Volume 27, number 12
December 2013
PNKF DATEBOOK
- Jan 11, PNKF Kata Seminar, Sat, 1-5pm, open keiko 4-5pm, Rain City Fencing,
1776 136th Place NE, Bellevue, WA 98005. - Jan 25, PNKF Board, Sat, 3-5pm, Des Moines Library, 21620 11th Avenue S., Des Moines.
- Feb 8/9, 2014 AUSKF Iaido Education Tour, featuring Iaido Hanshi 8th Dan
Chihiro Kishimoto, and Jodo Kyoshi 7th Dan Iaido Hanshi 8th Dan Kazuma
Okuda, with Iaido Kyoshi 7th Dan and Kendo Hanshi 8th Dan Shozo Kato.
Jodo Seminar – Sat, Feb 8, 10am-5pm. Iaido Seminar – Sun, Feb 9, 10am-5pm.
Rain City Fencing, 1776 136th Place NE, Bellevue, WA 98005. - Feb 15, CKF Jodo Shinsa and Seminar, Sat, 10am-4pm. Schedule: 10am-12noon
Pre-test practices; 1-2pm Test; 2-4pm Post-test seminar. Justice Institute of
British Columbia, 715 McBride Blvd, New Westminster, BC. - Mar 1, 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. - Mar 8, Highline Taikai, Sat, 10am, White Center Community Center.
- Mar 15/16, AUSKF Shinpan Seminar, Northwest Region, Sat/Sun.
- Mar 22, PNKF Board, Sat, 3-5pm, Renton.
- Apr 19, UW Taikai, Sat, 10am, IMA.
- May 3, PNKF Board, Sat, 3-5pm, Renton.
- May 17, Bellevue Junior Taikai, Sat, 9:30am-3pm.
- Jun 7, Rose City Taikai, Sat, 10am (tentative).
- Jul 18/20, 7th US Nito Kendo Seminar, Fri/Sun, Niten Ichi Ryu Musashi Kai, featuring Heido 9th Dan, Kendo Kyoshi 7th Dan
Hirotsugu Sasaki, Vice-chairman/chief master, co-author, Musashi no Ken book, contributing author, AJKF
Nito Guidebook. Please join kendo players of all skill levels for a unique Kendo learning experience. Both Nito and
Itto kenshi will benefit from this event. Seminar is open to beginners and advanced rank. Valuable to people studying Nito
now, or simply wanting to learn how to face Nito players. Ontario, Oregon. More info and registration at http://www.idaho-kendo.com/nito/ - Jul 19, PNKF Board, Sat, 3-5pm, Renton.
- Aug 9, PNKF Shinsa, Sat, Iaido 9am-12noon; Kendo 12:30-4pm, open
keiko 4-5pm, Kent. - Sep 20, PNKF Board, Sat, 3-5pm, Renton.
- Sep 27/28, PNKF Iaido Seminar, Sat/Sun, Rain City Fencing, 1776 136th Place NE, Bellevue.
- Oct 4, PNKF Shinpan Seminar, 12noon-4pm, open keiko 4-5pm, Kent.
- Oct 18, Tacoma Taikai, Sat, 10am-4pm, Washington High School, 12420
Ainsworth Avenue South, Tacoma, WA (tentative). - Nov 1, PNKF Taikai, Sat, 9:30am, Kent.
- Nov 15, Kent Taikai, Sat, report time 9am, start 9:30am, Kent.
OTHER DATES
- Feb 8, 52nd Steveston Taikai, 9am, Sat, McMath High School, 4251 Garry Street, Richmond BC.
Entry Deadline: Friday, January 18, 2014. - Feb 22/23, FIK America Zone Referee Seminar, Sat/Sun. Schedule: Feb 22, Sat, Seminar
9am-12noon, 1-4pm, Godo Keiko 4-5pm, banquet, 7pm. Feb 23, Sun, Seminar 9am-12noon, Godo
Keiko 12noon-1pm. Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, Canada. - Feb 22/23, Oceania Women’s Kendo Seminar and Taikai, Sat/Sun, Melbourne, Australia.
