The Longhorn Taikai is going to be held in Austin, TX on Saturday, October 14, 2017 and Sunday, October 15, 2017.

More details to follow.

We are very excited to welcome TAKAHIRO NABEYAMA (鍋山隆弘) Sensei (University of Tsukuba) as our guest for the 2017 8-Dan Tour! Details are as follow below:

9/14 (7pm-9:30pm) – Dallas, Texas
Greenhill School
4141 Spring Valley Rd.
Addison, TX 75001

Nabeyama Sensei is a former Team Japan member and 10-time participant in the All Japan Kendo Championships. As Men’s Coach of the University of Tsukuba, he has taught Yuya Takenouchi, Susumu Takanabe, and other renown kenshi in Japan.

Looking forward to seeing everyone there! The event is free but donation is welcome at our dojo’s payments page

2017 SWKIF Fall Kendo Seminar and Shinsa will be hosted by HKK on Oct.28-29 at the Gilruth Center, 2101 E. NASA Pkwy, Houston, TX 77058.

Registration documents can be found here.
Hotel registration deadline is Oct., 13.

More details to follow.

Practice on Tuesday the 25th of July will be held at the Walnut Hill Recreation Center starting at 7pm until 9pm.

This will be a Kendo Only Practice.

Please arrive early and be dressed as practice will start promptly at 7pm and we need to be out of the Facility by 9pm.

Walnut Hill Recreation Center
10011 Midway Rd
Dallas, TX 75229

The dojo summer pool potluck party will be held on Saturday, July 22, 2017 from 3pm to 7pm. The location will be shared during class.
Please use the google sheet to coordinate food and drinks.

Our dojo is having regular practice on Sunday, July 2 but no practice on Tuesday, July 4.
Enjoy the fireworks!🎆

SWKIF Men’s team took 3rd place in the men’s team match at the AUSKF national championship.
Makiko Adachi sensei took 3rd place in the women’s individual.
Takuro Yamaoka sensei won a kantosho award in Men’s individual.
Congratulations to all.

2017 AUSKF Iaido Championships
Saturday, June 10 — Bryn Mawr PA

Division one: Mu kyu – 2 kyu
1st place: Wang, Feng (Mushinkan, SWKIF )
2nd place: Sevin, Phil (ZenBuKan, RMKIF)
3rd place: Costa, Joseph (Itto Kai, AEUSKF)
3rd place: Sandor, Adam (Agassiz Dojo, MWKF)
Kantosho: Higham, Ritchard (Ken-Zen Institute, AEUSKF)

Division two: 1 kyu – 1 dan (Murakami Cup)
1st: Cousin, Helene (Sei Zan Kan, AEUSKF)
2nd: Schuldt, Michael (Agassiz Dojo, MWKF)
3rd: Mittelstaedt, Thane (AiShinKai, PNKF)
3rd: Williams, Nathan (DFWKIK, SWKIF)
Kantosho: Huang, Kevin (Shidogakuin Rutgers, GNEUSKF)

Division three: 2 dan – 3 dan (Murosako Cup)
1st: Mullin, John (Ken-Zen Institute, AEUSKF)
2nd: Thibedeau, Kevin (Ken-Zen Institute, AEUSKF)
3rd: Dudek, David (Ken-Zen Institute, AEUSKF)
3rd: Goeke, Callie (Ren Ma, PNKF)
Kantosho: Kiss, Orsolya (Cleveland Toyuukai, GNEUSKF)

Division four: 4 dan and up (Yamaguchi Cup)
1st: Farmer, Debi (Shidogakuin NY, GNEUSKF)
2nd: Corum, Jonathan (Nichibukan, EUSKF)
3rd: Kailian, Aram (Shidogakuin NY, GNEUSKF)
3rd: Hankins, Jason (ZenBuKan, RMKIF)
Kantosho: Sheldon, Joe (River City Kendo and Iaido, SUSKIF)

Congratulations! Especially to Nathan Williams from our dojo!

2017 AUSKF Iaido shinsa results
Sunday, June 11 — Bryn Mawr PA

3rd kyu:
Gesulga, Jayson (Agassiz Dojo, MWKF)
Motov, Igor (Doshikai Kendo & Iaido Club, AEUSKF)
Perez, Gilberto (Toku Bu Kan, SEUSKF)
Senderling, Ben (Omaha Kendo & Iaido Kyokai, SWKIF)
Stadtlander-Miller, Joshua (Ken-Zen Institute, AEUSKF
Thomason, Nathanial (Agassiz Dojo, MWKF)
Woods, Darryl (Mushinkan Kendo and Iaido Dojo, SWKIF)

2nd kyu:
Costa, Joseph (Itto Kai, AEUSKF)
Sevin, Phil (Zen Bu Kan, RMKIF)
Wang, Feng (Blade) (Mushinkan Kendo and Iaido Dojo, SWKIF)
Bang, Soo Chul (Shidogakuin NY Shidokan, GNEUSKF)
Jacobson, Michael (Agassiz Dojo, MWKF)

