News

Kenyu – April/May/June 2018

Posted on 2018/06/29 by omb

Volume 32, number 4/5/6

April/May/June 2018

PNKF DATEBOOK

July 2018

7/21: PNKF Board meeting, 9-11am, Sat, St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, 1610 S. King Street, Seattle.

August 2018

8/11: PNKF Kendo Shinsa, Sat, 12noon-4pm, open keiko 4-5pm, Kent Commons Recreation Center,
525 4th Avenue N. (corner of 4th and James), Kent.
8/18: 5th Annual Houston Kendo Kyokai Team Taikai, Sat, opening ceremony 8:45am, Gilruth Fitness Center, 2101 E. NASA Parkway, Houston, Texas.

September 2018

9/8: PNKF Senior Kendo Seminar, Sat, 8:30am-4pm, Bitterlake Community Center Annex, Thompson Broadview Elementary, 13052 Greenwood Avenue N., Seattle.
Tentative agenda: doors open 8:30am; 9-10:30am, injury prevention; 10:30am-12noon, Competition;
12noon-1pm lunch; 1-1:30pm warm up; 1:30-3pm shinsa; 3-4pm open keiko.
9/14-16: 17WKC, Fri/Sat/Sun, Namdong Gymnasium, Incheon, Korea.
9/15: PNKF Board meeting, 9-11am, Sat, St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, 1610 S. King Street, Seattle.
9/28-9/30: PNKF West Coast Iaido Seminar, Tournament, and Shinsa, 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; Sat, 9am-5pm Iaido; Sun, 9am-1pm Tournament; 2-4:30pm Shinsa/Seminar.

October 2018

10/6-10/7: AUSKF Shinpan Seminar, Sat, 9am-5pm, and Sun, 9am-1pm, with asageiko 7:30-8:30am, Chinook Middle School, 18650 42nd Avenue S., SeaTac, WA 98188. There will be a $15 seminar fee to be paid in CASH and collected at the door. In addition, Bento are available for lunch on Saturday at $10 each which will also be collected at the door Saturday morning. Dinner Party — Saturday night there will be a dinner and all are invited and encouraged to attend, details to follow. REGISTER ON-LINE NOW AT: https://goo.gl/forms/4biLMEpPvIkTDMLt2
10/20: Tacoma Taikai, Sat — CANCELLED.

November 2018

11/3: PNKF Taikai, Sat, Kent Commons Recreation Center, 525 4th Avenue N. (corner of 4th and James St.) Kent.
11/10: AUSKF Board meeting, Sat, venue TBD.
11/11: Kodansha Shinsa, Sun, venue TBD.
11/17: PNKF Board meeting, 9-11am, Sat, St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, 1610 S. King Street, Seattle.

December 2018

12/1: Kent Taikai, Sat, Kent Commons Recreational Center, 525 4th Avenue N. (corner of 4th and James St.) Kent.
12/9: PNKF Jodo Shinsa.

April 2019

4/6: AUSKF Junior Open National Championships, Sat, South Forsyth High School, 585 Peachtree Parkway, Cumming, Georgia 30041 http://auskf-jrnationals.com/.

June 2019

6/14-6/16: 12th Annual US Nito Kendo Summer Camp, Fri/Sat/Sun, College of Idaho, Caldwell, Idaho

8th AUSKF JUNIOR OPEN NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS – April 8, 2018, Marina High School, Huntington Beach, California


9 Years and Under                      10-11 Years
1st place – Issei Lancelot, NCKF       1st place - Taiyo Ariga, SCKO
2nd place – Ryuga Madokoro, SCKF       2nd place - Jacob Huh, SCKF
3rd place – Bailey Shinada, SCKF       3rd place – Euvene Kae, WKF
3rd place – Yuta Onitsuka, NCKF        3rd place – Demian Roh, SCKF
 Kantosho – Yuichi Sato, SCKF           Kantosho – Jonathan Yu, PNKF
 Kantosho – Yoshihiko Shimada, SCKO     Kantosho – Devin Chung, PNKF
 Kantosho – Sora Kanemoto, SCKF         Kantosho – Kokoro Kusayanagi, SCKF
 Kantosho – Luke Ido, SCKO              Kantosho – Jacob Kim, WKF

12-13 Years                            14-15 Years
1st place – Jonathan Huang, NCKF       1st place – Tomohide Katayama, ECUSKF
2nd place – Andrew Kang, SCKF          2nd place – Riki Okawa, SCKO
3rd place – McCartney Hong, SCKF       3rd place – Tylor Wang, WKF
3rd place – Scott Fujiwara, SCKO       3rd place – Dave Nam, SCKF
 Kantosho – Ennio Kim, SCKF             Kantosho – Bryan Yoo, WKF
 Kantosho – Dylan Hil, SCO              Kantosho – Benjamin Ahn, WKF
 Kantosho – Hayden Kim, SCKF            Kantosho – Josh Kim, PNKF
 Kantosho – Yosuke Takubo, SCKF         Kantosho – Keisuke Yamamuro, SCKO

16-18 Years                            13 Years and Under Girls
1st place - Branden Wang, WKF          1st place - Daphne Chen, SCKF
2nd place - Gen Takahashi, SCKO        2nd place - Misaki Matsunaga, ECUSKF
3rd place - Steven Yoo, WKF            3rd place - Kayleen Kim, SCKO
3rd place - Kyle Fukuda, PNKF          3rd place - Grace Huh, SCKF
 Kantosho - Benjamin Huh, SCKF          Kantosho - Sayaka Masuo, SWKIF
 Kantosho - Teruya Mochizuki, ECUSKF    Kantosho - Naomi Yu, SCFK
 Kantosho - Lucien Levins, SCKO         Kantosho - Mai Sakamoto, SCKO
 Kantosho - Nathan Sueki, SCKF          Kantosho - Ffion Mabale, PNKF

14-18 Years Girls
1st place - Aika Onitsuka, NCKF
2nd place - Betty Park, PNKF
3rd place - Hana Yamamoto, SCKO
3rd place - Colleen Fan, NCKF
 Kantosho - Allison Kojima, PNKF
 Kantosho - Chika Hotta, ECUSKF
 Kantosho - Anne Morita, SCKO
 Kantosho - Keeley McManus, PNKF

Youth Team            Girls Team                                     Boys Team
1st place - ECUSKF A  1st place - PNKF A (K.McManus,B.Park,A.Kojima) 1st place - SCKO A
2nd place - SCKO A    2nd place - SCKF A                             2nd place - WKF B
3rd place - SCKF B    3rd place - NCKF A                             3rd place - PNKF B
3rd place - SCKF A    3rd place - NCKF B                 (J.Paik,K.Honda,D.Chung,KEUnderhill,K.Fukuda)
                                                                     3rd place - ECUSKF A

42nd ANNUAL UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON INVITATIONAL KENDO TOURNAMENT – April 14, 2018


Women's                                0-4 Kyu
1st place - H. Yamada, Vancouver       1st place - D. Yip, Cascade
2nd place - K. Darbyshire, Vancouver   2nd place - A. Kim, Bellevue
3rd place - W. Robillard, Steveston    3rd place - B. Wong, UW
3rd place - M. Gardner, UVic           3rd place - M. Xu, UW

3-1 Kyu                                1-2 Dan
1st place - A. Yorita, UW              1st place - B. Liao, Bellevue
2nd place - L. Gao, UW                 2nd place - P. Lee, Steveston
3rd place - A. Rossi, Spokane          3rd place - E. Chui, Steveston
3rd place - B. Sprenger, Obukan        3rd place - A. Kojima, Bellevue

3 Dan                                  4 Dan and Above
1st place - K. Sugiura, UW             1st place - T. Yamada, Vancouver
2nd place - M. Yoneda, Kent            2nd place - H. Yamada, Vancouver
3rd place - J. Croes, Portland         3rd place - N. Nakano, Steveston
3rd place - T. Marsten, Kent           3rd place - T. Hamanaka, Tozenji

Teams
1st place - Vancouver (K. Darbyshire, R. Asato, H. Yamada, S. Jung, T. Yamada)
2nd place - Steveston A (E. Chui, D. Yao, S. O’Sullivan, N. Nakano, W. Robillard)

Head Shinpan - David Yotsuuye
Taikai Chair - Minari Omura
Sportsmanship Pledge - Sue Vanasouk
UW Most Improved - Esther Law
Kazuo and Tomo Shoji Inspirational Award - Minari Omura

28th ANNUAL BELLEVUE JUNIOR TAIKAI – May 19, 2018, Bellevue


10 Years and Under                          11 to 12 Years                 13 to 14 Years
1st place - I. DeBlieck, Sno-King           1st place - J. Yu, Northwest   1st place - K. Underhill, Northwest
2nd place - K. Ayers, Sno-King              2nd place - N. Chu, Bellevue   2nd place - J. Kim, Federal Way
3rd place - K. Maxfield-Matsumoto, Highline 3rd place - S. Kim, Seattle    3rd place - L. Ohata, Bellevue
3rd place - E. Cocoro Marx, Federal Way     3th place - D. Chung, Cascade  3rd place - T. Ting, Northwest

High School Girls                      High School Boys
1st place - B. Park, Bellevue          1st place - K. Fukuda, Cascade
2nd place - K. McManus, Kent           2nd place - S. Enomoto, Kent
3rd place - M. Blechschmidt, Bellevue  3rd place - D. Imanishi, Seattle
3rd place - A. Kojima, Bellevue        3rd place - K. Underhill, Northwest

Junior Teams
1st place - Northwest (J. Yu, N. Underhill, K. Underhill, A. Fung, T. Ting)
2nd place - Seattle (A. Mabale, E. Kim, F. Mabale, K. Halve, N. Orita)

High School Teams
1st place - Kent/Federal Way (S. Lee, S. Enomoto, K. McManus)
2nd place - Bellevue Red (N. Smith, A. Kojima, B. Park)

Head Shinpan - David Yotsuuye 
Taikai Co-Chairs - Hide Iba and Leonid Tsybert
National Anthem - Maya Blechschmidt
Competitors’ Pledge - Betty Park
Master of Ceremonies - CJ Chaney
Awesome Spirit Award - Juah Paik, Tacoma
Centurion Bellevue Highline Sno-King Youth Leadership Award - Maya Blechschmidt, Bellevue

53rd ANNUAL VANCOUVER KENDO TOURNAMENT – May 26, 2018, Byrne Creek Secondary School, Burnaby


9 Years and Under                   10 to 12 Years                  13 to 15 Years
1st place - Ka. Yoshimura, Renbu    1st place - Y. Lee, Renbu       1st place - R. Kim, Renbu
2nd place - Y. Asaoka, Youshinkan   2nd place - N. Son, Renbu       2nd place - K. Underhill, Northwest
3rd place - M. Ishizuka, Youshinkan 3rd place - K. Yoshimura, Renbu 3rd place - A. Son, Renbu
3rd place - M. Shirai, Youshinkan   3rd place - J. Yu, Northwest    3rd place - K. Kono, Tozenji

16 to 20 Years                      21 to 30 Years                  31 to 40 Years
1st place - S. Enomoto, Kent        1st place - K. Komoto, UBC      1st place - K. Lee, Chinook
2nd place - K. Muramatsu, Renfrew   2nd place - K. Unzei, AOI       2nd place - T. Yamada, Vancouver
3rd place - K. Higo, Kent           3rd place - W. Chung, UVic      3rd place - M. Rose, Renfrew
3rd place - T. Marsten, Kent        3rd place - E. Kita, Renbu      3rd place - I. Lin, Chinook

41 Years and Over                   Women
1st place - I. Miki, Steveston      1st place - J. Kurahashi, Renbu
2nd place - S. Shiono, Calgary      2nd place - H. Yamada, Vancouver
3rd place - S. Kim, Renbu           3rd place - A. Fukushima, Vancouver
3rd place - D. Chiu, SFU            3rd place - N. Fukushima, Vancouver

Junior Team                         Senior Team                     Fighting Spirit
1st place - Renbu B                 1st place - Team Canada         B. Buckham, UVic
2nd place - Renbu A                 2nd place - Vancouver A         K. McManus, Kent

2018 AUSKF IAIDO TAIKAI – June 2, 2018, Salt Lake City, Utah


Mudansha Division (0 - 2 kyu)
1st place - Ben Senderling, SWKIF, Omaha Kendo & Iaido Kyokai
2nd place - Bruce Hiraoka, RMKIF, Castle Rock Iaido
3rd place - Jeffrey Cardin, SWKIF, Mushinkan Kendo & Iaido Dojo
3rd place - Cierra Nix, RMKIF, Castle Rock Iaido
 Kantosho - Jonathan Hoopes, SWKIF, Salt Lake Kendo & Iaido Kyokai

Murakami Cup (1 kyu - 1 dan)
1st place - Feng (Blade) Weng, SWKIF, Mushinkan Kendo & Iaido Dojo
2nd place - Ma. Denise Verastique, SWKIF, Dallas-Fort Worth Kendo & Iaido Kyokai)
3rd place - Dongying Song, AEUSKF, Ken-Zen Institute)
3rd place - Nathan Williams, SWKIF, Dallas-Fort Worth Kendo & Iaido Kyokai)
 Kantosho - Helene Cousein, AEUSKF, Seizan Kendo Kai)

Murosako Cup (2 dan - 3 dan)
1st place - Thane Mittlestaedt, PNKF, Aishinkai Fudo Myoo Ji Dojo)
2nd place - John Mullin, AEUSKF, Ken-Zen Institute)
3rd place - Edward Vierk, SWKIF, Omaha Kendo & Iaido Kyokai)
3rd place - Jennifer Mayo, RMKIF, Castle Rock Iaido)
 Kantosho - Sergey Zalubovsky, NCKF, Mountain View Dojo)

Yamaguchi Cup (4 dan & above)
1st place - Debi Farmer, GNEUSKF, Shidogakuin NY Shidokan)
2nd place - Susan Sekreta, AEUSKF, Ken-Zen Institute)
3rd place - Paul Shin, GNEUSKF, Shidogakuin NY Shidokan)
3rd place - Gordon Hall, AEUSKF, Ken-Zen Institute)
 Kantosho - Monica Iwakabe, RMKIF, Rocky Mountain Budokan)

2018 ROSE CITY TAIKAI – June 9, 2018, Portland Community College Sylvania Campus

Women Juniors 10 and Under 1st place - K. McManus, Kent 1st place - V. Chen, Oakland 2nd place - E. Ishii, Kent 2nd place - I. DeBlieck, Sno-King 3rd place - M. Blechschmidt, Bellevue 3rd place - J. Higa, UW Juniors 11-15 0-4 Kyu 1st place - Jo Paik, Tacoma 1st place - A. Kim, Bellevue 2nd place - Ju Paik, Tacoma 2nd place - E. Hellevik, UW 3-1 Kyu 1-2 Dan 1st place - B. Sprenger, Obukan 1st place - K. McManus, Kent 2nd place - C. Pak, Portland 2nd place - J. Higa, UW 3rd place - S. Lee, Federal Way 3rd place - M. Blechschmidt, Bellevue 3rd place - J. Jeon, Bellevue 3rd place - A. Miller, Portland 3 Dan 4 Dan and Above 1st place - T. Marsten, Kent 1st place - I. Morgan 2nd place - J. Lee, Portland 2nd place - G. Nakayama, Portland 3rd place - J. Croes, Portland 3rd place - A. Fujii, UW Junior Teams 1st place - Sno-King (I. DeBlieck, D. Shilov, D. Beck) 2nd place - Tacoma (Ju. Paik, I. Lee, Jo. Lee) Senior Teams 1st place - Kent (I. Morgan, K. McIntosh, K. McManus, E. Ishii, T. Marsten) 2nd place - Seattle (D. Imanishi, Y. Chen, C. Capoeman, Y. Paik, A. Yen)

