Kenyu – September/October 2012

Volume 26, number 9/10

September/October 2012

PNKF DATEBOOK

1. Nov 3, PNKF Taikai, Sat, 9:30am-7pm, Kent Commons.
2. Nov 10, PNKF Board, Sat, 3-5pm, Renton Community Center.
3. Dec 8, Kent Taikai, Sat, 9:30am-6pm, Kent Commons.
4. Jul 13, 2013, 5th PNKF North American Women’s Team Tournament, Sat, Renton Community Center.

OTHER DATES

1. Nov 30/Dec 1, 2012 AUSKF Fall Educational Tour (Western Region), featuring Kendo Hanshi
   8th Dan Yuji Nakata Sensei, former Vice Chief Instructor of Tokyo Metropolitan Police.
   The Seminar will focus on preparing for elements of promotional examination.

              Nov 30, Fri, 6:30-9:30pm, for 4th Dan and above on the subject of kodansha shinsa
                preparation, 14224 Bel-Red Rd, Bellevue.
   Highland Community Center
              Dec 1, Sat, 9am-4pm, Seminar for the general Kendo population; last hour will be godo keiko
                open floor for all participants. Renton Community Center, 1715 Maple Valley Highway,
                Renton.
   Renton Community Center.

2. Apr 6, 2013, 25th Anniversary Cleveland Kendo Tournament/GNEUSKF Championships, Adelbert Gym.
3. Apr 2013, 25th European Kendo Championships, Berlin.

PNKF BOARD OF DIRECTORS 2012/2013

The PNKF Board of Directors are: Amy Arsenault (Highline), Jonathan Bannister (AiShinKai), Brian Blomquist
(Everett), Thomas Bolling (Bellevue), Brian Edwards (Everett), Daniel Ichinaga (Seattle), Shinichi Koike (Northwest),
Tatsuhiko Konno (Musokai), Tsu Pang Lui (OSU), Curtis Marsten (Kent), Vicki Marsten (Kent), Iraj Mohebalian
(Seattle), Mike Rigler (Sno-King), Russ Sinclair (Spokane), Benjamin Stabley (Obukan), Haruka Takano (Seattle),
Stephen Uchida (Ren Ma), Frank Wessbecher (UW), Moki Yoshikawa (Tacoma), and David Yotsuuye (Bellevue). Jeff Marsten
(Bellevue/ Highline/Sno-King) continues as Advisor. Shinichi Koike and Jeff Marsten are members of the AUSKF Board of
Directors. Officers will be elected at the November 10, 2012 meeting.

PASSAGE

Walter Takeshi Yamaguchi

Kendo and Iaido are viewed by traditionalists as two wheels of a cart which together comprise the Art of
Japanese swordsmanship. Such a traditionalist was Kendo and Iaido Kyoshi 7th Dan Walter Takeshi Yamaguchi, who passed
away on October 5, 2012. An immensely kind and wise friend of the PNKF who often traveled here to be a key instrument
and encouragement for making possible our practice and advancement in Kendo and Iaido, following in the footsteps of
his prime teacher, Torao “Tiger” Mori Sensei, under whom he embarked on his own Kendo and Iaido journey in January
1963, Yamaguchi Sensei had been born in Los Angeles on April 15, 1938. Interned with his family in Manzanar in the
months following Pearl Harbor, and subsequently moving through various relocation camps ending in Texas, he moved to
Japan with his family following the War, eventually returning home to Los Angeles by himself. With Mori Sensei’s
foundation, and the practice of other such greats as Akio Hara Sensei, Torataro Nakabara Sensei, and Morihei Henmi
Sensei, Yamaguchi Sensei evolved into a major teacher of national and worldwide importance. Taking a keen personal
interest in every PNKF member, Yamaguchi Sensei often traveled here to make possible both Kendo and Iaido shinsa in
an earlier period when we did not have enough kodansha to complete our own board of examiners. With his ranks in
both Kendo and Iaido, the PNKF could depend on this gracious sensei to come, sometimes several times a year, to teach
us in seminars, and to bring both our shinsa boards up to quorum. Meantime, he was very distinguished as the
President of the Southern California Kendo Federation (SCKF) and member of the Board of Directors of the All United
States Kendo Federation (AUSKF) for many years, mentoring many who have held office. He co-founded three SCKF Dojo:
Norwalk (1965), Covina (1969), and Costa Mesa (1975). Yamaguchi Sensei founded the Southern California Iaido
Association (SCIA) and served as its head instructor and advisor. He was the first Iaido sensei for most of the
founders of the Northern California Iaido Association (NCIA) and was a nurturing advisor and mentor to their group.
He was the coach for Team USA in the 6th World Kendo Championships (WKC) in France in 1985, in addition to attending
all the other WKC. On the Friday night he died at Norwalk Dojo, Yamaguchi Sensei was just getting ready for keiko.
Our deepest condolences to his younger brother Makoto, daughter Elaine, son Masashi, two grandchildren. and all
family members.

