Kenyu – December

Posted on 2015/12/21 by omb

Kenyu logo

Volume 29, number 12

December 2015

PNKF DATEBOOK


January 2016

  • 1/9: PNKF Kata Seminar, Sat, 12noon-5pm with godo keiko for the last 45 minutes, Chinook Middle School,
    18650 42nd Avenue S., SeaTac.

  • 1/9-10: “Kokusai Budo Daigakku, Kazuhiza Kaneda Iaido Seminar” Sat/Sun, Boise State University, Boise Idaho.
    • featuring Iaido Kyoshi 8th Dan Kaneda Kazuhisa Sensei, instructor at International Budo University, Katsuura Japan, 8 time
      All Japan Iaido National Champion, author of “Iai no Kihon” (Iai Basics) Book and DVD set I & II,
      Info: http://www.idaho-kendo.com/iaido/iaido-seminar/
  • 1/16: PNKF Board, Sat, 3-5pm, Kent Commons Recreation Center, 525 4th Avenue N. (corner of 4th & James St.), Kent.
  • 1/16: 11th Annual Pacific Intercollegiate Taikai, Sat, doors open 9:30am, opening ceremony 10am, hosted by UBC Kendo Club. Location: University Hill Secondary School, 3228 Ross Drive, Vancouver, BC (near UBC Vancouver campus).
  • 1/16-17: AUSKF Adult/Mudansha Seminar, Sat/Sun, Las Vegas.
  • 1/30-31: America Zone Kendo Referee Seminar, Sat/Sun, Japanese Canadian Cultural Center, 6 Garamond Court, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.


February 2016

  • 2/13/14: 18th Detroit Taikai, Seminar, and Shinsa Sat/Sun, Novi, Michigan.
    • Distinuished guests, the Eiga brothers, Kendo Kyoshi 8th Dan Eiga
      Hideyuki and Eiga Naoki, from Hokkaido.
  • 2/20: Steveston Taikai, Sat, 9am, McMath High School, 4251 Garry Street, Richmond BC.
  • 2/27: PNKF Shinsa, Sat, Iaido 9am-12noon; Kendo 12:30-4pm, open keiko 4-5pm, Tyee Educational Complex, 4424 S. 188th
    Street, SeaTac, located right off I-5 at S. 188th Street.


March 2016

  • 3/5-6: AUSKF Women’s Kendo Seminar, Sat/Sun, with WKC Team Japan members Kendo 5th Dan Yoko Sakuma and Yukiko Takami, Marina High School, 15871 Springdale Street, Huntington Beach, California.
  • 3/19: Highline Taikai, Sat, 9:30am, White Center Community Center, 1321 SW 102nd St
    Seattle, WA.

  • 3/19-20: 20th Annual Harvard-Radcliffe Invitational Shoryuhai Intercollegiate Kendo Tournament, Sat/Sun, Harvard University Malkin Athletic Center.
  • 3/26: PNKF Board, Sat, 3-5pm, Kent Commons Recreation Center, 525 4th Avenue N. (corner of 4th & James St.), Kent.


April 2016

  • 4/1-3: 28th Cleveland Kendo Tournament / GNEUSKF Championships, Fri-Sun, weekend-long exciting and instructive activities featuring Kendo Hanshi 8th Dan Mitsuru Hamasaki, former chief instructor of Tokyo Metropolitan Police, Case Western Reserve University.
  • 4/2: PNKF Shinpan Seminar, 12noon-4pm, open keiko 4-5pm, Kent Commons Recreation Center, 525 4th Avenue N. (corner of 4th
    & James St.), Kent.

  • 4/9-10: AUSKF Board meeting and Kodansha Shinsa, Sat/Sun, Seattle.
  • 4/16: UW Taikai, Sat, 10am, Intramural Activities Building (IMA), UW campus, Montlake Boulevard N.E.
  • 4/24: Cherry Blossom, Sun, 2:30-3pm, Armory (Center House), main stage.
  • 4/29-30: SWKIF Kendo Seminar, Fri, 6:30-8pm; Tsutomo Ito Women’s Team Taikai and Ito Cup Team Taikai, Sat, 8:30am-5pm, Standley Lake High School, 9300 W. 104th Ave, Westminster, Colorado.
  • 4/30: 5th Garden State Kendo Tournament, Sat, 8:30am-6pm, City Sports Complex, 62 Route 4 East, Englewood, NJ.


May 2016

  • 5/1: SWKIF Kendo Shinsa, up through 4th Dan, Sun, 8am-12noon, Standley Lake High School, 9300 W. 104th Ave, Westminster, Colorado.
  • 5/7: PNKF Board, Sat, 9-11am, Seattle location, 4001 Aurora Avenue N., Seattle 98103.
  • 5/21: Bellevue Junior Taikai, Sat, 9:30am-3pm, Highland Park Community Center
    14224 Bel-Red Rd, Bellevue.


June 2016

  • 6/11: Rose City Taikai, Sat, 10am, Portland.
  • 6/17-19/2016: 9th US Nito Kendo Camp, Boise State University Campus, Boise, Idaho.
  • 6/23-27: AUSKF Iaido Summer Camp, Thu thru Mon, Dallas.
  • 6/25-26: Junior Open Championships, Sat/Sun, Eastern Michigan University, Detroit.


July 2016

  • 7/9-15: North American Women’s Seminar, Sat thru Fri, with Kendo Renshi 7th Dan Chinatsu Maruyama, Broadview-Thompson Elementary School East Gym/Bitterlake Community Center Annex,
    13052 Greenwood Ave N., Seattle.

  • 7/16: 6th PNKF North American Women’s Kendo Taikai, Sat, 9am, Renton Community Center, 1715 SE Maple
    Valley Highway, Renton.

  • 7/23: PNKF Board, Sat, 9-11am, Seattle location, 4001 Aurora Avenue N., Seattle 98103.


August 2016

  • 8/13: PNKF Shinsa, Sat, Iaido 9am-12noon; Kendo 12:30-4pm, open keiko 4-5pm, Tyee Educational Complex, 4424 S. 188th
    Street, SeaTac, located right off I-5 at S. 188th Street.

  • 8/13-14: AJKF/CKF Jodo Seminar and Shinsa, Sat/Sun, time and location TBD, Vancouver BC.


September2016

  • 9/17: PNKF Board, Sat, 3-5pm, Kent Commons Recreation Center, 525 4th Avenue N. (corner of 4th & James St.), Kent.
  • 9/23-25: PNKF Iaido Seminar, Fri/Sat/Sun.
    • Rain City Fencing, 1776 136th Place NE, Bellevue. Teachers: Iaido Kyoshi 8th Dan Hideo Noguchi; and
      Iaido Kyoshi 7th Dan Shigehiro Aoki and Kaoru Suzuki. Schedule: Fri, 7-9pm Jodo/Iaido; Sat, 9am-5pm
      Iaido; Sun 9am-12noon Iaido Tournament; 1-5pm Iaido.


October 2016

  • 10/8: PNKF Shinpan Seminar, 12noon-4pm, open keiko 4-5pm, location TBD.
  • 10/22: Tacoma Taikai
    • 9:30am Opening Ceremonies (doors open at 8:30am), Curtis High School, 8425 40th Street West, University Place, WA
      98466 (tentative)


November 2016

    * 11/5: PNKF Taikai, Sat, 9:30am, Kent Commons Recreation Center, 525 4th Avenue N. (corner of 4th & James St.), Kent.
    * 11/12: PNKF Board, Sat, 3-5pm, Kent Commons Recreation Center, 525 4th Avenue N. (corner of 4th & James St.), Kent.
    * 11/12-13, AUSKF Board, Sat/Sun, TBD.


December 2016

  • 12/12: Kent Taikai, Sat, report time 9am, start 9:30am, Kent Commons Recreation Center, 525 4th Avenue N. (corner of 4th
    & James St.), Kent.

19th ANNUAL KENT KENDO CLUB INVITATIONAL TOURNAMENT – December 12, 2015, Kent Commons


10 Years and Under (Jr A)            3-1 Kyu
1st place - H. Koob, Bellevue        1st place - K. Toyokawa, Tacoma
2nd place - A. Yuen, Seattle         2nd place - A. Law, Sno-King
3rd place - K. Kubal-Komoto, Fed Way 3rd place - L. Le, UW
3rd place - DV Chung, Cascade        3rd place - D. Imanishi, Seattle

11-12 Years (Jr B)                   1-3 Dan
1st place - L. Ohata, Bellevue       1st place - T. Marsten, Kent
2nd place - K. Underhill, Northwest  2nd place - C. Ruiz, Spokane
3rd place - J. Shim, Obukan          3rd place - T. Koshiyama, Spokane
3rd place - T. Koob, Bellevue        3rd place - S. Day, Kent
                                     4th place - E. DeJong, UW
13 to 15 Years (Jr C)                4th place - Y. Sandberg, Spokane
1st place - K. McManus, Kent         4th place - C. Marsten, Kent
2nd place - H. Jang, Cascade         4th place - J. DeJong, Highline
3rd place - M. Blechschmidt, Bellevue
3rd place - K. Underhill, Northwest

Women                                1-3 Dan Seniors
1st place - M. Suzuki, Sno-King      1st place - J. Frazier-Day, Kent
2nd place - E. DeJong, UW            2nd place - V. Vulfson, Northwest
3rd place - R. Wakasaki, Obukan      3rd place - W. Sinclair, Spokane
3rd place - J. Frazier-Day, Kent     3rd place - H. Iba, Bellevue

4 Kyu and Under                      Junior Spirit of the Day
1st place - S. Kim, Northwest        Rachel Koo, Bellevue
2nd place - T. Fukuda, Cascade
3rd place - V. Blancarte, Sno-King   Senior Spirit of the Day
3rd place - B. Garcia, Bellevue      Val Vulfson, Northwest

Junior Team
1st place - Bellevue (L. Ohata, R. Koo, M. Blechschmidt, M. Ohata, B. Liao)
2nd place - Federal Way (K. Kubal-Komoto, J. Kim, S. Lee, I. Lee, K. McManus)
3rd place - Obukan (Y. Wakasaki, M. Gyldersleve, S. Wetzlen, T. Koob, J. Shim)
3rd place - Northwest (Taiki Miyamoto, Kenji Underhill, Kassidy Ting, Kengo Underhill, Timeaus Ting)

Senior Team
1st place - Spokane A (C. Ruiz, Y. Sandberg, T. Koshiyama, A. Melton, J. Lamb)
2nd place - Kent (J. Frazier-Day, C. Marsten, T. Marsten, E. Ishii, S. Day)
3rd place - Sno-King (M. Suzuki, S. DeBlieck, C. Chaney, T. Patana, A. Law)
3rd place - UW (B. Lin, L. Le, E. DeJong, M. Omura, A. Yorita)

Sportsmanship Pledge - Tiarnan Marsten
Head Shinpan - David S. Yotsuuye

SHINKYU SHINSA


CKF WESTERN KENDO SHINSA, December 5, 2015, Steveston

6TH DAN: Harry Samkange (Bellevue).

