Volume 2 number 2 absolute #4 May 1990
An occasional publication of very limited distribution: Send your stories, comments or
announcements to Kim Taylor, Dept. of Animal and Poultry Science, room 220, (519)824-4120
ext 6225. PHOTOCOPY AND SHARE THIS NEWSLETTER!
SEMINARS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
Send all information on seminars etc. to the editor as soon as possible. It's incentive to publish the next issue.
========================================================
CLUB O' THE MONTH
Name ZANSHIN: Ecole d'Aikido et Iaido.
Address 5425 Bordeaux #503D, Montreal Quebec. H2H 2P9 phone (514)521-6786.
Practice The club practices both Iaido and Aikido. Aikido classes are from Monday to Friday 18:00 to 19:30 under Jacques Forget and Donna Winslow Sensei. Iaido practice is held on Mondays from 19:30 to 20:30 and one Saturday a month. Iaido is under the supervision of Donna Winslow Sensei. The technical advisor of the club is Mitsugi Saotome Shihan (Aikido Schools of Ueshiba). Please phone Winslow Sensei for class locations if you plan to visit.
Style Zanshin teaches Omori Ryu in the style of the Muso Shinden Ryu. The Aiki Ken style of Morihei Ueshiba, the founder of Aikido, is also studied.
Fees Iaido is $75.00 for three months, Aikido is $350 per year, $120 for three months or $60.00 per month.
Write and tell us about your club, when do you practice, what style, are visitors welcome, let us know what's happening.
========================================================
Leave reason and madness at the edge of the mat
with your shoes
Here there must be no mind and no thought
only happy idiots
Do Not Think Of Leaving Your Thinking There!
Just come in, come in.
========================================================
GLOSSARY ADDITIONS AND CLARIFICATION
Perhaps it would not be out of place to remind the readers that the editor (Kim Taylor) of the
newsletter needs all the help he can get. Please do not take what he writes as being anything
other than his own understanding (or lack thereof) of what he has read or been taught. In other
words, please share your own experience and knowledge with us, drop me a line, a correction or
an article.
Fred Y. Okimura Sensei has been kind enough to send along some comments on the glossary. These are much appreciated since the translation and interpretation of a language that one does not speak (ie. Japanese) is rather difficult, especially if one is dealing with technical terms that are unlikely to be included in a dictionary.
FROM VOL. 1 NO. 1
Kashira: Head, like anatomical head or chief. As a part of the katana, it should be referred to as tsuka-gashira.
Biki: Hiku is a verb and more proper. In the case of a word preceding hiki, then the light sound of "h" becomes "b".
Habiki: To take off the cutting edge. The correct term in this case is Habaki.
Koi-guchi: Literally means Carp's (fish) mouth.
Omori Ryu: In Muso Shinden Ryu, this is considered as the First Principle or Shoden. It was founded by a swordsman, OMORI Rokurozaemon Masamitsu, a pupil of HAYASHI Rokudayu Morimasa, the 9th headmaster of Muso Shinden Ryu.
Tsuke: The word is commonly used as "to put the cost of merchandise on the books". Of course, if the word is to mean thrust forward then tsuki is correct.
Bokken: A wooden sword in which the blade is straight. A ken is a sword with double cutting edges and a straight blade.
Bokuto: A wooden sword with the blade portion curved as in the Nippon-to.
From Vol. 1 No. 2
Tekki: Should be teki, meaning an enemy or adversary.
Shoden: The first principle. The Sho sound should be short.
Shodan: Elevation of dan rank. The Sho sound should be long.
Shodan: The first step, or the lowest blackbelt grade. The Sho should be short.
Tennouchi: Should be Te-no-uchi.
Waza: Technique(s).
Vol 2 No. 1
Kiza no bu: should be Hiza no bu.
Yohome: should be Yon-hon-me.
Some practice hints:
Uke-nagashi: The kesa-giri and the left foot being drawn backward should be done at the same time, ie., the cut and stepping backward should be executed together and completed together.
Just in case--from seiza to kata-hiza or when changing foot position after the chiburi (Omori Ryu), just imagine that someone is pulling one's hair on the head straight upward. Then one will be able to stand up straight instead of leaning forward when rising (a poor habit for Iaido).