Head Shinpan - Doug Imanishi; Competitors' Pledge - Lucian Jesequel
Master of Ceremonies - John Hancock

2nd TADAO TODA HAI KENDO TAIKAI – June 17, 2018, Caldwell Idaho


Upper Division                          Lower Division
1st place - Fumihide Itokazu, Covina    1st place - Cougar Capoeman, Tacoma
2nd place - Seth Harris, Hawaii         2nd place - Andrew Barnett, Young Moo Kwan
3rd place - Michio Kajitani, Arkansas   3rd place - Sten Kajitani, Arkansas
3rd place - Frank Wessbecher, Highline  3rd place - Jordy Davis, Zenbukan

SHINKYU SHINSA

AUSKF IAIDO SUMMER CAMP AND JODO SEMINAR

2018 AUSKF Iaido and Jodo shinsa, June 3, 2018, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT

IAIDO SHINSA

4TH KYU: Jonathan Hoopes (Salt Lake City Kendo & Iaido Kai), Lam Nguyen (Salt Lake City Kendo &
 Iaido Kai), Michael Webster (Zen Bu Kan).  3RD KYU:  Frauke Hachtmann (Omaha Kendo & Iaido 
 Kyokai), Bruce Hiroaki (Castle Rock Iaido), Caleb Johnson (Zen Bu Kan), Philip Markunas (---), 
Anandhavel Nagendrakumar (Zen Bu Kan), Tyler Wilson (Musoshindenryu Iaido - Agassiz Dojo), Cierra
 Waitman (Castle Rock Iaido).  2ND KYU:  Alex Cherry (Salt Lake City Kendo & Iaido Kai), Kevin O’Mara 
(Zen Bu Kan) Brett Thompson (DFWKIK), Michael Curtis (Rocky Mountain Budokan),  Nathanial Thomason 
(Musoshindenryu Iaido - Agassiz Dojo 2kyu), Andrew Webster (Zen Bu Kan).  1ST KYU:  Adam Sandor 
(Musoshindenryu Iaido - Agassiz Dojo), Ben Senderling (Omaha Kendo & Iaido Kyokai), Jeffrey Cardin
 (Mushinkan Kendo and Iaido), Michio Kajitani (Arkansas Kendo club), Francisco Moreno Ramirez
 (Club de Iaido Mexico Asia), Joshua Stadtlander-Miller (Ken-Zen).  1ST DAN:  Jared Bowler (ZenBuKan),
 Michael Jacobson (Musoshindenryu Iaido - Musoshindenryu Iaido - Agassiz Dojo), Gary Lee Moulder (Palo
 Alto), Philip Sevin (ZenBuKan), Dongying Song (Ken-Zen), Feng (Blade) Wang (Mushinkan Kendo and Iaido 
Dojo), Darryl Woods Mushinkan Kendo and Iaido Dojo).  2ND DAN:  Dominque Alfandari (Sei Zan Kendo Kai),
 Helene Cousin (Sei Zn 
Kendo Kai), Alberto Kiramoto (DFWKIK), Jay Salazar (River City Iaido & 
Kendo Kyokai), Michael Schuldt (Musoshindenryu Iaido - Agassiz Dojo), Ma. Denise Verastigue (DFWKIK), Nathan Williams (DFWKIK).
  3RD DAN:  Tekin Korhan (Norwalk Kendo Dojo).  4TH DAN:  Genaro Luis Cervantes (Club de Iaido Mexico Asia), Rodolfo Lynch
 (Ken-Zen), Elizabeth Pesek (Salinas), Terry Sewell (DFWKIK), Edward Vierk (Omaha Kendo &
 Iaido Kyokai).

JODO SHINSA


1ST KYU:  Tyler Wilson (Musoshindenryu Iaido - Agassiz Dojo), James Maestes (Yamakage Dojo), Jaden Olah
 (Yamakage Dojo), Adam Sandor (Musoshindenryu Iaido - Agassiz Dojo), Michael Schuldt
 (Musoshindenryu Iaido - Agassiz Dojo), Robert Tranchin (DFWKIK), Francisco Moreno Ramirez (Club de
 Iaido Mexico Asia), Veronica Taylor (Baltimore-Annapolis), Sarah Scherr (Musoshindenryu Iaido - Agassiz
 Dojo), Amber Adams (Butokuden Kendo Dojo), Michi Takeda (Butokuden Kendo Dojo), Bob
 Schneider (Butokuden Kendo Dojo), George Carr, Jr. (Yamakage Dojo).
  

1ST DAN:  Genaro Luis de Cervantes (Club de Iaido Mexico Asia), David Bressler (Ken-Zen), Judit Olah
 (Yamakage Dojo), Jaden Olah (Yamakage Dojo), Adam Sandor (Musoshindenryu Iaido - Agassiz Dojo), Michael
 Schuldt Musoshindenryu Iaido - Agassiz Dojo), Kevin Thibedeau Ken-Zen), Michael Jacobson
 (Musoshindenryu Iaido - Agassiz Dojo), Bradley Anderson (Musoshindenryu Iaido - Agassiz Dojo), An Nguyen
 (Butokuden Kendo Dojo), Kazuhiro Kawashima (Shidogakuin NY), Bob Fushimi (Yamakage Dojo),
 N. Tasume (Yamakage Dojo) James Valencia (Yamakage Dojo).
  

2ND DAN:  Amado Maldonado (US Kobujodokai), Alec Milton (Ken-Zen).
  
3RD DAN:  David Gravens (US Kobujodokai), Sandor Ver (US Kobujodokai), Elizabeth Sapareto (US Kobujodokai).

11th ANNUAL US NITO KENDO CAMP, SEMINAR – June 17, 2018, College of Idaho, J.A. Albertson Activities Center, Caldwell, Idaho
PNKF KENDO SHINSA
3RD KYU: Cory Leslie, Idaho Kendo Club PNKF. 1ST KYU: Sten Kajitani, Arkansas SWKIF. 4TH DAN: Young
Sub Shim, (Detroit MWKF), Ethan Waln, (Portland PNKF).

THE LAST WORD

I was sent to the Tokyo Tank School for about six months to learn how to operate tanks and how to dismantle
and assemble them. We also learned to attack tanks with yellow bombs (Oh shoku yaku)
that we carried under our arms, and were taught to jump right into the wheels of the tanks, destroying
both the tank and ourselves. “Seppuku” the ritual suicide performed by cutting open of the hara with
the sword, performed ceremoniously was the honorable way to die for failure, defeat in battle or a
mistake or disgraceful act for the Lord. The slang term “harakiri” (literally gut cutting) coined
by the West during WW II debases the conscious will and courage implicit in the traditional concept.
Nonetheless, the average soldier needs to be honored, even if his suicide was not so pure as that
of the samurai.

Tradition required one to die honorably for one’s mistake or disgraceful act by seppuku. But Ogawa
Kinnosuke Sensei told me that modern Kendo did not require Seppuku. “If you make a mistake or a
disgraceful act, Omoto, live as long as you can. You can’t recover the mistakes you made, but
value yourself and show your bravery and repentance by being useful to your neighbors and the world for
as long as you live.” My modern kendo spirit, modern bushido, or Hawaiian Yamato spirit, would not allow
me to commit suicide, but rather survive to throw more bombs. I would fight to live, and live to
fight more. Would I have committed suicide if I could not imagine an alternative or had I been ordered,
as were the kamikaze pilots? I have to answer that I don’t know.

Luckily I did not have to face that decision, but likely, were the order to have been issued, I would
have complied and thereby at least died honorably. But I would have been dead either way. To refuse
an order is treason, punishable by death. However, war is about death. War means blood and pain – death –
that is the bottom line.

If you are a foot soldier in close combat, survival is luck, or perhaps karma. So it proved for me.
The day I left Tokyo, I learned that the tank school had been bombed. There were few, if any, survivors.
To survive by hours was my karma, and had no relationship to Kendo training or personal
control. I was lucky for my order to depart, just as I would have been unlucky to be
ordered to stay at the school another day or to sacrifice myself.

My next assignment was for horse and buggy training at Kumamoto Castle, located on the southern
island of Kyushu and noted for its beautiful gardens, mountains and history, especially as the area where
Miyamoto Musashi spent his last days and wrote the Book of Five Rings. I especially
enjoyed this assignment. When Musashi was fifty-six years old in 1640, after his sixth and final
battle during the siege of Shimabara, in 1637, he took up residence at Kumamoto as a guest of Lord
Hosokawa Tadatoshi. He was given the rank of a general of a division. Here he participated in his last,
and as always victorious, duel, and then took residence in the old castle of Chiba, adjacent to Kumamoto Castle.

He spent most of his time practicing the arts of calligraphy, painting, and tea ceremony. Shaken
by the death of Lord Hosokawa in 1641, he retreated to fulfill the Lord’s command to explain the ideas of
his strategy that had guided his life as a samurai. In 1643 at fifty-nine years old, Musashi departed
for Mount Iwato, located about twelve kilometers southwest of Kumamoto, where he lived in Reigando
(spirit rock) cave. Here he remained and wrote the Gorin no Sho (The Book of Five Rings).
He died at the age of sixty one in 1645.

–Rod Nobuto Omoto, Autobiography, edited by Charlotte Omoto, 2014, p. 34-35.
Available as free download at lulu.com.

Kenyu – Monthly Newsletter of the Pacific Northwest Kendo Federation PLEASE NOTE: Kenyu Online IS THE EDITION OF RECORD FOR THIS NEWSLETTER – https://www.pnkf.org/ Tom Bolling, Editor – 7318 23rd Avenue N.E., Seattle, WA 98115

Posted in Kenyu

Kenyu – January/February/March 2018

Posted on 2018/04/04 by omb

Volume 32, number 1/2/3

January/February/March 2018

PNKF DATEBOOK

April 2018
* 4/8: 2018 AUSKF Jr. Nationals, Sun, Marina High School, Huntington Beach, California. The gym will
be open the day before(April 7) for preparation.
* 4/14: UW Taikai, Sat, 10am, Intramural Activities Building (IMA), Montlake Boulevard NE.
* 4/14-15: AUSKF Board meeting and Kodansha shinsa, Sat-Sun, SCKO venue TBD.
* 4/21: PNKF Shinpan Seminar, Sat, 1-6pm, Highland Park Community Center, 14224 Bel-Red Road,
Bellevue.
* 4/22: Cherry Blossom demo, Sun, 11:30am-12:00noon, Fisher Pavilion, Seattle Center. Participants please be there by 11:00am. Coordinator is Alick Law, alaw01@hotmail.com.
May 2018
* 5/5: PNKF Board meeting, 9-11am, Sat, Kent Commons Recreational Center, 525 4th Avenue N. (corner
of 4th and James), Kent.
* 5/19: Bellevue Junior Taikai, Sat, 9:30am-3pm, Highland Park Community Center, 14224 Bel-Red Road,
Bellevue.
* 5/26: 52nd Vancouver Kendo Tournament, Sat, 10am-6pm, Byrne Creek Secondary School, 7777 18th
Street, Burnaby,BC.
* 5/26-27: Georgia Kendo Association Shinsa (Sat), banquet (Sat), and 8th Annual Taikai (Sun).
Shinsa: Sat, 4:30-6:30pm, with Godo keiko 6:30-7:30pm at Lifetime Fitness Center, Johns Creek, 11555
Johns Creek Parkway, Johns Creek, Georgia.
Banquet: Sat, 8pm, Hong Kong Cafe, 10820 Abbotts Bridge Road, Ste 110, Johns Creek, Georgia.
Taikai: Sun, 8:30am, South Forsyth High School, 585 Peachtree Parkway, Cumming, Georgia.
Deadline to apply: May 11. For info write: information.gka@gmail.com
* 5/31-6/4: AUSKF Iaido Seminar, Salt Lake City.
June 2018
* 5/31-6/4: AUSKF Iaido Summer Camp and Jodo Seminar, Thu-Mon, with Iaido Hanshi 8th Dan Teruo
Mitani and Iaido Kyoshi 8th Dan Atsumi Hatakenaka, Eccles Student Life Center, University
of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT.
Schedule:
• Thursday (May 31, 2018) – Iaido Seminar (9:00 AM – 4:45 PM)
• Friday (June 1, 2018) – Iaido Seminar (9:00 AM – 4:30 PM)
• Saturday (June 2, 2018) – AUSKF Iaido Championships (9:00 AM – 4:30 PM)
• Sunday (June 3, 2018) – Iaido Shinsa (9:00 AM – 11:45 AM), Jodo Seminar (1:00 PM – 4:00 PM), Jodo Shinsa (4:00 PM – 5:00 PM)
• Monday (June 4, 2018) – Jodo Seminar (9:00 AM – 11:30 AM)
* 6/9: Rose City Taikai, Sat, doors open at 8am, opening ceremonies at 9am, PCC Sylvania Campus Gym -2nd floor west end of the Health Technology building – (Room 266), 12000 SW 49th Avenue, Portland, OR 97219
* 6/14-17: 11th Annual US Nito Kendo Camp, Seminar, and Shinsa, Thu-Sun, with Ryoichi FUJII, Yamaguchi, Kyoshi
8 dan, Yoshihiro UGAJIN, Tokyo, Kyoshi 7 dan,Futoshi SATO, Chiba, Kyoshi 7 dan, Mitsuyoshi WADA, Tokyo,
Kyoshi 7 dan, Taichi KISA, Osaka, Kyoshi 7 dan, and Ako FUJII, Yamaguchi, Renshi 6 dan, College of Idaho,
J.A. Albertson Activities Center, Caldwell, Idaho.
Schedule:
* Thursday, (June 14, 2018) – 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm, Welcome Keiko
* Friday, (June 15, 2018) – 10:00 am – 5:00 pm, Seminar
* Saturday (June 16, 2018) – 9:00 am – 5:00 pm, Seminar (Banquet 6:30 pm)
* Sunday, (June 17, 2018) – 9:00 am – 3:30 pm, Shinsa and Taikai
July 2018
* 7/21: PNKF Board meeting, 9-11am, Sat, St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, 1610 S. King Street, Seattle.
August 2018
* 8/11: PNKF Kendo Shinsa, Sat, 12noon-4pm, open keiko 4-5pm, Kent Commons Recreation Center,
525 4th Avenue N. (corner of 4th and James), Kent.
September 2018
* 9/8: PNKF Senior Kendo Seminar, Sat, 8:30am-4pm, Bitterlake Community Center Annex, Thompson Broadview.
Elementary, 13052 Greenwood Avenue N., Seattle.
Tentative agenda: doors open 8:30am; 9-10:30am, injury prevention; 10:30am-12noon, Competition;
12noon-1pm lunch; 1-1:30pm warm up; 1:30-3pm shinsa; 3-4pm open keiko.
* 9/14-16: 17WKC, Fri/Sat/Sun, Seoul, Korea.
* 9/15: PNKF Board meeting, 9-11am, Sat, St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, 1610 S. King Street, Seattle.
* 9/28-9/30: PNKF Iaido Seminar, Tournament, and Shinsa, 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.
Tentative Schedule: Fri, 7-9pm Jodo/Iaido; Sat, 9am-5pm Iaido; Sun
9am-12noon Iaido Tournament; 1-5pm PNKF Iaido Shinsa.
October 2018
* 10/6: PNKF Shinpan Seminar, Sat, 12noon-5pm, Kent Commons Recreation Center, 525 4th Avenue N. (corner of 4th and James), Kent.
* 10/20: Tacoma Taikai, Sat, 9:30am Opening Ceremonies (doors open at 8:30am), Curtis High School, 8425 40th Street West, University Place, WA 98466 (tentative).
November 2018
* 11/3: PNKF Taikai, Sat, Kent Commons Recreation Center, 525 4th Avenue N. (corner of 4th and James St.)
Kent.
* 11/10: AUSKF Board meeting, Sat, venue TBD.
* 11/11: Kodansha Shinsa, Sun, venue TBD.
* 11/17: PNKF Board meeting, 9-11am, Sat, St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, 1610 S. King Street, Seattle.
December 2018
* 12/1: Kent Taikai, Sat, Kent Commons Recreational Center, 525 4th Avenue N. (corner of 4th and James St.)
Kent.
* 12/9: PNKF Jodo Shinsa.