THE LAST WORD

Once I arrived in Kyoto, my poor preparation in Japanese proved to be a major hindrance in attending
Busen. Thus Ogawa Sensei arranged for me to attend a Seiho Chugakko (high school) for 2 years. Upon graduation
from Japanese high school, I took the entrance exam for Busen and promptly flunked despite my 2 year immersion
in a Japanese school system. Then Ogawa Sensei arranged for me to attend classes in Classic Japanese and
Chinese language in the evenings in Ritsumeikan Daigaku (college) to help me to pass the entrance exam for
Busen. “Jishin” is Japanese for “earthquake”. Another Japanese term with the same pronunciation can means
confidence. “Ji” is “self” and “shin” trust, so perhaps it is that when one trusts oneself, it produces
confidence that can be as profound as an earthquake. I had learned the basics of Kendo, the “Ground” in Hawaii,
but the ground shook and I had to adapt at Busen in Kyoto. I don’t know what kind of arrangements were made by
Miura Sensei or my father, but I stayed in the dressing room of Kodo kan adjacent to the home of Ogawa Sensei,
the head of the kendo department at Busen. I had various jobs around Busen and Ogawa Sensei’s household; fix
the kendo gear for the young students, take Sensei’s dog, Jiro, for “walks” on my bicycle, and help clean Kodo
kan and sensei’s house.

–Rod Nobuto Omoto,
Autobiography, edited by Charlotte Omoto, 2014, p. 21-22. Available as free download at
lulu.com.

Manipulate the shinai using your shoulders, and pay attention to the course of the kensen tip.
Be aware of your upper and lower body after you have prepared your posture to fully strike your opponent,
you should be conscious of your shinai movement. Suburi is especially important in this regard.
An overwhelming hit, as mentioned above, can only result as the shinai swings down from above. However,
currently the “sashi men” technique appears to strike in a way that is similar to scooping from down to up. I
think one of the reasons that it has become this way is because that is how suburi is being practiced.
When I was young, the kensen was normally swung all the way to your back during suburi. Through this type
of practice, I learned how to use my shoulders, and developed large (full rotation) kendo. Recently, however
you can often see suburi done, without using the shoulders, by raising the tip of the shinai from the elbows.
This type of scooping upward swing probably cannot be avoided. In any case, strive to trace a large arc with
the kensen tip during suburi. By doing it that way, your skills for shinai handling will permeate into your
body naturally.
Regarding the course of the kensen, direct it to aite’s center. Be conscious of where you have your kensen
when watching the opponent’s movement, then aite’s openings and your opportunities will become visible.

–Saburo Iwatate, Kendo Hanshi 8 Dan, Chiba Kendo Renmei, <b<"Kendo wa, Notte Katsu", pg. 15-16 (as
Translated by Robert Stroud, Kendo Kyoshi 7 Dan, Idaho Kendo Club)

PLEASE NOTE – THIS KENYU ONLINE IS THE EDITION OF RECORD

Kenyu – Monthly Newsletter of the Pacific Northwest Kendo Federation
Tom Bolling, Editor – 7318 23rd Avenue N.E., Seattle, WA 98115

Tom Bolling’s home page

Posted in Kenyu

Kenyu – September/October/November

Posted on 2015/11/29 by omb

Kenyu logo

Volume 29, number 9/10/11

September/October/November 2015

PNKF DATEBOOK


December 2015

  • 12/12: Kent Taikai, Sat, report time 9am, start 9:30am,
    Kent Commons Recreation Center, 525 4th Avenue N. (corner of 4th & James St.), Kent.


January 2016

  • 1/9: PNKF Kata Seminar, Sat, 12noon-5pm with godo keiko for the last 45 minutes, Chinook Middle School,
    18650 42nd Ave S, SeaTac WA 98188.

  • 1/9-10: “Kokusai Budo Daigakku, Kazuhiza Kaneda Iaido Seminar” Sat/Sun, Boise State University, Boise Idaho.
    • featuring Iaido Kyoshi 8th Dan Kaneda Kazuhisa Sensei, instructor at International Budo University, Katsuura Japan, 8 time
      All Japan Iaido National Champion, author of “Iai no Kihon” (Iai Basics) Book and DVD set I & II,
      Info: http://www.idaho-kendo.com/iaido/iaido-seminar/
  • 1/16: PNKF Board, Sat, 3-5pm, Kent Commons Recreation Center, 525 4th Avenue N. (corner of 4th & James St.), Kent.
  • 1/16-17: AUSKF Adult/Mudansha Seminar, Sat/Sun, Las Vegas.


February 2016

  • 2/13/14: 18th Detroit Taikai, Seminar, and Shinsa Sat/Sun, Novi, Michigan.
    • Distinuished guests, the Eiga brothers, Kendo Kyoshi 8th Dan Eiga
      Hideyuki and Eiga Naoki, from Hokkaido.
  • 2/20: Steveston Taikai, Sat, 9am, McMath High School, 4251 Garry Street, Richmond BC.
  • 2/27: PNKF Shinsa, Sat, Iaido 9am-12noon; Kendo 12:30-4pm, open keiko 4-5pm, Tyee Educational Complex, 4424 S. 188th Street, SeaTac, located right off I-5 at S. 188th Street.


March 2016

  • 3/19: Highline Taikai, Sat, TBD, White Center Community Center, 1321 SW 102nd St
    Seattle, WA.

  • 3/26: PNKF Board, Sat, 3-5pm, Kent Commons Recreation Center, 525 4th Avenue N. (corner of 4th & James St.), Kent.


April 2016

  • 4/2: PNKF Shinpan Seminar, 12noon-4pm, open keiko 4-5pm, Kent Commons Recreation Center, 525 4th Avenue N. (corner of 4th & James St.), Kent.
  • 4/9-10: AUSKF Board meeting and Kodansha Shinsa.
  • 4/16: UW Taikai, Sat, 10am, Intramural Activities Building (IMA), UW campus, Montlake Boulevard N.E.
  • 4/22,23,24: Cherry Blossom probable dates.


May 2016

  • 5/7: PNKF Board, Sat, 3-5pm, Kent Commons Recreation Center, 525 4th Avenue N. (corner of 4th & James St.), Kent.
  • 5/21: Bellevue Junior Taikai, Sat, 9:30am-3pm, Highland Park Community Center
    14224 Bel-Red Rd, Bellevue.


June 2016

  • 6/11: Rose City Taikai, Sat, 10am, Portland.
  • 6/17-19/2016: 9th US Nito Kendo Camp, Boise State University Campus, Boise, Idaho.
  • 6/23-27: AUSKF Iaido Summer Camp, Thu thru Mon, Dallas.


July 2016

  • 7/9-15: North American Women’s Seminar, Sat thru Fri,
    Broadview-Thompson Elementary School East Gym/Bitterlake Community Center Annex,
    13052 Greenwood Ave N., Seattle.

  • 7/16: 6th PNKF North American Women’s Kendo Taikai, Sat, 9am, Renton Community Center, 1715 SE Maple Valley Highway, Renton.
  • 7/23: PNKF Board, Sat, 3-5pm, Kent Commons Recreation Center, 525 4th Avenue N. (corner of 4th & James St.), Kent.


August 2016

  • 8/13: PNKF Shinsa, Sat, Iaido 9am-12noon; Kendo 12:30-4pm, open keiko 4-5pm, Tyee Educational Complex, 4424 S. 188th Street, SeaTac, located right off I-5 at S. 188th Street.


September2016

  • 9/17: PNKF Board, Sat, 3-5pm, Kent Commons Recreation Center, 525 4th Avenue N. (corner of 4th & James St.), Kent.
  • 9/23-25: PNKF Iaido Seminar, Fri/Sat/Sun.
    • Rain City Fencing, 1776 136th Place NE, Bellevue. Teachers: Iaido Kyoshi 8th Dan Hideo Noguchi; and
      Iaido Kyoshi 7th Dan Shigehiro Aoki and Kaoru Suzuki. Schedule: Fri, 7-9pm Jodo/Iaido; Sat, 9am-5pm
      Iaido; Sun 9am-12noon Iaido Tournament; 1-5pm Iaido.


October 2016

  • 10/8: PNKF Shinpan Seminar, 12noon-4pm, open keiko 4-5pm, Kent Commons Recreation Center, 525 4th Avenue N. (corner of 4th & James St.), Kent.
  • 10/22: Tacoma Taikai
    • 9:30am Opening Ceremonies (doors open at 8:30am), Curtis High School, 8425 40th Street West, University Place, WA
      98466 (tentative)


November 2016

    * 11/5: PNKF Taikai, Sat, 9:30am, Kent Commons Recreation Center, 525 4th Avenue N. (corner of 4th & James St.), Kent.
    * 11/12: PNKF Board, Sat, 3-5pm, Kent Commons Recreation Center, 525 4th Avenue N. (corner of 4th & James St.), Kent.
    * 11/12-13, AUSKF Board, Sat/Sun, TBD.


December 2016

  • 12/12: Kent Taikai, Sat, report time 9am, start 9:30am, Kent Commons Recreation Center, 525 4th Avenue N. (corner of 4th & James St.), Kent.

PNKF BOARD OF DIRECTORS 2015/2016

At their November 21, 2015 meeting, the PNKF Board elected officers. President – David Yotsuuye; Vice President – Doug
Imanishi; Secretary of Internal Affairs – Brian Blomquist; Recording Secretary – Thomas Bolling; Treasurer – Mary DeJong.

