Samurai Arts is a traditional Japanese martial arts dojo on the top floor of the Advocate Print Building on Fenton Street in Victoria, Rotorua. The club teaches Nippon Ju-Jutsu, with strikes, throws, strangles, kicks, joint locks, takedowns, restraints and self-defence. Its chief instructor, Sensei Dave Butler, is described on the website as one of the most experienced instructors in New Zealand, and he is assisted by long-term students who now teach in their own right. Membership is by application, and the first two lessons are free to try. As at 2026, adults pay $40 a month and students and beneficiaries pay $30 a month.
The club says it welcomes both women and men, and it is also suitable for law enforcement. The site says you do not need to be super-fit, because a can-do attitude matters more, and that practice is up to each student. Students also gain insight into the history and culture of Japanese martial arts, which the club says often becomes as important as self-defence. In Rotorua, a dojo that teaches Ju-Jutsu from a single top-floor room gives people a traditional training path rather than a gym routine. Our pick in Rotorua for anyone who wants to start a traditional martial art.