- Apr 5/6, 26th Annual Cleveland Kendo Tournament/GNEUSKF Championships, 8am, Sat. Seminar featuring Kendo Kyoshi 8th Dan Waichiro Kurita, Shihan of Tokyo Police Kendo, Sun, 9am-12noon, as part of AUSKF East Coast Education Tour. Adelbert Gymnasium, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland.
- Apr 12/13, AUSKF Board, Sat/Sun, San Diego.
- May 31, Vancouver Taikai, Sat, 10am, Byrne Creek Elementary School, 7777 18th Street, Burnaby, BC.
- Jun 12/16, AUSKF Iaido and Jodo Summer Camp, Thu/Mon. Schedule: Jun 12/13, Thu/Fri, Iaido Seminar. Jun 14, Sat, Iaido Taikai. Jun 15, Sun morning, Iaido Shinsa. Jun 15/16, Sun/Mon, Jodo Seminar. New York.
- Jun 26/29, AUSKF Championship, Fri/Sat, San Diego.
- Aug 15/16/17, AUSKF Kendo Summer Camp and Shinsa, Fri/Sat/Sun, Los Angeles.
- Nov 8/9, AUSKF Board, Sat/Sun.
- May 2015, 16WKC, Tokyo, Japan.
PNKF BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS 2013/2014
At their November 16, 2013 meeting, the PNKF Board elected officers. President – Moki
Yoshikawa (Tacoma); Vice President – David Yotsuuye (Bellevue); Treasurer – Brian Blomquist
(Everett); Recording Secretary – Thomas Bolling (Bellevue); Secretary of Internal Affairs –
Daniel Ichinaga (Seattle).
The other Board members are: John Bossert (AiShinKai), Brian Edwards (Everett), An Giang
(Northwest), Noelle Grimes (SnoKing), Thomas Groendal (Honshu), Jacob Huegel (OSU), Shinichi
Koike (Northwest), Curtis Marsten (Kent), Vicki Marsten (Kent), Edward Olson (Tonbo), Russ
Sinclair (Spokane), Shane Smith (Highline), Ted Tagami (UW), and Aaron Yen (Seattle). Jeff
Marsten (Bellevue/Highline/Sno-King) continues as Advisor. Shinichi Koike and Jeff Marsten are
members of the AUSKF Board of Directors. Elizabeth Marsten (Highline) was re-elected as UW
Advisor.
PNKF DUES RAISED
Following several months of careful discussion and debate, the PNKF Board settled on a
compromise rate, and amended Article II of the PNKF By-Laws to raise the annual dues. PNKF dues
have gone up $20 for adults to become $50 a year, and $10 for youth to become $25 a year. Coupled
with the AUSKF dues, the total annual fee for adults over the age of 17 on January 1, 2014, is
$90, and the total for those 17 and under is $50.
PASSAGE
Hironobu Sato
Word has been received that Kendo and Iaido Hanshi 8th Dan Hironobu Sato, known to many in
the PNKF from his extended three-week-plus visit here with his wife in June 1984, has passed away
at age 82 of pneumonia November 20, 2013 after several years’ medical treatment. Born 1931 in
Taiwan, his first Kendo teacher was his father, who was 4th Dan in the Butokukai. After the War,
he moved back to Fukushima with his family. In 1951 he joined the Tokyo Metropolitan Police, and
continued training under Gorozo Nakajima Sensei. His final post was Tokyo Metropolitan Police
Honorable Head Instructor. After mandatory retirement from the police, Sato Sensei was head
instructor Keio University, Tokyo Electric, and Mitsubishi. He was active in major tournaments,
including the All Japan Championship participating seven times, four times placing third;
Meijimura 8th Dan tournament, participating seven times, gaining championship four times, and
also gaining championship as the captain of Team Japan in the 3rd World Kendo Championship held
1976 at Milton Keynes, Great Britain. Sato Sensei always cared greatly for kenshi he’d taught
before, and dropped by the All-Japan Camp at Gedatsukai Kitamoto to cheer them on and bring them
gifts. Fun-loving, he arm wrestled Dick Anderson on Koike Sensei’s livingroom floor, losing once
and winning once. His wife is excellent in Kendo and Iaido as well, and carefully observed him
teaching us, offering suggestions of her own. She is also advanced in Aikido, and with a twinkle
in his eye Sato Sensei advised us to try doing Aikido versus Kendo sometimes. He famously gave
her an affectionate embrace on the train platform when he and his Kendo team were leaving on a
trip. Our deepest condolences to her and the family.
