Kuramochi was resident instructor at the club in the mid-1990s when he attended university.

When based in Ballarat he captured the Australian kendo championship title and coached the club to its first state win.

The sixth dan kendo master and his wife Machiko are in town to visit friends.

Kuramochi is also a high-ranking instructor in Jodo, a martial art which pits a short wooden stick against the Japanese sword, which he also demonstrated to Ballarat karate fighters this week.

"It is especially good to see so many friends still practising Kendo,'' Kuramochi said.

"Friendship through the practice of the sword is something special. It makes friends for life.''