1st kyu:
Abrams, Dylan (Cherry Hill Ken-yu Kai, EUSKF)
Clark, Jeremie (Doshikai Kendo & Iaido Club, AEUSKF)
Higham, Ritchard (Ken-Zen Institute, AEUSKF)
Kim, Peter (Doshikai Kendo & Iaido Club, AEUSKF)
Maeda, Hiroyuki (Idaho Kendo Club, PNKF)

1st dan:
Alfandari, Dominique (Sei Zan Kendo Kai, AEUSKF)
Baker, Cheyenne (Dallas-Fort Worth Kendo & Iaido Kyokai, SWKIF)
Carroll, David (River City Iaido & Kendo Kyokai, SUSKIF)
Cousin, Helene (Sei Zan Kendo Kai, AEUSKF)
Schuldt, Michael (Agassiz Dojo, MWKF)
Watson, Scott (Michigan Koryu Kenkyukai, MWKF)
Williams, Nathan (Dallas-Fort Worth Kendo & Iaido Kyokai, SWKIF)

2nd dan:
Baker, John (Dallas-Fort Worth Kendo & Iaido Kyokai, SWKIF)
Davis, Jordy (Zen Bu Kan, RMKIF)
Rosell, Celeste (Zen Bu Kan, RMKIF)

3rd dan:
Arenas Gomez, Jose (Aizen Dojo, BRAZIL)
Sareyani, Michael (Ken-Zen Institute, AEUSKF)

4th dan:
Corchado, Sasha (Nichibukan, EUSKF)
Kiss, Orsolya (Cleveland Touyuukai , GNEUSKF)
Pattarozzi, Michael (Rocky Mountain Budokan, RMKIF)
Thibedeau, Kevin (Ken-Zen Institute, AEUSKF)

5th dan:
Hall, Gordon (Ken-Zen Institute, AEUSKF)

6th dan:
Bressler, David (Ken-Zen Institute, AEUSKF)
Hankins, Jason (Zen Bu Kan, RMKIF)
James, Nancy (Sei Zan Kendo Kai, AEUSKF)
Okuno, Samuel (Norwalk Kendo Dojo, SCKF)

Congratulations!!

This Sunday, June 18, our practice will be held at the same venue we used for last year’s summer Iai Camp:

Sportsplex

5702 Alpha Road
Dallas, Texas 75240

RIP – Kenshi Nabeshima (鍋島健士) Sensei
(November 19,1928 – June 7,2017)

Nabeshima Sensei was born on November 19, 1928 in the Goto Islands (五島）located off the western coast of Kyushu, Japan, a part of Nagasaki Prefecture. Sensei, an acupuncturist by profession, was instrumental in the development of the Dallas Kendo Dojo, later to become the Dallas-Fort Worth Kendo and Iaido Kyokai. His body will be cremated on June 11, and his ashes will be taken to Nagasaki, where a memorial service is currently being discussed. The dojo will also be planning a memorial Keiko soon.

Let our thoughts go out to his family including his daughter Keiko and son-in-law Russell Ichimura Sensei.

In preparation for the coming iaido national, our Tuesday June 6 practice will be iaido only.

Next Tuesday June 13 practice will be kendo only.

Congratulations to all who passed their new ranks on April 23, 2017 during the Nabeshima Cup weekend:

Hogan Choi – 4Kyu
Joseph Kwon – 4Kyu
Joshua Kwon – 4Kyu
Wilkes Alexander – 3Kyu
Wonjae Choi – 3Kyu
Colin Haney – 3Kyu
Ryan Kwon – 3 Kyu
Sang Kwon – 3 Kyu
Alan Kwon – 3 Kyu
Harikrishna Subramanian – 3Kyu
Tianchen Zheng – 3Kyu
Sol (Joanne) Hong – 2Kyu
Massim Shah – 2Kyu
Alberto Kiramoto – 1Dan
Nathan Williams – 2Dan
Theo Kouadri – 3Dan
Adrià Navarro – 4Dan

The Dan rank shinsa panel included: Ichimura sensei, Kajitani sensei, Komizu sensei, Marsten sensei, Stroud sensei, and Yoshioka sensei (in alphabetic order).
Good job everyone!! Congratulations to Adrià, or rather Navarro sensei who will join as our 12th sensei.

This is the group picture that was sent to Nabeshima Sensei in Japan. He is really happy to see the event is growing.

1. Congratulations to the following dojo members who won in the 2017 Nabeshima Cup:

3rd place, women’s division: Denise Verastigue
Kantosho, women’s division: Sol (Joanne) Hong
1st place, mudansha division: Massim Shah
3rd place, mudansha division: Nguyen Ly
Kantosho, mudansha division: Hogan Choi
3rd place, yudansha division: Nathan Williams

Here is a picture of all Taikai winners. Congrats!!
In addition to the winner shinai provided by Maruyama Kendogu, this year the champion in Yudansha also receives a pair of Tokuren orizashi kote sponsored by Tozando. Thanks!