Okimura Sensei teaches Iaido in Montreal. He recently returned from a three month visit to Japan where he studied with his teacher Tomoaki DANZAKI, Iaido Hanshi 9th Dan and with several other high ranking teachers at the dojo. Danzaki Sensei was a student of Nakayama Hakudo and was a member of both of the committees that formulated the Sei Tei Gata. After a grueling series of practices Okimura Sensei passed his Iaido examinations. Congratulations Sensei and pardon me for spreading the good news.
========================================================
Consider this point
Ah, the mind jumps around
dashing from this angle to that
look, look, look!
What have you seen
with your frantic motions?
Glance at this point
do not consider it
do not stop the mind
move on with your life
with an immovable mind
You have seen the same thing
========================================================
TECHNICAL NOTEBOOK
From the Sei Do Kai, University of Guelph.
SEI TEI GATA OF THE JAPAN KENDO FEDERATION
TACHI WAZA NO BU (STANDING SECTION)
5. (GOHONME) KESA GIRI (diagonal/sash strike)
The remaining five techniques come from the joden or Okuden level of practice. They are all standing techniques. The noto is the same as for the Omori Ryu, not that of the Okuden set.
In all the standing techniques, metsuke is straight ahead, not down.
The saya must be kept horizontal when standing. The back should be straight and the arms close to the body. The hands should be relaxed or in a loose fist but not stiff fingered.
After returning to the starting position remain standing. Both the opponent and yourself are walking toward each other.
NUKI TSUKE
Starting with the right foot take two normal sized steps. On the second step move your hands to the tsuka. As you take the third step roll the saya counterclockwise 180 degrees so that the edge is now down. Draw the blade straight forward in this position until one inch is left. On a strong third step clear the blade and cut in gyaku kesa giri from the left to the right so that the opponent is cut from his right hip to his left shoulder.
Don't lean too far forward, keep proper stance. If you overextend on the step the move to hasso gamae will be difficult. Turn the blade all the way over during the draw, not just 1/2 way.
On the third step draw forward not down. Cut in gyaku kesa until the blade clears the opponent's shoulder. Let the blade turn over after it clears the shoulder. You must keep the sword within the body width between the cuts. Wrist control is critical. The sword should be almost vertical ready for the next cut.
KIRI TSUKE
As the kissaki clears the opponent's shoulder let the tip continue on upward and allow the right wrist to turn clockwise so that the sword edge is reversed. The left hand returns the koiguchi to the tanden in the proper orientation at the same time as the sword is turned over. Grasp the tsuka with both hands so that the sword is forward of, above and just inside of your right shoulder. The blade may move up until it is almost vertical but it must remain within the area of the shoulders.
The blade may move up but the right hand must not move any higher than just above the right shoulder (about 45 degrees above horizontal). It does not follow the blade upward.
If the right hand is allowed to move too far to the right the tsuka can be caught by the opponent. Keeping the hand to the centre will keep you back away from tekki.
From this position cut down in kesa giri from right to left. The cut finishes with the sword horizontal and the kashira just at your left hip.
This is the power cut.
Cut down beside the neck and finish the cut in the middle of the opponent, not at his right hip. The final position is that of seigan, with a small angle on the blade to account for the angle of the cut. The final cut is done with extension at the finish.
The cut should trim off the bottom of his left ear.
There is absolutely no pause between these two cuts at all. Both are on the same angle and are done as one move.
There should be no shift of the feet at all between these two cuts.
CHIBURI
Maintaining zanshin, slowly move the sword up to hasso gamae as you move the right foot back into hidari hanmi. Move the sword from the tip first and take a normal walking distance step back. After a brief pause to check the opponent step back with the left foot into migi hanmi as you snap the sword down to the right side to clean off the blood. The final sword position is the same as for the Mae chiburi above.
In hasso gamae the blade edge is straight to the front and the body is square forward. From the front the blade is vertical, from the side it is angled back 45 degrees. The feet are both parallel forward.
The step back into hasso should be short enough to take the next step without "jumping" into it.
The tsuka moves down slightly to settle into the final position with the tsuba beside the mouth.
The metsuke should be kept on the opponent but the head should remain straight.
NOTO
As you snap the sword down move the left hand directly to the koiguchi and turn it to the proper position to receive the sword. While remaining in a standing right hanmi replace the blade as you did in Mae above. Finish the kata by moving the left foot up to the right and then stepping back to the starting position.
========================================================
FROM PAN
These masters of old
could levitate
and leap thirty feet high
And they all had a staircase
in their home.