PASSAGE

Three legendary kenshi recently passed away.
John Kazuo Yamamoto Junior, Kendo 4th Dan, died on January 31, 2018, at Scripps Mercy Hospital in San Diego, California. He had been born in the same hospital on March 22, 1939 to John Kazuo Yamamoto Senior and Sue Tsuyako Nakasuji. In 1942 at age eleven he and his family were taken into the Santa Anita assembly center and relocated to Granada, also known as Camp Amache, in Colorado, returning to Chula Vista in 1945. In 1957 he graduated from Chula Vista high school, and in 1959 he was drafted into the US Army. He was stationed at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, and then at Fort Lewis, Washington, where he met his future wife, Amy Emiko Ann Sanbo, who was attending the University of Washington. Yamamoto Sensei was fond of recounting how he had stolen away the love of his life from a young philosophy student from Hong Kong, Bruce Lee. After the Army, he again returned to Chula Vista, and attended San Diego (now City College). He and Amy married December 31, 1964. Yamamoto Sensei transferred to San Diego State University, and was subsequently accepted to dental school at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio. Upon graduation, Doctor Yamamoto once again went back to Chula Vista where he went on to practice dentistry for 44 years. In 1974 he was involved in helping rehabilitate young Japanese American drug parolees, and heard that Shigeo Yamanishi Sensei was starting a new Kendo Club, supported by Maki Miyahara Sensei, so he brought ten of them to the Dojo to learn about their Japanese heritage. That’s when Kendo turned into his way of life. At this San Diego Kendo Bu the head instructor was Yamanishi Sensei, and Yamamoto Sensei spent a lot of time with Kikuo Uyeji Sensei, and after Yamanishi Sensei tragically died early on a diving accident, they led the practices. Other members of the club included his brother Carl Yamamoto, and his brother-in-law Kichi Hayashi. Yamamoto Sensei was also on the University of California San Diego Kendo Team at Nationals. In addition to Kendo, Yamamoto Sensei was active in many other arts, including karate, ballet, music, Little League baseball, technical rock climbing, fly fishing, and kayaking. A genuine renaissance man, he carried it all with a light, deft spirit of fun, humor, deep affection, and infectious enthusiasm. Services were February 10 at Greenwood Mortuary. Our deepest condolences to his dear wife Amy, his children Lisa and David (who are Kendo yudansha), and all his many friends and students.

Kenneth Yuji Ogami, Kendo 4th Dan, died on January 31, 2018, while attending a conference in Vancouver, B.C. Born March 10, 1957 in Fukuoka, Japan, to Benjamin Keiji Ogami and Reiko Nishi, Ken joked that he was an Issei/Sansei, since his father was a native of California. After graduating from South Pasadena Senior High in 1974, he entered a special joint college program, and in 1979 had earned a BA with Honors in Physics and Math from Occidental College, and a BS in Engineering from California Institute of Technology. He said the two best teachers he ever had were Richard Feynman, Nobel Laureate in Physics, and Linus Pauling, double Nobel Laureate, in Chemistry and the Nobel Peace Prize. Coming to Seattle in the summer of 1979, he worked full time in the defense side at Boeing, while simultaneously earning an MS in Electrical Engineering, which was awarded in 1982 from the University of Washington. He had begun Kendo at about the age of six, at the Pasadena Buddhist Temple Kendo Club under Kendo and Iaido Kyoshi 7th Dan Pat Yoshitsugu Murosako Sensei, and Kendo Hanshi 8th Dan Bob Akio Hara Sensei. Around that time Murosako Sensei’s son Kendo 5th Dan Jim was also beginning Kendo there, and Jim and Ken became inseparable lifelong friends. Another person in that Dojo with them was Kendo Renshi 6th Dan and Iaido 4th Dan Jean Kodama, who flew to Seattle to take part in Murosako Sensei’s memorial service July 24, 2016. Meantime he had met Dori Kobayashi through an extra ticket to the Rose Bowl, and the two of them first showed up at Kendo Club at UW practice in the HUB Ballroom on January 23, 1980, and from then on became deeply involved in the Club. They married June 28, 1980. Ogami Sensei has been a major contributor and inspiration to the WSKF (the earlier name of the PNKF). In November 1982 he joined the WSKF Board, and was elected Secretary of Internal Affairs, an office which in those days entailed many heavy responsibilities, most notably organizing the shinsa. In November 1986 and again in November 1987 he was elected WSKF President. Dori became a huge asset in the leadership of the UW Club and rose to Kendo 1st Dan prior to becoming pregnant. On July 17, 1988, Ogami Sensei resigned from the WSKF Board and Presidency, and the Vice President, Kendo Kyoshi 7th Dan Jeff Marsten Sensei, assumed the Presidency. With first son Kyle having been born in January 1988, by July he said he needed a leave of absence and couldn’t come to Kendo for a while, because he just wanted to spend every possible moment looking at his beautiful baby. Shortly after that, he expressed his realization that looking at his son had made him understand the enormity of designing potentially catastrophic nuclear weapons delivery systems, and he simply could not morally or spiritually do it any longer. Actually, this awakening was entirely in keeping with his lifelong orientation to enlightenment, and his many words over the decades about enlightenment. That’s when he moved to Spacelabs to put his energy and talent into peaceful applications from then on. Korwin (Korry) and Kendo 3rd Kyu Midori followed in 1989 and 1992. He has subsequently worked for Intermec, Cypress Semiconductor, Apollo Video, and Bluetooth SIG, all of whom sent eulogizers to the celebration of life March 3, 2018 at Seattle Betsuin. He never really came back to Kendo, but rather in the spirit of Kendo went on to become very supportive of his children in Scouting, soccer, and calligraphy. Throughout his life Ken Ogami Sensei always showed the deep cheerfulness of enlightenment. We miss him intensely, and offer our deepest condolences to his beloved wife, children, and many devoted friends.

Mozart Haruhisa Ishizuka, Kendo Renshi 6th Dan, died March 5, 2018 age 88. He was born December 8, 1929 in Pasadena, California. During the 1950s he attended Pasadena College, Los Angeles State College, and the University of California Santa Barbara. On September 6, 1958 he married Ayako Osawa in Los Angeles. In the 1990s they moved to New York, where he established a distinguished legal practice, and was deeply involved in the local Kendo scene. In 1974, he formed a Kendo Dojo in Mount Kisco, New York, and in 1977 founded the Hartsdale Kendo Club, now known as the Scarsdale Dojo. Ishizuka Sensei was the Founder and President of the Eastern United States Kendo Federation. He and Ayako’s children include the noted Kendo 5th Dan Akiko Ishizuka Kato Sensei, wife of Kendo Kyoshi 8th Dan and Iaido Kyoshi 7th Dan Shozo Kato Sensei, and mother of 4th Dan Taishi and 3rd Dan Mirei Kato. For decades he was a faithful reader of the PNKF Kenyu, and a loyal friend of the editor. Our deepest condolences to all of the great Ishizuka Sensei’s family, friends, and students.

PNKF BOARD NEWS

At their November 18, 2017 meeting, the new 2017/2018 Board was seated, and Officers were elected.
President – CJ Chaney (Sno-King), Vice-President – Doug Imanishi (Seattle), Treasurer – Mary DeJong (Highline), Secretary – Tom Bolling (Bellevue). UW Advisor – CJ Chaney.
Other Board members are: Sean Blechschmidt (Bellevue), Cougar Capoeman (Tacoma), Frederic Fourie (AiShinKai), Mark Frederick (Northwest), Noelle Grimes (Sno-King), Mart Hughes (Obukan), Taryn Imanishi (Cascade), Michael Mabale (Seattle), Curtis Marsten (Elizabeth Marsten (Highline), Vicki Marsten (Federal Way), Tiarnan Marsten (Kent), Edward Olson (Tonbo), Chris Ruiz (Spokane), Russ Sinclair (Spokane), Robert Stroud (Idaho), Val Vulfson (Northwest), Francis Walsh (UW), and David Yotsuuye (Bellevue).

14th ANNUAL PACIFIC INTERCOLLEGIATE TOURNAMENT – January 27, 2018, University of Victoria


Non-Bogu                             1st Dan and Below
1st place - Sonia Kung, Langara      1st place - Anthony Yorita, UW
2nd place - Anthony Lee, Langara     2nd place - Leo Gao, UW
3rd place - J. Bartels, UBC          3rd place - Jason Nguyen, UW
3rd place - Jessica Sun, UBC         3rd place - Minh Dao, U Vic

2nd Dan and Above
1st place - Tiarnan Marsten, UW
2nd place - Andrew Chen, UBC
3rd place - Jane Higa, UW
3rd place - 
Consolation - Tiffany Huang, U Vic

Team
1st place - U Vic A
2nd place - U Vic B

Women's Team
1st place - UW (Jane Higa, Abby Tan, Elysia Midorikawa)

56th ANNUAL STEVESTON KENDO TOURNAMENT – February 10, 2018, McMath High School

 10 Years and Under 1st place - N. Son, Renbu 2nd place - I. Hwang, Renbu 3rd place - I. Lancelot, NCKF 3rd place - F. Benson, Youshinkan  0-4 Kyu 1st place - T. Miyamoto, Northwest 2nd place - S. Lu, Steveston 3rd place - M. Miyamoto, Northwest 3rd place - F. Lancelot, NCKF  Women 2 Dan and Over 1st place - A. Fukushima, Vancouver 2nd place - K. Darbyshire, 3rd place - E. Marsten, Highline 3rd place - K. McManus, Kent  4 Dan and Above 1st place - R. Asato, Vancouver 2nd place - Y. Tsuchikawa, Youshinkan 3rd place - G. Suzaka, Seattle 3rd place - M. Rose, Renfrew  Junior Team 1st place - Renbu A (H.Homma,A.Son, K.Squance,Y.Lee,R.Kim) 2nd place - Steveston A (J.Hung,C.Robillard, B.Miki,R.Nakano,M.Iwai) 3rd place - Renbu B (N.Son,I.Son, K.Yoshimura,E.Cho,H.Tominaga) 3rd place - Steveston B (E.Chui,D.Chui, L.Takahae,A.Chang,A.Iwai)  Sportsmanship Pledge - Tenny Chui

11 to 13 Years 14 to 15 Years 1st place - T. Ariga, Butokuden 1st place - R. Kim, Renbu 2nd place - R. Homma, Renbu 2nd place - A. Shimizu, Tozenji 3rd place - C. Robillard, Steveston 3rd place - M. Fukuoka, Tozenji 3rd place - D. Chui, Steveston 3rd place - J. Kim, Federal Way 1-3 Kyu Women 1 Dan and Under 1st place - K. Fukuda, Cascade 1st place - B. Park, Bellevue 2nd place - K. Underhill, Cascade 2nd place - A. Kojima, Bellevue 3rd place - A. Yorita, UW 3rd place - J. An, Tozenji 3rd place - J. Nguyen, UW 3rd place - N. Harris, Highline 1-2 Dan 3 Dan 1st place - K. Muramatsu, Renfrew 1st place - I. Miki, Steveston Vancouver 2nd place - E. Lee, Renbu 2nd place - T. Marsten, Kent 3rd place - E. Chui, Steveston 3rd place - T. Adachi, UVic 3rd place - S. O’Sullivan, Steveston 3rd place - T. Okitsu, Tozenji Senior Team 1st place - Vancouver (K.Darbyshire,G.Gao, A.Fukushima,R.Asato,T.Yamada) 2nd place - Youshinkan (J.Jeong,Y.Tsuchikawa, A.Xie,J.Chien,B.Huber) 3rd place - Tozenji (G.Kitamura,J.An, T.Okitsu,K.Suzuki,T.Hamanaka) 3rd place - Steveston A (S.O’Sullivan,D.Yao, T.Okitsu,K.Suzuki,T.Hamanaka)

42nd ANNIVERSARY HIGHLINE MUDANSHA CHALLENGE CUP – March 17, 2018, White Center


Yudansha                          Mudansha
1st place – B. Park, Bellevue     1st place – K. Fukuda, Cascade
2nd place – B. Liao, Bellevue     2nd place – V. Blancarte, Sno-King
3rd place – C. Capoeman, Tacoma   3rd place – L. Gao, UW
3rd place – A. Yuen, Seattle      3rd place – T. Miyamoto, Northwest

Teams
1st place - Bellevue, 35 points   2nd place – UW, 31 points   Northwest - 16 points

Shinpan Cho - Elizabeth Marsten, Highline
Sportsmanship Pledge – Laura Ohata, Highline

2018 INTERNATIONAL CITY KENDO COMPETITION, March 18, 2018, Kaohsiung, Taiwan


Women’s Division                  Men’s Individual Group A
1st place – Aki Kitamura          1st place – Guohui Qiu
2nd place - Keiko Ikata           2nd place - Curtis Marsten
3rd place - Yoko Nikono           3rd place - Noboru Kataoka
3rd place - Kayoko Otani          3rd place - Akio Mukoe

Men’s Individual Group B          Team Competition
1st place – Kenji Isobe           1st place - Kyuseikan
2nd place – Jialun Cai            2nd place - Taiwan Kendokan
3rd place – Guancheng Liu         3rd place - Niigata Shoshikan A
3rd place – Chengkun Shen         3rd place - Taiwan Dragon Society A

Kantosho
Keeley McManus
Kazushige Adachi
Kazuo Hirohito
Jiahong Liao

SHINKYU SHINSA

PNKF IAIDO SHINSA, January 7 2018, Boise State University, Kinesiology Gym, Boise, Idaho
3RD KYU: Andy Webster (RMKIF). 1ST KYU: Rhett Atagi (Idaho), Jared Bowler (RMKIF), Philip Sevin (RMKIF). 2ND DAN: Ryan Atagi (Idaho), Sangki Lee (SWKIF), Ashley Moore (SWKIF), Sean Zhu (SWKIF). 3RD DAN: Edwin Muranaka (Hawaii).

PNKF IAIDO SHINSA, February 24th, 2018, Tyee Educational Complex, SeaTac, Washington
3RD KYU: Jennifer Erichsen (Tonbo) 2ND KYU: Abigail Benoit (Tonbo) 1ST KYU: Nikhil Varma (Seattle), Nicodemus Edwin Widjonarko (Obukan) 1ST DAN: Mikako Barlow (Musokai), Khoi Duong (Kent), Sean Horita (Musokai), Hiroyuki Maeda (Idaho), Robert Neff (Tonbo) 2ND DAN: Frank Hauser (Alaska).

