LAS VEGAS KENDO CLUB

Shikai sensei (Kyo-shi 7 dan) from Chuo Dojo in LA kindly visited us for the 2nd time. We had a very good keiko.  Thank you for teaching both kids and adults. Please look at the Gallery for photos. 

video-1  video-2  video-3  video-4 

We had a surprise visit by a guest kenshi, Mr. Jackson from Maui, Hawaii.  I believe he is from the Makawao Kendo Dojo.   Thank you for visiting us, Mr. Jackson!

We had many visitor kenshi to our dojo during the past two weeks. 

Sep 21: Aram Kailian from NY, and Stephen Locklair from Charlotte, NC.

Sep 23: Stephen Locklair from Charlotte, and Daniel Oulette from West Side Kendo Dojo, LA.

Sep 28: Tony Yang from NJ

Thank you all for visiting our dojo, and great practices!  Check out some photos in our Gallery section.  

Steve Okada sensei from Venice Dojo has visited us.  Thank you Okada sensei for practicing with us!!  Below are the videos of the practice: 

video-0  video-1  video-2  video-3  video-4  video-5

Yamasaki sensei from PCI visited us to have special keiko during July 15-17 (3 practices in a row!).  Thank you, Yamasaki sensei.  Below are some of the videos of the practices. 

video-1  video-2  video-3 video-4 video-5  video-6  video-7  video-8  video-9  video-10

We will be performing Kendo demo at the Atomic Testing Museum on August 7, 2010, 11:30a - 12noon.  This is associated with the Family Day event, "Journey through Japan" at the museum.  Details will be emailed to the members separately.  Everyone is welcome to attend. 

LVKC 

Please note that there will be visits by senseis from LA during this summer:

July 6 & 8 (regular practice): Shikai sensei and Yuriko sensei from Chuo Dojo.

July 15, 16, 17:  Yamasaki sensei, Charles Inada, Paul Yoo from PCI dojo. (16th & 17th are adult only.)

Please make effort to attend these practices with senseis.  

LVKC 

Yamasaki sensei was interviewed by a Japanese TV station at the N/S tournament.  Enjoy this video clip from the news. 

LVKC 

Hi all,

We have alot of new photos from our last Thursday practice, to see click here. Children section from page 10-18. Adults 1-10. Enjoy...Once again thanks to Mr. Kimoto san for taking pictures of our practice.

LVKC

kendo Practice : - on Feb 24, 2010 from 7pm-9pm same place for adults only.                                              - on Feb 25, 2010 from 7pm-9pm.  Watanabe sensei (7-dan) will visit us from Japan to practice.

Photos see our Gallery or click here for full photos. Thanks to Mr.Kimoto-san for taking pictures of us during Kendo Practice. For Children parts start from page 19-29.

Las Vegas Kendo Club. 

Below is the video Documentary Samurai Non Fiction by Mathew Reyes. Las Vegas Kendo Club participated in the video by allowing Mr. Reyes documented our practice. Click here for VIDEO.

LVKC

Quotes/Kendo News "交剣知愛" from Nagamine sensei

交剣知愛  (Kou-ken-chi-ai)

 Why do you all practice Kendo?  Maybe you need some exercise. Maybe you like the spiritual part of Japanese martial arts. Or maybe you just really like it.  To me, of course it’s all of the above.  But there is one other reason that stands out.  By doing Kendo, you meet people from all over the world, outside of your regular boundaries.  For example, we recently had a guest kenshi from Aruba, who used to be a ranger at their national park.  Also, all of our dojo members have different occupations.  How would you meet all these people if you don’t do Kendo?  Perhaps never. 

Kendo allows you to meet people from all over the world with different background.  And when you practice Kendo with these different people, you interact with them on a very deep level, understand each other, and inspire each other. You cultivate each other’s mind, and improve your character together through friendly rivalry. Then you start to feel grateful to your fellow kenshi.  This is 交剣知愛 (Kou-ken-chi-ai).  Kendo can make your life very rich and fulfilling.

Ken Nagamine
Las Vegas Kendo Club
http://www.lasvegaskendo.com/

Hi all,

here the link to our group photos (December 2009) - click here

Las Vegas Kendo Club
http://www.lasvegaskendo.com/

 Last week, Mr. Kimoto came to our dojo and took photos of our practice. See the picture 1 and 2 (updated December 20, 2009)

Also a reminder: the photos are the property of Mr.Kimoto, so make sure you get his permission before using it.