========================================================
Since no one has submitted an article for this space yet, you will once again have to read one from your editor. Those of you that have promised to write something, get to work. Those who would like to share your experience, please feel welcome. Training tips, travel stories, personal anecdotes and anything else relating to your Iaido practice would be appreciated by others who study the art. It doesn't need to be great literature either, put it in point form and we'll write it if you wish. The important thing is the information not the style. (Or let us know and we'll edit your story to our own peculiar opinions of grammar.)
Enough advertising, here is something a little more technical than the last couple of articles.
TANDEN BO PRACTICE
or
HOW TO HAVE FOREARMS LIKE POPEYE
by Kim Taylor, Sei Do Kai Iaido, U. of Guelph.
In this modern life there seems to be little opportunity for use of our hands and forearms. Tennis and the other racket sports are just about the limit as far as using the lower limbs. This is in sharp contrast to the lives of our fathers who, as farmers, sailors and woodsmen used their hands constantly. Is it any wonder then, that almost everyone who takes up Iaido develops what is commonly known as "tennis elbow". This problem comes from straining the muscles in the forearm which move the hand at the wrist. Modern sword students simply don't have the forearm development to jump straight into intense practice with the iaito.
One way to avoid these problems is to begin the practice with a light bokuto and move to a heavier one before using an iaito. This is hard for an enthusiastic beginner who wants to use the metal blade as soon as the shoulders are strong enough to swing it properly. Swinging is of course easy, it is stopping the blade that causes the forearm damage.
Another way to avoid straining these muscles is to strengthen them before they are damaged. Some specific exercises designed for Iaido are presented here so that students can develop "Popeye arms". The tool used is called a tanden bo but a bokuto, jo, or metal bar can also be used.
WHAT IS A TANDEN BO?
A tanden bo is usually about three by three inches and about three feet overall. It has a ten inch handle which is about the length of a tsuka and is made of hardwood. Ash, oak or some other wood of similar density is used since a tanden bo made of something like ebony would be ridiculously heavy as well as very expensive.
CAVEAT
These exercises and repetitions are those that I personally use, you may pick and choose amongst them. If you decide to make up some new exercises, please be careful. From experience I can tell you that some movements can do damage to your wrists that will not show up for a couple of days. The tendons get a little irritated and swell up causing pain. Rest and ice usually works for me.
PRE PRACTICE
Like any new exercise you should work up to it. Make sure you swing the arms a bit to loosen the joints and warm up the muscles before picking up a stick. You may wish to use a bokuto, suburito, or a jo for a while until the exercises are no longer stressful then move to a tanden bo.
When using the tanden bo, begin with only a few reps and increase the numbers as needed.
Perform only the two handed exercises until the forearms become stronger and then choke up on
the handle for the one handers. With this progression you should be able to get a full range of
resistance to work with. My tanden bo is made of white ash, a lighter hardwood and I am a fairly
big boy. I'm still up at full choke on the handle for the one handed exercises after about five years
so don't expect to be using Benkei's tettsu bo (iron bar) too soon.
In all cases treat the tanden bo with respect, by its weight it can quickly pull a muscle that has been fatigued if you decide to swing hard.
STRIKES
All of these exercises are done from three stances so that the body is balanced and to relieve boredom in the legs as you work the arms.
The first stance is a bit of a warm-up in that you stand naturally, your feet at about shoulder width and facing squarely to the front. Don't lock the knees and don't bend them too much either. Keep the muscles of the front and the back of the thighs about equally involved in holding yourself up. This is a very relaxed and safe way of standing which allows you to drop your feeling of balance down into your hips and below.
The other two stances are a migi (right) and hidari (left) hanmi. The stance should be long enough that when you move down onto the back knee as if doing Noto, your legs are at 90 degree angles at the knees. I like to move into a longer stance than this to put some stress on the legs and to stretch the calf muscles out as I work, no sense wasting time exercising only one part of the body.
KIRI OTOSHI (dropping cuts)
1. As a warm-up, spread the feet about two shoulder widths apart instead of just one from the first position. Grasp the tanden bo in a normal grip, raise it up in a straight line over your head and let it swing back as far as possible without losing te-no-uchi. Now consciously release the left hand little fingers and let the tip of the bo slowly swing down to touch you softly on the spine. Take te-no-uchi again and swing in a large arc up and over your head, "sweeping the ceiling" and moving in a strictly vertical line. Let the bo move down past horizontal until it is aimed at the floor at about 45 degrees. Do these swings slowly about 30 times concentrating on making the biggest arc possible.