PNKF KENDO SHINSA, February 24th, 2018, Tyee Educational Complex, SeaTac, Washington
6TH KYU: Kaito Ayers (Sno-King), Conrad Steelman (Bellevue), Mia Grove (Northwest), Zane Laupati (Kent) 5TH KYU: Kenjiro Maxfield-Matsumoto (Highline), Issei DeBlieck (Sno-King), Kai Kubal-Komoto (Federal Way), Seohee Jeon (Bellevue), Christine Son (Federal Way) 4TH KYU: Dan Terao (Cascade), Aneurin Mabale (Seattle), Daniel Shilov (Highline), Masazo Ayers (Sno-King), Thabit Ahmed (Edmonds), Jeremy Chu (Bellevue), Aaron Fung (Seattle), Ashley Garr (Cascade), Krysta Hart (OSU) 3RD KYU: Daniel Kao (Tacoma), Ian McAbee (Meadowbrook), Seira Kojima (Bellevue), Matheus (Kai) Bandur (Honda) (Cascade), Téo Dage (Bellevue), Taiki Miyamoto (Northwest), Esther Law (UW), Zhengnan Liu (OSU), Suepapone Vanasouk (UW), Yuning Gao (OSU), Jennifer Wong (Bellevue), Nathan Westlund (Spokane), Timothy Blaydon (Spokane), Gen Li (OSU), Yue Chen (Seattle), Krystal McIntosh (Federal Way), Emilio Peralta (Obukan), Haoran Su (Bellevue), Brandon Yorker (Kent), Scott Moon (Spokane), Matt Miyamoto (Northwest), Justin Davis (Northwest), Dan Rosanova (Seattle) 2ND KYU: Ffion Mabale (Seattle), Isabella Lee (Federal Way), Nagato Orita (Seattle), Timaeus Ting (Northwest), Kyle Hale (Seattle), Kassidy Ting (Northwest), Alex Rossi (Spokane), Noah Larson (Federal Way), Leo Gao (UW), Khang Le (UW), Aidan Chervin (Portland), Anthony Yorita (UW), Jacob Weese (UW), Michael Ciesielski (Spokane), Helen Fukuda (Cascade), Michele Soleimani (Portland), Tom Fukuda (Cascade), Bruce Alter (Portland) 1ST KYU: Joshua Paik (Tacoma), Josh Kim (Federal Way), Kiana (Ai) Fukuda (Cascade), Leonardo Ohata (Bellevue), Simon Lee (Federal Way), Shota Wetlesen (Obukan), Kengo Underhill (Northwest), Kamia Acoba (Everett), Kasey Kitchel (Sno-King), Kyle Fukuda (Cascade), Blake Sprenger (Obukan), Jason Nguyen (UW), Elijah Lam (Kent), Francis Walsh (UW), Timothy Okamura (Bellevue), Athena Epilepsia (Bellevue), Nicodemus Edwin Widjonarko (Obukan), Victor Blancarte (Sno-King), Jin Ho Jeon (Bellevue), Ann Rubin (Tacoma), James Faulkner (Edmonds), Poul Nichols (Edmonds), Sandra Mizuno (Seattle) 1ST DAN: Shun Wetlesen (Obukan), Hien Katayama (Edmonds), Edward Park (Sno-King), Young-ki Paik (Tacoma), Victor Whitman (Seattle) 2ND DAN: Gregory Vielhaber (Portland), Alick Law (Sno-King), Betty Park (Bellevue), Allison Kojima (Bellevue), Brian Liao (Bellevue), Kenshin Higo (Kent), Cougar Capoeman (Tacoma) 3RD DAN: Daniel Anzai (Obukan), Tomoko Iwanaga (Obukan), Ayumi Kojima (Northwest), Marek Nelson (Spokane), Mary DeJong (Highline), Dean Yamada (Seattle) 4TH DAN: Justin Lamb (Spokane), Chris Ruiz (Spokane).

THE LAST WORD

Military Service

I longed to return to Hawaii, but early the next morning, I left Kyoto and traveled to my paternal grandfather’s house in Hayashiyama (now Miharashi-Cho) in Kure in Hiroshima Prefecture. Although I was born in Wahiawa, Hawaii, in the Koseki Tohon, the official Japanese Family Register, I am registered in Hiroshima-ken, Kure-shi. Therefore, I had to depart for the military from Kure. My trip to Kure was not for family good-by parties or last farewells. In fact, I had never met my grandfather before that day. I walked to the farm in the early afternoon, and my grandfather, Omoto Umenosuke, fondly called Omoto No Ojii-chan (Grandpa Omoto) by his neighbors, was working in the rice paddy by the sea. He looked up, slowly walked toward me across the terraced vegetable patches, wearing straw sandals, his shoulders slightly stooped, his head covered by a straw hat. We bowed, and he said, “Nobuto?” He seemed to know me, but whether he was expecting me or not, I don’t know. Most of the neighbors were my father’s brothers and sisters. I recognized them because they looked like my father, so maybe I looked like my father and that is how my grandfather recognized me. He led me to his one hundred-year-old two-room house with no running water, a Japanese deep bath-tub, an attached outhouse, and one dangling electric light that lacked a light bulb. He nodded toward a corner for me to deposit my pack. He then made tea and we drank together, quietly. He knew why I was there and he was a man of few words. Then he returned to the rice paddy. I followed and worked beside him until sundown. We returned, and he gave me rice with bits of fish. The fishermen in the village threw few small fish on the beach, knowing he would gather them for his meal. He never bought anything but sake, which we drank together before sleeping. He lit a lantern, chanted the Shoshinge, the chant of True Faith of Jodo Shinshu Buddhism, before the butsudan, and we slept. At dawn the next morning, after he chanted Shoshinge, we boiled water drawn from the cistern to cook the rice and make tea. After breakfast, he returned to the fields, and I walked to town to register with the army. The next day I left for Hiroshima for basic training. Japanese boot camp was tough. It is designed to turn a man into a fighting machine, to make him tough. Soldiers were run until they dropped, and then told to run more. There was no sympathy; for there is no sympathy in war nor excuses or escapes. If a man fell, he was pushed up and received a “binta” or hard smack as punishment and often extra physical tasks. In addition, trainees were harassed; even if futon was laid out perfectly, an officer might throw it apart and require it to be redone. Men who complained were taunted as being “monkus” meaning whiners. To get used to punishment, soldiers were punished. Orders need to be followed without question, no matter how seemingly absurd or inhumane. We practiced against straw enemies consisting of bodies without faces, or paper targets with demonic faces. If a soldier hesitates before attacking can mean life or death. The Budo philosophy focuses training equally on mental strength so that actual physical contact becomes unnecessary. But the physical and mental pressures are similar. Because of my physical training at Busen, the mental pressure of trying to learn and write the Japanese and doing household tasks for Ogawa Sensei’s children, for me, Japanese boot camp was easy. In fact, I had to learn to be tough even on the Seiho High School Kendo team. Even when we won, our instructor, Tanaka Tomoharu Tomokazu “Chiichi” Sensei, would shout, “That’s not the way to win!” and whack us on the rear end with chunks of firewood. Chiichi Sensei had formerly served in the Japanese army, as had other instructors at Busen, and brought military discipline to the team. “Urusai na! Gamanshiro!” “Shut up! Take the pain!“ Strength is not only in giving a punch but also in taking a punch. Boot camp trained soldiers in the use of weaponry. I had learned this at Busen. I was especially good at juken jutsu, bayonet. The Principal of Busen was General Hayashi Senjuro. As in any school, he administered all the departments, but was especially enthusiastic for juken jutsu, and those of us in the Kendo and Judo sections of Busen were offered the training. “Offer” and “volunteer” at Busen, however, were generally considered commands, especially for the Kendo students who enjoyed higher status. I think we all learned it as a practical military skill taught by one of the General’s sergeants. During boot camp, I beat everyone, even the instructors, with the bayonet. Between deployments, I also enjoyed bayonet and sword “play” practice at the base in Hiroshima. The waza of Kendo training were not only applicable but assured success against opponents. The samurai sword was modified for the army, a “gunto” which was used for ritual and saluting. We also trained with guns and rifles. Nevertheless, I was not put in a cadet group, where all the other college students were placed. After basic training, all the other cadets were sent to Tokyo for officer training. After their training, they returned as “Minarai Shikan” (apprentice officer) and I was only a sergeant and had to salute them, even though I could whip them at bayonet practice. I was angry when I had to salute those less talented; nonetheless, I followed military training and saluted. But after apprenticeship when they were ranked Second Lieutenant, they were all sent to combat. Few returned. I was the only one stationed in Hiroshima and in the Transportation Corps, certainly not considered a prestigious assignment. Combat is always the way of advancement in the military, not motor pool. This was my home base for three years, and I never experienced combat. I was assigned to the Transportation Corps, the “Shicho Tai” base located about a thousand yards from the atomic bomb ground zero.
–Rod Nobuto Omoto, Autobiography, edited by Charlotte Omoto, 2014, p. 32-34. Available as free download at lulu.com.

Posted in Kenyu

Kenyu – November/December 2017

Posted on 2017/12/16 by omb

Volume 31, number 11/12

November/December 2017

PNKF DATEBOOK

December 2017

12/10, 12/24, and 12/31: no practice at Seattle Kendo Kai.

January 2018

1/1: Hatsugeiko, Mon, 6:30am Seattle, St. Peter’s Episcopal Church Gym, 1610 S. King Street, Seattle.
1/1: Hatsugeiko, Mon, 9:30-11am, Obukan, Fulton Community Center, 68 SW Miles Street, Portland, OR.
1/6-7: Iaidaho 2018, Sat 12noon-5pm/Sun 10am-2:30pm, Iaido Seminar, on Seitei topics, competition, group enbu, and shinsa, Boise State University, Kinesiology Gym, Boise. Kendo Fri 1/5, 6:30-8pm, West Boise YMCA.
1/13: PNKF Board meeting, 9-11am, Sat, St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, 1610 S. King Street, Seattle.
1/27: PNKF Kata Seminar, Sat, 12noon-5pm, Chinook Middle School, 18650 42nd Avenue S., Seattle.
1/27: 2018 Intercollegiate Taikai, Sat, 10a, McKinnon Gym, University of Victoria, 3800 Finnery Road, Victoria BC.

February 2018

2/10: 56th Steveston Taikai, Sat, 9am, McMath High School, 4251 Garry Street, Richmond BC.
2/10-11: FIK America Zone Kendo Referee Seminar, Sat-Sun, Centre sportifETS, 1111 Notre-Dame Street West, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
2/10-11: Hoshu Dojo Jodo Mini-Camp, Sat 10am-5pm and Sun 7am-12pm, Justice Institute of British Columbia, New Westminster, British Columbia, Canada. Schedule: Sat 10am-5pm and Sun 7am-12pm.
2/24: 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 2018

3/17: Highline Taikai, Sat, doors open 8:30am, opening ceremonies 9:30am, White Center Community Center, 1321 SW 102nd Street, Seattle.
3/17-18: 22nd Annual Shoryuhai, Sat/Sun, Malkin Athletic Center, 39 Holyoke Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts.
3/24: PNKF Board meeting, 9-11am, Sat, Kent Commons Recreation Center, 525 4th Avenue N. (corner of 4th and James St.) Kent.
3/31: 30th Anniversary Kendo Tournament / GNEUSKF Championships, Sat, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland OH.

April 2018

4/1: GNEUSKF Kendo Education Seminar led by Masaharu Kakehashi Sensei, Hanshi 8th Dan, former chief instructor of Tokyo Metropolitan Kendo as well as GNEUSKF shinsa and Iaido seminar led by Shozo Kato Sensei, Kendo Kyoshi 8th Dan Iaido Kyoshi 7th Dan, Sun, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH.
4/8: 2018 AUSKF Jr. Nationals, Sun, Marina High School, Huntington Beach, California. The gym will be open the day before (April 7) for preparation.
4/14: UW Taikai, Sat, 10am, Intramural Activities Building (IMA), UW campus, Montlake Boulevard NE.
4/14-15: AUSKF Board meeting and Kodansha Shinsa, Sat-Sun, SCKO venue TBD.
4/21: PNKF Shinpan Seminar, Sat, 1-6pm, Highland Park Community Center, 14224 Bel-Red Road, Bellevue.
4/22: Cherry Blossom demo, Sun, Seattle Center.

May 2018

5/5: PNKF Board meeting, 9-11am, Sat, Kent Commons Recreation Center, 525 4th Avenue N. (corner of 4th and James St.) Kent.
5/19: Bellevue Junior Taikai, Sat, 9:30am-3pm, Highland Park Community Center, 14224 Bel-Red Road, Bellevue.
5/26: 52nd Vancouver Kendo Tournament, Sat, 10am-6pm, Byrne Creek Secondary School, 7777 18th Street, Burnaby, BC.
5/31-6/4: AUSKF Iaido Seminar, Salt Lake City.

June 2018

5/31-6/4: AUSKF Iaido Summer Camp and Jodo Seminar, Thu-Mon, with Iaido Hanshi 8th Dan Teruo Mitani and Iaido Kyoshi 8th Dan Atsumi Hatakenaka, Eccles Student Life Center, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT.
Schedule:
• Thursday (May 31, 2018) – Iaido Seminar (9:00 AM – 4:45 PM)
• Friday (June 1, 2018) – Iaido Seminar (9:00 AM – 4:30 PM)
• Saturday (June 2, 2018) – AUSKF Iaido Championships (9:00 AM – 4:30 PM)
• Sunday (June 3, 2018) – Iaido Shinsa (9:00 AM – 11:45 AM), Jodo Seminar (1:00 PM –
4:00 PM), Jodo Shinsa (4:00 PM – 5:00 PM)
• Monday (June 4, 2018) – Jodo Seminar (9:00 AM – 11:30 AM)
6/9: Rose City Taikai.
6/14-17: 11th Annual US Nito Kendo Camp, Seminar, and Shinsa, Thu-Sun, with Ryoichi FUJII, Yamaguchi, Kyoshi 8 dan, Yoshihiro UGAJIN, Tokyo, Kyoshi 7 dan,Futoshi SATO, Chiba, Kyoshi 7 dan, Mitsuyoshi WADA, Tokyo, Kyoshi 7 dan, Taichi KISA, Osaka, Kyoshi 7 dan, and Ako FUJII, Yamaguchi, Renshi 6 dan, College of Idaho, J.A. Albertson Activities Center, Caldwell, Idaho.
Schedule:
* Thursday, (June 14, 2018) – 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm, Welcome Keiko
* Friday, (June 15, 2018) – 10:00 am – 5:00 pm, Seminar
* Saturday (June 16, 2018) – 9:00 am – 5:00 pm, Seminar (Banquet 6:30 pm)
* Sunday, (June 17, 2018) – 9:00 am – 3:30 pm, Shinsa and Taikai

July 2018

7/21: PNKF Board meeting, 9-11am, Sat, St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, 1610 S. King Street, Seattle.

August 2018

8/11: PNKF Shinsa, Kent Commons Recreation Center, 525 4th Avenue N. (corner of 4th and James St.) Kent.

September 2018

9/14-16: 17WKC, Fri/Sat/Sun, Seoul, Korea.
9/15: PNKF Board meeting, 9-11am, Sat, St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, 1610 S. King Street, Seattle.
9/28-9/30: PNKF Iaido Seminar and Tournament, Fri, Sat, Sun.
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 2018

10/6: PNKF Shinpan Seminar, Sat, 12noon-5pm, Kent Commons Recreation Center, 525 4th Avenue N. (corner of 4th and James St.) Kent.
10/20: Tacoma Taikai, Sat, 9:30am Opening Ceremonies (doors open at 8:30am), Curtis High School, 8425 40th Street West, University Place, WA 98466 (tentative).

November 2018

11/3: PNKF Taikai, Sat, Kent Commons Recreation Center, 525 4th Avenue N. (corner of 4th and James St.) Kent.
11/10: AUSKF Board meeting, Sat, venue TBD.
11/11: Kodansha Shinsa, Sun, venue TBD.
11/17: PNKF Board meeting, 9-11am, Sat, St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, 1610 S. King Street, Seattle.

December 2018

12/1: Kent Taikai, Sat, Kendo Commons Recreation Center, 525 4th Avenue N, (corner of 4th and James St.) Kent.

12/9: PNKF Jodo Shinsa.

PNKF BOARD NEWS

At their November 18, 2017 meeting, the new 2017/2018 Board was seated, and Officers were elected.

President – CJ Chaney (Sno-King), Vice-President – Doug Imanishi (Seattle),
Treasurer – Mary DeJong (Highline), Secretary – Tom Bolling (Bellevue). UW Advisor –
CJ Chaney.

