December 2008
Kenkyu kai practice is at JCCH dojo on Friday, December 5th from 7:30PM.
Mr. Masashi Chiba, Hanshi 8 dan, conducted 2 shinpan seminars, one in Oahu on Nov. 6th and another in Big Island on Nov. 9th. Seminars were very explanatory and beneficial for everyone attended.
Those who regularly practice with me did very well in Hawaii State Championships on Saturday, Nov. 8th in Hilo. Yonenbu-1st – Dane Takenaka, Shonenbu -1st – Chase Takenaka, Yudansha Women’s – 2nd – Nicole Yoshida, Seinenbu – 3rd – Keoni Rivers,
Yudansha 3 dan and above – 3rd – Wesley Fujimoto, 1st – Andy Fujimoto who beat Tusha Buntin of Champion of Masters Division to be Grand Champion. Congratulations.
We would like to congratulate Bradly Watarai, our club member, for passing 1 dan examination on Nov. 8th in Hilo.
We finished Zippy’s Chili Sale fund raise. It was not as successful as usual year because of bad economy and increased price. Thank you for your help selling/buying tickets for our club.
Thanks to our fund raise, our club was able to send Chase Takenaka, Bradley Yoshida, Seth DeNardi and Thomas Ham to Pacific Northwest Kendo Federation Tournament on Saturday, Nov. 15th where we were joined by our other team members, Shea Barboza, Kevin and Jerilynn Chun. Chase Takenaka came in 1st in 11-12 Years Division and Seth DeNardi was 3rd in 13-15 Years Boys Division. Both our senior team and junior team did well but could not advance.
Our Get-together with Mililani dojo members will be on Wednesday, Dec. 17th. We will start our practice at 6:30PM and end at 7:30PM. It is a pot-luck party. Bring something to eat. Do not bring expensive food. Our dojo will provide some drinks and utencils.
Mr. Hiroshi Sasaki, Kyoshi 7 dan, from Akita Prefecture and his group will visit Hawaii from Jan. 4th till 9th. We are looking forward to practicing with them.
If you are in kendo for a while you must have heard, Shu, Ha, Ri. Shu means to train fundamentals under one school and learn solidly. Ha is to go out to learn other schools’ good ways and expand your ability and techniques. Ri is to go further to develop your own style.
If you are teachers, you should let go your students to learn from others. Wesley Fujimoto did beautiful kote-kaeshi-kote on me. I asked him where he learned that. He said that he viewed the video of Mr. Miyazaki, Japan Champion, and practiced it to make it his own. Some smart people like Wesley do not need teachers. Videos can be good teachers if you are willing to learn.
Iwao Sato, Chief Instructor, Wahiawa Kendo Club