The list of all winners:

Women’s Division
1. Yebin Chae – Houston Kendo Kyokai
2. Alexandra Darrah – Houston Kendo Kyokai
3. Ma Denise Verastigue – Dallas Fort Worth Kendo Iaido Kyokai
3. Minjeong Park – Houston Kendo Kyokai
K. Sol (Joanne) Hong – Dallas Fort Worth Kendo Iaido Kyokai
K. Elizabeth Pesek – Salinas Kendo Dojo

Mudansha Division
1. Massim Shah – Dallas Fort Worth Kendo and Iaido Kyokai
2. Marc Hakim – Tucson Kendo Kai
3. Israel Martinez – Nuevo Laredo Kendo Dojo
3. Nguyen Ly – Dallas Fort Worth Kendo Iaido Kyokai
K. Hogan Choi – Dallas Fort Worth Kendo Iaido Kyokai
K. Vivian Bentley – ZenBuKan Salt Lake City

Yudansha Division
1. Andrew Takahashi – New Orleans Kendo Club
2. Allan Azurin – Houston Kendo Kyokai
3. Nathan Williams – Dallas Fort Worth Kendo Iaido Kyokai
3. Jonah Wu – Arkansas Kendo Club
K. Mike Sentany – Arkansas Kendo Club
K. Jake Dupre – New Orleans Kendo Club

Texas Open
1. Koki Masuo – Austin Kendo Doshikai
2. Takuro Yamaoka – Omaha Kendo Iaido Kyokai
3. Makiko Adachi – Houston Kendo Kyokai
3. Katsuhei Yoshioka – Houston Kendo Kyokai
K. Carlos Guerra – Houston Kenshinkan

photo courtesy Keiji Kuno

15th All Nippon Kendo 8 Dan Championship (第15回全日本選抜剣道八段優勝大会)

live broadcast

The 2017 AUSKF SUMMER CAMP will be held in Ann Arbor, Michigan, on August 4-6!!

Guest Instructors:

Kazuo Fukukawa Sensei (古川和男）, 8 Dan Hanshi, Hokkaido
Yoshimi Higashi Sensei（東良美）, 8 Dan Kyoshi, Aichi

Click here for more information and to sign up now:

AUSKF Summer Camp (August 4-6, 2017)

Please note the following class changes for March, April, and May:

Sunday, March 19th – ALL Classes (including Iaido) are CANCELLED due to the Shinpan Seminar in Houston
Tuesday, April 11th – Advanced Kendo only (shiai keiko)
Tuesday, April 18th – Kendo Only – Taikai Prep and Management. All students should plan to attend.

Tuesday, April 25th – Iaido Only – Basic and Advanced.

Tuesday, May 30th – Iaido Only – Basic and Advanced.

HKK (Houston Kendo Kyokai) is designing and taking orders for custom SWKIF shinai bags. The material is called sakabukuro (酒袋) or sake sack. The name came from sake brewers hanging nigori (unrefined sake) in the bag to let clean and refined sake to slowly drip out. It is basically heavy duty cotton canvas. The color of the bag is blue and all the writing and emblem will be in silver / white stitching (as illustrated in SWKIF shinai bag) The shinai bag will cost $120 and will have your name embroidered on it.
If you are interested in purchasing a bag, please submit a check of $120 payable to Houston Kendo Kyokai to Ashley M. by Sunday, March 12, 2017.

 

It is now time for the 2017 annual spring AUSKF/SWKIF Membership Drive.
ALL members who wish to attend seminars, tournaments, and testing events need to renew or join during this time. This means that even if you joined during last spring or fall, you will need to renew your membership now.

There is a membership fee adjustment from AUSKF:
For members 18 and above other than full time students, it would be $60 for AUSKF and $30 for SWKIF ($90 total).
For members 18 and above but also full time students, it would be $30 for AUSKF and $30 for SWKIF ($60 total).
For members 17 and below, it would be $30 for AUSKF and $15 for SWKIF($45 total).
For first time SWKIF members, you need to pay a $5 initiation fee.
For first time AUSKF members, the initiation fee will be a separate $10.

**Membership to AUSKF/SWKIF is REQUIRED for participation in all federation events such as Nabeshima Cup, kendo/iaido summer camp, taikai, seminars, etc.**

Attached is the Annual Membership Forms you need to fill in, print out, and turn in to Ashley M. All payments and forms must be turned in together by March 14, 2017. If you are paying via Paypal, please print out a copy of your receipt and attach it to your membership application. Applications without a form of payment or receipt can not be accepted.

The next AUSKF Referee Seminar will be held in Zone 6 at Houston, TX on the weekend of March 18 & 19, 2017.

All AUSKF members are invited to join, even if you are from another zone. Our final AUSKF Referee seminar for this year will be May 6 & 7, 2017 in Atlanta, GA (more info to come in April).

For more information and registration of the Zone 6 Seminar, please go to: https://goo.gl/forms/mUjddMQQt33IFolt2

The instructors for this event will be:

Tagawa-sensei
Maeda-sensei
Kajitani-sensei
Komizu-sensei
T. Yuge – Seminar coordinator

The deadline for registration is MARCH 7, 2017.

Our Tuesday night Iai class on February 14th has been cancelled.

Have a happy Valentines Day!