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
PNKF KENDO SHINSA, June 17th, 2018, Caldwell, Idaho
3 KYU: Cory Leslie (Idaho) 1 KYU: Sten Kajitani (SWKIF) 4 DAN: Young Shim (Bellevue), Ethan Waln (Portland)
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 11 to 13 Years 14 to 15 Years
1st place - N. Son, Renbu 1st place - T. Ariga, Butokuden 1st place - R. Kim, Renbu
2nd place - I. Hwang, Renbu 2nd place - R. Homma, Renbu 2nd place - A. Shimizu, Tozenji
3rd place - I. Lancelot, NCKF 3rd place - C. Robillard, Steveston 3rd place - M. Fukuoka, Tozenji
3rd place - F. Benson, Youshinkan 3rd place - D. Chui, Steveston 3rd place - J. Kim, Federal Way
0-4 Kyu 1-3 Kyu Women 1 Dan and Under
1st place - T. Miyamoto, Northwest 1st place - K. Fukuda, Cascade 1st place - B. Park, Bellevue
2nd place - S. Lu, Steveston 2nd place - K. Underhill, Cascade 2nd place - A. Kojima, Bellevue
3rd place - M. Miyamoto, Northwest 3rd place - A. Yorita, UW 3rd place - J. An, Tozenji
3rd place - F. Lancelot, NCKF 3rd place - J. Nguyen, UW 3rd place - N. Harris, Highline
Women 2 Dan and Over 1-2 Dan 3 Dan
1st place - A. Fukushima, Vancouver 1st place - K. Muramatsu, Renfrew 1st place - I. Miki, Steveston
2nd place - K. Darbyshire, Vancouver 2nd place - E. Lee, Renbu 2nd place - T. Marsten, Kent
3rd place - E. Marsten, Highline 3rd place - E. Chui, Steveston 3rd place - T. Adachi, UVic
3rd place - K. McManus, Kent 3rd place - S. O’Sullivan, Steveston 3rd place - T. Okitsu, Tozenji
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 Senior Team
1st place - Renbu A (H.Homma,A.Son, 1st place - Vancouver (K.Darbyshire,G.Gao,
K.Squance,Y.Lee,R.Kim) A.Fukushima,R.Asato,T.Yamada)
2nd place - Steveston A (J.Hung,C.Robillard, 2nd place - Youshinkan (J.Jeong,Y.Tsuchikawa,
B.Miki,R.Nakano,M.Iwai) A.Xie,J.Chien,B.Huber)
3rd place - Renbu B (N.Son,I.Son, 3rd place - Tozenji (G.Kitamura,J.An,
K.Yoshimura,E.Cho,H.Tominaga) T.Okitsu,K.Suzuki,T.Hamanaka)
3rd place - Steveston B (E.Chui,D.Chui, 3rd place - Steveston A (S.O’Sullivan,D.Yao,
L.Takahae,A.Chang,A.Iwai) T.Okitsu,K.Suzuki,T.Hamanaka)
Sportsmanship Pledge - Tenny Chui
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.
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
PNKF IAIDO SHINSA, February 24th, 2018, Seatac, WA
3 KYU: Jennifer Erichsen (Tonbo) 2 KYU: Abigail Benoit (Tonbo) 1 KYU: Nikhil Varma (Seattle), Nicodemus Edwin Widjonarko (Obukan) 1 DAN: Mikako Barlow (Musokai), Khoi Duong (Kent), Sean Horita (Musokai), Hiroyuki Maeda (Idaho), Robert Neff (Tonbo) 2 DAN: Frank Hauser (Alaska)
PNKF KENDO SHINSA, February 24th, 2018, SeaTac, WA
6 KYU: Kaito Ayers (Sno-King), Conrad Steelman (Bellevue), Mia Grove (Northwest), Zane Laupati (Kent) 5 KYU: Kenjiro Maxfield-Matsumoto (Highline), Issei DeBlieck (Sno-King), Kai Kubal-Komoto (Federal Way), Seohee Jeon (Bellevue), Christine Son (Federal Way) 4 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) 3 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) 2 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) 1 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) 1 DAN: Shun Wetlesen (Obukan), Hien Katayama (Edmonds), Edward Park (Sno-King), Young-ki Paik (Tacoma), Victor Whitman (Seattle) 2 DAN: Gregory Vielhaber (Portland), Alick Law (Sno-King), Betty Park (Bellevue), Allison Kojima (Bellevue), Brian Liao (Bellevue), Kenshin Higo (Kent), Cougar Capoeman (Tacoma) 3 DAN: Daniel Anzai (Obukan), Tomoko Iwanaga (Obukan), Ayumi Kojima (Northwest), Marek Nelson (Spokane), Mary DeJong (Highline), Dean Yamada (Seattle) 4 DAN: Justin Lamb (Spokane), Chris Ruiz (Spokane)
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
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