Thank you for your interest in our club, we always welcome new members joining our organization. Please refer to the information below on how to get started!
Visitation
We highly recommend visiting and watching a practice before you make your decision to join. Chairs are always available inside the dojo door for our guests. Our practice times and locations are listed on the Class Times & Locations page.
When visiting, be sure to introduce yourself to one of the senior students or sensei after class. They can help you with any questions you have, and walk you through next steps to get started!
First Day
After your initial visit, all you will need to get started is:
- Long, comfortable exercise pants such as sweat pants
- Nondescript t-shirt
- Knee pads (if participating in iaido)
- Completed membership forms (If not emailed beforehand) and a check or proof of payment (See Monthly Dues below).
- A bokuto and/or shinai. We have these available for sale for your convenience, but you may also borrow spares from other members for a few classes if needed.
After a few practices, you can purchase a keiko-gi (cotton top) and hakama (pleated trousers) from various locations. We like to stress basics, so items 1-5 are all you will need for the first several months.
As your skill & commitment progresses, the sensei will indicate when you can start to wear/acquire bogu (armor for kendo) and/or an iaito (practice sword for iaido.) These can be purchased through suppliers we know. The club also generally has several iaito and basic sets of bogu to rent.
If you have any further questions, feel free to contact us. Otherwise, we look forward to seeing you at practice!
Membership Forms
New members are required to fill out some forms, which can be found at the end of our New Member Packet:
DFWKIK New Member Packet (PDF)
Required forms include:
- Member Information (Page 7)
- Liability Waiver (Page 8)
- Media Consent Agreement (Page 10)
Completed forms may be emailed to secretary@dfwkik.org, or turned in in person on your first day.
Monthly Dues
Monthly dues cover all classes, for all disciplines. Members may attend any class they like (Kendo, Iaido, Jodo)! The dues structure is as follows:
| Adults (18+) | $65.00 |
| Children and Teens (9 – 17) College Students *Under 13 must be accompanied by an adult | $45.00 |
| Kids (Under 9) *Must be accompanied by an adult | Free |
| Family Max *Immediate family members only | $130.00 |
Membership dues may be paid via check or Paypal (preferred).
- Online Payments via Paypal are subject to minimal convenience fees.
- Checks payable to “DFWKIK Inc.” may be handed to the treasurer at the dojo.
In addition to dues, new members are required a one-time $30.00 initiation fee.
If you decide that kendo/iaido/jodo is not for you, or need to take a hiatus, please send a message to treasurer@dfwkik.org, so we won’t follow up with your missing payment.
Annual Federation Dues
All United States Kendo Federation (AUSKF) and South West Kendo and Iaido Federation (SWKIF) memberships are required for members to participate in regional/national seminar, tournament, and testing events. All DFWKIK members are encouraged to join.
National and regional membership drive for renewing and new members typically starts in March, but remains open all year round to accept new members that did not make it for the membership drive. Non-members who are planning to participate in any AUSKF-membership required events (ex. promotion exams) need to register 30 days prior to the event.
Payments are managed online: https://www.unitedstateskendo.com/
- New members need to create an account in order to manage their payments online.
- Please click here for payment instructions.
Milestones
As you progress through your training, we have small gifts for you to commemorate your progress for each notable first step on your journey!
Please see the Sergeant at Arms at practice to pick up your item once you reach one of the milestones below.
| Milestone | Reward | |
|---|---|---|
| Join the Dojo | DFWKIK Sticker |  |
| Wear Gi/Hakama for the first time | DFWKIK Patch |  |
| Wear bogu for the first time | DFWKIK Tenugui |  |
| Pass your first promotional exam | DFWKIK Pin |  |