Volume 39, number 4/5/6

April/May/June 2025

PNKF DATEBOOK

April 2025
4/11-13 – Seattle Cherry Blossom Festival.
4/12-13 – AUSKF Board Meeting and Kodansha Shinsa, Duluth High School Gym, Duluth, GA.
4/19 – UW Taikai, UW Intramural Activities Building, Gym D, Seattle, WA. Doors open at 9am, Taikai starts at 10am.
4/20 – PNKF Kendo Shinsa in Oregon, IRCO Community Center.
4/26-27 – AUSKF Junior Open National Championships at Juanita High School, Kirkland, WA.

May 2025
5/10 – PNKF Board Meeting 9-11am.
5/17 – Bellevue Kendo Jr. Taikai, Highland Community Center, Bellevue, WA.
5/17 – PNKF Iaido 2 Dan and higher test preparation training event. 9am-4pm, Shoreline Spartan Center Dance Room. A free event to provide personal help to those planning to test for higher Dan in the next year or two. Instructed by PNKF Iaido Committee Co-Chair Jonathan Bannister, Renshi 7 Dan and Robert Stroud Sensei, Renshi 6 Dan. A free training opportunity sponsored by the PNKF Iaido Committee. Registration opening soon.
5/25 – Yuhihai Intercollegiate Taikai.
5/31 – Rose City Taikai, Portland Community College Cascade Gymnasium, 600 N. Killingsworth St. Portland OR 97217, 10am.

June 2025
6/14 – Kata Seminar, Kent Commons Community Center, 525 4th Ave N, Kent, WA 98030, 1:15pm-4:50pm
6/21-22 – Spokane Valley Yudansha Shinsa Seminar, West Valley City School, 8920 E Valleyway Ave, Spokane Valley, WA 99212.

July 2025
7/12 – PNKF Board Meeting, 9-11am.
7/12-13 – Women’s Seminar lead by Chinatsu Murayama, ages 15+, Broadview Thompson K-8, 13052 Greenwood Ave N, Seattle, WA 98133.
7/17-20 – 13th US Nito Kendo Seminar, Meridian Idaho. Open to all levels of kenshi. Guest instructors Ryoichi FUJII, kyoshi 8 dan; Yoshihiro UGAJIN, kyoshi 7 dan; Futoshi SATO, kyoshi 7 dan; Ako FUJII, kyoshi 7 dan. Special lecture by Prof. Alex Bennett, kyoshi 7 dan, Kansai University. AUSKF – PNKF Kendo Shinsa  (1 – 6 kyu). Contact Robert Stroud at Idaho Kendo Club for more information.
7/19 – Women’s Taikai, Spartan Recreation Center, 202 NE 185th St. Shoreline, WA.
7/31-8/03 – AUSKF Iaido Summer Camp, National Iaido Taikai and Shinsa. University of Houston Recreation Center, Houston, TX. Instructors from All Japan Kendo Federation TBD.

August 2025
8/16 – PNKF Kendo Shinsa, Kent Commons, Kent, WA.
8/23-24 – AUSKF Kendo Summer Camp & Shinsa, Las Vegas NV.

September 2025
9/13 – PNKF Board Meeting, 9-11am.
9/20-21 – NCIF Iaido Seminar featuring Ito Tomoharu Sensei accompanied by Onikubo Nobuo Sensei and Suzuki Junko Sensei of Tokyo Metropolitan police. Details TBA.
9/26-28 – PNKF Iaido Fall Iaido Seminar, Taikai, Shinsa, and Annual Iaido banquet. Instructors and Location TBA. Join us for another fabulous PNKF Iaido event!
9/27 – Tacoma Women’s Taikai, Location TBD.

October 2025
10/5 – PNKF Kendo Shinsa Oregon, Location TBD.
10/12 – NW Junior Taikai, Location TBD
10/18 – Educational Shinpan/Shiai Seminar

November 2025
11/1 – PNKF Taikai, Kent Commons, Kent, WA.
11/22 – PNKF Board Meeting and General Election, 9-11am.

December 2025
TBD.

