A Happy New Year! Hope this year is good one for you and your family.

Congratulations to Mr. Bruce Ushijima and Mr. Jon Shishido who passed 6 dan

examination in Nagoya on November 16th. Great accomplishment.

 

Mr. Gerald Matsubayashi, an Aiea Taiheiji Kendo Club member and Hawaii Kendo

Federation supporter, had passed away on Dec. 22nd. He is Grant and Tyler’s father.

The funeral service is on Saturday, January 3rd at Honpa Hongwanji Betsuin at 5PM.

We extend our deepest condolence to Mrs. Matsubayashi and her family.

 

Yumura Masatoku Sensei, Kyoshi 7 dan from Hyogo Prefecture, came to Kaimuki

practice on Sunday, December 28th. It is so nice for him to leave his family vacation for

us and show his eagerness to get his kendo better. He is good and very inspirational.

Mr. Hiroshi Sasaki and his lovely wife Keiko as well as their son, Yusuke, Mr. Hiroomi

Watanabe and Ms. Emiko Suda will be in town on January 4th. They plan to visit Mililani

on Mon/Thu, 5th and 8th, Kenshikan Tue/Sat, 6th and 10th, Wahiawa Wed 7th and Kaimuki, Sun 11th. As they come every year using their own money, please extend warm

welcome and learn from them a lot. Sasaki Sensei is current in all aspects of kendo.

 

Yamada Masayuki Sensei, Kyoshi 7 dan from Iwate Prefecture, will be with us from Jan.

10th till Jan. 17th. He is another repeat visitor and good one. Furutani Sensei plans to

bring him over to Wahiawa Kendo Club on Wednesday, January 17th. Please join us.

 

American Zone Referee Seminar will be on Jan. 24th and 25th in Las Vegas. Takahashi

Sensei, Buntin Sensei and I will be attending to learn shinpan-ho. Because Buntin

Sensei and I will be away, our Kaneohe practice on Monday, January 26th is cancelled.

 

Steveston Kendo Club, Richmond B.C., Canada, is sponsoring 53rd Tournament on Sat.

Feb. 14th. So far, the followings are participating, Matthew Takemoto, James Okada,

Braxton Fukutomi, Grant Matsubayashi, Chris Goodin and Roxine Kubo-Nakamoto.

The entry deadline is getting close. If you want to participate, let me know quickly.

 

Wahiawa Kendo Club has a policy of Kuru mono wa kobamazu. Saru mono wa

owazu, “Those who come are welcomed. Those who leave are not chased after.” I

adopted this from my teacher, Mr. Mitsusada Inoue, who just passed away on Dec. 2nd,

year 2014. Many classmates and graduates of my high school had continuously visited

him and listened to him and sought advices till his death. We received some life

changing advices. I am sure that all visitors of my club felt welcomed. We learned a lot

from visitors and created good friendship. If we stop accepting visitors, we may not be

able to learn new and good things they may bring to us and how can we make friends?