 2021
  • co-author "Hořkosti ve stádci Kristovu", Kadan Town Museum, Citadel. Kadan 2021
  • curator of the Japanese part of an exhibition called "The magic of collecting", South-Bohemian Museum in Ceske Budejovice, 2020
  • curator of exhibition "Takaramono" exhibition, Kadan Town Museum, Citadel. Kadan 2019
  • co-author of "The Husits" exhibition, Masaryk Museum in Hodonin, 2019
  • curator of "Luna Isis, Gold & White" exhibition, Artforum, Prague 2019
  • curator of "Ondrej Caska, Chinese ink painting" exhibition, Nova Sin Gallery, Prague, 2018
  • curator of "Jiri Straka, Calligraphy" exhibition, Kadan town hall, 2018
  • curator of "Kómei tennó" exhibition, Dacicky house in Kutna Hora, 2017
  • curator of sub-exhibition of historical artefacts on the exhibition called "Poznej světová dědictví Unesco (Meet Unesco world heritage)", Dacicky house in Kutna Hora, 2017
  • curator of "Chryzantéma a meč (Sword and Chrysanthemum)" exhibition, Masaryk Museum in Hodonin, 2016
  • curator of Příběh meče (The story of the sword) exhibition, Masaryk Museum in Hodonin, 2015
  • curator of Pocta japonskému meč (Tribute to the Japanese sword) exhibition, The North Bohemian Museum in Liberec, 2013
  • curator of Pocta japonskému meči (Tribute to the Japanese sword) exhibition, Czech Police Museum, Praha 2012
  • curator of exceptional Japanese swords as part of the "Busido for Japan", Prague, Manes Exhibition hall, 2011
  • co-author of "Japonese horors" exhibition, National Gallery, Zbraslav Castle - catalogue, 2009
  • curator of "Pocta japonskému meči (Tribute to the Japanese sword)" exhibition, Masaryk Museum in Hodonin, 2008
  • co-author and coordinaor of catalogues of Asian antiques´ auctions, Arcimboldo Gallery, Meissner-Neumann, Antikvity Prague etc. 2009 - 2018

Gallery