UW Taikai, April 19th, 2025, Seattle, WA

Women’s Open                           0-4 Kyu
1st – J. Paik, Canada                   1st – Y. Ng, NYU
2nd – B. Park, Canada                 2nd – R. Ting, NYU
3rd – A. Kobayashi, Canada         3rd – L. Qiu, UBC
3rd – N. Fracassi, Canada            3rd – S. Yang, NYU

3-1 Kyu                                        1-2 Dan
1st – N. Underhill, Northwest        1st – V. Chen, Oakland
2nd – R. Nguyen, Edmonds          2nd – A. Mabale, Seattle
3rd – A. Mcginnis, Northwest        3rd – J. Paik, Canada
3rd – L. Naylor, Bellevue               3rd – J. Yu, Northwest

3 Dan                                           4 Dan and Up
1st – B. Park, Canada                  1st – C. Liao, Canada
2nd – N. Fracassi, Canada           2nd – S. Miyashita, Canada
3rd – B. Sprenger, Obukan           3rd – R. Asato, Canada
3rd – E. Chui, Steveston               3rd – K. Yoshimura, Canada

Team
1st – Team Canada Prospects (C. Liao, K. Yoshimura, R. Asato, T. Hamanaka, S. Miyashita)
2nd – PNKF High School Boys (J. Dueck, D. Terao, A. Yuen, D. Shilov, J. Yu)

Shoji Inspirational Award – Yisa Wu

PNKF KENDO SHINSA, April 20th, 2025, Portland, OR

4 KYU: Christopher Lee (Obukan), Benaiah Soriano (Camas), Shawn Kalmykov (Seattle), Steven Wishman (Kenchikai)

3 KYU: Ray Dinsmore (Camas), Luca Guidi (Seattle), Nolan Deschuytter (Camas), Lane Woods (Lilac City), Maya Yoshihara (Obukan), Sandor Cseh (Obukan), Jayden Waggoner (OSU), Frank Fahrer (OSU), Alder Bailey-Conklin (Portland), Tyus Morris (Obukan), Keith Virgin (Camas), Chris Kobata (Camas), Leonard Spivey (Kenchikai)

2 KYU: Braden Jack (OSU), Samantha Barondyck (OSU), Adrienne Kinsey (Northwest), Peter Konneker (Camas), Domonic Ceccarelli (Obukan)

1 KYU: Iori Ohashi (Obukan), Kirihiro Onishi (Obukan), Julianne Pho (Obukan), Joey Matsuno (Obukan), Jonathan King (Kenchikai), Chad Emerick (Portland), Chiharu Dinsmore (Camas), Michiyo Okuhara (Camas)

AUSKF Junior Open Nationals, April 26-27, 2025, Kirkland, WA

9 and Under                                10-11
1st – H. Miyake, MWKF               1st – S. Miyake, MWKF
2nd – K. Han, WKF                      2nd – Y. Sato, SCKO
3rd – M. Sato, SCKO                   3rd – H. Miyamoto, SCKO
3rd – E. Peoples, SCKO              3rd – H. Johnson, PNKF
Kantosho:                                    Kantosho:
A. Yu, NCKF                                T. Tanimura, PNKF
S. Byun, GNEUSKF                     A. Kaufman, PNKF
R. Watanabe, SCKO                    A. Akaike, SCKO
R. Kim, WKF                                A. Kim, WKF

12-13                                           14-15
1st – E. Miyamoto, SCKO          1st – L. Ido, SCKO
2nd – H. Someya, NCKF            2nd – K. Romero, SCKF
3rd – K. Tsuruta, SCKF               3rd – S. Johnson, PNKF
3rd – T. Yeo, WKF                       3rd – E. Choo, SCKF
Kantosho:                                    Kantosho:
J. Segawa, SCKF                        S. Ueno, SWKIF
A. Banos, SCKO                         T. Hoshino, GNEUSKF
S. Yang, SCKF                            A. Suwa, ECUSKF
L. Chen, NCKF                           V. Chen, NCKF

16-18                                           13 Years and Under Girls
1st – J. Yu, PNKF                        1st – B. Kim, WKF
2nd – A. Hotta, ECUSKF             2nd – K. Ahn, WKF
3rd – D. Roh, SCKF                    3rd – E. Ueng, NCKF
3rd – L. Onitsuka, NCKF             3rd – S. Winters, AEUSKF
Kantosho:                                     Kantosho:
J. Huh, SCKF                               I. Chen, SCKF
R. Ido, SCKO                               K. Sato, PNKF
T. Matsuura, MWKF                     L. Tanabe, NCKF
N. Park, WKF                               I. Park, WKF

14-18 Girls                                     
1st – R. Yoon, AEUSKF
2nd – J. Paik, PNKF
3rd – K. Choi, MWKF
3rd – B. Shinada, SCKF
Kantosho:
C. Shih, SCKF
E. Hoshi, SCKO
L. Uemoto, AEUSKF
S. Kim, SCKO

