Children’s Tournament with Shinpan Seminar our club hosted on April 9th was quite

successful. What we liked most was that children had a good time and made friends.

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Miss Wakako Inoue, 5 Dan, from Fukuoka is in town. She will be with us till May 10th.

We will have her at our dojo on Wednesday, May 4th. Please come and join us with our

practice. I was asked to give her a keiko but it seems that she is the one gives me keiko.

Hawaii Kendo Federation announced 1 kyu and dan examination to be held on Sunday,

June 5th at Kaimuki Honbu Dojo. So far two persons from our dojo told me to take

examinations. If you are interested in taking one, let your dojo chief know. Remember,

if you need kata practice, our two dojos practice kata before regular keiko starts. Come

earlier and practice with me or with someone there early.

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Hidaka Hisamitsu Sensei, Kyoshi 7 Dan, from Kurume, along with 7 other 7 Dan Senseis

will visit Hawaii from June 9th till 13th. So far their plan is to visit Hawaii Daijingu

Kendo Club on Friday, June 10th and Kaimuki Honbu Dojo on Sunday, June 12th. All of

them are quite active and regularly practicing. Be there and get keiko from them.

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Mr. Kevin Kamita is taking some children to Japan to participate in Toyomura Azumori

Sensei’s Tohkyo Budokan regular practices on June 23rd, 24th and 25th. I go along to

assist Mr. Kamita. Mr. Kamita is a very valuable person for Hawaii’s Kendo future.

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Leeward Oahu Kendo Tournament this year falls on Sunday, June 26th at Mililani District

Park Gym. If you are participating, let your dojo sensei know. A kendo equipment

company will be there for your equipment needs. If the equipment you want requires

measurements, contact them in advance to preorder with measurements.

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Pacific Northwest Kendo Federation sponsored Women’s Tournament is on Saturday,

July 16th. We would like to send Team Hawaii there. Let Seth Harris Sensei know if

you want to participate.

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Foreign Kendo Leaders’ Seminar also known as Gedatsukai Summer Camp is from July

22nd till 29th. Out of 4 Hawaii applicants, only Mr. Christopher Funada of Hilo has been

selected down from the past usual 2 person allocations for Hawaii.

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Hashimoto Yoshito Sensei, Kyoshi 7 Dan from Shiga, was at our dojo on January 27th.

He told us that at his dojo kenshis line up according to their ages instead of Dan rank or

Titles they held, because life experiences counted more than kendo ranks and titles.

Though we work hard to obtain higher kendo ranks and titles, we must respect one’s

achievements and contributions to our society. It makes me sad to see kenshis who act

as if they are superior human beings to older persons just because of higher ranks/titles.