16th World Kendo Championships will be at Nippon Budo Kan in Tokyo from May 29th

through 31st. Our delegation headed by Hawaii Kendo Federation President Kathy

Nekomoto are as follows; Yoshiro Takahashi, Kenton Chun, Matthew Wong and Hyun

Kim. Team Hawaii members are Braxton Fukutomi, Christopher Goodin, Grant

Matsubayashi, Garrett Matsumoto, Andrew Fujimoto, Jordan Miller, Seth Harris, Erika

Hill, Nicole Yoshida, Megan Watanabe, Roxine Kubo-Nakamoto and Gina Kishimoto.

They have been practicing very hard and their improvement has been noticeable. Good

luck to them and enjoy kendo and kendo friendship all over the world.

 

Our club is hosting children’s tournament and shinpan seminar on Saturday, June 6th at

Wahiawa Hongwanji Mission Hall from 9AM. The tournament is for children 15 years

old and younger. Those children who have not started putting kendo-gu on can come

and watch, then play together afterwards to make friends. This tournament is not official

one so that you do not get stressed out for your mistakes. Senseis will not scold you, just

pointed out to improve your shinpan skills. If we have extra time before finishing 12

Noon, we will have a short godo-geiko. Our club will provide pizza for everyone there.

Come and join our celebration of learning and making friends.

 

The annual Leeward Oahu Kendo Tournament will be on Sunday, June 28 at Mililani

District Park Gym. Tell your club instructors if you want to participate. A kendo

equipment vendor will be there for your equipment needs. If you definitely need some

items, ask your instructors for this vendor’s contact so that you can email or call them to

preorder items.

 

Hawaii Kendo Federation Dan examination will be on Sunday, July 5th at Kaimuki Gym.

For those who are coming from outer islands are allowed to take one during Leeward

Oahu Kendo Tournament on Sunday, June 28th. If you want to take the examination, tell

your instructors. We do kata practice in Kaneohe He’eia Branch Dojo Monday nights.

Come and practice kata with us.

 

Inoue Kazuyoshi Sensei of Fukuoka is planning to make a usual visit in summer. His

schedule is not finalized yet. We are looking forward to learning from him again.

 

During the course of our practices, I say several times, “If you get sick or too tired, stop

right there and have a seat.” Someone commented on that. At dojo practices in Japan,

they seldom say that. They rather say, “Don’t make your weak will-power beat you.

Try harder and continue more.” My kendo philosophy is that we are doing kendo as a

hobby, not a work. We should get pure pleasure and satisfaction out of it. After

practices, you should get feeling, “I’m glad that I came. It was a good work out.”

Kendo certainly promotes good health both mentally and physically.

Bulletin