About DFWKIK

Mission

In 1996, the Dallas/Fort Worth Kendo & Iaido Kyokai was incorporated as a non-profit organization in the state of Texas to:

  • Educate the public about Japanese martial arts and culture;
  • Provide public demonstrations and lectures on the arts of Kendo and Iaido;
  • Provide weekly instruction, practice sessions, and annual tournaments;
  • Provide the opportunity to improve one’s physical, mental, and spiritual self.

Philosophy

The philosophy of the Dallas/Fort Worth Kendo & Iaido Kyokai is represented by our mon or logo. This mon symbolizes a path to a unified spirit, growing strong through the diversity of cultures our group represents. The lines converging on the Lone Star represent the merging of our members’ diverse backgrounds, while the Lone Star itself symbolizes the strong spirit and individual growth offered by the way of the sword. Every member contributes in his or her own way to our common goals. The mental and spiritual development of one’s self is as important and perhaps more important than the physical training.

The Dallas/Fort Worth Kendo & Iaido Kyokai also follows the philosophy of the All Japan Kendo Federation:

  • The concept of Kendo is to discipline the human character through the application of the principles of the Katana.
  • The purpose of practicing Kendo is to mold the mind and body, to cultivate a vigorous spirit, and through correct and rigid training, to strive the improvement in the art of Kendo, to hold in esteem human courtesy and honor, to associate with others with sincerity, and to forever pursue the cultivation of one’s self.
  • Thus one will be able to love his/her country and society, to contribute to the development of culture, and to promote peace and prosperity among all peoples.

Goals

Our goals include the establishment of a permanent home or dojo for our membership and other Japanese martial arts and cultural organizations.

The Dallas/Fort Worth Kendo & Iaido Kyokai also plans to hold seminars related to kendo, iaido, and other cultural topics.  Proceeds from an annual banquet will be used to fund events, lectures, and the organization’s future home.

The organization will produce brochures, informational pamphlets, instructional guides, and a newsletter; this will remind members and inform the public of all of the activities and events planned for the year.

Affiliations

Dallas/Fort Worth Kendo & Iaido Kyokai is a contributing member of the Southwest Kendo & Iaido Federation and the All United States Kendo Federation.

 The Southwest Kendo & Iaido Federation (SWKIF) was originally a regional kendo federation of the Kendo Federation of the United States, but in 1995, the All United States Kendo Federation was formed as a merger between the Kendo Federation of the United States and the Beikoku Kendo Renmei. As a result of this merger, the Southwest Kendo & Iaido Federation is now a regional Kendo federation of the All United States Kendo Federation. The Southwest Kendo & Iaido Federation covers the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Louisiana, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma,  South Dakota, Texas and Utah.

The All United States Kendo Federation (AUSKF) is the internationally recognized kendo federation for the United States. It is organized into various regional federations with both the Southwest Kendo & Iaido Federation and the Southern United States Kendo & Iaido Federation covering the state of Texas. The All United States Kendo Federation is dedicated to the promotion of kendo and iaido, providing seminars, rank promotions, regional and national tournaments, and the selection of the National Team represented at the World Kendo Championships.

The All United States Kendo Federation is affiliated with the International Kendo Federation (FIK), which has sponsered the World Kendo Championships every three years since 1970. The International Kendo Federation is organized into three zones: the Asia Zone, the Americas Zone, and the European Zone.

History

The Dallas/Fort Worth Kendo & Iaido Kyokai was founded in 1976 by Mr. Bill Trevino, an ardent sword polisher who studied kendo in Japan.  The organization at the time was called the Dallas Kendo Club.  In April 1980, the first swords ever forged in the Western Hemisphere were made at the University of Dallas campus by Yoshindo Yoshihara (吉原義人), one of the most accomplished young swordsmiths in the world. Bill Trevino was the contact person for this great event. In 1989, the club changed its name to The Dallas/Fort Worth Kendo & Iaido Kyokai in recognition of members traveling from Fort Worth and the mid-cities.

The Dallas/Fort Worth Kendo & Iaido Kyokai has long standing traditions and ties to the past due to the teachings of several past sensei or instructors. The two most influential of these Sensei was Mr. Kenshi Nabeshima (鍋島健士)and Mr. Tetsuro Inoue. As head instructor for 13 years, Nabeshima Sensei established international respectability and credibility for the organization. As an active member for four years, Inoue Sensei was instrumental in reorganizing the club’s Iaido training methods. In honor of their contributions, two perpetual trophy cup awards, the Nabeshima Cup (Kendo) and the Inoue Cup (Iaido), are awarded to winners of the organization’s Kendo and Iaido tournaments.

The Dallas/Fort Worth Kendo & Iaido Kyokai has been fortunate to receive mottos from past Sensei and their teachers.  Kenshi Nabeshima Sensei, has delivered words of guidance, originally written by Yoshikawa Eiji (吉川英治), and a favorite of Miyamoto Musashi (宮本武蔵),” Ware Igai Mina Waga Shi,” which means “Everyone But Myself Is My Teacher”:

 Nabeshima’s Sensei, Mr Takeo Baba (馬場武雄), has also delivered words of guidance, “Ha Ja No Ken,” which can be translated to “Destroying Evil With Sword”:

In 1990, Takeo Baba Sensei, together with his children all being Kendo 7 Dan kyoshi, the four Baba sons (馬場武典,馬場英樹, 馬場勇司,馬場欽司) and one daughter, and also the legendary Kiyoshi Nakakura (中倉清), Kendo 9 Dan sensei were all invited by Nabeshima Sensei to attend the DFWKIK hosted National Kendo tournament held in Forth Worth, TX.

Through continued support, Dallas/Fort Worth Kendo & Iaido Kyokai will continue to grow by following the lead of those who came before us.