Tadanobu Taniuchi

Word has been received that Kendo Kyoshi 7th Dan Tadanobu Taniuchi passed away in the morning of March 11, 2012.
His nephew Moichi Saito reports that the cause of death was myocardial infarction in his sleep, so probably he was
not in pain. He also reports that the family wants us to know that they are so proud of his way of life because
Taniuchi Sensei always lived with Kendo and was carrying out his practice of Kendo until three days before passing
away. Taniuchi Sensei, born in Tokyo November 24, 1936, was a faithful member of Kanagawa Kendo Federation Chigasaki
Branch, Kenseikan Kamei Dojo. His home Dojo was Nichiyo (Sunday) Kenyu Kai. His main teachers were Kazuo Kamei
Sensei, and Konosuke Inamura Sensei. He was also 7th Dan in the Yutaro Ogawa (Toko Ogawa)/Konosuke Inamura line of
Kashima Shinden Jikishin Kageryu Hojo Kata. PNKF people first encountered Taniuchi Sensei in March 1998
when fifteen people from Kanagawa Kenseikan visited Seattle for several days. Taniuchi Sensei was a dentist. Our
sincere condolences to his widow Hisako Taniuchi, nephew Moichi Saito, and extended family.

2012 Umemura Hai, Individual Kendo Championship. 2012 Tater Taikai, Team Championship

1st Place, Glenn Walker - Renma Kendo Dojo        1st Place, Portland/Renma Kendo
2nd Place, Ryan Atagi - Ore-Ida Kendo Club        2nd Place, Ore-Ida Kendo Club
3rd Place, Steven Le - Idaho Kendo Club           3rd Place, Idaho Kendo Club

5th ANNUAL PNKF IAIDO TAIKAI – October 2, 2011, Rain City Fencing Center, Bellevue

Mudansha Cup (0-1 Kyu)                Noguchi Cup (1-4 Dan)
1st place L. Miyauchi (Musokai)       1st place - H. Fukumoto (Seattle)
2nd place S. Wilkins (Everett)        2nd place - T. Nishiura (San Jose)
3rd place D. Picard (San Jose)        3rd place - L. Nishimura (Alaska)
3rd place N. Bagdasarian (Pasadena)   3rd place - E. Olsen (Ken Zen)

Murosako Cup Team Competition
1st place Musokai A (L.Miyauchi,E.Morgan,M.Phung)
2nd place Seattle (A.Yen,T.Petchel,H.Fukumoto)

6th PNKF IAIDO TAIKAI – September 30, 2012, Rain City Fencing Center, Bellevue

Mudansha Cup (0-1 Kyu)                   Yudansha Noguchi Cup (1-4 Dan)
1st place - Amber Jeanneret, Everett     1st place - Monica Iwakabe, RMBK
2nd place - Garrit Pillie, AiShinKai     2nd place - Hiroaki Fukumoto, Seattle
3rd place - Gina Taylor, Tonbo           3rd place - Tsuyoshi Nishiura, San Jose
3rd place - Narbeh Bagdasarian, Pasadena 3rd place - David Lau, San Jose

Murosako Cup Team Competition
1st place - San Jose (NarbehBagdasarian,DavidLau,TsuyoshiNishiura)
2nd place - AiShinKai (AnhTrieu,FrederickFourie,JamesSmith)

LONGHORN INVITATIONAL TEAM KENDO TAIKAI – October 6, 2012, Austin, Texas

1st place - Highline (A.Zee,S.Wong,S.Smith,M.Scott,L.Tsybert)
2nd place - Asociacion de Kendo Nuevo Leon (O.Navarro,JP Rodriguez,A.Wong,E.Cazares,Y.Perales)
3rd place - Houston Budokan A (C.Guerra,A.Sebyt,B.Kiang,R.Clement,E.Chang)
3rd place - Dallas A (M.Mizuuchi,R.Solitano,A.Schmidt,J.Bang,T.Sewell,YH Cho)

