The Iaido Newsletter
A publication of shared distribution dedicated to the Japanese sword arts, Iaido, Kendo and the Koryu A Sei Do Kai Publication (Incorporating the OKF News)	Vol 10/2 #89 Feb 1998 $5.00 per issue PHOTOCOPY AND SHARE THIS NEWSLETTER!

AUSTRALIA David Kolb, 30 Neville St. Kangaroo Point, Qld. 4169 Australia.

BALTICS Tonis Kunnus, As PreDe, Pirita tee 20, Tallinn 0001, Estonia.

BELGIUM: Erik Pooters Wittestraat 9 Kiel, Antwerpen 2020 Belgie.

CANADA CENTRAL Sandra Jorgenson, 77 Harbour Sq. #3310 Toronto Ont. M5J 2S2.

CANADA EAST Robert Miller, 45 Cedar Cr. Beaconsfield, Quebec H9W 4S9.

CANADA WEST Barry Wiseman, 11038 Greenwood Dr. Mission B.C. V4S 1A9.

CENTRAL EUROPE Zsolt Balassy, H-1046 Budapest, Toth A. u. 19. Hungary.

DENMARK Bjarne Blichfeldt Katholm 210 3670 Vekso Denmark.

ENGLAND Douglas Evans 10 Daglish Close, New Romney, Kent TN28 8XF.

FINLAND Pasi Hellsten, Luuvaniementie 4 D 126, SF-00350 Helsinki, Finland.

GERMANY Klaus Wissmath, Rathenaustrasse 9A, D-91052 Erlangen.

HOLLAND Johan Smits, Dunant Straat 866 Zoetermeer Netherlands 2713 XJ.

JAPAN Colin Hyakutake, Matsubara 4 Chome 6-19, Saga City, Saga Ken, Japan 840.

NEW ZEALAND Hamish Robison 15 Logan Tce. Parnell, Auckland.

SWEDEN Arne Oster, Akerogatan 2, S-417 28 Goteborg.

SWITZERLAND Nicolae G. Bialokur, 18 ch. Champ-Soleil, 1012 Lausanne, Suisse.

USA EAST J.S.S. PO Box 1116 Rockefeller Stn. New York, NY USA 10185.

USA HAWAII Hunter Armstrong, 315 Foothills Dr., Sedona, AZ 86336.

USA S-CENTRAL John Ray, 1909 Archer Trail, Denton TX, 76201.

USA WEST COAST Bill Howell, 2525 NE 23rd St. Portland Oregon, 97212.

SEMINAR/EVENT ANNOUNCEMENTS

WEST COAST

from Kenyu, the PNKF newsletter

Feb 14, Sat, Steveston Taikai, 10 a.m.

Feb 27-Mar 1 Meadowbrook Iaido Seminar, Washington Zoological Park, 19525 S.E. 54th, Issaquah, on Cougar Mountain. Noguchi Hideo, Iaido Kyoshi 8th Dan Fee is $20.00. Attendees must be members of IKF-affiliated organizations.

Feb 28, Sat, PNKF Kendo Shinsa up to 4th Dan, Highline, doors open 11 a.m, Shinsa starts at 11:30 a.m. sharp.

Mar 26-Apr 1, Kamei Kazuhiro, Kendo Hanshi 8th Dan and Iaido 7th Dan, visit to Renton with 15 people, all adult kenshi from Kanagawa, including Mariko Yoshikawa's sister Ritsuko. Kamei Sensei is the champion Miyazaki Sensei's sensei.

May 10-12, Obukan, visit of Ide Katsuhiko, Iaido Kyoshi 8th Dan, Haruna Matsuo, Iaido Kyoshi 7th Dan, and Oshita Masakazu, Iaido Kyoshi 7th Dan. Possible Jodo Seminar May 13.

May 22-May 27, Sunrise. Dedication of new Dojo, and visit from Nakanishi and Narasaki Sensei, both 9th Dan, and 20 other 8th Dan sensei.

May 23, Sat, a.m. Iaido Training; p.m. Dojo Opening Ceremonies.

May 24, Sun, all day keiko (9-4:30) (Kendo and Iaido). May 25-27, evening keiko (Kendo and Iaido).