The Directors are: Jonathan Bannister (AiShinKai), Brian Blomquist (Everett), Connor Blomquist (UW), Thomas Bolling
(Bellevue), Jaered Croes (Portland), Mark Frederick (Northwest), An Giang (Northwest), Noelle Grimes (Sno-King), Nathan Holtorf
(Obukan), Doug Imanishi (Seattle), Addison Knappett (OSU), Michael Mabale (Seattle), Curtis Marsten (Kent), Vicki Marsten
(Kent), Edward Olson (Tonbo), Robert Stroud (Idaho), Val Vulfson (Northwest), Aaron Yen (Seattle), and David Yotsuuye
(Bellevue). Jeff Marsten (Bellevue/Highline/Sno-King) continues as Advisor. CJ Chaney (Sno-King) was elected UW Advisor.
Shinichi Koike and Jeff Marsten are members of the AUSKF Board of Directors.

9th ANNUAL PNKF IAIDO TAIKAI – September 27, 2015, Rain City Fencing Center, Bellevue, Washington


Mudansha                                  Yudansha 1-2 Dan
1st place - T. Mittelstaedt, AiShinKai    1st place - C. Goeke, Renma
2nd place - V. Whitman, Seattle           2nd place - C. Parkins, Renma
3rd place - R. DeAnda, Everett            3rd Place - N. Bagdasarian, Pasadena
3rd place - I. Otto, Seattle              3rd Place - L. Sukiassyan, San Fernando Valley

Yudansha 3-4 Dan (Noguchi Cup)            Teams (Murosako Cup)
1st place - H. Fukumoto, Seattle          1st place - Musokai (G. Goerlitz, L. Miyauchi, I. Otto)
2nd place - S. Kozawa, Seattle            2nd place - Everett (B. Blomquist, L. Sukiassyan, R. DeAnda)
3rd place - G. Goerlitz, Musokai
3rd place - M. Ando, Alaska

9th ALL CHINA KENDO TOURNAMENT – October 17/18, 2015, Shenzhen, China


Women Individual                                       Men Individual 
1st place - Zhenzhen Qin, Chengdu Wuxianliu            1st place - Zhonglin Zhang, Beijing Wushu
2nd place - Huifang Yang, Guangzhou Wude               2nd place - Peng Ha, Shenzhen Mo Jian
3rd place - Mengyu Wang, Beijing Ren Shin Kan          3rd place - Liang Ma, Beijing Ren Shin Kan 
3rd place - Elizabeth Bergen-Bartel, Chengdu Wuxianliu 3rd place - Xuan Chen, Ningbo Kendo Ai Hao Hui

Women Team                                Men Team
1st place - Shanghai United               1st place - Shenzhen Mo Jian
2nd place - Chengdu                       2nd place - Beijing Ren Shin Kan
3rd place - Guangzhou Dao Guan A          3rd place - Wuhan Lian Dao A
3rd place - Chengdu-Chongqing United      3rd place - Beijing

16th INVITATIONAL TACOMA KENDO TAIKAI – October 24, 2015, Curtis High School, University Place


9 and Under                               10-12 Kyu
1st place - Kai Kubal-Komoto, Federal Way 1st place - Keiji Underhill, Northwest
2nd place - Devan Chung, Cascade          2nd place - Danny Chung, Cascade
3rd place - Dan Terao, Cascade            3rd place - Josh Kim, Federal Way

13-15 Kyu                                 16-18 Kyu 
1st place - Kengo Underhill, Northwest    1st place - Jun-Wing Chen, Bellevue
2nd place - Allison Kojima, Bellevue      2nd place - Noah Larson, Federal Way
3rd place - Betty Park, Bellevue          3rd place - David Yip, Cascade

Adult 0-2 Kyu                             Adult 1 Kyu-1 Dan
1st place - Joshua Wigant, Portland       1st place - Terry McManus, Kent
2nd place - Su-Hwan Kim, Northwest        2nd place - Alick Law, Sno-King
3rd place - Long Le, UW                   3rd place - Nicholas Cook, Portland

Youth Dan                                 Adult 2-3 Dan
1st place - Tiarnan Marsten, Kent         1st place - Aaron Yen, Seattle
2nd place - Keeley McManus, Kent          2nd place - Stephen Day, Kent
3rd place - Jennifer DeJong, Highline     3rd place - Bernice Lin, Bellevue

Junior Team
1st place - Bellevue Red (B. Park, M. Blechschmidt, A. Kojima)
2nd place - Bellevue White (L. Ohata, L. Shibata, M. Ohata)

Senior Team
1st place - Kent B (K. McManus, E. Ishii, T. Marsten)
2nd place - Kent A (T. McManus, N. Larson, S. Day)

National Anthem Singer - Alisa Yoshikawa
Sportsmanship Pledge - Mia Kao
Award Presentation - Alisa Yoshikawa
Shinpan Cho - David S. Yotsuuye

41st ANNUAL PNKF KENDO TOURNAMENT – November 7, 2015, Kent


10 Years and Under                        11-12 Years
1st place - C. Robillard, Steveston       1st place - B. Miki, Steveston
2nd place - H. Homma, Renbu               2nd place - L. Ohata, Bellevue
3rd place - K. Squance, Renbu             3rd place - K. Underhill, Northwest
3rd place - R. Nakano, Steveston          3rd place - H. Asaoka, Youshinkan

13-15 Years                               High School Girls
1st place - E. Lee, Renbu                 1st place - B. Park, Bellevue
2nd place - M. Iwai, Steveston            2nd place - J. DeJong, Highline
3rd place - K. Muramatsu, Steveston       3rd place - J. Higa, Bellevue
3rd place - H. Kim, Bellevue              3rd place - M. Blechschmidt, Bellevue

High School Boys                          Women Kyu
1st place - T. Okitsu, Tozenji            1st place - S. Tyree, UW
2nd place - L. Oka, Tozenji               2nd place - H. Nguyen, Edmonds
3rd place - T. Marsten, Kent              3rd place - S. Rotenberg, Steveston
3rd place - B. Liao, Bellevue             3rd place - A. Tesar, Vancouver

0-4 Kyu                                   3-1 Kyu
1st place - Y. Cheng, UBC                 1st place - K. Toyokawa, Tacoma
2nd place - E. Cheng, UBC                 2nd place - G. Vielhaber, Portland
3rd place - O. Young, Renbu               3rd place - L. Le, UW
3rd place - C. Pak, Portland              3rd place - A. Knappett, OSU

Women Dan                                 1-2 Dan
1st place - J. Kurahashi, Renbu           1st place - T. Saito, Vancouver
2nd place - C. Takeuchi, Youshinkan       2nd place - D. Yao, Steveston
3rd place - M. Suzuki, Sno-King           3rd place - H. Shim, Renbu
3rd place - K. Takeuchi, Youshinkan       3rd place - V. Ruiz, Mexico

3 Dan                                     4 Dan and Above
1st place - Y. Yoshikawa, Northwest       1st place - B. Imanishi, Cascade
2nd place - E. Porras, Mexico             2nd place - N. Tanimura, Seattle
3rd place - J. Okada, Cascade             3rd place - A. Giang, Northwest
3rd place - K. Takeuchi, Youshinkan       3rd place - M. Mabale, Seattle

Junior Team
1st place - Bellevue A (B. Park, H. Kim, A. Kojima, M. Blechschmidt, B. Liao)
2nd place - Renbu (H. Chun, R. Kim, E. Lee, K. Squance, I. Kim)
3rd place - Tozenji (N. Horikawa, A. Shimizu, M. Watanabe, K. Kono, J. An)
3rd place - Cascade A (H. Jang, JY Lee, K. Fukuda, JW Lee, D. Chung)

Senior Team
1st place - Vancouver (T. Saito, T. Yamada, H. Yamada, Hi. Yamada, J. Schmidt)
2nd place - Steveston (S. O Sullivan, I. Miki, N. Nakano, K. Iwai, I. Takagaki)
3rd place - Mexico (V. Ruiz, C. Rogairo, CJ Chaney, E. Porras, P. Garcia)
3rd place - Youshinkan (Ke. Takeuchi, J. Chien, Ka. Takeuchi, A. Xie, K. Kobayashi)

Sportsmanship Pledge - Tiarnan Marsten   Shinpan Cho - Shinichi Koike
Shoji Trophy - Andrew Nagasawa, Bellevue

SHINKYU SHINSA


NCKF KENDO SHINSA, November 1, 2015, Stanford University

3RD DAN: Erica Tam (San Jose).


AUSKF KODANSHA SHINSA, November 15, 2015, Novi, Michigan

5TH DAN: Ryan Atagi (Idaho).


AJKF KODANSHA SHINSA, November 15, 2015, Aichi, Nagoya

6TH DAN: David Yeo (Singapore).


AJKF KODANSHA SHINSA, November 24, 2015, Nippon Budokan, Tokyo

6TH DAN: Daisaku David Taguchi (Chinook).


7TH DAN: Mark Uchida (Bunshinkan).

THE LAST WORD

I remember my send-off. There was a big party with good food. It was a party of enough importance that my mother offered
beer she made and stored under the house for several of the older men, including Miura Sensei. My father never drank, not even
for this party which was as much congratulatory for him as for me. All our neighbors and classmates attended. Everyone in the
Japanese community was proud and my success would also be their success. I was embarrassed that my trip to Japan was not as
wonderful to me as it was to them. But I showed humble enthusiasm for my good fortune and truly great appreciation to my father
and Miura Sensei for making this possible.

Miura Sensei gave me one of his own books in Japanese as a going away gift. My father had purchased my ticket and would
provide the money for my expenses at Busen. It was more than any of the other neighbors in our poor community could have
provided. I thanked everyone, especially Miura Sensei, even though I was not much of a reader.

Miura Sensei helped me pack. He was pleased with the condition of my shinais and my hakama, and made sure I didn’t forget
the book he had given me: “Kendo” by Takano Sasaburo Sensei, which I still have and reread today. He told me I could read it
during my twenty-day journey. “The book will provide a review,” he explained, “of the Kendo principles we’ve spoken of and help
you practice Japanese. Now you can read the words of Miyamoto Musashi. You will arrive well prepared. And on deck, don’t forget
suburi. Remember, you can do suburi anywhere. You can do it sitting down if there is no room to stand or too much rolling on
the ship to gain good footing.” I promised him I would study and practice.

I was somewhat interested in “The Book of Five Rings” which was contained in Sasaburo Sensei’s book. Miyamoto Musashi, the
author of “The Book of Five Rings”, had become a hero to me. Musashi, born in 1584, is the greatest swordsman in Japanese
history. I thought I would probably enjoy his accounts of battles, especially since he slew a man in a one-on-one battle when
he was just thirteen. Besides, this was a short section within the larger book of “Kendo”, and I thought I could read it
quickly. I felt I was fluent in Japanese, so did not intend to study too diligently; suburi was more attractive to me. I would
keep in shape and be ready for my first practice at Busen, rather than any philosophical discussions. Practice was the
practical course of action.