2. Now do about 30 more at the same speed or slightly faster without releasing te-no-uchi at the top and without swinging past horizontal on the downstroke. As you perform the downstroke sink the hips deeply so that you are at the lowest point as you finish the stroke.
Warmup swings = 60 cuts
First stance
3. Move the feet in to shoulder width and move on to proper kiri otoshi. Cut two handed and let the hips drop slightly with each downstroke, don't exaggerate the drop but keep the feeling of cutting with the hara and not the shoulders. Reps = 10
4. Single handed cuts are done with the left then the right hand so that the right hand is tired and the left fresh as you do the final two handed set. This encourages striking with the left hand.
Choke up on the handle and swing using proper grip and motion with the left hand only. Pay particular attention to moving the blade in a vertical plane, don't let the tip swing around. If your hand is not "wrung" inward over the tsuka properly than you cannot stop the downswing at the horizontal position when using the heavy tanden bo. Be sure to squeeze the little fingers tightly. Beware of letting the index finger be moved sideways as you try to stop the swing, this is very irritating and can give problems in the joint at the base of the finger. Keep the proper shibori position. Reps = 10
5. Switch the tanden bo to the right hand and do 10 more cuts. If you are right handed this will be easier than swinging with the left hand. Resist the temptation to use more resistance for the right arm than for the left. You are trying to balance the strengths so that you use the left hand to cut when using both hands.
6. Now place the left hand back on the tsuka and do 10 more two handed cuts with proper form. As you go through the exercises you must use more and more concentration to keep your form correct since your muscles will be getting fatigued and sloppy.
Migi hanmi
7. Without pausing step forward into a right stance, as long and low as you can get and remove the right hand. Pay attention to your knees, you don't want to strain them while exercising the arms. Swing 10 times with the left hand alone.
8. Right hand alone, 10 reps.
9. Both hands, 10 reps. When both hands are again used it is a temptation to swing a lot harder. This is because it feels so much better to use both hands again. Instead of swinging harder with two hands, work on the single hand cuts so that they feel natural as well.
Hidari hanmi
10. Left hand, 10 reps.
11. Right hand, 10 reps.
12. Both hands, 10 reps.
This gives a total of 100 cuts per cycle for the three stances. I usually stop at one cycle if I am going on to the wrist exercises.
Instead of kiri otoshi, you could choose kesa giri or one of the other cuts for the exercises above. Be very careful since all of the other cuts introduce a twisting motion into the exercise that can result in pulled muscles in the neck and back.
An interesting exercise is to switch your hand positions for the two handed cuts so that the right hand is below the left. This will completely destroy your technique, laugh rather than get frustrated when it does.
WRIST (FOREARM) EXERCISES
These three exercises are each done from the three stances discussed above. Do them slowly and carefully, fast moves are dangerous and will not allow you to isolate the desired muscles.
Top of the forearms
First stance
1. With the feet shoulder width apart choke up on the handle with the left hand and stretch the arm straight out in front of yourself. The arm should be at shoulder height, keep it straight to avoid using any extraneous muscles and keep the shoulder down so that there is no tension in the neck.
Point the tip of the tanden bo straight forward, then using the muscles on the top of the forearm raise it in the vertical plane to a vertical position. If you are using the proper grip on the tsuka then you will be exercising the same muscle that will give "tennis elbow". Try to keep the index finger out of the movement or you will irritate the base joint. Reps = 10.
2. Switch hands and do 10 lifts with the right hand. This exercise is especially important since it is the top of the right forearm that is involved in controlling the blade as a cut is stopped. This jerking to a stop is irritating to the ligaments and tendons at the right elbow.
It is possible to do these lifts with two hands but for me it seems to encourage a "levering" action in the tsuka which should be avoided in the actual cuts.
Migi hanmi
3. Left hand, 10 reps.
4. Right hand, 10 reps. In this position it is easy to let the upper body swing and the shoulders come out of square to the front. Concentrate on proper form, keeping the hips and shoulders square to the front.
Hidari hanmi
5. Left hand, 10 reps.
6. Right hand, 10 reps.
This will give thirty reps on each forearm per cycle. For me, one cycle is plenty.
Bottom of the forearms
The muscles on the little finger edge of the arm are those involved in the cutting stroke of the sword. These exercises will strengthen them. This is also useful to assist in the te-no-uchi motion since the little the ring fingers are closed by these same muscles.