Junior Team
1st – MWKF (H. Miyake, S. Tanaka, S. Miyake)
2nd – SCKO – A (H. Miyamoto, S. Chen, Y. Sato)
3rd – PNKF – A (S. Nakayama, H. Johnson, T. Tanimura)
3rd – NCKF – A (N. Ueng, K. Someya, N. Choudhury)

Girl’s Team
1st – SCKF B – (A. Yamamoto, C. Chang, M. Miyashiro)
2nd – PNKF – A (C. Kim, N. Underhill, J. Paik)
3rd – WKF – B (S. Kim, B. Kim, H. Hong)
3rd – SCKO – A (K. Sawabe, E. Hoshi, M. Sakamoto)

Boy’s Team
1st – SCKO – A (E. Miyamoto, K. Ghodgaonkar, L. Ido, R. Ido, T. Ariga)
2nd – SCKF – A (S. Yang, K. Romero, E. Choo, D. Roh, J. Huh)
3rd – PNKF – A (N. Kim, S. Johnson, R. Yokoo, A. Yuen, J. Yu)
3rd – ECUSKF (S. Lane, A. Suwa, J. Ringler, H. Suwa, A. Hotta)

33rd Annual Bellevue Junior Taikai, May 17th, 2025, Bellevue, WA

Non-Bogu                                  10 and Under
1st – C. Shin, Tacoma                 1st – S. Nakayama, Camas
2nd – A. Lee, Northwest              2nd – R. Shin, Tacoma
3rd – A. Mullins, Tacoma             3rd – B. Park, Kirkland
3rd – D. Lee, Northwest              3rd – R. Lee, Bellevue

11-12                                           13-15
1st – T. Tanimura, Edmonds        1st – C. Kim, Northwest
2nd – N. Kim, Northwest              2nd – R. Yokoo, Northwest
3rd – A. Kaufman, Portland          3rd – S. Lee, Bellevue
3rd – H. Johnson, Seattle            3rd – T. Kodera, Bellevue

16 and Above           
1st – J. Dueck, Federal Way
2nd – Jo. Kiyohara, Federal Way
3rd – D. Shilov, Bellevue
3rd – S. Faso, Bellevue

Junior Team
1st – Northwest (N. Kim, S. Lee, C. Kim, K. Suehisa, R. Yokoo)
2nd – Tacoma (R. Shin, J. Kelley, M. Mcclaren, A. Kaufman, I. Wiley)

Senior Team
1st – Federal Way (J. Dueck, Jo. Kiyohara)
2nd – Obukan (M. Pho, D. Terao, K. Onishi)

Thomas Bolling Awesome Spirit Award – V. Lapitan, Kirkland

Centurion Youth Leadership Award – D. Shilov, Bellevue

Rose City Taikai, May 31st, 2025, Portland, OR

10 and Under                                    11-13
1st – S. Nakayama, Camas               1st – H. Johnson, Seattle
2nd – R. Shin, Tacoma                       2nd – A. Kaufman, Portland
3rd – B. Park, Kirkland                       3rd – N. Kim, Northwest
3rd – R. Lee, Bellevue                        3rd – C. Lee, Obukan

14-15                                                  4 Dan and Up 
1st – S. Johnson, Seattle                   1st – I. Morgan, Kenchikai
2nd – O. Kaufman, Portland               2nd – Y. Shim, Kirkland
3rd – I. Ohashi, Obukan                     3rd – N. Tanimura, Edmonds
3rd – C. Kim, Northwest                     3rd – R. Lei, Seattle

3 Dan                                                 1-2 Dan
1st – S. Wetlesen, Obukan                1st – J. Huh, Cascade
2nd – J. Paik, Cascade                       2nd – M. Remmu, Seattle
3rd – B. Sprenger, Obukan                 3rd – A. Yuen, Seattle
3rd – D. Yao, Seattle                           3rd – K. Underhill, Northwest

Women’s Dan                                    Women’s Kyu
1st – J. Paik, Cascade                         1st – N. Underhill, Northwest
2nd – E. Marsten, Highline                  2nd – A. Fukuda, UW
3rd – M. DeJong, Highline                   3rd – A. Bailey-Conklin, Portland
3rd – N. Grimes-Perez, Kirkland          3rd – M. Pho, Obukan