ONTARIO JODO SEMINAR

Rick Polland sensei, of Baltimore MD will be teaching a jodo seminar at the University of Guelph Feb. 28 and Mar. 1 beginning at 10am each day. The main topic will be the Zen Ken Ren jo kata but other aspects of the Shindo Muso-ryu may be covered as well. Beginners are welcome. Fees are $75 for two days, $50 for one. Contact Kim Taylor for more details on this event.

SASKATOON KENDO SEMINAR

The 9th annual Saskatoon Kendo Seminar will be held on Saturday February 28th and Sunday March 1 here in Saskatoon, Canada. The instructors will be Mitsuro Asaoka of Sunrise Dojo in Burnaby, kendo nanadan and iaido rokudan; Goyo Ohmi of JCCC in Toronto, kendo rokudan and iaido rokudan and Ken Miyaoka of Saskatoon Kendo Club, kendo godan. We expect participants from Saskatoon, Calgary, Regina and Winnipeg. The schedule tentatively includes a seminar, tournament, grading and of course a party. For more information, contact Neil Gendzwill at gendzwil@sedsystems.ca.

PACIFIC NORTHWEST KENDO FED IAIDO SEMINAR / SHINSA

Dear Kendo Friends: Here's an update on the Pacific Northwest Kendo Federation Iai Seminar and Shinsa, and the Meadowbrook Dojo Iai Seminar. These two events are being held in successive days, all in the same place, to make a wonderful three-day sequence open to anyone belonging to an IKF-affiliated organization. The fee for the Meadowbrook Seminar is $20.00 for Friday and Saturday. Sunday PNKF Seminar is free. Persons wishing to test for Kyu or up to 3rd Dan must register by February 14, and pay appropriate examination/menjo fees.

Feb 27-Mar 1 Meadowbrook Iaido Seminar, Washington Zoological Park, 19525 S.E. 54th, Issaquah, on Cougar Mountain. Noguchi Hideo, Iaido Kyoshi 8th Dan is expected to attend. Fee is $20.00.

Feb 27, Fri, 7-9 p.m.

Feb 28, Sat, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Mar 1, Sun, PNKF Iaido Seminar/Shinsa.

Mar 1, Sun, Seminar open 9 a.m., begin 9:30 a.m. Shinsa 2 p.m. There is no fee for PNKF Seminar. Donations accepted to help with expense of bringing Noguchi Sensei. Those wishing to test for Kyu or up to 3rd Dan in the Shinsa must register by February 14 and pay appropriate examination/menjo fees.

Contact: Tom Bolling -- Recording Secretary, Pacific Northwest Kendo Federation work=(206) 543-2060 fax=(206) 685-8485

GLASGOW KENDO SEMINAR

There will be a seminar for Kendo in Glasgow Scotland 6/7/8 March 1998 at Palace of Art, Bellahouston Park,Paisley Road,Glasgow,G51. Grading 8th March up to and including 4th Dan further details contact Keith K Hazlewood Membership Secretary British Kendo Association

Tel 0171.515.8653 Pager 01523.128608

Fax 0171.531.6362 E Mail bka@dircon.co.uk

or jhepburn@compuserve.com

Grading applications must reach the BKA grading officer by 8th Feb. He is : Peter Wells 45 Boston Avenue,Reading ,Berks overseas applications must have written permission from their country's president .

PARIS-TAKAI'98

PARIS - TAIKAI The martial arts of the Japanese sword 1st gathering March 14th, 15th 1998 - Paris -

Adress: Halle Carpentier, 80 Boulevard Massena, 75013 PARIS. The Gymnasium is situated in the south of Paris, between the Metro stations:"Porte de Choisy" and "Porte d'Ivry" (line nr.7).

A/ ENTRY FEE : FF 150 by participant who will enjoy:

- access to the Conference

- participation in the Kendo tournament by dan OR in the Kata practice (Naginata, Jodo, Iaido) of March 14th 1998

- entry to the exhibition of March 14th 1998

- a copy of the program

B/ ENTRY FEE for teams to the Kendo/Naginata Tournament of March 15th 1998 FF 150 per team.

Contact:

Comite' National de Kendo

43 rue des Plantes

75680 Paris Cedex 14

from outside France: 33

from France: 0

then tel: 1 40 52 16 31

fax: 1 40 52 16 30

If you need any information please contact Laurent Chaudron by email at chaudron@cert.fr

or contact the French Kendo Committee. (in French) http://www.geocities.com/Colosseum/Arena/5564/kendo.html

KYUDO INTENSIVES IN VT WITH KANJURO SHIBATA SENSEI.