Other Board members are: Sean Blechschmidt (Bellevue), Cougar Capoeman (Tacoma), Frederic Fourie
(AiShinKai), Mark Frederick (Northwest), Noelle Grimes (Sno-King), Mart Hughes (Obukan), Taryn Imanishi (Cascade), Michael Mabale (Seattle), Curtis Marsten (Kent), Elizabeth Marsten (Highline), Vicki Marsten
(Federal Way), Tiarnan Marsten (Kent), Edward Olson (Tonbo), Chris Ruiz (Spokane), Russ Sinclair (Spokane), Robert Stroud
(Idaho), Val Vulfson (Northwest), Francis Walsh (UW), and David Yotsuuye (Bellevue).

18th INVITATIONAL TACOMA KENDO TAIKAI – October 21, 2017, Curtis High School, University Place


9 and Under                               10-12 Years Kyu
1st place - Ezra Cocoro-Marx, Federal Way 1st place - Jonathan Yu, Northwest
2nd place - Kaito Ayers, Sno-King         2nd place - Nicholas Chu, Bellevue
3rd place - Owen Kaufman, Portland        3rd place - Hana Koob, Bellevue
Participant - Maddy Day, Kent
Participant - Joey Oday, Tacoma
Participant - Karis Kim, Tacoma

13-15 Years Kyu                           16-18 Years Kyu 
1st place - Taiki Miyamoto, Northwest     1st place - Kengo Underhill, Northwest
2nd place - Josh Kim, Federal Way         2nd place - Kyle Fukuda, Cascade
3rd place - Danny Chung, Cascade          3rd place - Michizane Ohata, Bellevue

Adult 0-2 Kyu                             Adult 1 Kyu-1 Dan
1st place - Victor Blancarte, Sno-King    1st place - Cougar Capoeman, Tacoma
2nd place - Leo Gao, UW                   2nd place - Philbert Lin, Bellevue
3rd place - Anthony Yorita, UW            3rd place - Gregory Vielhaber, Portland

Youth Dan                                 Adult 2-3 Dan
1st place - Andy Yuen, Seattle            1st place - Tiarnan Marsten, Kent
2nd place - Allison Kojima, Bellevue      2nd place - Koyo Yoshida, Everett
3rd place - Drake Imanishi, Seattle       3rd place - Koichi Toshima, Portland

15 and Under Team
1st place - Northwest A (J. Yu, Keiji Underhill, Taiki Miyamoto)
2nd place - Bellevue A (H. Koob, L. Ohata, S. Kojima)

Senior Youth Team
1st place - Seattle (A. Yuen, Kengo Underhill, D. Imanishi)
2nd place - Cascade (K. Fukuda, T. Seyduzov, D. Yip)

Mudansha Team
1st place - Bellevue (J. Jeon, H. Su, L. Ohata)
2nd place - UW (A. Yorita, L. Gao, T. Lee)

National Anthem Singer - Alisa Yoshikawa
Sportsmanship Pledge - Daniel Kao
Shinpan Cho - David S. Yotsuuye

43rd ANNUAL PNKF KENDO TOURNAMENT – November 4, 2017, Kent Commons Recreation Center


10 Years and Under                        11-12 Years
1st place - E. Chui, Steveston            1st place - H. Homma, Renbu
2nd place - N. Son, Renbu                 2nd place - J. Hung, Steveston
3rd place - D. Buckham, UVictoria         3rd place - O. Benson, Youshinkan
3rd place - F. Benson, Youshinkan         3rd place - E. Cho, Renbu

13-15 Years                               High School Boys
1st place - R. Kim, Renbu                 1st place - B. Liao, Bellevue
2nd place - A. Son, Renbu                 2nd place - A. Yuen, Seattle
3rd place - B. Miki, Steveston            3rd place - E. Chui, Steveston
3rd place - T. Miyamoto, Northwest        3rd place - M. Ohata, Bellevue

0-4 Kyu                                   3-1 Kyu
1st place - H. Su, Bellevue               1st place - KE Underhill, Northwest
2nd place - G. Li, OSU                    2nd place - C. Pak, Portland
3rd place - T. Chui, Steveston            3rd place - A. Yorita, UW
3rd place - J. Davis, Northwest           3rd place - Y. Paik, Tacoma

Women Kyu                                 Women Dan
1st place - K. McIntosh, Federal Way      1st place - W. Robillard, Steveston
2nd place - E. Law, UW                    2nd place - N. Grimes, Sno-King
3rd place - J. Wong, Bellevue             3rd place - H. Yamada, Vancouver
3rd place - A. Tan, UW                    3rd place - M. Oya, Palouse

1-2 Dan                                   3 Dan
1st place - E. Lee, Renbu                 1st place - D. Miura, Hawaii
2nd place - B. Pae, Northwest             2nd place - T. Marsten, Kent
3rd place - D. Anzai, Obukan              3rd place - M. Yoneda, Kent
3rd place - D. Imanishi, Seattle          3rd place - I. Miki, Steveston

4 Dan and Above
1st place - H. Kim, Hawaii
2nd place - T. Yamada, Vancouver
3rd place - K. Kobayashi, Youshinkan
3rd place - S. Harris, Hawaii

Junior Team
1st place - Renbu A (K. Squance, Y. Lee, A. Son, K. Itagaki, R. Kim)
2nd place - Steveston A (R. Nakano, C. Robillard, E. Chui, B. Miki, J. Hung)
3rd place - Renbu B (N. Son, KE Yoshimura, E. Cho, I. Son, H. Homma)
3rd place - Bellevue A (H. Koob, T. Koob, M. Tawara, T. Dage, S. Kojima)

Senior Team
1st place - Vancouver (K. Darbyshire, J. Schmidt, H. Yamada, S. Jung, T. Yamada)
2nd place - Hawaii (V. Yancy, D. Miura, S. Harris, H. Kim, T. Buntin)
3rd place - Renbu (E. Lee, A. Espiritu, E. Kita, O. Young, D. Taguchi)
3rd place - Youshinkan (K. Kobayashi, K. Takeuchi, C. Takeuchi, J. Chien, T. Nakamura)

Taikai Co-Chairs - CJ Chaney and Taryn Imanishi
Shinpan Cho - Tatsuhiko Konno
Court Manager - David S. Yotsuuye
Sportsmanship Pledge - Allison Kojima
Shoji Trophy - Kengo Underhill
Presidential Service Award - Daniel Ichinaga
Presidential Service Award - Darrick Lew

AIEA TAIHEIJI KENDO TOURNAMENT 2017 – November 19, 2017, Halawa Gym, Aiea, Oahu


Yonenbu (11 Years and Below)              Shonenbu (12-14 Years Old)
1st place - Caden Matsumoto               1st place - Nobuhiko Tamura
2nd place - Ethan Amano                   2nd place - Zachary Yamamoto
3rd place - Jacob Amano                   3rd place - Mari Shimabukuro
3rd place - Ethan Suyama                  3rd place - Brandyn Matsumoto

Seinenbu-Nidan                            Women's
1st place - Brycen Kawakami               1st place - Nicole Chun
2nd place - Joshua Amano                  2nd place - Megan Watanabe
3rd place - John Pitts                    3rd place - Gale Mejia
3rd place - Eric Young                    3rd place - Tina Kaku

Yudansha 3+                               Yudansha Masters
1st place - Hyun Kim                      1st place - Iwao Sato
2nd place - Wesley Fujimoto               2nd place - Ken Sugano
3rd place - Christopher Goodin            3rd place - Bert Shibuya
3rd place - Daiki Miura                   3rd place - Carl Nakamura

Children's Team                           Adults' Team 
1st place - Kenshikan A                   1st place - Mililani A
2nd place - Kenshikan B                   2nd place - Aiea

Grand Champion
Hyun Kim

21st KENT INVITATIONAL TOURNAMENT – December 2, 2017, Kentwood High School, Kent


10 Years and Under (Jr A)            3-1 Kyu
1st place - N. Chu, Bellevue         1st place - Ken Underhill, Northwest
2nd place - I. DeBlieck, Sno-King    2nd place - A. Yorita, UW
3rd place - JU Paik, Tacoma          3rd place - E. Lam, Kent
3rd place - D. Shilov, Highline      3rd place - B. Sprenger, Obukan

11-12 Years (Jr B)                   1-2 Dan
1st place - H. Koob, Bellevue        1st place - J. Yamauchi, Cascade
2nd place - A. Mabale, Seattle       2nd place - B. Park, Bellevue
3rd place - P. Jewett, Spokane       3rd place - J. Higa, UW
3rd place - J. Yu, Northwest         3rd place - S. Sinclair, Spokane

13 to 15 Years (Jr C)                3-4 Dan
1st place - T. Miyamoto, Northwest   1st place - K. Yoshida, Everett
2nd place - T. Koob, Bellevue        2nd place - B. Imanishi, Cascade
3rd place - Kei Underhill, Northwest 3rd place - I. Morgan, Kent
3rd place - SA Wetlesen, Obukan      3rd place - T. Marsten, Kent
                                     4th place - S. Day, Kent
Women                                4th place - T. Imanishi, Cascade
1st place - K. McManus, Kent         4th place - D. Huynh, Seattle
2nd place - M. Suzuki, Sno-King      4th place - M. Suzuki, Sno-King
3rd place - E. DeJong, Highline
3rd place - B. Park, Bellevue

4 Kyu and Under
1st place - H. Su, Bellevue
2nd place - T. Elliott, Spokane
3rd place - K. McIntosh, Federal Way
3rd place - B. Yorker, Kent

Junior Team
1st place - Northwest (J. Yu, N. Underhill, Kei Underhill, T. Ting, T. Miyamoto)
2nd place - Cascade (DV Chung, D. Terao, A. Fukuda, C. Baker, D. Chung)
3rd place - Seattle (A. Mabale, S. Wetlesen, A. Fung, F. Mabale, K. Hale)
3rd place - Federal Way (E. Corcoro-Marx, M. Day, S. Lee, I. Lee, J. Kim)

Senior Team
1st place - Kent Red (I. Morgan, K. McManus, S. Day, M. Yoneda, T. Marsten)
2nd place - Seattle (L. Durkan, A. Yen, D. Huynh, S. Guidi, M. Mabale)
3rd place - Bellevue (A. Kojima, M. Blechschmidt, B. Park, E. DeJong, L. Tsybert)
3rd place - Sno-King (D. Lew, T. Patana, A. Zee, M. Suzuki, CJ Chaney)

Sportsmanship Pledge - Keeley McManus
Head Shinpan  - Curtis Marsten

SHINKYU SHINSA

AUSKF KENDO KODANSHA SHINSA, November 12, 2017, Athletic Club Northeast, Atlanta, Georgia

6TH DAN:

Elizabeth Marsten, (PNKF).

PNKF JODO SHINSA, December 10, 2017, Mitchell Activity Center, Seattle Central College, Seattle

1ST KYU: Abigail Benoit (Tonbo), Duane Benoit (Tonbo), Robert Neff (Tonbo), Thomas Valencia (Yamakage Dojo
SWKIF), David Zambrano (Hoshu).

THE LAST WORD

May 2004, marked the 100th Anniversary of Butoku Kai. I cannot travel any longer, and most of my
classmates are gone. Yet after all these years, I remember each word of our school song. It was composed
by Yabe Osamu of Ehime Prefecture, a student of the twenty-first graduating class in l935.

    Kanmu no Mikado itsu kimasu
    Miyai wa chikaki manabiya ni
    Yamato gokoro wo iya migaku
    Kore zo Busen no hokori naru

    Meiyo Renchi wo inochi to shi
    Shitsu Jitsu Koken Mune to shite
    Hibi ni isoshimu shuyo wa
    Warera kenji no tsutome zoya

    Tagai ni kitou tetsu wan ni
    Fukutsu no chisho atsuku moe
    Yama o mo nukan sono iki wa
    Hiroku Tenka wo doyomosan

The rough translation of the three verses is:

    I'm proud to be learning and polishing
    my Yamato gokuro Japanese spirit
    at Busen, this institute of higher learning
    located near the Heian Jingu shrine.

    This is Busens pride.
    It is our duty to diligently and vigorously train daily
    to forge and temper our bodies and spirit
    together with honor, grace and simplicity.

    The world will sense that we have a tremendous force
    that never quits, the power to move mountains
    that will result in calming the world.

I sang our school song in Japanese for my few remaining classmates at Busen, and recorded it on videotape.
In that way, despite all the years in the United States, I am with them as they celebrate and grieve, for
I am Japanese in spirit even though I know a wider world and love the plumeria and gentle breezes of my
boyhood in Hawaii as well as the cherry blossom.

Last Days at Busen

I lived day by day and waited for the inevitable day I would leave Busen to report to the army. I didn’t
feel disloyal or even conflicted about serving in the Japanese army. To me it was just another war between
two countries. Neither my classmates nor the Japanese authorities questioned whether I was loyal to the
United States or Japan, even though I had dual citizenship. However, my Hawaiian background was likely
responsible for the government deciding not to send me to Tokyo to become an officer like my classmates.
Thus I never fought directly or in the Pacific Theater. My Hawaiian background likely saved my life.

Discussions with my classmates were not abstract. When we ate together or had a few minutes of spare time,
we would celebrate, drink sake and talk Kendo. But Kendo talk was specific: how clever it had been to
divert a kote hit by a feint and win with a men hit. The superior player opens and is missed only by
inches when he goes for the men; he has to be very fast or be defeated at the kote or do.

Kendo training is about action, not thinking; thinking requires time and distance from the practice. When
training, there is no room to think about yesterday or tomorrow, just this cut and that cut. When
fighting, thinking will kill you. Despite the books written about Kendo and other martial arts, words can
only delude us into, at best, partial understanding. There is “comprehension” that one cannot put into
words. We practice and that is educating the body in action. Miyamoto Musashi wrote that “you must study
this well” as he writes about methods, but always associates the “study” with comments such as: “You
must train hard to understand it” and “With detailed practice you should be able to understand it.”
Yes, listen, reflect and study but it requires physical practice; with enough “doing” the Do may become
part of you.

So at Busen there was no time for book “study” of Kendo. Our “study” of Kendo was to watch, do, and do
over and over again, training our body to have “muscle memory”. Reflection is a part of Budo. It would
come, if ever, later. In fact, about 50 years later for me.

So even though I don’t recall political discussion about going to war, I do remember my going away party.
We knew where I was going, and that those remaining would be following soon. In fact, mine was the last
party where a group could be gathered for a solitary send-off; the remaining students left en masse. So it
was a grand celebration! We laughed and played and ate and drank until we were literally rolling on the
floor, falling down laughing and dizzy with sake.

–Rod Nobuto Omoto, Autobiography, edited by Charlotte Omoto, 2014, p. 30-32.
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 – July/August/September/October 2017

Posted on 2017/10/21 by omb

Volume 31, number 7/8/9/10

July/August/September/October 2017

PNKF DATEBOOK

October 2017

10/21: Tacoma Taikai
- 9:30am Opening Ceremonies (doors open at 8:30am), Curtis High School,
  8425 40th Street West, University Place, WA 98466.

November 2017

11/4: PNKF Taikai, Sat, 9:30am,525 4th Avenue N. (corner of 4th and James St.) Kent.
11/11-12: AUSKF Board and Kodansha Shinsa, Sat/Sun, TBD.
11/18: PNKF Board, Sat, 9-11am, St Peter’s Episcopal Church, 1610 S King St, Seattle, WA 98144.

December 2017

12/2: Kent Taikai, Sat, report time 9am, start 9:30am, Kentwood High School, 25800 164th Avenue SE, Covington, WA.
12/10: PNKF Jodo Shinsa, Sat, 11:30am, 1st Kyu only, Mitchell Activity Center,
Seattle Central College, 1701 Broadway, Seattle, WA 98122.

January 2018

1/6-7: Iaidaho 2018, Sat 12:noon-5pm/Sun 10am-2:30pm, Iaido Seminar, on Seitei topics,
competition, group enbu, and shinsa, Boise State University, Kinesiology Gym, Boise.
Kendo Fri 1/5, 6:30-8pm, West Boise YMCA.

