Happy Year of the Dragon!

 

Welcome back and あけましておめでとうございます！

This year we will be doing a few things a little differently, like having beginners' courses instead of letting new people start any time.

We will also be a bit more strict on paying dojo fees this year as well. From now on, all dojo fees need to be paid on the first day of training for the whole term in advance. There will be no paying week to week, as it becomes too hard to keep track of who has paid.

Also, this year is our tenth year, so we will be having a special celebration after our Kangeiko in the middle of the year. I hope we can get in touch with a few past members and have them come along as well. More details soon.

Training starts next Saturday 4 Feb. The first of our two beginners' courses for 2012 starts two weeks later.

See you all then!

Kenshikan's new floor

Went to the Kenshikan today and saw the new floor for the first time. It's beautiful!! Hopefully these terrible phone pics give you an idea. But you'll just have to go to training there yourselves.

As today was the opening ceremony, there was a little Shinto offering of sake and rice to the gods in each corner of the dojo.

Kenshikan's new floor and official dojo reopening

pic courtesy コアラ先生

To all members of the Victorian Kendo, Iaido and Jodo Community,

Please see attached invitation.

It is with great pleasure and excitement that Melbourne Budokai and the Kenshikan Trust formally invite you to attend the re-opening ceremony of the
Kenshikan Dojo on Sunday the 11th of December 2011. We would very much welcome your participation at this historic occasion which will involve a traditional
ceremony followed by a goodwill jigeiko.

***SUNDAY, 11TH OF DECEMBER***
Ceremony will begin at 10.30am (Please ensure you arrive 10 mins before)
Held at The Kenshikan Dojo (91 Rosslyn St. West Melbourne VIC 3006)

In early 2010 the Melbourne Budokai launched the ‘Kenshikan Restoration Project’, the most significant initiative undertaken since the Kenshikan's opening
in 1990. Over 20 years of extensive usage by the budo community has lead to the steady deterioration of the Kenshikan facility with the external roofing
material and the dojo floor suffering the most damage. As caretakers of the Kenshikan Dojo, the members of Melbourne Budokai decided to take action to
ensure the continuation of the Kenshikan legacy and to provide a safe venue for the practice and development of Kendo, Iaido, Jodo and Naginata for all
Australians into the future.

The Kenshikan Dojo closed its doors for 4 weeks to allow construction to begin on a new dojo floor. We are proud to announce that the new floor is ready and
waiting for a new era to begin.

We look forward to seeing on the day.

Please pass this message to all members of your club. If you have any enquiries please feel free to email or call me directly.

Kind Regards,

Tony Corrigan
President - Melbourne Budokai

Nanseikan Shochugeiko

Monsoonal rain and warm temperatures have lately made for an authentic taste of Japanese summer, so...

Saturday 17 December is the annual Nanseikan Shochugeiko, from 9am until 5pm, at Nanseikan Dojo in Heidelberg West. People of all skill levels and ages, including those not yet wearing bogu, are most welcome.

'Shochugeiko' means practice in the middle of summer. Mid December isn't as hot as it gets here, as we all know, but it is a convenient time to farewell the year before we all go our different ways over the Christmas break.

As a gesture to all VKR members who are full-time students, the cost of the Kangeiko will be only $10.00 for the day. 

The cost otherwise is $20, which is purely to cover hire of the hall.

Please RSVP to me by Friday 16 December. 

Hope to see members from all the VKR clubs!

b

PS - Next year will be the 10th anniversary of Nanseikan Kendo Club, so keep an eye out for some special celebratory events.

Nagae Sumitaka 1921-2011

  

Mr Sumitaka "John" Nagae, Kendo Kyoshi 7 dan, passed away in Tokyo on Monday night.

The contribution Nagae sensei has made to the lives of Victorian and Australian kendoka is without compare. His guidance, support, passion and sheer hard work has motivated each of us to not only improve our kendo, but also to become better human beings. He will be very greatly missed.

The initial ceremony to honour Nagae sensei and his passing will take place this evening in Japan, with the main ceremony following tomorrow. Mrs Nagae has requested that this be a family affair, and therefore not open to members of the public. To express our sincere sympathies, the VKR has sent flowers and a telegraph to the ceremony on behalf of all of our members.  

The Victorian Kendo Renmei will honour Nagae sensei with a plaque that will be placed at Kenshikan as a reminder to all that train. This, and our continued practise of budo, will ensure that his legacy will never be forgotten.

Our thoughts and wishes are with Mrs Nagae, friends and family.

The Victorian Kendo Renmei

Itakura sensei/ Kenshikan's new floor

Haven't posted here for a while so thought I would include a pic of Itakura sensei (Kendo 6th dan) who visited us this morning. Pretty excellent teacher/student ratio don't you think? :)

Congrats to Geoffrey who has finished all his International Baccalaureate exams. Good luck to Alvin and Jerry who may still have some VCE exams to go. Also a definite "break a leg" to Geoffrey as he auditions for NIDA next Saturday: as difficult as going for 6th dan!

Hopefully Itakura sensei will return to train with us next Saturday. Usually he trains on the weekend at Kenshikan but their floor is being re-done at the moment. Here are some pics from Shinoda sensei's blog of how it is going so far:

Shinoda sensei on the left and Shiina sensei, the design consultant, on the right, pretending to be the first to do kendo on the new floor... :/   b

Men o semete kote

This is one of the videos I mentioned at training today. It looks just like a large kote, but it is actually a very smooth seme towards men and then kote when the opponent raises their shinai.



The other video which I mentioned today, of aigote-men,  I just couldn't find. I'll keep looking.  b