Hold the tanden bo in a proper grip with the left hand out in front of yourself. Now switch the tsuka around so that the tanden bo is coming out of the little finger edge of your hand. This is the grip used when doing these exercises standing up.
Straighten the arm down by the side and then move it back as far as possible keeping it straight. This should isolate the forearm muscles as well as working the backs of the shoulders a bit.
First stance
1. Left hand. Keeping proper te-no-uchi at all times, move the tip of the tanden bo in a vertical plane as far down and up as possible. Do this slowly isolating the proper muscles and without losing control. A mirror will help make sure the movement is vertical and not swinging out to the sides. Reps = 10.
2. Right hand, 10 reps.
Migi hanmi
3 and 4. Left and right hand, 10 reps.
Hidari hanmi
5 and 6. Left and right hand, 10 reps.
Thirty reps each forearm each cycle.
Twisting the forearms
This is the most dangerous exercise of the lot so be very careful when you try it for the first time. This motion works the muscles used in keeping the blade straight during a cut, and in moving it during the furi kaburi and chiburi motions.
Take a normal grip again as if doing the first wrist exercise. Hold the tanden bo vertically in the left hand with the left arm stretched out straight from the shoulder.
Carefully allow the tanden bo to move down to the side until it is horizontal, then move it back up and over to the other side horizontal again. Once down on both sides is one rep.
If you feel something starting to give way in the wrist or the elbow, drop the tanden bo, don't try to control it. A way to reduce the resistance is to move the tip more toward the front, shortening the (twisting) leverage of the bo on your wrist.
As in the exercises above, three stances and two hands equal six exercises. For this twist I find that 5 reps in each exercise is about all I can do. Total twists = 15 each arm.
ALTERNATIVE METHOD
Another way of performing these exercises that will isolate the upper body from the legs is to do them from seiza. When you sit in seiza or kneel on one knee you are taking two or three joints out of the linkage between you and the ground. Since the hips are now just about on the floor, it is easy to work on moving from the hara. Try not to bounce the buttocks up off of the heels.
The only exercise that cannot be done easily from seiza is the lower forearm lift. These can be done by holding the tanden bo in a normal grip, raising it to jodan and moving the tip vertically down the back and up again. Try to get a 180 degree arc without releasing te-no-uchi. To prevent the use of the triceps when moving the stick, use your free hand to hold the elbow and check that the arm stays straight.
DELTOIDS
For those who have trouble with the shoulders, some exercises for the deltoids will be useful.
1. With a normal grip hold the tanden bo out at arms length. If the wrists are too fatigued to hold it up, prop the end of the tsuka under your forearm to help hold it out horizontally. This will give the forearms a good stretch. Slowly move the arm out to the side and back again to the front. Ten reps each arm.
2. Stand with your side against a wall, the tanden bo in the other hand. Now lift it slowly up to a horizontal position keeping the arm straight. Ten reps both arms.
3. and 4. Repeat the same lifts with the arms angled at 45 degrees to the front and straight out to the front. Use the wall to stop leaning backwards, isolating the deltoids. Reps = 10.
5. Move the arms in slow circles to the front and the back. Move slowly so that you are not swinging freely but are controlling the motion at all times with the shoulders. Ten circles each way, both arms.
BODY COORDINATION USING THE BO'S WEIGHT
Any of your normal suburi can be done with the tanden bo. Since it is so much heavier than a sword it will throw your balance off thus forcing you to work at staying in form. This helps keep your mind on your tanden.
A good exercise to loosen the wrists and the hips is as follows. Stand with your feet spread about two shoulder widths facing square to the front. Hold the bo as if you have just struck an opponent on the head, now, using an uke nagashi type motion release the bo and let it swing down toward your body. Don't release the correct grip on the tsuka but move your body to one side so that your wrists can bend with the motion and the bo misses your hip. Let it swing up again behind your head as you re-centre and re-square your body to cut again to head height. After stopping the bo let it drop on the other side.
The same movements can be done while walking forward as if in uke nagashi to examine what is happening with your hips and shoulders as you move. Use the weight and momentum of the tanden bo to examine technique while you are loosening the wrists.
Once again let me say that these are the exercises that I do with the tanden bo, I make no claims that they are in accord with the teachings of any sword school. A short time ago, however, I was looking at a book written by Nakamura Taisaburo and noticed that his tanden bo exercises seemed similar. Since I have never studied with him, and the explanations were in Japanese, I can't say that they were indeed the same.