1-2 Kyu                                                0-3 Kyu
1st – B. Ridler, Kirkland                       1st – T. Morris, Obukan
2nd – C. Dolera, Northwest                 2nd – T. Davis, Lilac City
3rd – B. Jack, OSU                              3rd – L. Spivey, Kenchikai
3rd – A. Anderson, Seattle                   3rd – D. Cowell, Redmond

Junior Team
1st – Team 4 (S. Nakayama [Camas] C. Moon [Kenchikai], C. Kim [Northwest])
2nd – Team 2 (K. Nakayama [Camas], N. Kim [Northwest], O. Kaufman [Portland])
3rd – Team 1 (R. Shin [Tacoma], H. Johnson [Seattle], L. Cowell [Redmond])
3rd – Team 6 (R. Lee [Bellevue], A. Kaufman [Portland], I. Wiley [Portland])

Adult Team
1st – Cascade (J. Paik, T. Okamura, J. Huh, J. Paik , J. Okada)
2nd – Kirkland A  (N. Smith, B. Ridler, N. Grimes-Perez, Y. Shim, T. Patana)
3rd – Seattle (M. Remmu, D. Quach, A. Yuen, D. Yao, R. Lei)
3rd – Bellevue (D. Shilov, M. Tuy, G. Baski, A. Epilepsea, L. Tsybert)

Shinpan Cho – Shinichi Koike
Guests of Honor – Sadao Sasaki and Keiji Iwata

Volume 39, number 1/2/3

January/February/March 2025

PNKF DATEBOOK

January 2025
1/11 – PNKF Board Meeting, 9-11am.
1/25 – Torrance Dojo 50th Anniversary Taikai, 8am, West High School, 20401 Victor St, Torrance, CA 90503.

February 2025
2/8 – Steveston Taikai, McMath High School, 9am, 4251 Garry St, Richmond, BC.
2/15 – PNKF Kendo Shinsa, Spartan Recreation Center, Shoreline, WA. Doors open at 12:15pm. Shinsa starts at 1:45pm.
2/22-23 – FIK America Zone Shinpan Seminar in LA.

March 2025
3/1-2 – All Japan Champion Tour, Tetsuhiko Murakami. [CANCELLED]
3/15 – PNKF Board Meeting, 9-11am.
3/17-24 – AJKF Kendo Leaders Seminar, Katuura, Chiba, Japan.
3/23 – 45th Annual Highline Challenge Cup Kendo Taikai, White Center Community Center, Steve Cox Memorial Park, 1321 SW 102nd St, Seattle, WA, 10am, doors open 9am.
3/22-23 – Harvard Shoryuhai Taikai.
3/28-30 – PNKF Iaido Shinpan Seminar & Shinsa, Rain City Fencing Center, Bellevue, WA.

April 2025
4/11-13 – Seattle Cherry Blossom Festival.
4/12-13 – AUSKF Board Meeting and Kodansha Shinsa, Duluth High School Gym, Duluth, GA.
4/19 – UW Taikai, UW Intramural Activities Building, Gym D, Seattle, WA. Doors open at 9am, Taikai starts at 10am.
4/20 – PNKF Kendo Shinsa in Oregon, IRCO Community Center.
4/26-27 – AUSKF Junior Open National Championships at Juanita High School, Kirkland, WA.

May 2025
5/10 – PNKF Board Meeting 9-11am.
5/17 – Bellevue Kendo Jr. Taikai, Highland Community Center, Bellevue, WA.
5/17 – PNKF Iaido 2 Dan and higher test preparation training event. 9am-4pm, Shoreline Spartan Center Dance Room. A free event to provide personal help to those planning to test for higher Dan in the next year or two. Instructed by PNKF Iaido Committee Co-Chair Jonathan Bannister, Renshi 7 Dan and Robert Stroud Sensei, Renshi 6 Dan. A free training opportunity sponsored by the PNKF Iaido Committee. Registration opening soon.
5/25 – Yuhihai Intercollegiate Taikai.
5/31 – Rose City Taikai, Portland Community College Cascade Gymnasium, 600 N. Killingsworth St. Portland OR 97217, 10am.

June 2025
6/14 – Kata Seminar, Kent Commons Community Center, 525 4th Ave N, Kent, WA 98030, 1:15pm-4:50pm
6/21-22 – Spokane Valley Yudansha Shinsa Seminar, West Valley City School, 8920 E Valleyway Ave, Spokane Valley, WA 99212.