I started to read the book Miura Sensei gave me while I was waiting to steam out of the harbor. I was surprised to find
how difficult it was to translate and understand the book. But I rationalized that this was old-style Japanese so I should be
fine with modern Japanese. I assumed Old Japanese was of little relevance to my education.

I was mistaken about everything concerning the trip to Busen. I manage to read the introduction and first chapter, “Chi No
Maki” or the “Ground Book” of the “Book of Five Rings.” It was about twelve pages long but described no action filled battles.
But I never read another page after the ship steamed from the harbor, and I never did a minute of suburi. What do I remember of
the twenty-day voyage? Nothing! Well, not exactly nothing. I remember the head, the ship’s toilet in the hall by my room. My
head in the head! I decided I should have learned surfing instead of kendo for this trip because I was seasick the entire time.
There isn’t anything more miserable. I stood on deck and tried to gulp cool air; I tried to walk; I tried to meditate; I tried
to hold my breath, to keep my eyes closed, to keep my eyes focused on one object. I tried eating, and not eating. Nothing
helped. Lying on my bunk with no movement and no food in my stomach was the best I could do. No reading, no suburi – nothing.
This was not Samurai spirit. Twenty days seemed an eternity. I wanted to set my foot on solid ground!

–Rod Nobuto Omoto,
Autobiography, edited by Charlotte Omoto, 2014, p. 21-22. Available as free download at lulu.com.

PLEASE NOTE – THIS KENYU ONLINE IS THE EDITION OF RECORD

Kenyu – Monthly Newsletter of the Pacific Northwest Kendo Federation
Tom Bolling, Editor – 7318 23rd Avenue N.E., Seattle, WA 98115

Posted in Kenyu

Kenyu – August 2015

Posted on 2015/09/08 by omb

Kenyu logo

Volume 29, number 8

August 2015

PNKF DATEBOOK


September

  • 9/11: Daito Ryu Seminar, Fri, 6-8pm, Yoshinkai, Burnaby, BC.
  • 9/12: Jodo Seminar, Sat, 7:30am-12noon, Justice Institute of BC, New Westminster, BC.
  • 9/12-13: 2015 UVic Ted Davis Memorial Seminar, Sat/Sun
    • Led by Kendo Kyoshi 8th Dan Hiroshi Ozawa, University of Victoria, 3800 Finnerty Road, Victoria, BC.
  • 9/13: Jodo Seminar, Sun, 8-12noon, Rain City Fencing Center, Bellevue, WA.
  • 9/19: PNKF Board, Sat, 3-5pm, Kent.
  • 9/25-27: PNKF Iaido Seminar
    • Rain City Fencing, 1776 136th Place NE,
      Bellevue. Teachers: Iaido Kyoshi 8th Dan Hideo Noguchi; and Iaido Kyoshi 7th Dan
      Shigehiro Aoki and Kaoru Suzuki. Schedule: Fri, 7-9pm Jodo/Iaido; Sat, 9am-5pm Iaido;
      Sun 9am-12noon Iaido Tournament; 1-5pm Iaido.


October

  • 10/3: PNKF Shinpan Seminar, 12noon-4pm, open keiko 4-5pm, Kent.
  • 10/24: Tacoma Taikai
    • 9:30am Opening Ceremonies (doors open at 8:30am), Curtis High School, 8425 40th Street West, University Place, WA 98466.


November

  • 11/7: PNKF Taikai, Sat, 9:30am, Kent.
  • 11/7-8: Muso Jikiden Eishin Ryu Seminar, Sat/Sun,
    • Led by Iaido Kyoshi 7th Dan Goyo Ohmi, Iaido Renshi 7th Dan Kim Taylor, and Iaido Renshi 6th Dan Carole Galligan, Kenshokan Iaido group, 780 Argyle Street,
      Petersborough, Ontario, Canada. https://www.facebook.com/events/1454734658189785/
  • 11/14-15, AUSKF Board, Sat/Sun, TBD.
  • 11/21: PNKF Board, Sat, 3-5pm, Kent.
  • 11/21-22: SCKF Iaido Seminar and Shinsa, Sat/Sun.
    • Led by Kendo Kyoshi 8th Dan and Iaido Kyoshi 7th Dan Shozo Kato. Seminar open to all AUSKF members and Shinsa open to those eligible for any Kyu rank or 1st Dan. Location in Los Angeles/Orange County area TBD. Registration packet coming by early October.


December

  • 12/12: Kent Taikai, Sat, report time 9am, start 9:30am, Kent.


June

  • 6/17-19/2016: 9th US Nito Kendo Camp, Boise State University Campus, Boise, Idaho.

    • 5th AUSKF JUNIOR OPEN NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS – August 1, 2015, Huntington Beach, California

    
9 and Under Boys                       10-11 Boys
1st place - Taiyo Ariga, SCKO          1st place - Akira Fujiwara, SCKO
2nd place - Ryosuke Yamamoto, SCKO     2nd place - Josh Kim, PNKF
3rd place - Peter Yu, SCKF             3rd place - Eugene Kae, WKF
3rd place - Kaisei Shinozaki, SCKO     3rd place - Haru Sakamoto, SCKO

12-13 Boys                             13 and Under Girls
1st place - Toshiki Nakashimo, SCKF    1st place - Kotone Ariga, SCKO
2nd place - Riki Orii, SCKO            2nd place - Betty Park, PNKF
3rd place - Yuto Takeo, GNEUSKF        3rd place - Rinka Ogata, SCKO
3rd place - Tomohide Katayama, ECUSKF  3rd place - Haruka Taniguchi, SCKO

14-18 Girls                            14-15 Boys
1st place - Courtney Yoon, SCKF        1st place - Brandon Wang, WKF
2nd place - Hanako Kiuchi, SCKO        2nd place - Ian Kotake, SCKO
3rd place - Kasey Tada, SCKF           3rd place - John Yoon, SCKF
3rd place - Hana Yamamoto, SCKO        3rd place - Sean Small, GNEUSKF

16-18 Boys
1st place - Brian Wi, WKF
2nd place - Daniel Lee, WKF
3rd place - Kenichiro Mizobe, SCKF
3rd place - Tatsuya Horii, SCKF

Team
Senior Boys              Junior Boys             Girls
1st place - WKF A        1st place - SCKO        1st place - SCKF B
2nd place - SCKF A       2nd place - WKF B       2nd place - SCKO A
3rd place - SCKO A       3rd place - SCKF A      3rd place - SCKO B
3rd place - SCKF B       3rd place - SCKO A      3rd place - NCKF A

    1st ALL VIETNAM KENDO CHAMPIONSHIPS, August 29-30, 2015, Da Nang, Vietnam

    
Men's Individuals                        Woman's Individuals 
1st place - Tran Tuan, Kenyukai          1st place - Nguyen Thuy Linh, Hanoi
2nd place - Nguyen Xuan Vinh, Hanoi      2nd place - Nguyen Quynh Trang, Hanoi
3rd place - Nguyen Manh Hung, Thang Long 3rd place - Hoang Thu Trang, Hanoi
3rd place - Nguyen Manh Ha, Hanoi        3rd place - Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao, Kenyukai

Men's Teams
1st place - Hanoi A (Vu Van Minh, Pham Duc Ngoc, Nguyen Manh Ha, Khuong Ngoc Thong, Nguyen Xuan Vinh)
2nd place - Kenyukai A (Tran Tuan, Tran Huy, Tran Trung Hieu, Du Hai Kien, Le Hoang Son)
3rd place - Sai Gon A (Tran Hui Hoang, Le Thanh Son, Dao Tuan Anh, Ngo Tan Dat, Nguyen Khanh Toan)
3rd place - Thang Long A (Nguyen Manh Hung, Kieu Quang Hong, Ha Hai Long, Nguyen Anh Van, Nguyen Quoc Hiep)

Women's Team
1st place - Hanoi A (Nguyen Thuy Linh, Hoang Thu Trang, Nguyen Quynh Trang)
2nd place - Kenyukai A (Do Thi Lan Anh, Tran Phuong Ha, Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao)
3rd place - Hanoi B (Tran Thi Van, Phan Thi Hanh, Trieu Hong Ngoc)
3rd place - Kenyukai B (Vu Do Uyen Vy, Dinh Nhu Thien Nu, Pham Yen Linh)

    SHINKYU SHINSA


    AUSKF KODANSHA SHINSA, July 26, 2015, Richardson, Texas

    5TH DAN: Makiko Adachi (SWKIF), David Cooper (SWKIF), SungHo Han (AEUSKF), Mitsuishi Hayato (SCKO), Daisei Konno
    (AEUSKF), Shinya Nishi (MWKF), Huy Nguyen (SWKIF).
    6TH DAN:     Sung Kim (MWKF), Dongsu Lee (WKF), Sei Wakuta (GNEUSKF), Yasuhiro Yoshida (GNEUSKF), Munik Zo
    (WKF).
    7TH DAN:     Hajime Sugawara (MWKF).

    PNKF IAIDO SHINSA, August 8, 2015, Kent

    3RD KYU: Adam Clark (AiShinKai).
    2ND KYU:     Callie Anderson (Everett), Thane Mittelstaedt (AiShinKai).
    1ST KYU:     Aleasha Jay (AiShinKai), Richard Milde (Tonbo), Robert Neff (Tonbo).
    1ST DAN:     Alden Vanderspek (AiShinKai), Kathleen Shipley (Tonbo), Lynda Shipley (Tonbo).
    2ND DAN:     Garrit Pillie (AiShinKai), Christopher Parkins (RenMa). 3RD DAN: Victor Kwok (NCKF).