13th INVITATIONAL TACOMA KENDO TAIKAI – October 13, 2012, Washington High School, Tacoma

10-12 Years                         13-15 Years
1st place - B. Liao, Bellevue       1st place - J. DeJong, Highline
2nd place - H. Kim, Bellevue        2nd place - Y. Sandburg, Spokane
3rd place - K. McManus, Kent        3rd place - T. Marsten, Kent

16-18 Years                         16-18 Years Dan
1st place - A. Neshyba, Tacoma      1st place - A. Melton, Spokane
2nd place - S. Mulhausen, Tacoma    2nd place - M. DeJong, Highline
3rd place - T. Rollins, Federal Way 3rd place - A. Sinclair, Spokane
                                    3rd place - E. DeJong, Highline

Adult Kyu
1st place - T. McManus, Kent
2nd place - T. Lui, OSU
3rd place - D. Park, Bellevue

Junior Youth Team
1st place - Kent (K.McManus,A.Kanemasu,T.Marsten)
2nd place - Bellevue 1 (B.Park,H.Kim,M.Blechschmidt)
3rd place - Bellevue 3 (H.Allen,A.Nagasawa,C.Nagasawa)

Senior Youth Team
1st place - Highline (J.DeJong,M.DeJong,E.DeJong)
2nd place - Spokane (S.Sinclair,Y.Sandburg,A.Melton)
3rd place - Tacoma (S.Mulhausen,T.Rollins,A.Neshyba)

National Anthem Singer - Alisa Yoshikawa

Sportsmanship Pledge - Anna Neshyba

Shinpan Cho - Shinichi Koike

7th ALL HAWAII KENDO CHAMPIONSHIPS – October 27, 2012, Lihue, Kauai, Hawaii

Yonenbu                                      Shonenbu
1st place - Shoshi Hashimoto, Wahiawa        1st place - Zoe Yamamoto, Waipahu Seibukan
2nd place - Makia Palmer, Lihue              2nd place - Vincent Yancy, Myohoji
3rd place - Aipono Valente, Hilo Hongwanji   3rd place - Mie Miller, Lihue

Seinenbu                                     Women's Non-Yudansha
1st place - Shawn Reese, Lihue               1st place - Dawn Mones, Lihue
2nd place - Yasuhiro Nishida, Hilo Kobukan   2nd place - Gina Kishimoto, Myohoji
3rd place - Bryson Toda, Lihue               3rd place - Maria Akagi, Hilo Kobukan

Women's Yudansha                             Yudansha 1-2 Dan
1st place - Rina Ono, Mililani               1st place - Gary Komenaka, Wahiawa
2nd place - Megan Watanabe, Waipahu Seibukan 2nd place - Luke Shimabukuro, Lihui
3rd place - Cheri Holck, Lihue               3rd place - Christopher Funada, Hilo Hongwanji

Yudansha 3 Dan and Above                     Yudansha Masters
1st place - Braxton Fukutomi, Aiea Taiheiji  1st place - John Akagi, Hilo Kobukan
2nd place - Seth Harris, Kenshikan           2nd place - Elton Ushio, Lihue
3rd place - Chris Goodin, Aiea Taiheiji      3rd place - Curtis Shinde, Hilo Kobukan

Grand Champion - Braxton Fukutomi, Aiea Taiheiji

SHINKYU SHINSA

3RD KYU: Greg Douglas (Zenbukan, RMKIF), Carlos Carrasco (Ore-Ida), Zach Simpson (Pocatello).

2ND KYU: Jake Wilson (Ore-Ida), Kelly Horn (Idaho), Andrea Kayser (Pocatello).

1ST KYU: Mick Lannigan (Ore-Ida), Steven Le (Idaho), Jason Hankins (Zenbukan, RMKIF).

1ST DAN: Noelle Bruce (Idaho).

Kenyu – Monthly Newsletter of the Pacific Northwest Kendo Federation

Kenyu Online – http://pnkf.org/

Tom Bolling,
Editor – 7318 23rd Avenue N.E., Seattle, WA 98115