February 2018

2/10-11: FIK America Zone Kendo Referee Seminar, Sat/Sun, Centre sportifETS, 1111 Notre-Dame
Street West, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

June 2018

6/4: AUSKF Iaido Camp will be held on the campus of the University of Utah in
Salt Lake City, Utah on May 31 – June 4, 2018.

September 2018

9/14-16: 17WKC, Fri/Sat/Sun, Incheon, Korea.

CHANGES IN GOVERNANCE OF THE PNKF

For over a year, the Board has been working hard to forge new By Laws for the PNKF. Finally, at
their July 22, 2017 meeting, the Articles of Amendment and the Restated Article of Incorporation were
approved. As a result, this fall the composition of the Board will reflect the changes, and we are
using a new process for Board Member nominations. PNKF Clubs with permanent status having 10-30
members may appoint one individual to the Board, while Clubs with 30 or more members may appoint two
individuals. Club representation count is based upon each Club’s membership as of September 1, 2017.
Each Club has been sent notification requesting their selected Board Members, as well as outlining
the process for selection of five at-large Members. Requested response date is October 28, 2017. At
the November 18, 2017 Board meeting, the new Board will vote for five Members at large from the pool
of nominees. Then the new Board, including the five at-large Members, will elect Officers for the
new fiscal year of 2017-2018.

USNF 17th CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNAMENT AND 1st PANAMERICAN MATCH, July 29, 2017, Sonoma State University


Dangai Engi                                         Yudansha Engi
1st place - Xinyuan Lai/Yuki Nishimura, NCKF        1st place - Shannon Lew/Andrew Hong, SCNF
2nd place - Karl Spargur/David Huynh, NCKF          2nd place - Kei Tsukamaki/Karen Schmucker
3rd place - Simon Wan/Alex Lin, GNYNF               3rd place - Josh Sloan/Frank DiMarco, RMNF

Zen Nihon Naginata no Kata                          Dangai Women's Individuals
1st place - Bryce Harrop/Chris Coppeans, PNNF       1st place - Yuki Nishimura,NCNF
2nd place - Andrew Hong/Shannon Lew, SCNF           2nd place - Amy Coppeans, PNNF
3rd place - Karen Schmucker/Kei Tsukamaki, PNNF     3rd place - Michelle You, PNNF

Dangai Men's Individuals                            Yudansha Women's Individuals
1st place - Alex Lin, GNYNF                         1st place - Katie Roche, GNYNF
2nd place - Xinyuan Lai, NCNF                       2nd place - Andrea Vyas, RMNF
3rd place - David Huynh, NCNF                       3rd place - Emily Ewen, ECNF

Yudansha Men's Individuals                          Women's Team
1st place - Axel Noorman, ECNF                      1st place - Pacific Northwest Naginata Federation
2nd place - Ruben Ramirez, SCNF                     2nd place - Greater New York Naginata Federation
3rd place - Saiyou Ohshima, NCNF                    3rd place - Southern California Naginata Federation

Men's Team
1st place - Pacific Northwest Naginata Federation
2nd place - Greater New York Naginata Federation
3rd place - Northern California Naginata Federation

PanAm Match Women                                   PanAm Match Men
Winners                                             Winners
Yuki Nishimura, NCNF                                Andrew Boyd, CNF
Veronica Gunawan, NCNF                              Alan McDougall, CNF
Manon Dozois, CNF                                   C.L. Chen, GNYNF
Mary Phan, CNF                                      Eduardo Pereira, BNA
Jenny Bernot, SCNF                                  Bryce Harrop, PNNF
Tomomi Hasegawa, BNA                                Antoine Fromentin, CNF
Kaori Kubo, CNF

10th ANNUAL PNKF IAIDO TAIKAI – September 22, 2017, Rain City Fencing Center, Bellevue, Washington


Mudansha                                  Yudansha 1-2 Dan
1st place - S. Horita, Musokai            1st place - G. Pillei, AiShinKai
2nd place - K. Duong, Musokai             2nd place - K. Tekin, Norwalk
3rd place - M. Barlow, Musokai            3rd Place - V. Whitman, Seattle
3rd place - N. Varma, Seattle             3rd Place - Joe Cabrera, Palo Alto

Yudansha 3-4 Dan (Noguchi Cup)            Teams (Murosako Cup)
1st place - H. Fukumoto, Seattle          1st place - Musokai B (G. Goerlitz, S. Horita, K. Duong)
2nd place - C. Parkins, Renma             2nd place - Musokai A (L. Miyauchi, G. Pillei, M. Barlow)
3rd place - B. Blomquist, Everett
3rd place - C. Goeke, Renma

SHINKYU SHINSA

PNKF KENDO SHINSA, July 9, 2017, Boise, Idaho

5TH KYU: Ryley Leach (RMKIF). 4TH KYU: Amanda Ellers (SWKIF0, Avery Grubbs (Idaho),
Taisei Summerhays (RMKIF), Jacob Velasco (SWKIF). 3RD KYU: Nathan Grubbs (Idaho), Tyler
Morris (RMKIF). 1ST DAN: Carlos Mutates (Idaho), Tyler Peterson (Idaho). 2ND DAN:
Eric Marquart (Idaho). 3RD DAN: Wesley Horn (Idaho), Jonathan Kaufman (Portland), Jeff Lamb
(Spokane), Ken Tawara (Idaho), Ireneo Rodriguez Torres (Mexico). 4TH DAN: Ronald Sentany
(SWKIF), Christopher Tilt (Portland).

USNF NAGINATA SHINSA, July 30, 2017, Sonoma State University

1ST DAN: Andrew Boyd (CNF), David Huynh (NCNF), Xinyuan Lai (NCNF), Adam Lew (SCNF), Alan
McDougall (CNF), Marie-Angelique Metzger (SCNF), Wolfgang Metzger (SCNF), Michelle You (PNNF).
2ND DAN: Yves Crepeau (CNF), C.L. Chen (GNYNF), Jessica Espinosa (ECNF), Richard Metzger
(SCNF), Rebecca Pomeroy (ECNF), Talanda Williams (NCNF, Grace Wu (SCNF). 3RD DAN: Johanne
Chalifour (CNF), Manon Dozois (CNF), Axel Noorman (ECNF), Eduardo Pereira (BNA), Rytis Prekeris
(RMNF). 4TH DAN: Chris Coppeans (PNNF), Sasha Corchado (GNYNF), Frank DiMarco (RMNF), Bryce
Harrop (PNNF), Juan Hernandez (SCNF), Andrew Hong (SCNF), Saiyou Ohshima (NCNF), Antoni Rossi (SCNF),
Kelsey Shamrell-Harrington (PNNF).

AUSKF KENDO KODANSHA SHINSA, August 6, 2017, Eastern Michigan University, Ypsilanti, Michigan

5TH DAN: Julie Chen (PNKF).

PNKF IAIDO SHINSA, August 12, 2017, Kent

3RD KYU: Abigail Benoit (Tonbo), Duane Benoit (Tonbo), Zehran Li (Musokai). 2ND KYU:
Nikhil Varma (Seattle), Nicodemus Edwin Widjonarko (Obukan). 1ST KYU: Adam Clark (AiShinKai),
Khoi Duong (Kent), Donald Wentworth (Tonbo). 2ND DAN: Thane Mittelstaedt (AiShinKai), Ken
Tawara (Idaho). 3RD DAN: Christopher Parkins (RenMa).

PNKF KENDO SHINSA, August 12, 2017, Kent

6TH KYU: Madeleine Day (Kent), Owen Frederick (Northwest), Ezra Corcoro Marx (Federal Way),
Kenjiro Maxfield-Matsumoto (Highline). 5TH KYU: Juah Paik (Tacoma), Hoeun Son (Federal Way),
Dan Terao (Cascade). 4TH KYU: Carolyn Baker (Cascade), Nicholas Chu (Bellevue), Devin Chung
(Cascade), Teo Dage (Bellevue), Justin Davis (Northwest), Brandi Heyer (Edmonds), Matthew Hutchins
(Seattle), Daniel Kao (Tacoma), Sean Kim (Seattle), Ian Krupp (Cascade), Takakazu Maxfield-Matsumoto
(Highline), Krystal McIntosh (Federal Way), Matt Miyamoto (Northwest), Taiki Miyamoto (Northwest),
Emilio Peralta (Obukan), Maro Sciacchitano (Portland), Alec Yuen (Seattle). 3RD KYU: Robin
Allen (Portland), Bruce Alter (Portland), Aidan Chervin (Portland), Danny Chung (Cascade), James
Fadell (Portland), Raymond Fish (Edmonds), Leo Gao (UW) Kyle Hale (Seattle), Chizuko Heyer (Edmonds),
Daniel Heyer (Edmonds), Allyson Hinzman (Tacoma), Yeh Seo Jung (Portland), Hana Koob (Bellevue),
Isabella Lee (Federal Way), Jierong James Lee (UW), Laura Ohata (Bellevue), Neo Smith (Bellevue),
Royce Sessions (Tacoma), Abigail Tan (UW), Sun Terao (Cascade), Kassidy Ting (Northwest), Timaeus
Ting (Northwest), Nikhil Varma (Seattle), Jacob Weese (UW), William Wellborn (Bellevue), Anthony
Yorita (UW). 2ND KYU: Kamia Acoba (Everett), Victor Blancarte (Sno-King), James Faulkner
(Edmonds), Kiana (Ai) Fukuda (Cascade), Kyle Fukuda (Cascade), Hyunjun Jang (Cascade), Jin Ho Jeon
(Bellevue), Raymond Kao (Tacoma), Eugene Kim (Seattle), Kasey Kitchel (Sno-King), Daniel Lee
(Tacoma), Simon Lee (Federal Way), Elysia Midorikawa (UW), Jason Nguyen (UW), Poul Nichols (Edmonds),
Timothy Okamura (Bellevue), Joshua Paik (Tacoma), Catherine Park (Bellevue), Jonah Redaja (Edmonds),
Blake Sprenger (Obukan), Francis Walsh (UW), Fred Wang (UW), Shota Wetlesen (Obukan), Nicodemus Edwin
Widjonarko (Obukan). 1ST KYU: Eric Bortz (Alaska), Hien Katayama (Edmonds), Evan Kriechbaum
(Portland), Michizane Ohata (Bellevue), Young-ki Paik (Tacoma), Chi Pak (Portland), Edward Park
(Sno-King), Shun Wetlesen (Obukan), Victor Whitman (Seattle), Donna Wilson (Seattle), Binah Yeung
(Seattle). 1ST DAN: Drake Imanishi (Seattle), David Nash (Edmonds), Bryant Pae (Northwest).
2ND DAN: Clyde Bailey (Portland), Maya Blechschmidt (Bellevue), Kenneth Gordon (Obukan),
Soo-Hyung Kim (Seattle), Sadako Markle (Idaho), Keeley McManus (Kent), Andrew Miller (Portland),
Stephen Ting (Northwest), Andrew Yuen (Seattle). 3RD DAN: Jennifer DeJong (Highline), Laurel
Durkan (Seattle), Jongwon Lee (Portland), Maina Oya (Northwest), Dan Park (Bellevue). 4TH
DAN: Paul Gattone (SWKIF Tucson), Yoshihito Kanamori (Alaska), Lei Yu (Northwest).

BCKF/PNKF JODO SHINSA, August 19, 2017, Justice Institute of BC, Vancouver, BC

1ST KYU: Michael Harris (Tonbo), Jessica Hilliam (Hoshu Vancouver), James Jerrard (Calgary
Iaido), Josh MacDonald (Calgary Iaido). 1ST DAN: Rhona Mae Arca (Calgary Iaido), Roy Gawlick
(Hoshu Vancouver), Elena Kay (Calgary Iaido), Ronen Totonchi (Everett). 2ND DAN: Denis Boko
(Hoshu Vancouver), Kathleen Jorgensen (Tonbo), Keith Simpson (Calgary Iaido), Bruce Vail (Hoshu
Seattle). 3RD DAN: Brian Blomquist (Everett), Hiroaki Fukumoto (Seattle), Gao Gaitian (Hoshu
Vancouver), Jeffrey Kamo (Hoshu Vancouver), Kathleen Newcomer (Tonbo), Michael Park (Hoshu
Portland).

THE LAST WORD

My father always considered himself Japanese. During the War he was
threatened with prison. But not for long. My five sisters were nurses and their contributions were
needed desperately in the hospitals filled with wounded soldiers. They threatened to quit if he were
jailed. Their nursing skills trumped any perceived threat from my father and he returned home. His
longing for Japan, and to die in his homeland, was finally realized after the War when he returned to
his ancestral lands in Kure, leaving my mother behind. He lived there until he died at the age of 79.
In Japan, when a man went to war, it was assumed he would die, not that he “might” die. That is
something to ponder well, so I’ll say it again: “In Japan, when a man went to war, it was assumed he
would die.” The samurai warrior of old considered himself already dead, so he could be clear and
calm. Because I am a human being, I will die, but because I am a human being, like all human beings,
I don’t want to die. I don’t know when or under what circumstances I will die, but as I was a
soldier, I knew I would likely die sooner rather than later. This is a fact, “mono no aware” the
realization of being human. This is an acceptance. I accepted my fate, and when death came, I would
die with honor. That was part of being a traditional Japanese, and Busen was certainly traditional.
It is said that the sword and the brush – and the cherry blossom – reflect the soul of Japan. This is
a soul that is reflective of nature that all that live must die, but that while living, life can be
contemplative, discerning and beautiful. These natural qualities form the ideals of martial arts
which emphasizes skill but also wisdom, harmony and serenity. This is “Yamato” (Japan) “Damashi”
(soul). “Yamato Damashi” is difficult to explain. It is a term indicative of the people’s will. It is
the fighting spirit of the Japanese soldier. But it is not just a fighting spirit. It is part of the
great soul of the people, tied to the very origins of the Japanese. When I was at Busen, Yamato
Damashi spirit was very much alive. The Emperor was the spiritual head of Japan. Japanese believed
the Emperor was descended from the gods through unbroken line of descent and many could cite the
whole lineage. No one questioned any sacrifice required by the gods or the Emperor. Like a father,
the people were “his people” and his love for his people and theirs for him was sacred. As a Japanese
son would not disobey his father, so the Japanese people would not disobey their Emperor. But the
Yamato Damashi is hard to define. Thus, if I am pushed for a definition, my response would be a
comparison to the cherry blossom. It blooms abundantly for a brief moment, and then flutters down
with no regret. That is how the brave Japanese should be:

    Shikishima no
    Yamato gokoro wo hito towaba
    Asahi ni niou
    Yama zakura kana
    Asked what a Japanese heart is,
    just say it is like the fragrance in the morning sun
    of the mountain cherry blossom Long after the War, in 1998, I received a letter from Tomano

Kenzan (Keitaro), a famous artist in Osaka, who recalled the story of an Australian Navy General. The
General gave a memorial service, from a podium draped with an Australian flag, for a brave Japanese
soldier who had tried to bomb an Australian warship from a suicide submarine. The General spoke with
the mother of the soldier, and was moved by the bravery of the young man, even though he was the
enemy, and even more by the bravery of his mother who assumed her son would die. He learned a lesson,
he said, from the enemy and began to understand much of the Japanese spirit from Mother Matsue’s
bittersweet waka, a 5-7-5-7-7 syllable poem:

    Kimi ga tame
    Shine to sodateshi
    Hana naredo
    Arashi no ato no
    Niwa sabishi kere
    For the Emperor,
    raised you to die
    like a cherry blossom
    yet after the storm
    how lonesome my yard

–Rod Nobuto Omoto, Autobiography, edited by Charlotte Omoto, 2014, p. 29-30.
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

Tom Bolling’s home page

Posted in Kenyu

Kenyu – April/May/June 2017

Posted on 2017/07/09 by omb

Volume 31, number 4/5/6

April/May/June 2017

PNKF DATEBOOK

July 2017

7/6-9: 10th US Nito Seminar and Shinsa, Thu-Mon, Boise State University,
Rec Center Main Gym, 1515 University Drive, Boise, Idaho.
7/22: PNKF Board, Sat, 9-11am, 525 4th Avenue N. (corner of 4th and James St.) Kent.