July 2025
7/12 – PNKF Board Meeting, 9-11am.
7/12-13 – Women’s Seminar lead by Chinatsu Murayama, ages 15+, Broadview Thompson K-8, 13052 Greenwood Ave N, Seattle, WA 98133.
7/17-20 – 13th US Nito Kendo Seminar, Meridian Idaho. Open to all levels of kenshi.
7/19 – Women’s Taikai, Spartan Recreation Center, 202 NE 185th St. Shoreline, WA.
7/31-8/03 – AUSKF Iaido Summer Camp, National Iaido Taikai and Shinsa. University of Houston Recreation Center, Houston, TX. Instructors from All Japan Kendo Federation TBD.

August 2025
8/16 – PNKF Kendo Shinsa, Kent Commons, Kent, WA.
8/?? – AUSKF Kendo Summer Camp & Shinsa.

September 2025
9/13 – PNKF Board Meeting, 9-11am.
9/?? – Northwest Kendo Jr. Taikai, TBD.
9/20-21 – NCIF Iaido Seminar featuring Ito Tomoharu Sensei accompanied by Onikubo Nobuo Sensei and Suzuki Junko Sensei of Tokyo Metropolitan police. Details TBA.
9/26-28 – PNKF Iaido Fall Iaido Seminar, Taikai, Shinsa, and Annual Iaido banquet. Instructors and Location TBA. Join us for another fabulous PNKF Iaido event!

October 2025
10/?? – PNKF Kendo Shinsa Oregon, TBD.
10/25 – Tacoma Women’s Taikai, TBD.

November 2025
11/1 – PNKF Taikai, Kent Commons, Kent, WA.
11/22 – PNKF Board Meeting and General Election, 9-11am.

December 2025
TBD.

BHSK Taikai, January 18th, 2025, Seattle, WA

Non Bogu Division                          Junior Division
1st – T. Takeuchi, Kirkland                1st – K. Sato, Kirkland
2nd – Y. Takeuchi, Kirkland                2nd – Y. Iwao, Bellevue

Adult Kyu                                          Young Dans
1st – B. Ridler, Kirkland                     1st – J. Marsten, Sno-King
2nd – L. Naylor, Bellevue                   2nd – R. Ramirez-Monroy, Sno-King
3rd – A. Perez, Kirkland
3rd – T. Ruppert, Kirkland

Top Gun                               
1st – L. Tsybert, Bellevue
2nd – J. Chen, Kirkland

Junior Team
1st – Team Viper (K. Sato, T. Kodera, E. Lau)
2nd – Team Payback (C. Ridler, J. Songy, L. Naylor)
3rd – Team Goose (S. Sinex, K. Sinex, Y. Iwao)

Team
1st – Team Payback (J. Songy, Y.C. Lee, N. Grimes, M. Rigler, J. Marsten)
2nd – Team Stinger (W. Le, J. Chen, K. Tohmon, J. Dobner, T. Patana)

North vs South Team Match:
1st – Team South (T. Kodera, E. Lau, W. Le, A. Yang, A. Gilmore, D. Shilov, L.Tsybert, T. Espinal, Y.C. Lee, J. Koplin)

PNKF KENDO SHINSA, February 15th, 2025, Shoreline, WA

6 KYU: Brad Nonaka (Northwest), Roy Shin (Tacoma), Bohmi Park (Kirkland), Eloise Sprague (Meadowbrook), Jonas Kelley (Tacoma)

5 KYU: Alina Soto (Northwest), Raven Lee (Bellevue), Kanoa Park (Kirkland), Sam Borillo (Bellevue), Enoch Chan (Kirkland), Corbin Clemente (Meadowbrook)

4 KYU: Violett Lapitan (Kirkland), Ryunoske Yokoo (Northwest), Jennifer Kikuchi (Cascade), Shin Wu (Northwest), Samuel Sim (Federal Way), Tomoko Johnson (Seattle), Rich Nakatsu (Seattle), Noah Gaines (Lilac City), Jess King (Edmonds)

3 KYU: Akira Schacht (Lilac City), Takumi Tanimura (Edmonds), Nathan Kim (Northwest), Kenji Rafael (Edmonds), Shaun Murray (Kirkland), Tadeo Soper (Lilac City), Toby Kodera (Bellevue), Omar Shakeel (Seattle), Juubei Kiyohara (Federal Way), Jackson Songy (Kirkland), Musashi Blair (Cascade), Asher Hansen (UW), Benjamin Hebert (UW), Tomo Kunz-Taguchi (UW), Marcelo Cunningham (Seattle), Cassie LaDuke (Tacoma), Sarah Grill (Tacoma), Timothy Speer (Bellevue), Michael Fontana (Northwest), Shawn Smith (Edmonds), Mandy Hsu (Bellevue), Joseph Dobner (Kirkland), Hani Shakeel (Seattle)

