Waikato Kendo Club

. . This is an excerpt from an old TV show called "You Asked For It." This portion shows what Kendo is. .... Interesting is that this was back when sweeping was allowed in Kendo. I found this interesting Kendo video clip at YouTube and hope to share it with you. ~ Sam

Tokyo University!!! Wow, Katsu ... Well done. We are all proud with you! ----- Original Message ----- From: Katsuaki Jimbo To: Marleen Charng ; Sam Tsai Sent: Saturday, September 15, 2007 10:51 AM Subject: Its been long time from Katsu Hello, Marleen and Sam. Katsu here. Its been long time since I left waikato, sorry for not telling anythig. I have been very busy, I had to work everyday and also need to study for the exams. Fortunately, I passed the entrance exams!!!!! I will study at Tokyo Univiersity from Octorber. I will continue studying environmental studies. One of the reason I passed was that I could keep my mind stable trought writing exams and interview. This stable mind is from Kendo I guess. So thank you thank you very much for everything you did for me. I guess our club member really enjoyed the summer camp which I watched the pictures. So many kendo people in our dojo, I can feel the good atmospere, tension and enthudism. I have no time to practice kendo right now, but I...

On behalf of Waikato Kendo Club, I would like to congratulate: - Tian Li - Wen Luo - Annie Ko - Gray Chapman who have achieved 8th Kyu in Kendo; - George Liu - Kevin Peng - Sang Won Kim - James Nam who have achieved 6th Kyu in Kendo; - William Kim - Clment Guo - Robin Kim - Omar Soemadipradja who have achieved 5th Kyu in Kendo; - Nicolus Stuyck - Angus Gray who have achieved 4th Kyu in Kendo; and - Joshua Mo - Christopher Mo - Andrew Fraser - Fumiko Akiyama - James Lee - Min Gi Kim - Ari Nuttale-Parton who have achieved 3rd Kyu in Kendo. Well done, all of you! That was a great grading and I am pleased to be part of your achievement. Getting higher grade also means more responsibility (such as taking care of other beginners and be a better moto-dachi) and more harder training. Anyway, please enjoy the photos (Thanks to DoHuan) and see you on Saturday. 100 Photos are available HERE !

The main purpose for me to push you participating in the 2007 NZKF National Seminar (Winter Camp) is not for your techniques only. Because we are not able to upgrade our kendo level in two days camp. What I want to show you is a great sensei -- Inoue sensei. I want you to know, to learn from a great contributer in Kendo, to set him as your own role model. Because all your life, you might not have the same oppertunity to see and listen to such a great person who contributes his whole life time in Kendo and makes big contribution to the society and others. My thinking can be traced back to my own experiences via my three Te-nugui that I am using... The blue one is from Chu sensei (Hanshi Hachi Dan) around 20 years ago , the red one is from Mihula sensei (Hanshi Hachi Dan) around 15 years ago, and the green-blue one is from Sam . Chu sensei has past away more than 10 years. Mihula sensei past away around two years ago. Whenever I use my blue tenugui, I think of Chu sensei. Ho...

The reflection from the camp is below... Something I learnt that is really pleasing is the new kata. I have learnt the movement of some the 4th kata and learnt more about 'hatso'. Innoue Sensei also taught me how to bow properly. It was embarrasing learning how to bow but still it was worth it. The mental aspect I learnt is the feeling you should have during the continuous men cuts with 1 breath. Now I get the feeling that is really going for a target and have something to achieve ... And these are the most important things I learnt ... James

Dear Sam, Marleen and everybody, Here are some reflections that I have after our Yearly National Camp I want to share with everybody. Technical aspect: The most important thing I have learnt this time is from Kata No. 2 and No.3.When we face to our opponent, Shinai needs to be kept on the centre line. Slightly push each other away could make the situation change. You could push your Shinai into opponents' centre line or push too hard and expose your hand. Philosophical aspect: Inoui Sensei made a comment about my ties behind Men wasn't even and tidy. That represent I won't have a good Zanshin. Somehow it make sense to me later (not at the first place). Inoui Sensei also asked everybody "what is the most treasured thing for ourselves ?" "Your life" that was what he revealed. I believed that he wanted to tell us the real meaning of "Bou Do" (or we can say Kendo Martial Art) isn't about killing or hurting each other. It is about arming yours...

During this camp I learn a lot from Inoue sensei. First of all sensei teach us how to control our breath, to do continues cutting without changing your breath, though I didn't do it right at the first time but later on I start to get the idea and doing 15 men cut with 1 breath is really hard. Very impress with that Japanese girl who did the demonstration for us on that day, I believe she did 20 cuts in one breath!!! Another thing that I learn is never use a new shinai during the camp you will get blister very easily, because the new shinai handle is too rough against your skin. I also learn how to do all five kamaie more properly now, didn't really know who to hold wakigamae properly before. Sensei also told as lot of philosophical thing including the meaning of each kata up to kata four, and how the ultimate goal or the highest level of kendo is to avoid conflict with others as much as possible. We can learn the meaning of life through kendo. During my grading this time, I did...