Las Vegas Kendo Club
http://www.lasvegaskendo.com/

James Yamasaki

Southern California Kendo Federation - 2007-2010 President (http://www.eanet.com/sckf)Pasadena)Pasadena Japanese Cultural Institute Kendo Dojo - Head Instructor (www.pcikendo.org)Pasadena Japanese Cultural Institute - Board Of Directors (www.pjci.org)

To see the match click here

Las Vegas Kendo Club
http://www.lasvegaskendo.com/

On Thu Dec 4, we had a guest Kenshi, Mr. Eddy Croes, visiting us from Aruba.
He was on a business trip, but brought his bogu all the way from Aruba to practice with us. We had a very good practice with him, and an enjoyable supper after
the keiko with a drink.
Thank you for visiting our dojo, Eddy!

 (pictures - click here)

Best,
Ken Nagamine

Posted the photo of the Shodai Kenji sensei, 2008 All Japan Kendo Champion during seminar on November 21, 22 2009. (to see picture click here)

To see more photos here the link

- day 1 - http://www.flickr.com/photos/ocbpictures/sets/72157622727160183

- day 2 - http://www.flickr.com/photos/ocbpictures/sets/72157622857912828

Also reminder the photos from flickr are the property of Denis, so make sure you get his permission before using it.

We post the Newsletter November 2009.

Also Yamasaki sensei will visit us again on Dec 17, 18, and 19 2009.

Thu Dec 17: the last regular practice at Silver Springs Rec Center
Fri Dec 18: 7-9pm, studio A (adults only) - read the November Newsletter
Sat Dec 19: 10am - 12noon, studio A (adults only) - read the November Newsletter

Fern Adair Conservatory of the Arts (Dec 18 & 19)
3265 E. Patrick Lane
Las Vegas, NV 89120
Tel: 458-7575
http://www.fernadair.com/

Another event SCKO individual tournament @ Dec 13, 2009. Please email to Yamasaki sensei to register by November 20, 09 and fee $28 (include bento).

Las Vegas Kendo Club
http://www.lasvegaskendo.com/

Hi all,

Regardless of the outcome, I think we all had a great time and learned  
a lot through this process. I am very happy to see our members taking the

Shinkyu Shinsa (promotional test) Oct 25, 2009 at @ Wilson Park, TORRANCE.

The following are the results of the shinsa: 

Kentaro Nagamine - 4 dan
Kohei Munemura - 3 dan
Aries Ortaliza - 3+ kyu
Stanilas Indarto - 2 kyu
Wonravee Chavalit - 2 kyu
James Carlson - 2- kyu

Also additional events/ news:

Covina 40th Anniversary Keiko-Kai
11/15/09, Covina Dojo
 
Shodai Sensei Visit
11/20-22/09
Shodai Kenji sensei, 2008 All Japan Kendo Champion, will be visiting  
Southern California in November. He is with the Kanagawa Police  
Department and specializes in jodan-no-kamae.  Four seminars are  
planned.
For details:
 
http://www.eanet.com/sckf/ 

Best regards,
 
Ken Nagamine
Las Vegas Kendo Club
http://www.lasvegaskendo.com/ 

Omedeto!
 
Everyone did an outstanding job.  I will try my best to do well maybe in 

the spring if not next year.  I'm very proud of all of you.  

You all have established a tradition with our group.  

Once again good job today.
 
sensei galvez 

Hi all,
In light of the upcoming shinsa, we will have a special adult-only
keiko on Wed Oct 21 at the dance studio from 7pm - 9pm. The address
is as follows:
Fern Adair Conservatory of the Arts
3265 E. Patrick Lane
Las Vegas, NV 89120
Tel: 458-7575
www.fernadair.com
The studio is just across the street from the Del Sol high school, and
they have plenty of parking spaces.
I will be there at 6:30pm.

Cheers,

Ken Nagamine
Las Vegas Kendo Club

Sensei Yamasaki from PCI dojo , Pasadena will visit us again on October 15-16-17. Therefore, We will have additional practice on Friday - October 16, 2009 at 6.30pm - 8.30pm and Saturday - October 17, 2009 at 10.00 am - 12pm.

                                    
Fall Session Kendo Activity will start : 08/25/2009 - 10/15/2009                     Winter Seesion Kendo Activity will start :  10/27/2009 - 12/17/2009            

Thanks you, 

I would like to share quotes by Miyamoto Musashi

“In fighting and in everyday life you should be determined though calm.Meet the situation without tenseness yet not recklessly, your spirit settled yet unbiased. An elevated spirit is weak and a low spirit is weak. Do not let the enemy see your spirit.”