    PNKF KENDO SHINSA, August 8, 2015, Kent

    6TH KYU: Alec Yuen (Seattle), Hana Koob (Bellevue), Michinari Tawara (Bellevue).
    5TH KYU:     Kira Campbell (Sno-King), Lucien Jesequel (Obukan), William Wellborn (Highline).
    4TH KYU:     Noah Larson (Federal Way), Grant Suyama (Cascade), Brayan Valdez-Cruz (Northwest), Yun-Ming (Jasmine) Shih
    (Northwest), Hyunjun Jang (Cascade).
    3RD KYU:     Yura Campbell (Sno-King), Evan Kriechbaum (Portland), Natalie Imanishi (Cascade), Amanda Lockwood (UW), Eric
    Soo (Obukan), Joshua Zheng (OSU), Long Le (UW), Adrienne Wilburn (Portland), Chris Vitale (OSU), Greg Veilhaber
    (Portland), Timothy Jaybush (Bellevue), Joshua Wigant (Portland).
    2ND KYU: Jihan Kim (OSU), Tyler Yamashita (Seattle), Dan McLean (Portland), Vincent DeBellis (Portland), David Nash
    (Edmonds), Eric Bortz (Alaska), Rick Goral (Northwest), Clyde Bailey (Portland), Stephen Ting (Northwest).
    1ST KYU:     Betty Park (Bellevue), Hannah Kim (Bellevue), Drake Imanishi (Seattle), Jun-Wing Chen (Bellevue),
    Addison Knappett (OSU), Howard Hwa (Bellevue), Andrew Miller (Portland), Fritz Borchardt (Edmonds), Mikiyo Ohashi
    (Edmonds), Vincente Matsunaga (Edmonds).
    1ST DAN:     Lowell Kim (UW), Caleb Ogier (UW), Corey Chan (UW), Jake Colter (Cascade), Trinh Ho (Northwest), Nicholas
    Cook (Portland), Brandon Sweezea (Northwest), Teo Morca (Northwest), Ronen Totonchi (Everett), Jason Yu (Northwest).
    2ND DAN:     Ken Tawara (Idaho), Jongwon Lee (Portland), Andrea Kayser (Pocatello).
    3RD DAN:     Bernice Lin (UW), Taryn Imanishi (Cascade), Hwan Choi (UW), Jose Cabrera (NCKF).
    4TH DAN:     Ian Morgan (Kent), Ron Risher (Northwest).


    CKR 2015 WESTERN CANADA JODO SHINSA, August 15, 2015, Vancouver, BC

    1ST KYU: Narbeh Bagdasarian
    (Pasadena), Garrett Evans (Hoshu), Terry Fukui (Ken Zen), Kathleen Jorgensen (Tonbo), James Maestas (Yamakage), Mineko
    Matreyek (Hoshu), Gary Moulder (Palo Alto), Norman Otani (Fresno), Levon Sukiasyan (San Fernando Valley), Naoki Tamesue
    (Yamakage), Bruce Vail (Hoshu).
    1ST DAN:     Patrick Allard (Hoshu CKF), Lance Lloyd (Hoshu), Arthur Wolak (Hoshu CKF).
    2ND DAN:     Brian Blomquist (Everett), Hiroaki Fukumoto (Seattle), Gao Gai Tian (Hoshu CKF), Jeffrey Kamo (Hoshu CKF),
    Kathleen Newcomer (Tonbo), Michael Park (Hoshu).
    3RD DAN:     Ivan Andrews (Hoshu CKF), Tim Archer (Hoshu CKF), Ben Lew (Hoshu CKF), Edward Olson (Tonbo).


    AJKF KODANSHA SHINSA, August 22, 2015, Sendai City, Miyagi

    7TH DAN: Takao Mizuno (Kanagawa).

    THE LAST WORD

    I was ashamed, however, when I was with Miura Sensei, to realize that I was interested in my own welfare and having
    fun, unlike the Samurai warrior. In fact, I questioned whether I truly had the right desire and drive to learn Kendo
    beyond my current skill. I was satisfied with where I was, second in rank to Miura Sensei, and swinging a sword to “create
    my life” seemed crazy since I was quite satisfied with my life. Except, I had never been to dances with girls in high
    school. “Holding a lady is not good,” my father said. “Do kendo.” And that is what I did.

    I had had no girlfriend, no social life, and no parties but I enjoyed what is probably a typical teenager’s life in
    Hawai’i. I pole vaulted beside the garage, and my best friend Walter and I made fishing poles to catch catfish and bass
    while wandering along the banks of the Wahiawa River. Travel to Ka’ena Point, the desolate northern tip of Oahu that still
    has only a rough, dirt road was a special treat. I, together with several other men and my brother, would set camp in the
    rock caves, build a fire, and fish all night for ulua. Ulua were fierce fighters and landing one was the like winning a
    battle, though with no threat of death to the fisherman. My world was small but I was happy. I had friends and was
    satisfied by my travels to what seemed the huge city of Honolulu, and my journey to Hilo was further than most of my
    friends in Wahiawa had gone.

    But my father and Miura Sensei had once again decided my fate. I was told to go to Japan, learn more Kendo, become a
    professional Kendoist, return to Hawaii and teach. “Study well the true Kendo from the world’s top Sensei.” Miura Sensei
    told me. “Know it in your hara. Chew, digest, absorb it well from Ogawa Sensei, and when you return, adapt it to the
    Hawaiian way. Develop it as Yankee Samurai Spirit! You cannot directly import Japanese Kendo to Hawaii, but you must never
    compromise the spirit of Kendo.” There was no discussion, just as there had been no discussion when they decided that
    football was pau for me. This was the “way” of the Japanese father. It was just that simple. I would leave, September,
    l938 just after my twentieth birthday. Well, whatever would happen, I would return in two years. I could endure almost
    anything for such a short time, I thought. Moreover, I was sure I wouldn’t be lost because I learned Japanese from my
    mother and the Japanese language school at the Hongwanji Buddhist temple. And Miura Sensei implied I would have no
    trouble: “Play dumb and learn everything, good or bad.” I was already a 2nd Dan kendoist and everyone expected that I
    would quickly rise in rank in Japan to return as a young sensei. Moreover, teaching would provide me with a livelihood to
    support a family with significantly less effort than being a blacksmith or a laborer in the pineapple fields. That was the
    plan. It would bring honor to my family, especially my father. Kendo has been synonymous with the samurai class and
    nobility since the eighth century. If peasant boys played at stick-fighting, as I had played chambara, they did not become
    professional kendoists. My father’s move to Hawaii stirred a bigger aspiration. In a new country very different from the
    class conscious Japan, he could nurture hopes of becoming more than a peasant and bring honor and respect to his family
    name. He always identified with Japan, and his yamato-damashi (Japanese spirit) grew in this distant land. A man who
    constantly worked for his family, his reward would be my success in becoming a Japanese trained professional Kendo
    Sensei.

    That summer I continued working in my father’s shop and practicing Kendo. I almost envied my brother Tomio who had
    developed his interest in electronics after quitting kendo. He patiently gathered parts, studied late at night, and made
    his own ham radio. I, too, was fascinated by radios, and when Tomio joined the ham radio club and began communicating with
    people around the world, I wished I could do that, too. Talking around the world, trips to Honolulu and the other islands,
    were all the international relationships I really thought were exciting. Perhaps, because I was more active and
    mischievous as a boy than my quieter brother, the path my father and Miura sensei chose was better suited to me. Perhaps
    the martial arts suited me more, with my temper and stubbornness, traits much less apparent in my gentler, more
    contemplative brother. I would train relentlessly, more than any other student, if necessary, to overcome any shortcomings
    in either my technique or my nature. To disappoint my father was unthinkable.

    No one discussed what I might face when I went Japanese who had learned the Japanese language. I think my only
    preparation was to consult a map of Japan to determine the location of Kyoto. All I knew was that I would take a steamship
    to Yokohama and then a train to Kyoto to the Dai Nippon Butoku Kai Budo Senmon Gak’ko. Commonly called Busen, it was a
    professional martial arts academy with four departments: kendo, judo, naginata, and kyudo . The history of Busen was
    written by kendoists, and indeed, kendo seemed favored in the school; the first head of Busen was a Naito Takaharu Sensei,
    a kendoist.

    Busen’s history began with a concise telegram to Naito Takaharu Sensei, “Michi no tame ni kitare!” or “Come for the
    sake of the Way.” Leaving his very successful business and dojo in Tokyo, he answered the call. On October 1, l905 Bujutsu
    Kyoin Yoseijo, the first name for Busen, was started with Naito Sensei as the head master. On July 1912, the name was
    changed to Budo Senmon Gak’ko and on March, l914, the first class of eight students graduated. The 35th and last class
    graduated 15 students in January, 1948. During its 42 year history, students from the most northern most island of
    Hokkaido to Kyushu, the most southern, usually the best kendoists from high schools, and often from wealthy families,
    attended Busen. It was well regarded and perhaps comparable in Japan to West Point and Annapolis in the United States,
    though it was not a governmental institution nor nearly as large.

    I don’t know what my father and Miura Sensei did to gain my acceptance by Ogawa Sensei. I was one of two who entered
    Busen from a foreign country in the whole history of Busen. Odate Isao, the second student from Hawaii, studied judo and
    graduated in the 27th class in March of 1941. And only two from Busen later became permanent residents of the US, myself
    and Mikio Hattanda of Santa Barbara, California. I would have graduated in the 31st class in l944, but by then, the
    Japanese had been defeated in World War II, and Busen was closed by the Allies. But that is another story.

    My major preparations were to put my three shinais into perfect condition and pack them. I also checked my kendo bogu
    very carefully and even ironed my hakama for the very first time. My bogu and keikogi still was one of my major concerns.
    I had mixed feelings about learn more kendo, and I was quite sure there would be no ice cream in Japan. Moments of
    philosophy and stories with Miura Sensei, which seemed so serious and inspiring and fascinated me at the time, without
    full comprehension, were forgotten. I was still a happy-go-lucky Hawaiian kid. But I would go; there was no choice. And I
    would bring honor to my family, and especially Miura Sensei, by succeeding.


    –Rod Nobuto Omoto,
    Autobiography,     edited by Charlotte Omoto, 2014, p. 18-21. Available as free download at lulu.com.