If you do try these exercises remember to keep good te-no-uchi and shibori. Isolate the desired muscles and do the movements slowly. Concentrate on your tanden at all times, not on the arm or shoulder strength, it is, after all called a tanden bo.
=======================================================
You think training is only for the hall
Here is training you must undertake
at home
Treat your family as if you've just met them
every moment you are with them
This is very hard
try not to slouch
========================================================
MAILING LIST
Mitsuru Asaoka, 2445 Cape Horn Ave. Coquitlam B.C. Canada. V3K 1K1 (604)525-5080 FAX(604)520-5999
Jim Callfas, 88 East Lynn Ave. Toronto, Ont. Canada. M4C 3X2 698-8688.
O. Fujii, 57 Mount Pleasant Rd. Dartford, Kent, England. DAI ITD.
Goyo Ohmi 43 Milington Cr. Ajax Ontario, Canada. L1T 1R3 (416)683-8346
New York City Kendo Club, c/o Noboru Kataoka 46 West 83rd Street New York NY. USA 10024 (212) 874-6161
Roy Kennedy, 124 Glen Springs Dr. Scarborough Ontario, Canada. M1W 1X8
University of Guelph Iaido, c/o Mr. Kimberley Taylor, Department of Animal Science, University of Guelph, Guelph Ontario, Canada. N1G 2W1. (519)824-4120 ext 6225
Katsuo Yamaguchi, 3-24-1 Shinbori Higashiyamato-shi, Tokyo Japan 189. (0425-65-9146)
Yasuo Yamashibu, Tonda-cho-1-4-2, Okayama Japan 700. (0862- 25-5471) (FAX 0862-23-9433)
Yugenkan Dojo, c/o Mr. Bill Mears, 100 Elmwood Ave. Crystal Beach Ontario, Canada. L0S 1B0. (416)871-7772 ext. 314
Stephen Cruise, 10 Glenborough Pk. Willowdale Ontario Canada. M2R 2G5 (416)229-4986
Japanese Swordsmanship Society, PO Box 1116 Rockafeller Stn. New York, New York. USA 10185 (212)691-2891
l'Aikido de la Montagne, 3734 Avenue du Parc, Montreal Quebec, Canada. H2X 2J1.
Larry Nakamura, 24 Beckwith Road, Etobicoke Ontario, Canada. M9C 3X9. (416)622-2962
New England Aikikai, 2000 Massachusetts Ave. Cambridge Mass. USA. 02140
F. Y. Okimura, 7557 de Normanville, Montreal Quebec, Canada. H2R 2V2.
Renbukan Dojo, c/o Mr. Tamio Tateno, 207 Nelson St. Brantford Ontario, Canada. N3S 4C2.
Pierre-Paul Rivet, 12 Desmarteau Boucherville Quebec. J4B 1Z9.
Marion M. Taylor, 32 Bedford Court Amherst, MA USA 01002 (413)256-0219
Valley Aikido, c/o Paul Sylvain, 131 King St. Northampton Mass. USA. 02140
Peter Verra, 1452 Paddington Ct. Burlington, Ont. Canada. L7M 1W7. (416)336-7159
Zanshin, Ecole D'Aikido et Iaido, c/o Donna Winslow, 5425 Bordeaux #503D, Montreal Quebec, Canada. H2H 2P9 (514)521-6786
Roy Asa, c/o Japan Camera Centre, 88 Lesmill Rd. (Don Mills) Toronto Ontario, Canada. M3B 2T5. (FAX (416)445-0519)
Central YMCA Aikikai, c/o Stuart Rae 375 Brunswick Ave. #504, Toronto Ontario, Canada. M5R 2Z3
Doshikan Kendo Club, c/o Shozo Kato 124 East 79th St. Apt 3A New York NY. USA 10021(212)535-6470
International Kendo Federation c/o Nippon-Budokan 2 Kitanomaru-koen Chiyoda-ku Tokyo Japan. 102 (211-5804, 211-5805) JCCC 123 Wynford Dr. Toronto Ontario Canada. M3C 1K1 Ken Zen Institute, c/o Kenjun Kasahara 152-158 West 26th Street New York NY. USA 10001 (212)741-2281
Robert Savoie 532 Avenue Duluth E. Montreal Quebec Canada. H2L 1A9 (514)288-8679 or
842-0342