Waikato Kendo Club

Kobayashi Hideo Sensei – How to Seme (w/English CC)  小林英雄 先生 - 攻め方 How do you practice S eme ?   Very early on, I have heard of the “Three Opportunities to Strike”: strike when your opponent’s technique is about to start, strike when your opponent’s technique ends, and when the opponent is mentally and physically depleted. Since then, this line of thinking has given me a direction in how to train. In 2017, Utsunomiya sensei, 7-dan kyoshi, came to visit us and taught me the concept of “okori”. That reminds me of the conversation that happened 8 years before that in 2009 with Morioka sensei, also 7-dan kyoshi, who asked me: “What is the timing or reason of your strike?” I think most people are familiar with the idea that you should “ seme then strike ”. However, when do you strike after seme has been a source of struggle for most kenyu. That’s why when I saw the video from Kobayashi Hanshi where you seme for the purposes of creating “okori” , I felt this added a whol...

小澤博 先生 ：我以外，皆我師。 Wareigai Minagawashi  Is the kendo sensei from Japan “strong”? Sam Tsai, December 2009 Every time we get a visiting sensei from Japan, we inevitably get the question, “Is the sensei strong?” Naturally, it was no different when Ozawa Sensei came to visit us this time. There’s a simple perspective I would like to share regarding this matter: “sensei” and “senshu (active competitor)” are not the same thing. When you practice with a “senshu” (someone who is actively training to compete), perhaps it makes sense to treat the practice like a shiai where you win or lose. But when you practice with a sensei, the focus should really be on what you can learn from the experience be it during or after the practice. Of course, for some of the more senior practitioners, during their practice with the kodansha sensei, there can be elements of “gokaku geiko”. That would naturally be based on the difference in skill and experience. * In kendo, the two major elements are  shinsa...

You are warmly invited to join us and  start your New Year resolutions as a Modern Samurai .  --- Information for Year 2021 Beginners --- Little Samurai Class (age under 14): 1.30 - 2.30pm, Saturdays  Beginners Class (age 14 and above): 2.30 - 3.30pm, Saturdays Intermediate and Advanced Class: 3.30 - 5.00pm, Saturdays Starting Dates: Class A: Saturday 16 January Class B: Saturday 6 March Class C: Saturday 1 May Class D: Saturday 17 July Class E: Saturday 9 October Join our 2021 Beginners Facebook Group now to get updates. Course Information: No previous experience required. Regardless of gender, ages from 8 to 80 are all welcome. First lesson is your Free trial. Fees:  School students: 40.00 per month Tertiary students and adults: 50.00 per month Family discounts : the 2nd family member is 50%OFF, and from the 3rd one is free. Learning Objectives:  By the end of the course,  you will be ready to put on Bogu (a...

2018-06-06 Wednesday Keiko - Sutemi 捨身 is an important teaching in Kendo that we need to commit ourselves to the strike that we think it is the opportunity/moment to deliver. 80% is not a commitment.  In Kendo, we actually don’t accept “quite good” or “OK”. While none of us are perfect, we always do our best and have full commitment to that “one cut”. This is why Kendo can benefit our life. It is the attitude that we all have gradually developed through Kendo training and that is also the important attribute that makes us special. - Dare to dream big such as winning a medal or achieving a Dan grade is the first step to achieve your goals. Don’t be too shy to say NO to your own dream. - Sutemi leads Zanshin 殘心來自捨身。 - Thank you for the training tonight and thanks to Rex for the photos.

Koboitchi 2019 Yamagami Sensei Seminar in New Zealand  Photo Credit: Auckland Kendo Club Original text in Chinese by Sam Tsai English Translation by David Pan  This is the fourth time I have had the pleasure of attending Yamagami Sensei’s Kendo seminar. In 2016, the seminar topic was about the fundamentals of kendo: The five sections of the shinai – Jin-Gi-Rei-Chi-Shin In 2017, the seminar topic was regarding the “heart(mind) of self-control”, namely:  克己心 / こっきしん / kokkishin : the mindset of overcoming the self 平常心 / へいじょうしん / heijoshin : everyday mind  不動心 / ふどうしん / fudoshin : immovable mind  In 2018, the seminar topic is 三殺法 / さんさっぽう / San-satsu-no-ho or San-sappo 「竹刀・太刀を殺す」: Kill the sword 「技を殺す」: Kill the waza 「気を殺す」: Kill the spirit The topic this year is 攻防一致 / Koboitchi . Most kenyu probably heard of it by the more classical term 懸待一致 / けんたいいっち / kentaiitchi , a realm or level of understanding which we hope to...

The 12th New Zealand Kendo Novice Championship 9-10 November 2019 Acknowledgment  We thank Jason Oh Sensei (6th Dan) from North Shore Kendo Club for his service as the  Shinpan-cho  (chief judge) and running the shinpan workshop in the Novice Champ. Huge thanks also go to Ben Chin, Makoto Kuroda,  Naoko Stephenson,  Walt Kim,  Thomas Hong , Leo Lin, Luo Wen, Eric Viola, Ren Sayer, and Yoko Maruyama for their service as a shinpan.  Shinpan workshop led by the Yondan Senpai  This is the third time of  Yon-Dan Division Shiai as a shiai demonstration for the novice Kendoka to learn from their high grade senpai but also providing an opportunity for these junior Kendo instructors to learn from each other in a shiai situation. We appreciate the efforts from all the participants:  Naoko Stephenson  (AKC) ,  Wlat Kim  (NSKC),  Thomas Hong  (NSKC), Luo Wen  (WKC) , Ben Chin (AKC), Ren Sa...