Kendo: Restarting My Journey - 37 years old and grasping the courage to travel down the path of the sword

It was not until I picked up my shinai for the first time in 5 years that I realized that time really does fly. In late 2006, through the encouragement of my senpai, I ended a 16 year permanent hiatus to see if I still had what it took to be an effective kenshi. Getting married in 2009 and with my son being born in 2011, life events slowed down my progress and eventually I stopped training Kendo so that I could focus on my primary martial art, Goju Ryu Karate, which I have been training in since 1990.

One martial art was demanding. As any practitioner knows, training demands time and time away from home and family. Multiply that by two, being newlywed, and having an infant toddler was much more than my wife was willing to put up with.

As you know, "happy wife, happy life..." which I truly believe in today, was a life decision that supported my decision to separate from the path of the sword. However, as fate has it, my wife, South Korean by birth, realized that she wanted my son, Nathan (now 3 years old), to learn Kumdo as it was something that both the Japanese and Korean cultures had in common. She liked the fact that it focused on etiquette and that it could be a great conduit to connect to both cultures as there are both great Korean and Japanese Kendo senseis in Southern California.

I started my Kendo journey when I was 6 years old. Learned my basics from a lot of old traditional practitioners who immigrated from Kagoshima Prefecture in Japan. I've always been a member of the SCKF, Southern California Kendo Federation, as I was connected by family to the ESGVJCC, the East San Gabriel Valley Japanese Community Center, located in West Covina, California. It was there I took my first lessons and have the fondest memories of working out with some of  SCKF's greats. Senseis Akio Hara, both Yamaguchi Senseis, Masaharu Makino Sensei, eventually being trained by Katsuo Chinen Sensei, who now resides at Gedatsu Dojo, and my uncle, Masataka Sakaue.

These senseis also trained many memorable kenshi such as Adam Isamu Nakawatase and Gary Taguchi, who were key members of the USA men's team for the fifth, sixth and seventh World Kendo Championships, where in Seoul, Korea, Nakawatase earned the Kantosho award.

In recent times, key kenshi, now who are exploring their own paths, such as, Katsumi Chinen Sensei (Shofukan Dojo - San Diego), Katsushi Chinen Sensei (Gedatsu, USA Men's Team - 12th WKC), Fumihide Itokazu (SCI, USC, USA Men's Team - 12th & 13th WKC), and Steven Okada Sensei (Venice), Hideto Kinjo (Covina), George Owaki (Covina), are paving ways for the new generations of kenshi to come.

I think that anyone would agree that making the decision to continue my training and on top of that being completely embraced by the legacy built by the practitioners before me is a bit overwhelming. However, just being a part of it, peeling the huge blister off of my left foot, hearing the kiai, working out with other kenshi, having to deal with the musky "Kendo" smell that only kenshi understand, the streaks of dark blue dye on my body and on the floor, my bogu falling apart, etc... just brought smile to my face and it just felt good being practicing again.

Don't get me wrong. After a five year break, I can't breathe, my feet won't move, my shinai won't react to how fast my mind moves, and I don't recover as fast as I used to... but it reminds me to slow down and focus on what is important.

Kihon

Suri Ashi (foot movement)

Ashi Sabaki (foot work)

Issoku Itto

Ki Ken Tai Ichi

Waza

Zanshin

Again... still very overwhelming. Only thing I can do is to continue to train day by day, week by week and incorporate what I have learned from my Karate training, especially mental discipline.

I am grateful that I continue to learn from words of Kendo greats, that I picked up during my journey prior. They are words that I continue to reflect upon as I continue my journey forward:

剣道は打たずに打たれなさい

In Kendo, be struck without striking　

受けずに打たれなさい

Be struck without waiting to receive a strike

避けずに打たれなさい

Be struck without avoiding

力を抜いて柔らかく

Be gentle and release your strength

相手と仲良く穏やか(odayaka)に

Be unassertive and yielding while building a good relationship with your partner

姿勢は美しく,容顔 (yogan)を解き,残心を

Let your zanshin (situational awareness) linger and persist while reading your opponent and maintaining a beautiful posture

- Words passed down to Tsuyoshi Niibori Sensei, 8 Dan Hanshi -

- Student of Moriji Mochida -

I've been studying the words above very diligently after my decision to return to Kendo. I believe that every kenshi will take away something different from the words passed down through Niibori Sensei and encourage those who have never read this to ponder its meaning. I'm sure that the meaning will change as you mature with your own training.

Kendo... yoroshiku onegaishimasu.  Have mercy on an old soul continuing on his travels.