    Kenyu – Monthly Newsletter of the Pacific Northwest Kendo Federation Kenyu Online
    Tom Bolling, Editor – 7318 23rd Avenue N.E., Seattle, WA 98115

Posted in Kenyu

Kenyu – June/July 2015

Posted on 2015/07/10 by omb

Kenyu logo

Volume 29, number 6/7

June/July 2015

PNKF DATEBOOK

  1. Jul 18, PNKF Board, Sat, 3-5pm, Kent.
  2. Aug 8, PNKF Shinsa, Sat, Iaido 9am-12noon; Kendo 12:30-4pm, open keiko 4-5pm, Kent.
  3. Sep 19, PNKF Board, Sat, 3-5pm, Kent.
  4. Sep 26/27, PNKF Iaido Seminar, Sat/Sun, Rain City Fencing, 1776 136th Place NE, Bellevue.
  5. Oct 3, PNKF Shinpan Seminar, 12noon-4pm, open keiko 4-5pm, Kent.
  6. Oct 17, Tacoma Taikai, Sat, 10am-4pm, TBA.
  7. Nov 7, PNKF Taikai, Sat, 9:30am, Kent.
  8. Nov 21, PNKF Board, Sat, 3-5pm, Kent.
  9. Dec 12, Kent Taikai, Sat, report time 9am, start 9:30am, Kent.

OTHER DATES

  1. Jul 18, Colorado Jodo Seminar, led by James Maestas, Naoki Tamesue, and Tom Groendal, on ZNKR Seitei Jodo
    up to Ikkyu level, Boulder, Colorado.

  2. Jul 24/25/25, AUSKF Kendo Summer Camp and Kodansha Shinsa, Fri/Sat/Sun, featuring Kendo Hanshi 8th Dan Shigeki Yamanaka, and Kendo Kyoshi 8th Dan Hiroshi Ozawa, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas. Camp fee $70, Sat/Sun breakfast and lunch $8.5o per meal, dinner available Fri/Sat $8.50 per meal, Saturday Banquet $35 at Fox and Hound Bar and Grill.
  3. Aug 1/2, 5th AUSKF Junior Open National Championships and Youth Seminar, Sat/Sun, with surprise special
    guest. Sat, Aug 1: Championships; Sun, Aug 2: Junior Kendo Camp; Huntington Beach, California.

  4. Aug 18, CKF Western Jodo Shinsa, Royal Oak Community Church, Burnaby, BC.
  5. Nov 14/15, AUSKF Board, Sat/Sun, TBD.

PASSAGE


Akinobu (Aki) Yotsuuye.

On June 19, 2015, the PNKF lost its great friend and photographic chronicler when Akinobu Yotsuuye passed away from complications
following a fall. Born December 25, 1923 in Ehime-ken Japan, Mr. Yotsuuye had come to Washington as an infant with his parents.
Their farm near Fife and Wapato Creek was known as Brookville Gardens, and this is where he grew up and worked almost all his life.
During World War II the family was interned at Minidoka, where they also worked hard in farming, famously saving the harvest of the
sugar beet crop. Thanks to a kindly neighbor, they did not lose the farm, and were able to return when the war ended. In 1955 Aki
married Chizuko Yasuda, and they had four children, David (wife Kathy), Gene (wife Nancy Martella), Vicki (husband Curtis Marsten), and
Wayne (wife Dawn). In 1967 Boy Scout Troop 115 at Tacoma Buddhist Temple began a project of studying the basics of Kendo, emphasizing
the spiritual aspect, to demonstrate at Scout-O-Rama, under the direction of Rod Nobuto Omoto, who had received his training at Budo
Semmon Gakko. He was assisted by Mas Tanabe and Yosh Tanabe, and this project was documented photographically by Mr. Yotsuuye. It
also evolved into the current Tacoma Kendo and Iaido Club (since October 1987 no longer sponsored by the Temple), including their first
tournament in 1970. Meanwhile, Kendo was proliferating generally, and Mr. Yotsuuye committed himself to thoroughly and meticulously
recording all the developments with his cameras, the early tournaments, the emergence of the Kendo Club at UW in 1972, the formation of
the WSKF (now PNKF) in 1975, and so on down to the present. He leaves us an immense pictorial legacy of our region’s post-war Kendo
history. Two of his children, David and Vicki, have become major pillars of PNKF Kendo, and all four of his grandchildren, Ashley
(husband Alec Boehmer) and Brandon Yotsuuye, and Conor and Tiarnan Marsten, have studied Kendo, with Conor and Tiarnan continuing
currently as prominent champion kenshi. Services were June 28 at the Tacoma Buddhist Temple. Our deepest condolences to his wife
Chizuko and his brother Tada (wife Yoshie), all the family, and numerous friends.

5th AUSKF JUNIOR OPEN NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS AND YOUTH SEMINAR – August 1/2, 2015, Huntington Beach, California.

The PNKF will support any member kenshi age 18 and younger to attend this event, and will cover registration fees, lunches, plus
$250.00 each toward travel and lodging. Dates: August 1st (tournament) and 2nd (seminar). Individual Divisions: 9 and younger, 10-11,
12-13, 14-15, 16-18, 13-under girls, 14-18 girls. Team Divisions, Two Teams per Federation per division: 5-person Boys Mixed-age Team,
3-person Girls Team, 3-person Youth Team.

16th WORLD KENDO CHAMPIONSHIPS – May 29,30,31 2015, Nippon Budokan, Tokyo, Japan.


Men Individuals
1st place - Tadakatsu Amishiro, Japan
2nd place - Yuya Takenouchi, Japan
3rd place - Man Uk Jang, Korea
3rd place - Hidehisa Nishimura, Japan
 Fighting Spirit
 Jonathan Bertout, France               Krzysztof Bosak, Poland
 Fabrizio Mandia, Italy                 Christopher Yang, USA
 Giuseppe Gianetto, Italy               Jin Yong Jo, Korea
 Ryo Murase, Japan                      Sandor Dubi, Hungary

Women Individuals
1st place - Mizuki Matsumoto, Japan
2nd place - Yun Yung Hu, Korea
3rd place - Bo Kyung Won, Korea
3rd place - Yukiko Takami, Japan
 Fighting Spirit
 Roxine Kubo-Nakamoto, Hawaii           Akie Tayama, Japan
 Hwa Yeong, Korea                       Fleur Smout, Netherlands
 Sayo Vanderwoude, Netherlands          Hanaca Yamada, Canada
 Mana Kawagoe, Japan                    Nishiki Sano, USA

Women Teams
1st place - Japan (Yoko Sakuma, Moeko Takahashi, Tai Watanabe, Mariko Yamamoto, Mizuki Matsumoto)
2nd place - Korea (Sun A Jung, Yun Yung Hu, Min Ji Cha, Bo Kyung Won, Seung Hee Kim)
3rd place - USA (Esther Kim, Yuri Kil, Nishiki Sano, Sumi Domen, Kaori Kikunaga)
3rd place - Brazil (Aline Lie Kimura, Cristiane Lie Toide, Marcia Miyuki Hayashi, Eliete Harumi Y. Takashina,
                    Elzami Miwa Onaka)
 Fighting Spirit
 Mizuki Matsumoto, Japan                Elzami Miwa Onaka, Brazil
 Stella Wong, Singapore                 Serena Ricciuti, Italy
 Bree Yang, Canada                      Safiyah Fadai, Germany
 Nishiki Sano, USA                      Yun Yung Hu, Korea

Men Teams
1st place - Japan (Yuya Takenouchi, Yosuke Katsumi, Masahiro Shodai, Sho Ando, Ryoichi Uchimura)
2nd place - Korea (Man Uk Jang, Jin Yong Jo, Byung Hoon Park, Je Min Yu, Kang Ho Lee)
3rd place - USA (Sandip Ghodgaonkar, Daniel Yang, Simon Yoo, Brandon Harada, Christopher Yang)
3rd place - Hungary (Akos Szegofi, Attila Dubi, Gabor Babos, Balazs Toth, Sandor Dubi)
 Fighting Spirit
 Sho Ando, Japan                        Christopher Yang, USA
 Alberto Masumi Takayama, Brazil        Chung-Yang Chang, Chinese Taipei
 Xuan Chen, China                       Guillermo Flores, Mexico
 Akos Szegofi, Hungary                  Kang Ho Lee, Korea

2015 ROSE CITY TAIKAI – June 13, 2015, Portland Community College Cascade Campus


Women                                  Juniors 12 and Below
1st place - A. Nakayama, Obukan        1st place - J. Shim, Obukan
2nd place - E. DeJong, UW              2nd place - K. Underhill, Northwest
3rd place - E. Marsten, Highline       3rd place - J. Kim, Federal Way
3rd place - J. Frazier-Day, Kent       3rd place - B. Choi, Kogakukan

Senior Dan                             Juniors 13-15
1st place - C. Marsten, Kent           1st place - K. McManus, Kent
2nd place - D. Yotsuuye, Bellevue      2nd place - O. Jeong, Kogakukan
3rd place - H. Iba, Bellevue           3rd place - E. Choi, Kogakukan
3rd place - T. McManus, Kent           3rd place - K. Underhill, Northwest

3 Kyu and Below                        2 Kyu and 1 Kyu
1st place - T. Yamashita, Seattle      1st place - J. Yamauchi, Cascade
2nd place - J. Wigant, Portland        2nd place - C. Chan, UW
3rd place - L. Le, UW                  3rd place - A. Miller, Portland
3rd place - C. Bailey, Portland        3rd place - A. Kanemasu, Kent

1 Dan and 2 Dan                        3 Dan and Above
1st place - J. DeJong, Highline        1st place - S. Choi, Portland
2nd place - T. Imanishi, Cascade       2nd place - A. Yen, Seattle
3rd place - E. Hashimoto, Northwest    3rd place - A. Melton, Spokane
3rd place - B. Lin, UW                 3rd place - C. Ruiz, Spokane

Junior Team
1st place - Federal Way (J. Kim, D. Lee, K. McManus)
2nd place - Northwest (B. Underhill, T. Miyamoto, E. Underhill)
3rd place - Cascade A (H. Jang, K. Fukuda, JY Lee)
3rd place - Obukan A (J. Shim, Shota Wetlesen, Shun Wetlesen)

Adult Team
1st place - Highline (J. DeJong, S. Smith, F. Wessbecher, E. Marsten, C. Chaney)
2nd place - Obukan A (G. Nakayama, J. Chen, N. Holtorf, J. Mapp, A. Nakayama)
3rd place - Spokane A (C. Ruiz, W. Kuster, M. Wolf, W. Sinclair, A. Melton)
3rd place - Portland A (J. Croes, N. Cook, A. Miller, C. Bailey, S. Choi)