Dojo

(Hall of Discipline)

     The dojo is a place of respect. Why?  Here we learn to cultivate the “self.”  In here we learn to purify our minds through intense training.  The dojo is a sacred place and a hall where others come to cleanse the “spirit” of the ego. 

     Dojo is composed of two ideas; “do” means way of life, while “jo” means  a “site”.  Dojo then forms the idea-thought of the “site of the way of life.”  So you understand that all your actions in the dojo are deliberate.  When you enter through the door you are living kendo. 

     The dojo is a sacred place therefore we bow when we first enter.  Next because it is a place where we purify our spirit and purity is cleanliness, we remove our footwear near the door.  When we enter the dojo we bow, when we depart the dojo we bow.  The bowing is a show of respect to our selves and of others who helps us along our training towards self enlightenment.

     Self enlightenment is obtained through intense training in the dojo.  Once we are in the dojo we must focus all of our energy toward perfecting “mushin,” no-mind.  In the dojo we show humility and respect towards our opponent, win or lose.  When we attack men, all our actions must culminate in one deliberate strike.  When we make that deliberate strike we gain a sense of self fulfillment; self fulfillment produces self confidence.  Therefore with self confidence we can take on additional challenges. 

     The dojo poses many life style challenges and solutions to a practitioner in a training hall.  Through intense discipline we can cultivate alertness, speed, and direct cognition.  All of these attributes helps us in the development of swordsmanship.

“Enzan no metsuke”

(“Looking at a mountain far away”)

Kendo is not just in the dojo.  We cannot leave it in the dojo when we leave for the night only to be taken up once again when we return.  It is a way of life.  It goes with us wherever and whenever we deal with life.  In my early years of learning the art of the sword, I was guilty of the exact same thing.  I was only interested in learning the tactics of the sport of kendo but my life was still a frustrating challenge.  I realize that the longer I “lived” kendo the more my life began to take on a different way of looking at people, places, and things.  Kendo increased my scope of life.  The saying “enzan no metsuke” is a metaphor to describe how we should look at life around us.  In other words, look at the big picture.  We shouldn’t get too “wrapped around the axle” or get too lost on the small things of life where we lose the opportunity enjoy life which is going on all around us all the time.   Step back look at that tree that you pass everyday without giving notice to it.  Look and see the strength of the trunk; look at the branches that provides the shade on a hot summer day.  The sound of the leaves ruffling at the passing of the wind, how the sound adds to the distinctiveness of our experiences.  These are the experiences that helps us to look at things for what it is.  Such as in kendo, we must keep all of our opponent within view but not to be distracted  by a single feature such as the eyes, shinai, shoulders etc.  When we keep the opponents whole feature within our view then we can learn what our opponent is thinking and we can execute  a specific offense.  Kendo is just another “path” that we as a human individual can choose in seeking fulfillment of our life here on earth.

Sensei Galvez

Dear Kendo participants,

This newsletter is to inform you about the current status of the Las Vegas Kendo Club. Since Watanabe sensei (7th Dan; "sensei" means "teacher" in Japanese) left for Japan in November, we have been trying to make a transition to the "team-operation" mode.

The four instructors (Galvez[head], Munemura, Nagamine, Zembayashi) are trying to take turns in leading the practice.

In addition, Stan Indarto is acting as the Treasurer of the Club, and he has often led the practice when none of the instructors are available.

However, we all have full-time jobs, and we are all quite busy. (Please note that we are all volunteers.)

Therefore there have been some discussions about moving the Thursday practice to Saturday afternoon, when the instructors are free from their own work.

One possibility that we are currently seeking is to use the gym in the Clark High School (at Arville and Penwood) on Saturday afternoons (say 2-4pm).

We have also set up our website: http://www.lasvegaskendo.com

Michael & Stan (our webmaster) have done a great job of setting it up and get it going.

Please refer to this website for the Spring 2009 schedule and locations.

The current plan is to have Tuesday practice at the Silver Springs Rec Center as before, and a Saturday practice at some other location.

It is our intention to continue the legacy of Watanabe sensei, and spread the Kendo tradition here in Las Vegas.

Happy holidays, and hope to see you next year.

Las Vegas Kendo Club

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