Takuo Uegaki
On December 10, 2013, the PNKF lost a staunch friend when Kendo Renshi 7th Dan Takuo Uegaki
passed away. Born January 21, 1939 in Motomiya-cho Fukushima, he grew up in Ayabe, Kyoto, and
graduated from Tottori University in forestry. He immigrated to Vancouver BC in 1967. He and
his wife Motoko spent the first few years north of Vancouver in Quesnel, part of the Cariboo
District. then moved back to Vancouver, where he built a successful landscaping business. At the
time of his death, Uegaki Sensei was chief instructor of Sunrise Kendo Club. He was also active
in the closely affiliated Hokushin Itto Ryu Dojo in Ibaragi-ken, and had taken Sunrise members to
study with the 7th generation headmaster there, Kazue Shiina Sensei. Our sincere condolences to
Uegaki Sensei’s wife, daughters, granddaughter, and extended family.
AUSKF 4th JUNIOR OPEN NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP – June 23, 2013, Henderson, Nevada
Boys 9 Years Boys 10-11 Years
1st place - A. Fujiwara, SCKO 1st place - R. Miyazaki, SCKO
2nd place - S. Yoo, SCKO 2nd place - Y. Kojima, SCKO
3rd place - A. Onitsuka, NCKF 3rd place - L. Levins, SCKO
3rd place - M. Nikaido, SCKF 3rd place - B. Yoo, WKF
Boys 12-13 Years Boys 14-15 Years
1st place - B. Wang, WKF 1st place - B. Wi, WKF
2nd place - A. Ogikubo, SCKO 2nd place - D. Kumagai, SCKF
3rd place - H. Cho, NCKF 3rd place - R. Ogikubo, SCKO
3rd place - J. Young Kim, WKF 3rd place - T. Hori, SCKF
Boys 16-18 Years Girls 13 and Under
1st place - Y. Nogimura, SCKF 1st place - T. Kim, SCKF
2nd place - S. Park, NCKF 2nd place - H. Kiuchi, SCKO
3rd place - D. Williams, CCKF 3rd place - H. Yamamoto, SCKO
3rd place - K. Kobayashi, SCKF 3rd place - B. Park, PNKF
4th place - K. McManus, PNKF
Girls 14-18 Boys Team
1st place - E. Kim, SCKF 1st place - SCKF A
2nd place - E. DeJong, PNKF
3rd place - D. Hahn, SCKF Girls Team
3rd place - M. Sasaki, SCKO 1st place - SCKF A
4th place - M. DeJong, PNKF 2nd place - PNKF (B.Lin, M.DeJong, E.DeJong
SHINKYU SHINSA
CKF JODO SHINSA, May 26, 2013, Vancouver BC
1ST KYU: Brian Blomquist (Everett), Hiro Fukumoto (Seattle), Kathleen Newcomer (Tonbo),
Michael Park (Hoshu), Gina Taylor (Tonbo).
2ND DAN: Reky Groendal (Hoshu), Ed Olson (Tonbo).
3RD DAN: Marcus Phung (Hoshu).
THE LAST WORD
Being Comfortable with the Shinai. In examinations it is assumed that you are roughly
the same level as other people in your pool. It is therefore necessary to demonstrate to the
examiners that you are in no way inferior to your opponent. When they move, hit them. When they
attempt to strike, elude it. This is the basic principle of Kendo… Skill in wielding the shinai
forms the basis for Kendo, and it should be afforded great respect, not just as a weapon but as
an implement of vital importance to your spiritual growth achieved through the study of Kendo…
Wielding the shinai comfortably is not achieved by just using the hands, but requires the full
use of the body and legs in a rational manner… The thing that draws the most attention of
examiners is whether or not the candidate is using tenouchi properly, making sure that the shinai
is gripped firmly with the bottom three fingers, but not strangling it with the whole hand. To be
successful, you must know the characteristics of the shinai and be able to wield it freely as an
extension of your arms… The shinai is Kendo’s greatest asset. –Hironobu Sato, “Hanshi Says,”
Kendo World 3.3 2006, p. 36.
Editor – 7318 23rd Avenue N.E., Seattle, WA 98115