August 2017

8/12: PNKF Shinsa, Sat, Iaido 9am-12noon; Kendo 12:30-4pm, open keiko 4-5pm,
525 4th Avenue N. (corner of 4th and James St.) Kent.

September 2017

9/11-9/16: Renbu 40th Anniversary week-long series of practices and seminars, Mon-Sat,
featuring Kendo Kyoshi 7th Dan Takamitsu Iwamoto, Head Sensei, Beppu University,
Meiho High School, and Kendo Kyoshi 7th Dan Arimitsu Kawakami, Assistant Head Sensei,
Kokushikan University, and other guest sensei, various venues TBD in and around Vancouver, BC,
all ages and levels invited, costs TBD.
9/16: PNKF Board, Sat, 3-5pm, 525 4th Avenue N. (corner of 4th and James St.) Kent.
9/22-9/24: 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 2017

10/7: PNKF Shinpan Seminar, 11:30am-5pm, open keiko 4-5pm, 525 4th Avenue N. (corner of 4th and James St.) Kent.
10/21: Tacoma Taikai
- 9:30am Opening Ceremonies (doors open at 8:30am), Curtis High School,
  8425 40th Street West, University Place, WA 98466.

November 2017

11/4: PNKF Taikai, Sat, 9:30am, 525 4th Avenue N. (corner of 4th and James St.) Kent.
11/11-12: AUSKF Board and Kodansha Shinsa, Sat/Sun, TBD.
11/18: PNKF Board, Sat, 9-11am, 525 4th Avenue N. (corner of 4th and James St.) Kent.

December 2017

12/9: Kent Taikai, Sat, report time 9am, start 9:30am, 525 4th Avenue N.
(corner of 4th and James St.) Kent.
12/10: PNKF Jodo Shinsa, Sat, 11:30am, 1st Kyu only, Mitchell Activity Center, Seattle Central College, 1701 Broadway, Seattle, WA 98122.

September 2018

9/14-16: 17WKC, Fri/Sat/Sun, Incheon, Korea.

41st ANNUAL UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON INVITATIONAL KENDO TOURNAMENT – April 22, 2017


Women's                                0-4 Kyu
1st place - W. Robillard, Steveston    1st place - B. Pae, Northwest
2nd place - E. DeJong, UW              2nd place - L. Gao, UW
3rd place - E. Marsten, Highline       3rd place - M. Eum, UW
3rd place - B. Lin, UW                 3rd place - A. Rossi, Spokane

3-1 Kyu                                1-2 Dan
1st place - K. Toyokawa, Tacoma        1st place - S. O'Sullivan, Steveston
2nd place - H. Jang, Cascade           2nd place - K. McManus, Kent
3rd place - K. Fukuda, Cascade         3rd place - P. Lin, Bellevue
3rd place - T. Fukuda, Cascade         3rd place - K. Muramatsu, Renfrew

3 Dan                                  4 Dan and Above
1st place - R. Kuki, UBC               1st place - N. Nakano, Steveston
2nd place - T. Okitsu, Tozenji         2nd place - M. Rose, Renfrew
3rd place - C. Ruiz, Spokane           3rd place - V. Vulfson, Northwest
3rd place - S. DeNardi, Spokane        3rd place - B. Imanishi, Cascade

Teams
1st place - PNKF Men (J. Yamauchi, R. Lei, N. Tanimura, C. Ruiz, B. Imanishi)
2nd place - Bellevue (R. Takaishi, P. Lin, L. Tsybert, J. Jeon, S. Blechschmidt)

Taikai Chair - Sue Vanasouk
Head Shinpan - David Yotsuuye
Sportsmanship Pledge - Minari Omura
UW Most Improved - Jason Nguyen
Kazuo and Tomo Shoji Inspirational Award - Sue Vanasouk

16th NABESHIMA CUP TAIKAI and 10th TEXAS OPEN TAIKAI – April 22, 2017, Greenhill School Phillips Gymnasium, Addison


Women's Division                          Mudansha Division
1st place - Yebin Chae, Houston           1st place - Massim Shah, DFWKIK
2nd place - Alexandra Darrah, Houston     2nd place - Marc Hakim, Tuscon
3rd place - Ma Denise Verastigue, DFWKIK  3rd place - Israel Martinez, Nuevo Laredo
3rd place - Minjeong Park, Houston        3rd place - Nguyen Ly, DFWKIK
 Kantosho - Sol (Joanne) Hong, DFWKIK      Kantosho - Hogan Choi, DFWKIK
            Elizabeth Pesek, Salinas                  Vivian Bentley, ZenBuKan

Yudansha Division                         Texas Open
1st place - Andrew Takahashi, New Orleans 1st place - Koki Masuo, Austin
2nd place - Allan Azurin, Houston         2nd place - Takuro Yamaoka, Omaha
3rd place - Nathan Williams, DFWKIK       3rd place - Makiko Adachi, 
3rd place - Jonah Wu, Arkansas            3rd place - Katsuhei Yoshioka, Houston
 Kantosho - Mike Sentany, Arkansas         Kantosho - Carlos Guerra, Houston
            Jake Dupre, New Orleans

51st ANNUAL VANCOUVER KENDO TOURNAMENT – May 13, 2017, Byrne Creek Secondary School, Burnaby


9 Years and Under                  10 to 12 Years                       13 to 15 Years
1st place - N. Son, Renbu          1st place - C. Robillard, Steveston  1st place - KG Underhill, PNKF
2nd place - D. Buckham, UVic       2nd place - K. Yoshimura, Renbu      2nd place - KJ Underhill, PNKF
3rd place - T. Okurano, Youshinkan 3rd place - R. Cho, Renbu            3rd place - A. Son, Renbu
3rd place - F. Benson, Youshinkan  3rd place - H. Homma, Renbu          3rd place - B. Miki, Steveston

16 to 20 Years                     21 to 30 Years                       31 to 40 Years
1st place - T. Marsten, PNKF       1st place - E. Kita, Renbu           1st place - M. Rose, Renfrew
2nd place - A. Lee, Vancouver      2nd place - T. Hamanaka, Tozenji     2nd place - R. Atagi, PNKF
3rd place - E. Lee, Renbu          3rd place - Y. Chen, UBC             3rd place - C. Ruiz, PNKF
3rd place - H. Shim, Renbu         3rd place - E. Chang, UBC            3rd place - W. Blades, Renfrew

41 Years and Over                    Women
1st place - I. Miki, Steveston       1st place - M. Ara, Renbu
2nd place - S. Day, Kent             2nd place - H. Yamada, Vancouver
3rd place - W. Wong, Steveston       3rd place - N. Fukushima, Vancouver
3rd place - K. Iwai, Steveston       3rd place - F. Ho, JCCC

Junior Team                          Senior Team
1st place - PNKF                     1st place - Renbu
2nd place - Renbu B                  2nd place - Vancouver

Fighting Spirit Awards 
L. Murao, Steveston
K. McManus, PNKF

27th ANNUAL BELLEVUE JUNIOR TAIKAI – May 20, 2017, Bellevue


10 Years and Under                          11 to 12 Years                 13 to 14 Years
1st place - K. Maxfield-Matsumoto, Highline 1st place - A. Mabale, Seattle 1st place - J. Kim, Federal Way
2nd place - N. Chu, Bellevue                2nd place - J. Koob, Bellevue  2nd place - K. Underhill, Northwest
3rd place - Sean Kim, Seattle               3rd place - J. Paik, Tacoma    3rd place - K. Honda, Cascade
3rd place - J. Yu, Northwest                3th place - E. Kim, Seattle    3rd place - K. Takamatsu, Bellevue

High School Girls                     High School Boys
1st place - J. DeJong, Highline       1st place - T. Marsten, Kent
2nd place - B. Park, Bellevue         2nd place - K. Underhill, Northwest
3rd place - A. Kojima, Bellevue       3rd place - M. Ohata, Bellevue
3rd place - J. Higa, Bellevue         3rd place - K. Fukuda, Cascade

Junior Teams
1st place - Northwest (J. Yu, K. Underhill, T. Ting, D. Terao, K. Honda)
2nd place - Bellevue Red (L. Ohata, H. Koob, K. Takamatsu, M. Tawara, T. Dage)

High School Teams
1st place - Bellevue (B. Park, J. Higa, J. DeJong)
2nd place - Kent (K. McManus, K. Acoba, T. Marsten)
Head Shinpan - D. Yotsuuye;
Taikai Co-Chairs - Allison Kojima and Betty Park;
National Anthem - Leo Ohata;
Competitors' Pledge - Jane Higa;
Master of Ceremonies - CJ Chaney;
Awesome Spirit Award - Kenji Maxfield-Matsumoto, Highline.

2017 ROSE CITY TAIKAI – June 10, 2017, Portland Community College Cascade Campus


Women                                  Juniors 9 and Under
1st place - J. Frazier-Day, Kent       1st place - J. Chang, Kogakukan
2nd place - V. Le, Obukan              2nd place - K. Maxfield-Matsumoto, Highline
3rd place - E. Marsten, Highline       3rd place - L. Chen, Oakland
3rd place - K. McManus, Kent           3rd place - C. Chai, Kogakukan

Juniors 10-12                          Juniors 13-15
1st place - A. Yuen, Seattle           1st place - J. Kim, Federal Way
2nd place - T. Choi, Kogakukan         2nd place - T. Miyamoto, Northwest
3rd place - D. Chung, Cascade          3rd place - K. Underhill, Northwest
3rd place - J. Choi, Kogakukan         3rd place - S. Wetlesen, Obukan

Juniors 16-18                          0-4 Kyu
1st place - B. Park, Bellevue          1st place - K. McIntosh, Federal Way
2nd place - J. DeJong, Highline        2nd place - A. Rossi, Spokane
3rd place - S. Wetlesen, Obukan        3rd place - G. Montoya, Spokane
3rd place - K. Underhill, Northwest    3rd place - E. Peralta, Obukan

3-1 Kyu                                1-2 Dan
1st place - V. Blancarte, Sno-King     1st place - T. McManus, Kent
2nd place - T. Fukuda, Cascade         2nd place - K. McManus, Kent
3rd place - T. Peterson, Idaho         3rd place - V. Le, Obukan
3rd place - C. Pak, Portland           3rd place - J. Yamauchi, Cascade

3 Dan                                  4 Dan and Above
1st place - R. Takaishi, Bellevue      1st place - B. Imanishi, Cascade
2nd place - C. Ruiz, Spokane           2nd place - G. Suzaka, Seattle
3rd place - T. Marsten, Kent           3rd place - E. Marsten, Highline
3rd place - J. Lamb, Spokane           3rd place - B. Atagi, Idaho

Junior Teams
1st place - Northwest (T. Miyamoto, K. Underhill, T. Ting)
2nd place - Federal Way (S. Lee, A. Yuan, J. Kim)
3rd place - Oakland (M. Day, V. Chen, L. Chen)
3rd place - Bellevue (I. DeBlieck, A. Nagai, L. Ohata)

Senior Teams
1st place - Kent (I. Morgan, K. McManus, S. Day, T. McManus, T. Marsten)
2nd place - Portland A (A. Jantrania, C. Tilt, G. Nakayama, N. Cook, E. Woln)
3rd place - PNKF Women A (T. Imanishi, J. Chen, M. DeJong, E. Marsten, J. Frazier-Day)
3rd place - Seattle (D. Imanishi, A. Yuen, G. Suzaka, V. Whittman, A. Yen)
Head Shinpan - Doug Imanishi; Competitors' Pledge - Blake Sprenger; Master of Ceremonies - Van Le

AUSKF 2017 IAIDO CHAMPIONSHIP – June 11, 2017, Bryn Mawr


0-2 Kyu Mudansha                           Murakami Cup 1 Kyu and 1 Dan
1st place - Feng Wang, Mushinkan SWUSKIF   1st place - Helene Cousin, Sei Zan Kan AEUSKF
2nd place - Phil Sevin, ZenBuKan RMKIF     2nd place - Michael Schuldt, Agassiz MWKF
3rd place - Joseph Costa, Ittokai AEUSKF   3rd place - Thane Mittelstaedt, AiShinKai PNKF
3rd place - Adam Sandor, Agassiz MWKF      3rd place - Nathan Williams, DFWKIK SWUSKIF
 Kantosho - Ritchard Higham, Ken-Zen AEUSKF Kantosho - Kevin Huang, Shidogakui Rutgers GNEUSKF

Murosako Cup 2 Dan and 3 Dan               Yamaguchi Cup 4 Dan and Above
1st place - John Mullin, Ken-Zen AEUSKF    1st place - Debi Farmer, Shidogakuin NY GNEUSKF
2nd place - Kevin Thibedeau, Ken-Zen AEUSKF2nd place - Jonathan Corum, Nichibukan EUSKF
3rd place - Callie Goeke, Ren Ma PNKF      3rd place - Aram Kailian Shicogakuin NY GNEUSKF
3rd place - David Dudek, Ken-Zen AEUSKF    3rd place - Jason Hankins, ZenBuKan RMKIF
 Kantosho - Orsolya Kiss, Cleveland GNEUSKF Kantosho - Joe Sheldon, River City SUSKIF

7th AUSKF JUNIOR OPEN NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS – June 22, 2017, Independence High School, San Jose, California


9 Years and Under                      10-11 Years
1st place - Akimasa Hotta, ECUSKF      1st place - Taiyo Ariga, SCKO
2nd place - Joshua Koines, SCKO        2nd place - McCartney Hong, NCKF
3rd place - Joshua Hong, AEUSKF        3rd place - Takahide Katayama, ECUSKF
3rd place - Euvene Kae, WKF            3rd place - Peter Yu, SCKF
 Kantosho - Ren Fujimoto, MWKF          Kantosho - Kyle Sakai, SCKO
 Kantosho - Mai Sakamoto, SCKO          Kantosho - Ryosuke Yamamoto, SCKO
 Kantosho - So Imura, SCKO              Kantosho - Taisho Shiono, SCKF
 Kantosho - Yuta Onitsuka, NCKF         Kantosho - Misaki Matsunaga, ECUSKF

12-13 Years                            14-15 Years
1st place - Tomohide Katayama, ECUSKF  1st place - Paul Ikeda, NCKF
2nd place - Dave Nam, SCKF             2nd place - Koji Ishimori, SEUSKF
3rd place - Haru Sakamoto, SCKO        3rd place - Riki Okawa, SCKO
3rd place - Eugene Kae, WKF            3rd place - Sean Hsu, SCKO
 Kantosho - Andrew Kang, SCKF           Kantosho - Tylor Wang, WKF
 Kantosho - Daniel Jung, SEUSKF         Kantosho - Bryan Yoo, WKF
 Kantosho - Yosuke Takubo, SCKF         Kantosho - Benjamin Hur, SCKF
 Kantosho - Akira Fujiwara, SCKO        Kantosho - Ethan Chen, NCKF

16-18 Years                            13 Years and Under Girls
1st place - Gen Takahashi, SCKO        1st place - Daphne Chen, SCKF
2nd place - Masahiro Muramatsu, EUSKF  2nd place - Grace Huh, SCKF
3rd place - Tyler Barrone, MWKF        3rd place - Sarah Kang, SEUSKF
3rd place - Hiroshi Kiuchi, SCKO       3rd place - Yewon Chae, SEUSKF
 Kantosho - Teruya Mochizuki, ECUSFK    Kantosho - Naomi Yu, SCKF
 Kantosho - Ian Kotake, SCKO            Kantosho - Minami Matsunaga, ECUSKF
 Kantosho - Koji Tohmon, NCKF           Kantosho - Yui Koyama, AEUSKF
 Kantosho - Brenden Wang, WKF           Kantosho - Catherine Ikeda, NCKF

