Josephine Prestipino was drawn by the beauty, geometry, physics and structure of the art of Shintō Musō-ryū in 2001 after observing classes in the Kenshinryu and Aikido Dojo in Palmwoods.
With an already developed interest in martial arts and 9 years of training and teaching in World Taiji Boxing, during the 1990s, access to a good teacher, David Dangerfield, Head Master of the Kenshinryu and the Shintō Musō-ryū headmaster, Nishioka Tsuneo Sensei meant a change of direction.
With three children already studying Aikido, Josephine embarked on the study of the SMR syllabus, a decision that has changed her life. Josephine has trained and graded in Japan and received Shodan grade in 2005 and Nidan grade in 2007. Josephine was awarded the title of SMR Instructor in 2016 and continues to study and think about Shintō Musō-ryū daily. Josephine is anchored to and sustained in the world by being a constant gardener, a creator of artworks and practitioner of jodo.