April 2009
Kenkyu kai practice is on Friday, April 3rd at JCCH from 7:30PM. The agenda is the introductory shinpan seminar for lower ranking yudansha kenshis. Here is the correction to March Bulletin with my apology. Zoe Yamamoto was 2nd instead of 3rd in Steveston Tournament in Canada in February. She was very good at the tournament. I was not able to practice with Mr. Masayuki Yamada, Kyoshi 7 dan, from Iwate Prefecture, Japan, when he practiced at Myohoji on March 17th and 19th and Kenyukai on March 20. He impressed Hawaii kenshis. Kenshis learned a lot from him. Yuma Okada who went back to Japan last August after practicing with us for a year resumed his practice at his home dojo in Tokyo. He placed 1st in Kendo speech contest in Tokyo district when he talked about his kendo experience and development of friendship while he was in Hawaii. He went on to Nationals on March 1st where he received kantoh sho award. He was studying hard to catch up with Japanese school. He is practicing hard at his dojo to become a regular member of his dojo team. His parents and I are very proud of his accomplishment. We are very thankful for Mililani dojo hosting Hawaii Spring Team Tournament on Saturday, March 28. It was a nice tournament thanks to volunteers who helped Mr. Nakamura to execute the tournament. Mr. Carl Nakamura and Mr. Wesley Nakamura performed nice kata before us. The tournament results are as follows: Non-Yudansha 1st Mililani/2nd Kenshikan Women’s Team – 1st Mililani/2nd Kenshikan Yudansha 1-2 dan – 1st Kenshikan Team 2/2nd Mililani Yudansha Open - 1st Mililani/2nd Kenshikan Team 2 Exhibition Team Match between Hawaii World Team and Hawaii Select was exciting. Hawaii World Team showed their hard practices. Good luck on Hawaii World Team in World Championships in Brazil in August. Mililani Kendo Club is having a garage sale on Saturday, April 25, at the DeNardis. This is to raise fund for their Japan Training trip in this summer. Please donate goods to sell and go there and help them by buying some. I am hoping that Hawaii Kendo Federation plans youth kendo camps and trips in the future rather than individual dojos. A Japanese medical doctor wrote in Kensoh, a kendo magazine, and an American doctor wrote in AARP magazine recently that our bodies contain self-resistance and immune system to fight off diseases. These self-resistance and immune system can be strengthened by maintaining good life style. The good life style includes exercises and healthy food intake. We are aiming for life long kendo practice. Remove your bad habits and stay healthy to enjoy kendo and your lives.
Iwao Sato, Chief Instructor, Wahiawa Kendo Club