14-18 Years Girls
1st place - Takino Morishima, SEUSKF
2nd place - Seyeon Park, NCKF
3rd place - Emi Ichimura, NCKF
3rd place - Colleen Fan, NCKF
 Kantosho - Taery Kim, SCKF
 Kantosho - Ririka Satoh, SCKF
 Kantosho - Keeley McManus, PNKF
 Kantosho - Manami Matsunaga, ECUSKF

Youth Team               Girls Team              Boys Team
1st place - SCKO A       1st place - NCKF A      1st place - WKF B
2nd place - ECUSKF A     2nd place - SCKF A      2nd place - ECUSKF A
3rd place - AEUSKF A     3rd place - SCKF B      3rd place - NCKF A
3rd place - SCKF A       3rd place - NCKF B      3rd place - SCKO B

14th ALL UNITED STATES KENDO CHAMPIONSHIPS – June 23/24/25, 2017, Independence High School, San Jose, California


Junior Youth Boys                         Junior Youth Girls
1st place - Riki Okawa, SCKO              1st place - Seyeon Park, NCKF
2nd place - Leon Stewart, SEUSKF          2nd place - Aika Onitsuka, NCKF
3rd place - Tylor Wang, WKF               3rd place - Betty Park, PNKF
3rd place - Ethan Chen, NCKF              3rd place - Naomi Yu, SCKF
 Kantosho - Benjamin Ahn, WKF              Kantosho - Sarah Kang, SEUSKF
 Kantosho - Kengo Underhill, PNKF          Kantosho - Mika Nikaido, SCKF
 Kantosho - Aidan Jokela, MWKF             Kantosho - Aibrean Langan, EUSKF
 Kantosho - Joe Shimada, GNEUSKF           Kantosho - Daphne Chen, SCKF

Senior Youth Boys                         Senior Youth Girls
1st place - Mashu Sugiyama, SCKF          1st place - Takino Morishima, SEUSKF
2nd place - Mario Tanabe, NCKF            2nd place - Jamie Tada, SCKF
3rd place - Kai Shimada, GNEUSKF          3rd place - Ririka Satoh, SCKF
3rd place - Tiarnan Marsten, PNKF         3rd place - Taery Kim, SCKF
 Kantosho - Hayden Gingrich, EUSKF         Kantosho - Carolyne Ikeda, NCKF
 Kantosho - Arata Ogikubo, SCKO            Kantosho - Jennifer DeJong, PNKF
 Kantosho - Hiroshi Kiuchi, SCKO           Kantosho - Allison Kojima, PNKF
 Kantosho - James Ro, SEUSKF               Kantosho - Emi Ichimura, NCKF

Mudansha                                  Seniors
1st place - Akira Minamitani, SCKF        1st place - Hiroshi Ichimura, NCKF
2nd place - Christina Lin, SCKF           2nd place - Atsushi Kajioka, SCKO
3rd place - Gregory Lewis, SEUSKF         3rd place - Behzad Hadizadeh, AEUSKF
3rd place - David Pantoja, NCKF           3rd place - Eiichiro Nakano, SCKO
 Kantosho - Kai-Lin Jang, SCKF             Kantosho - Hoon Chang, AEUSKF
 Kantosho - Kiutran Phan, SCKO             Kantosho - Takaaki Sato, MWKF
 Kantosho - Jonathan Han, WKF              Kantosho - Nozumu Ishimori, SEUSKF
 Kantosho - Sungjin Kim                    Kantosho - Shuji Matsushita, AEUSKF+

Women's                                   Men's
1st place - Esther Kim, SCKF              1st place - D.J. Huh, SCKF
2nd place - Shiori Chimielewski, MWKF     2nd place - Arashi Steele, MWKF
3rd place - Makiko Adachi, SWUSKIF        3rd place - Kenneth Song, WKF
3rd place - Yuri Kil, SCKF                3rd place - Ken Mizobe, SCKF
 Kantosho - Elizabeth Marsten, PNKF        Kantosho - Taro Ariga, SCKO
 Kantosho - Minako Harigai, SCKO           Kantosho - Takuro Yamaoka, SWUSKIF
 Kantosho - Yuko Saito, SCKO               Kantosho - Ryoma Tominaga, GNEUSKF
 Kantosho - Grace An, NCKF                 Kantosho - Julian Williams, SCKF

Junior Youth Boys Team   Junior-Senior Youth Girls Team                                 Senior Youth Boys Team
1st place - WKF          1st place - SEUSKF (T. Morishima, Y. Chae, G. Castro, S. Kang) 1st place - SCKO
2nd place - SCKF         2nd place - NCKF                                               2nd place - SEUSKF
3rd place - NCKF         3rd place - SCKO                                               3rd place - NCKF
3rd place - SCKO         3rd place - SCKF (S. Maekawa, T. Kim, R. Satoh, J. Tada)       3rd place - SCKF

Mudansha Team            Seniors Team                                                     Men's Team
1st place - NCKF         1st place - NCKF (J. Eitoku, H. Ishimura, C. Park, A. Mizunoue)  1st place - SCKF
2nd place - SCKF         2nd place - SCKO                                                 2nd place - GNEUSKF
3rd place - SEUSKF       3rd place - SCKF                                                 3rd place - MWKF
3rd place - SCKO         3rd place - EUSKF                                                3rd place - SWUSKIF

Women's Team
1st place - SCKF (L. Fu, K. Tada, E. Kim, A. Dong, Y. Kil, K. Liu, Y. Arima)
2nd place - PNKF (J. Frazier-Day, N. Grimes, M. DeJong, T. Imanishi, B. Lin, J. Chen, E. Marsten)
3rd place - MWKF (S. Masuko, S. Chmielewski, R. McCarty, M. Ahn, M. Fujimoto, Y. Suzuki Saathoff)
3rd place - SCKO (H. Nohara Hsueh, M. Harigai, Y. Saito, Y. Miura, S. Segawa, V.Kuo)

LEEWARD OAHU KENDO TOURNAMENT – June 25, 2017, Mililani District Park Gym


Yonenbu 8-10 Years                       Shonenbu 12-14 Years
1st place - Jacob Amano                  1st place - Brandyn Matsumoto
2nd place - Maiki Uda                    2nd place - Caden Matsumoto
3rd place - Trinity Kishimoto            3rd place - Zachary Yamamoto
3rd place - Ethan Amano

Seinenbu 14-16 Years                     Seinenbu 17 Years and Older
1st place - Go Hayakawa                  1st place - Yunsang Park
2nd place - Landon Wong                  2nd place - Brent Suyama
3rd place - Kai Kishishita               3rd place - Brian Howell

Women's Yudansha                         Yudansha 1-2 Dan
1st place - Nicole Chun                  1st place - Shoshi Hashimoto
2nd place - Gina Kishimoto               2nd place - Yoshinori Imagawa
3rd place - Kano Hashimoto               3rd place - Eric Young
3rd place - Jessica Sneed                3rd place - Eric Tomishima

Yudansha 3-4 Dan                         Yudansha 5-6 Dan
1st place - Kevin Chun                   1st place - Grant Matsubayashi
2nd place - Nicklaus Matsumoto           2nd place - Chris Goodin
3rd place - Daiki Miura                  3rd place - Katsushi Chinen
                                         3rd place - Jack Yamada

Yudansha Masters 45 Years and Over
1st place - Elton Ushio
2nd place - Ron Miller
3rd place - Elbert Yoshida
3rd place - Marvin Acklin

Team Match                               Parents/Kids Team Match
1st place - Kenshikan                    Parents - 4
2nd place - Waipahu Seibukan             Kids - 1
James Oka "Kantosho" Fighting Spirit Award - Maiki Uda

SHINKYU SHINSA

AUSKF KODANSHA SHINSA, April 9, 2017, San Jose, California

5TH DAN: Scott Chang (SCKF), Jeff Cheng-yu Chen (NCKF), Dale Hatakeyama (NCKF), Hidenori Kongo
(SCKF), Hidenori Kongo (NCKF), Jeffrey Marsten (PNKF), Hitoshi Tanabe (NCKF), Linda Tanaka (NCKF),
Hiroaki Yano (SCKO), Suzan Zau (SCKF). 6TH DAN: Jason Brown (SCKF), Dong Jin Huh (SCKF), Sunmi
Lim (WKF), Taisuke Mori (MWKF), Shinji Onitsuka (NCKF), Kijae Song (WKF), Teruo Tamano (SCKO). 7TH
DAN: Kevin Abe (SCKF), Masataka Sakaue (SCKF). Renshi: Jimmy Eitoku (NCKF).
Kyoshi: Masayasu Ando (PNKF), Tetsuo Komizu (SWKIF).

ZNKR KENDO SHINSA, June 4, 2017, Shizuoka, Japan

5TH DAN: Samantha Du, Shanghai.

AUSKF IAIDO SHINSA, June 11, 2017 Bryn Mawr

3RD KYU: Jayson Gesulga (Musoshindenryu Iaido Agassiz MWKF, Igor Motov (Doshikai AEUSKF), Gilberto
Perez (Toku Bu Kan SEUSKF), Ben Senderling (Omaha SWUSKIF), Joshua Stadtlander-Miller (Ken-Zen
AEUSKF), Nathanial Thomason Musoshindenryu Iaido Agassiz MWKF), Darryl Woods (Mushinkan SWUSKIF).
2ND KYU: Soo Chul Bang (Shidogakuin NY GNEUSKF), Joseph Costa (Itto Kai AUSKF), Michael
Jacobson (Musoshindenryu Iaido Agassiz MWKF), Phil Sevin (Zen Bu Kan RMKIF), Feng (Blade) Wang
(Mushinkan SWUSKIF). 1ST KYU: Dylan Abrams (Cherry Hill EUSKF), Jeremie Clark (Doshikai
AEUSKF), Ritchard Higham (Ken-Zen AEUSKF), Peter Kim (Doshikai AEUSKF), Hiroyuki Maeda (Idaho PNKF).
1ST DAN: Dominique Alfandari (Sei Zan AEUSKF), Cheyenne Baker (Dallas-Fort Worth SWUSKIF),
David Carroll (River City SUSKIF), Helene Cousin (Sei Zan AEUSKF), Michael Schuldt (Musoshindenryu
Iaido-Agassiz MWKF), Scott Watson (Michigan Koryu MWKF), Nathan Williams Dallas-Fort Worth SWUSKIF).
2ND DAN: John Baker (Dallas-Fort Worth SWUSKIF), Jordy Davis (Zen Bu Kan RMKIF), Celeste Rosell
(Zen Bu Kan RMKIF). 3RD DAN: Jose Arenas Gomez (Aizen BRAZIL), Michael Sareyani (Ken-Zen
AEUSKF). 4TH DAN: Sasha Corchado (JSS EUSKF), Orsolya Kiss (Cleveland Touyuukai GNEUSKF),
Michael Pattarozzi (Rocky Mountain RMKIF), Kevin Thibedeau (Ken-Zen AEUSKF). 5TH DAN: Gordon
Hall (Ken-Zen AEUSKF). 6TH DAN: David Bressler (Ken-Zen AEUSKF), Jason Hankins (Zen Bu Kan
RMKIF), Nancy James (Sei Zan AEUSKF), Samuel Okuno (Norwalk SCKF).

AUSKF JODO SHINSA, June 11, 2017 Bryn Mawr

1ST KYU: Bradley Anderson (Musoshindenryu Iaido Agassiz MWKF), David Bressler (Ken-Zen AEUSKF),
Nikiforos Fokas (US Kobujodokai AUSKF), Bob Fushimi (Yamakage SWUSKIF), Jayson Gesulga (Musoshindenryu
Iaido Agassiz MWKF) Michael Jacobson (Musoshindenryu Iaido Agassiz MWKF), Kazuhiro Kawashima
(Shidogakuin NY GNEUSKF), An Nguyen (Butokuden SCKO), Jaden Olah (Yamakage SWUSKIF), Raab Rashi
(Seitokan EUSKF), Adam Sandor (Musoshindenryu Iaido Agassiz MWKF), Michael Schuldt (Musoshindenryu
Iaido Agassiz MWKF), Kevin Thibedeau (Ken-Zen AEUSKF), Richard -Todosichuk (Doshikai AEUSKF), Phillip
VanDenBerghe (Baltimore-Annapolis SEUSKF), Scott Watson (Michigan Koryu MWKF). 1ST DAN: Peter
Kim (Doshikai AEUSKF), Gina Konstantopoulos (Ken-Zen AEUSKF), Alec Milton (Ken-Zen AEUSKF).

THE LAST WORD

To renew, when we are deadlocked with the enemy, means that without changing our circumstances we
change our spirit and win through a different technique. (Musashi) The true Way of the strategy is the
craft of defeating the enemy in a fight, and nothing other than this. If you attain and adhere to the
wisdom of my strategy, you need never doubt that you will win. (Musashi) I did not graduate from
Busen. I would have been the 31st class to graduate from Busen in 1944, but I was drafted into the
Japanese military in 1942. There were two entering classes after mine, and then Busen closed forever.
Japan was at war, and many of the Sensei’s and students had been called to serve in the Japanese
military before I received my draft notice during my second year of classes. Actually attending Seiho
Middle School for Japanese (Kokugo) and then Ritsumeikan University for Chinese classical writing
(Kanbun), allowed me to remain out of service for longer than many of the students. Each year Ogawa
Sensei submitted an exemption form for me, but my exemption finally expired. Because most of the
senseis had already been drafted, there was certainly no excuse for not serving. Once notified,
military service was mandatory. And I served from October 1942 to September 12, 1945, the end of World
War II. I recall the Nisei song composed by one of the Japanese language teachers at the Wahiawa
Hongwanji Buddhist temple. He composed it from an old Japanese school song and adapted the words to
our life in Hawaii. We all knew the song and sang it almost as what would be called a pep rally song
today. I recently recorded it to send to Kyoto for the Busen anniversary, together with the Busen
school song.

  Rekishi Wa Nagashi Sanzen Nen 
  Koto Kagayaku Hinomoto No
  Fubo No Chi Ukeshi Warera Nari
  Seigi Wo Motte Kuni Wo tate
  Sekai Ni Kan taru Tomi Wo Motsu
  Amerika Shimin No Warera Nari
  Long 3,000 year history,
  of the shining unbroken Japanese Imperial line.
  We, the heirs of this 3,000 year lineage,
  With justice we build this country
  A nation unsurpassed in the world as ours
  American citizens we became.

I don’t know what my father’s view of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor was, but in 1941, he sent my
brother Tomio (Brian) to Japan, knowing that he would be drafted into the Japanese Imperial Army. I
saw him for one day; the next he answered the draft. Brian fought in the Japan-China War, which began
in 1931 with the invasion of Manchuria. His was a more gentle nature than mine when we were kids in
Wahiawa, so I doubt that Brian was eager to be a soldier. But he had no choice but to obey my father.
He spoke of his war experience rarely, but his time in service was not easy. He was pure Japanese, but
having been raised in Hawaii, his language skills were more lacking than mine when I arrived at Kyoto.
A worthy Japanese does not speak pidgen. His fellow soldiers not only rejected him but beat him
frequently. The Japanese invasion of China brought hell, and the Japanese army brought Brian nothing
but a constant, tortuous hell.

–Rod Nobuto Omoto, Autobiography, edited by Charlotte Omoto, 2014, p. 28-29.
Available as free download at lulu.com.

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Kenyu – Monthly Newsletter of the Pacific Northwest Kendo Federation
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