AUSKF 2015 IAIDO CHAMPIONSHIP – June 20, 2015, San Jose City College


0-2 Kyu                                 Murakami Cup 1 Kyu and 1 Dan
1st place - Zachary Park, KenBuKan      1st place - Allen Smith, Mushinkan
2nd place - Ben Sardinas, South Florida 2nd place - Rodney Castillo, South Florida
3rd place - SangKi Lee, DFWKIK          3rd place - Steven Touchi, Rancho Cordova
3rd place - Sean Zhu, DFWKIK            3rd place - Korhan Tekkin, Norwalk
 Kantosho - Keita Tanabe, Salinas        Kantosho - Pedro Sors, South Florida

Murosako Cup 2 Dan and 3 Dan            Yamaguchi Cup 4 Dan and Above
1st place - Takanori Furuta, Itto Kai   1st place - Paul Shin, Shidogakuin
2nd place - Tomoyuki Hirasawa, DFWKIK   2nd place - Susan Sekreta, Ken Zen
3rd place - Yuko Nishida, Shidogakuin   3rd place - Jason Hankins, ZenBuKan
3rd place - Sergey Zalubovsky, Mountain View 3rd place - Terry Fukui, Ken Zen
 Kantosho - Ahn Trieu, AiShinKai         Kantosho - Monica Iwakabe, Rocky Mountain

6th US NAGINATA CHAMPIONSHIP – June 20, 2015, McGill University, Montreal


Engi
1st place - Ai Ajiki and Misaki Nukii, Japan
2nd place - Miyo Inoue and Seishi Sakai, Japan
3rd place - Axel Noorman and Faye Noorman, Netherlands

Individual Women                     Individual Men
1st place - Hasumi Hayashida, Japan  1st place - Kosuke Tanaka, Japan
2nd place - Ai Ajiki, Japan          2nd place - Francois Dermine, Belgium
3rd place - Misaki Nukii, Japan      3rd place - Hirotaka Kato, Japan

Team Women
1st place - Japan (Misaki Nukuu, Miyo Inouye, Hasumi Hayashida)
2nd place - USA (Kei Tsukamaki, Shannon Lew, Kelsey Shamrell-Harrington)
3rd place - France (Amadine Babule, Sophie Schmitz, Chloe Bellec)

Team Men
1st place - Japan (Kosuke Tanaka, Seishi Sakaki, Satsuki Sahashi)
2nd place - Belgium (David D'hose, Tyl Dermine, Francois Dermine)
3rd place - Canada (Antoine Fromentin, Daniel Bouchard, Tomas Almonte)

LEEWARD OAHU KENDO TOURNAMENT – June 28, 2015, Mililani District Park Gym


Yonenbu 11 Years and Under                     Shonenbu 12-14 Years
1st place - Brandon Matsumoto, Kenshikan       1st place - Go Hayakawa, Aiea Taiheiji
2nd place - Zachary Yamamoto, Waipahu Seibukan 2nd place - Shoshi Hashimoto, Wahiawa
3rd place - Trinity Kishimoto, Mililani        3rd place - Orion Kishimoto, Mililani
3rd place - Caden Matsumoto, Kenshikan         3rd place - Kano Hashimoto, Wahiawa

Seinenbu                                       Yudansha 1-2 Dan
1st place - Matthew Takemoto, Hawaii Daijingu  1st place - Kevin Chun, Kenshikan
2nd place - Gavin Mata, Hilo Hongwanji         2nd place - Kenton Chun, Mililani
3rd place - John Pitts, Ainakoa Shiseikan      3rd place - Grant Oliver, Kenshikan
3rd place - Skye Nakayama, Kenshikan           3rd place - Gary Komenaka, Ainakoa Shiseikan

Women's Mudansha                               Women's Yudansha
1st place - Katsumi Takemoto, Hawaii Daijingu  1st place - Rina Ono Brown, Mililani
                                               2nd place - Megan Watanabe, Waipahu Seibukan

Yudansha 3-4 Dan                               Yudansha Masters 3 Dan and Above Over 45 Years of Age
1st place - Chris Goodin, Aiea Taiheiji        1st place - Garrett Matsumoto, Kenshikan
2nd place - Braxton Fukutomi, Aiea Taiheiji    2nd place - Tusha Buntin, Wahiawa
3rd place - Yusuke Masumo, Mililani            3rd place - Kojun Hashimoto, Wahiawa
3rd place - Gregory Gates, Aiea Taiheiji       3rd place - Marvin Acklin, Wahiawa

Yudansha 5 Dan and Above
1st place - Hyun Kim, Kenshikan
2nd place - Andy Fujimoto, Mililani

Team                                           Parents/Kids Team
1st place - Mililani                           Parents - 2
2nd place - Kenshikan                          Kids - 4

James Oka Kantosho Fighting Spirit Award - Nicklas Matsumoto, Kenshikan

SHINKYU SHINSA


AJKF KENDO SHINSA, May 17, 2015, Biwajima Sport Center, Nagoya

6TH DAN: Tomoko Suzuki (Youshinkan).

IKF KENDO SHINSA, June 1, 2015, Olympic Youth Centre, Tokyo

5TH DAN: Lunwei Zhang (China). 6TH DAN:
Blake Bennett (New Zealand), Seth Harris (Hawaii), Sue Lytollis (New Zealand), Grant Matsubayashi (Hawaii), Christopher Wong
{Malaysia). 7TH DAN: Graham Sayer (New Zealand), Buster Sefor (South Africa).

AUSKF IAIDO SHINSA, June 21, 2915, San Jose, California


4TH KYU: Keita Tanabe. 3RD KYU: Angela Gibson, Gina Konstantopoulos. 2ND KYU: Noriko Ambe, Jim
Chandler (ZenBuKan), Jordy Davis (ZenBuKan), Sangki Lee (DFWKIK), Ashley Moore (DFWKIK), Celeste Rosell (ZenBuKan), Denise Verastigue
(DFWKIK), Sean Zhu (DFWKIK). 1ST KYU: Derek Kordash, Zachary Park (ZenBuKan), Benjamin Sardinas (SFKC). 1ST
DAN: Frank Campione, Ahmed Gaballa ElSayed, Alec Milton, Allen Smith, Korhan Tekin. 2ND DAN: Pedro Batista, Frank
Burke, Pamela Carlson (DFWKIK), Rodney Castillo (SFKC), Michael Sareyani, Pedro Sors (SFKC), Steven Touchi (NCKF), Jeremy
Wong. 3RD DAN: Terry Sewell (DFWKIK), Kimiye Touchi (NCKF), Edward Vierk, Yoshimasa Watanabe. 4TH DAN:
Brian Beckford, David Chiu (Simon Frazer U), Hiroaki Fukumoto (PNKF), Takanori Furuta, Tomoyuki Hirasawa (DFWKIK). 5TH
DAN: David Cooper (DFWKIK), Monica Iwakabe (Rocky Mountain).

THE LAST WORD

I graduated from Leilehua High School in l938. I had achieved the rank of 2nd Dan, which was a considerable achievement for my
age, but by then I knew there was so much more to learn. The discipline of Kendo had the physically demanding practice sessions, but I
had finally realized, as Miura Sensei had told me from the beginning, that the real discipline was of myself, to temper and refine my
spirit. Although I had won tournaments in Oahu and had once, in 1934, traveled to Hilo on the Big Island with Miura Sensei to
participate in a tournament, I felt that my skills were strong, but my character was far from the ideal of the Bushi, the feudal
samurai warrior of Japan. Bushido, the Way of the Warrior, stresses kindness and benevolence as well as courage. I trained hard yet
reflected on my progress. Was I benevolent or courageous? I didn’t think so. My mind was definitely not quiet, and my pride and ego,
punctured any thoughts of humility. I certainly never considered death as a serious threat, and the concept of Bushido as “the resolute
acceptance of death” was a recitation for my head but not something I could relate to. No one wants to die, and when Miura Sensei told
me that the Way of the Warrior is death, it seemed an arcane thought relevant to feudal Japan but of little consequence in the fragrant
Hawaiian countryside alive with the aloha spirit of hospitality and sharing. But I had not discussed or questioned these statements. I
accepted on the authority of Miura Sensei that if I applied myself, someday I, too, would understand. Mostly, however, I was a
happy-go-lucky Hawaiian teenager and thought I knew everything I needed. To understand the Way of the Warrior and concepts of Bushido
was not my primary goal.

–Rod Nobuto Omoto,
Autobiography, edited by Charlotte Omoto, 2014, p. 18. Available as free download at lulu.com.

Kenyu – Monthly Newsletter of the Pacific Northwest Kendo Federation Kenyu Online
Tom Bolling, Editor – 7318 23rd Avenue N.E., Seattle, WA 98115

Posted in Kenyu

Kenyu – April/May 2015

Posted on 2015/05/18 by omb

Kenyu logo

Volume 29, number 4/5

April/May 2015

PNKF DATEBOOK

  1. Jun 13, Rose City Taikai, Sat, doors open 9am, check-in closes 10am, opening ceremonies 10:15am, PCC Cascade Campus, 705 N.
    Killingsworth, Portland.

  2. Jun 26/27/28, 8th US Nito Kendo Seminar, Fri/Sat/Sun TVCC Ontario, Oregon.
  3. Jul 18, PNKF Board, Sat, 3-5pm, Kent.
  4. Aug 8, PNKF Shinsa, Sat, Iaido 9am-12noon; Kendo 12:30-4pm, open keiko 4-5pm, Kent.
  5. Sep 19, PNKF Board, Sat, 3-5pm, Kent.
  6. Sep 26/27, PNKF Iaido Seminar, Sat/Sun, Rain City Fencing, 1776 136th Place NE, Bellevue.
  7. Oct 3, PNKF Shinpan Seminar, 12noon-4pm, open keiko 4-5pm, Kent.
  8. Oct 17, Tacoma Taikai, Sat, 10am-4pm, TBA.
  9. Nov 7, PNKF Taikai, Sat, 9:30am, Kent.
  10. Nov 21, PNKF Board, Sat, 3-5pm, Kent.
  11. Dec 12, Kent Taikai, Sat, report time 9am, start 9:30am, Kent.