2 KYU: Kiki Sato (Kirkland), Seiji Lee (Bellevue), Koya Sinex (Kirkland), Clara Kim (Northwest), Ray Kawamoto (Bellevue), Seoyeoun Jeon (Bellevue), Evan Kirkpatrick (UW), Anya-Rose Kelly (UW), Malia Kubodera (UW), Lily Lashmet (UW), Heather OCorry-Crowe (UW), Isabelle Martin (UW), Patrick Larimer (Idaho), Andi Anderson (Seattle), Minjeong Ko (Seattle), Aaron Scull (Seattle), Devon Harper (Lilac City), Andrei Korostelev (Edmonds), Adam Gaines (Lilac City), Jeoung Hee Ahn (Sno-King), Creighton Don (Bellevue)

1 KYU: Connor Burke (Kent), Sora Tanaka (Edmonds), Filip Dumitrescu (Edmonds), Jorin Kiyohara (Federal Way), Marcus Borillo (Bellevue), Nurivan Gomez (Bellevue), Patrick Heller (UW), Benjamin Lonc (Seattle), Andrew McGinnis (Northwest), Brandon Ridler (Kirkland), Alex Derrick (Northwest), Nobi Konno (Cascade), Charles Dolera (Northwest)

1 DAN: Saiichi Johnson (Seattle), Ivan Wiley (Portland), Andrew Schacht (Lilac City), Aiden Malone (Obukan), Emerson Lau (Bellevue), Alexander Field (Federal Way), Kaleb Borum (Lilac City), Sunil Jain (OSU), Jordan Indrawan (OSU), Andrew Fan (UW), Taisei Summerhays (Kenchikai), Logan Lewis (Obukan), Majestik Remmu (Seattle), Alexander Rossi (Lilac City), Nghia Ngo (Obukan), Lucy Yang (Seattle), Scott Fleishman (Portland), Stephen Hsieh (Kirkland), Eric Wiley (Portland), Jingyi Zhang (Northwest), Alex Yang (Bellevue), Anastasia Kopcha (Tacoma), Patrick Lau (Bellevue), Sean Wales (Northwest)

2 DAN: Salvatore Faso (Bellevue), Dan Terao (Cascade), Ju-ah Paik (Tacoma), Junsei Tanizaki (HKF), Xijian Wang (Cascade), Brandon Wied (OSU), Wenqian Liu (Portland), Molivan Tuy (Bellevue), Nathan Westlund (Lilac City), Patrick Dunlap (Evergreen), Kumi Abe (Edmonds)

3 DAN: Koji Tohmon (Sno-King), Suepapone Vanasouk (Cascade), Connor Mulcahy (Cascade), Hien Nguyen (Edmonds), Matt Miyamoto (Northwest)

4 DAN: Stephen Ting (Northwest), Yun Chung Lee (Bellevue)

Jonathan Bannister Sensei awarded 7th degree black belt in Iaido
March 8, 2025 (Edmonds, WA) – PNKF Iaido instructor Jonathan Bannister was awarded 7th degree black belt in Iaido at national grading examinations held by the All Japan Kendo Federation in Kyoto, Japan on March 2, 2025.  Mr. Bannister passed in his first attempt, a significant achievement that marks the first time in more than two decades since this rank has been awarded to an Iaido instructor in the PNKF.  The last time this award was given to a PNKF instructor was to Tatsuhiko Konno Sensei of Musokai Dojo in Bellevue in 2001.  Mr. Bannister thanks his coach, Hasegawa Yoshihisa (8^th Dan Iaido, 8^th Dan Kendo) of Aichi Prefecture in Japan, his wife Wendy, and his fellow instructors and students for their help and support.

45th HIGHLINE CHALLENGE CUP, March 23rd, 2025, Seattle, WA

Mudansha                                  Yudansha
1st – B. Lonc, Seattle                  1st – D. Shilov, Bellevue
2nd – L. Naylor, Bellevue             2nd – M. Remmu, Seattle
3rd – Jo. Kiyohara                       3rd – J. Dueck, Federal Way
3rd – W. Le                                  3rd – A. Rossi, Lilac City
4th – C. Feng, Bellevue
4th – N. Gomez, Bellevue
4th – J. Hwang, Evergreen

Mudansha Team
1st – Bellevue

Yudansha Team       
1st – Bellevue