OTHER DATES

  1. May 27/28/29/30/Jun 1, 16WKC, Wed/Thu/Fri/Sat/Sun/Mon, Nippon Budokan, Tokyo, Japan.
  2. Jun 18/19/20/21/22, AUSKF Iaido and Jodo Seminar, Thu/Fri/Sat/Sun, San Jose City College.
  3. Jun 28, Leeward Oahu Kendo Tournament, Sun, Mililani.
  4. Jul 11, Kendo Skill Seminar, NOTE: REGISTRATION CLOSED AS OF JULY 5 – NO FURTHER PARTICIPANTS ACCEPTED. Sat, 9am-3pm, open to 3-5 Dan participants, with focus on performing skills needed for higher Dan Kendo in preparation for testing, taught by Kendo Kyoshi 7th Dan Robert Stroud, Tatsuhiko Konno, and Jeff Marsten.
  5. Aug 1/2, 5th AUSKF Junior Open National Championships and Youth Seminar, Sat/Sun, with surprise special
    guest. Sat, Aug 1: Championships; Sun, Aug 2: Junior Kendo Camp; Huntington Beach, California.

  6. Nov 14/15, AUSKF Board, Sat/Sun, TBD.

5th AUSKF JUNIOR OPEN NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS AND YOUTH SEMINAR – August 1 and 2, 2015, Huntington Beach, California

The PNKF will support any member kenshi age 18 and younger to attend this event, and will cover registration fees, lunches, plus $250.00
each toward travel and lodging. Dates: August 1st (tournament) and 2nd (seminar). Individual Divisions: 9 and younger, 10-11, 12-13, 14-15,
16-18, 13-under girls, 14-18 girls. Team Divisions, Two Teams per Federation per division: 5-person Boys Mixed-age Team, 3-person Girls Team,
3-person Youth Team.

39th ANNUAL UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON INVITATIONAL KENDO TOURNAMENT – April 11, 2015


Women's Open                           3 Dan
1st place - W. Robillard, Steveston    1st place - R. Asato, Vancouver
2nd place - H. Yamada, Vancouver       2nd place - A. Lee, Vancouver
3rd place - E. Marsten, Highline       3rd place - S. Day, Kent
3rd place - M. Oya, Northwest          3rd place - E. DeJong, UW

0-4 Kyu                                1-3 Kyu
1st place - B. Valdez-Cruz, Northwest  1st place - JW Chen, Bellevue
2nd place - G. Vielhaber, Portland     2nd place - J. Borchers, UW
3rd place - J. Kim, OSU                3rd place - J. Sipko, Bellevue
3rd place - E. Lee, Obukan             3rd place - H. Shim, Renbu

1-2 Dan                                4 Dan
1st place - L. Oka, Tozenji            1st place - N. Nakano, Steveston
2nd place - S. O'Sullivan, Steveston   2nd place - G. Suzaka, Seattle
3rd place - M. Oya, Northwest          3rd place - J. Kurahashi, Renbu
3rd place - G. Mizutani, Renbu         3rd place - T. Yamada, Vancouver

Teams
1st place - Vancouver (A.Lee, T.Yamada, R.Asato, H.Yamada, A.Fukushima)
2nd place - Portland (J.Croes, A.Miller, J.Lee, S.Choi, N.Cook)

Taikai Chair - Erica DeJong
Head Shinpan - Jeffrey Marsten
Sportsmanship Pledge - Ted Tagami
UW Most Improved - Ted Tagami
Kazuo and Tomo Shoji Inspirational Award - Van Le and Ted Tagami

15th NABESHIMA CUP TAIKAI and 9th TEXAS OPEN TAIKAI – April 18, 2015, Episcopal School, Dallas


Youth Division (10-16)                 Mudansha Division (1 Kyu and below)
1st place - Aiden Norris, Omaha        1st place - Sangki Lee, DFWKIK
2nd place - Roman Spanke, Omaha        2nd place - Izogbu Wells, Houston Budokan
3rd place - Matthew Tesch, Bushinkan   3rd place - Toan Nguyen, HKK
3rd place - Sol Joanne Hong, DFWKIK    3rd place - Peter Shih, DFWKIK
 Kantosho - Elaine Fu, Cougar           Kantosho - David Choe, HKK 
                                                   Margaruite Nixon, Cougar

Women's Division (3 Dan and below)     Yudansha Division (3 Dan and below)
1st place - Noelle Grimes, Sno-King    1st place - Victor Koh, Atlanta
2nd place - Alexandra Darrah, HKK      2nd place - Takuro Yamaoka, Bushinkan
3rd place - Keeley McManus, Kent       3rd place - Masumi Koyama, Cougar
3rd place - Mi Ryang Moon, Omaha       3rd place - Thor Metzinger, Ito
 Kantosho - Jennyrayne Colangan, DFWKIK Kantosho - David Yao, Steveston
            Shamina Kerstein, Cougar               Allan Azurin, Cougar

9th Texas Open (4 Dan and above)
1st place - Kenichi Hatakeyama, Baylor
2nd place - Michio Kajitani, Arkansas
3rd place - Makiko Adachi, HKK
3rd place - Hiro Kimura, HKK
 Kantosho - Makiko Adachi, HKK

50th ANNUAL VANCOUVER KENDO TOURNAMENT – May 2, 2015, Byrne Creek Secondary School


9 Years and Under                  10 to 12 Years                       13 to 15 Years
1st place - H. Homma, Renbu        1st place - A. Shimizu, Tozenji      1st place - K. Muramatsu, Steveston
2nd place - Y. Lee, Renbu          2nd place - M. Fukuoka, Tozenji      2nd place - S. Ito, Steveston
3rd place - R. Nakano, Steveston   3rd place - H. Asaoka, Youshinkan    3rd place - K. Darbyshire, Vancouver
3rd place - K. Yoshimura, Renbu    3rd place - C. Robillard, Steveston  3rd place - I. Kim, Renbu

16 to 20 Years                     21 to 30 Years                       31 to 40 Years
1st place - T. Okitsu, Tozenji     1st place - SJ Lee, Central          1st place - T. Yamada, Vancouver
2nd place - R. Asato, Vancouver    2nd place - R. Kuki, UBC             2nd place - G. Suzaka, Seattle
3rd place - L. Oka, Tozenji        3rd place - G. Mizutani, Renbu       3rd place - T. Nakamura, Youshinkan
3rd place - H. Shim, Renbu         3rd place - E. Kita, Renbu           3rd place - J. Chien, Youshinkan

41 Years and Over                    Women
1st place - M. Hasegawa, Renfrew   1st place - A. Fukushima, Vancouver
2nd place - Y. Row, Steveston      2nd place - J. Kurahashi, Renbu
3rd place - J. Schmidt, Vancouver  3rd place - M. Kobayashi, U Vic
3rd place - Y. Komukai, Vancouver  3rd place - K. Leung, UBC

Junior Team
1st place - Tozenji (N.Kono, M.Fukuoka, A.Shimizu, K.Kono, S.Takahashi)
2nd place - Renbu A (R.Kim, H.Chun, E.Lee, E.Fujita, I.Kim)

Senior Team
1st place - Vancouver (R.Asato, T.Yamada, SHJung, A.Lee, A.Fukushima)
2nd place - Central (M.Park, YSChoi, SJLee, D.Hong, HKRyoo)

Sportsmanship Pledge - K. Darbyshire       Spirit Awards - L. Takahae, Steveston
                                                           K. Kono, Tozenji

25th ANNUAL BELLEVUE JUNIOR TAIKAI – May 16, 2015, Bellevue


10 Years and Under                 11 to 12 Years                       13 to 14 Years
1st place - K. Campbell, Sno-King  1st place - D. Hyun, Bellevue        1st place - B. Park, Bellevue
2nd place - E. Sugimoto, Kent      2nd place - J. Kim, Federal Way      2nd place - H. Kim, Bellevue
3rd place - N. Quiraga, Bellevue   3rd place - J. Shim, Obukan          3rd place - D. Lin, Bellevue
3rd place - E. Kim, Seattle        3th place - K. Underhill, Northwest  3rd place - M. Ohata, Bellevue

High School Girls                  High School Boys
1st place - M. DeJong, Highline    1st place - T. Marsten, Kent
2nd place - K. McManus, Kent       2nd place - A. Nagasawa, Bellevue
3rd place - J. DeJong, Highline    3rd place - A. Kanemasu, Kent
3rd place - J. Higa, Bellevue      3rd place - K. Toyokawa, Tacoma

Junior Team
1st place - Bellevue Red (D.Hyun, B.Park, H.Kim, L.Shibata, D. Lin)
2nd place - Bellevue White (C.Park, A.Mooko, L.Ohata, F.Yang, M.Ohata)

High School Team
1st place - Highline (J.DeJong, D.Imanishi, M.DeJong)
2nd place - Bellevue Red (JWChen, A.Hyun, B.Liao)

Head Shinpan - David Yotsuuye; Taikai Chair - CJ Chaney; National Anthem - Joe Yang, trumpet; Competitors' Pledge - 
Andrew Nagasawa; 
Awesome Spirit Award - Josh Kim, Federal Way;  Centurion Bellevue Highline Sno-King Youth Leadership Award - Jane Higa

SHINKYU SHINSA


ALL-JAPAN NAGINATA FEDERATION ANNUAL RENSHI AND KYOSHI SHINSA, May 10, 2015, Himeji, Japan

RENSHI: Kurt Schmucker (PNNF).

THE LAST WORD

The tea master approached another Samurai to help him in this predicament. The Samurai told him that he was not a sword fighter, but a
great master of the tea ceremony. “Therefore, you cannot challenge this Samurai with sword technique. Use what you know best to meet the
challenge. Draw you sword, face your opponent directly, slowly close your eyes, pull your sword high above your head with both hands, and act
as though your opponent is your guest of honor in your tea ceremony. Wait until you feel something cold come down on you. That’s when you
bring down your sword.” The tea master did exactly what he was told and waited for a long time, but nothing cold came down on him. Slowly, he
opened his eyes. To his surprise, he saw the challenging Samurai squatting down with his sword in front of him, bowing and apologizing for his
past rude behavior.
There was never a sense of lecture nor did I take notes. He was never critical, and I never felt embarrassed. “Concentration is
necessary,” he might comment, but would never mention that at the previous practice I had been distracted and had wavered as I cut, my shinai
twisting so that I missed my target by at least six inches. He would question me at times, especially when I felt discouraged. “What are you
doing Kendo for? The sport, or your father, or..?” But he never pressed for an answer. This was for me to contemplate.
–Rod Nobuto Omoto,
Autobiography, edited by Charlotte Omoto, 2014, p. 13. Available as free download at lulu.com.

Kenyu – Monthly Newsletter of the Pacific Northwest Kendo Federation Kenyu Online
Tom Bolling, Editor – 7318 23rd Avenue N.E., Seattle, WA 98115

Posted in Kenyu
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