Location: Seiko Kyudojo at Karme-Choling, Barnet, VT 05821. (about 1 hr North of White River Junction; 1/2 mile west of Exit 18 off I-91, heading towards West Barnet; take the *2nd right* turn onto the dirt road after the K-C sign).

Phone: 802-633-2384 (Karme-Choling). Daily office hours 1:30 - 5:30 PM.

FAX: 802-633-3012

E-mail: <karmecholing@shambhala.org>

Web site: <http://www.kclshambhala.org>

POC: Mr. Eric Laufe, acting Dojo-cho.

[The following information was compiled from the Karme-Choling programs flyer for Spring and Summer 1998; any transcription errors are my own.]

Dates: June 5 - 14.

Cost: $375/nine-days or $75/day.

"This nine-day program is designed for authorized instructors as well as all students dedicated to the discipline of 'mind' Kyudo as taught by Kanjuro Shibata Sensei."

Dates: June 17 - 21.

Cost: $255/adult & $200/child or teen [includes training, practice materials, basic accomodations, and meals; this *cost* is really minimal here, and an additional donation to Sensei is greatly appreciated].

"Kyudo, the Way of the Bow, is one of the oldest arts in the Japanese tradition of contemplative warriorship. From the precision of this form, a natural process gradually unfolds in which the practitioner can see his or mind at the moment of releasing. This program, as taught by Kanjuro Shibata Sensei, is open to everyone. [It includes first-shot instruction.] Children and teens who have received first-shot instruction are welcome to attend."

It includes meditation, training, outdoors shooting, and talks on Kyudo. If you own Uwagi (practice uniform jacket/top), Obi (wide belt) and Hakama, bring them. Also bring some sort of footware to get to and from the outdoor range. For registration, please contact Karme-Choling.

I have written about my experiences at last year's two [general] Intensives at Karme-Choling:

"First Shot: Kyudo Intensive in Vermont [June 1997]," JOURNAL OF JAPANESE SWORD ARTS #84, 9(9), 6-10, September, 1997.

"Second Shot: the Second Kyudo Intensive in Vermont [Sept 1997]," JOURNAL OF JAPANESE SWORD ARTS #86, 9(11), 4-8, November 1997.

Raymond Sosnowski

CRAFT WORKSHOPS IN WI

Traditional Japanese craft workshops in ceramics and metal Wednesday April 22 through Friday April 24, 1998 University of Wisconsin-La Crosse art department The demonstrators are:

Enomoto Sadahito - swordsmith specializing in work done in the soshu style and norishige style o-hada. He comes from a long line of swordsmiths and works with his father Enomoto Sadayoshi (mukansa smith) who was a student of Gassan Sadakatsu.

Asai Shoji - non-ferrous metalsmith specializing in traditional high relief chasing. Mr. Asai produces one of a kind menuki and kimono pin forms with embellishments of inlaid and overlaid colors of gold.

Ryoji Koie - contemporary ceramist who works both sculpturally and in vessel form. He specializes in Seto Goro, an old Japanese tradition of taking the pots from a hot kiln and quenching them in water.

The workshop cost for non students is $75.00 and $15.00 for students. The three day workshop fee allows participants to observe all three demonstrators. Early registration would be appreciated.

Contact William Fiorini or Karen Terpstra at The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, Art Department, 1725 State St., La Crosse, WI, 54601. (608) 785-8230 or fiorini@post.uwlax.edu. Please make checks payable to: University of Wisconsin - La Crosse.

Name

Address

Phone No.

Amount Enclosed _________

Send To: William Fiorini

Art Department

1725 State Street

University of Wisconsin - La Crosse

La Crosse, WI 54601

IAIDO PRACTICE TOPS

100% cotton, sized to you and supplied at cost through the Sei Do Kai. $70 (includes postage). Black or white, other colours may be extra. Measure the chest size at nipple height, shoulder point to shoulder point, and from neck to mid-thigh. Send your measurements to Sei Do Kai. 44 Inkerman St. Guelph, Ontario Canada N1H 3C5.

KATORI RYU IN THE U.S.

Just a note to promote some TSKSR activities sponsored through the Sugawara Martial Arts Institute.

Mark Jones teaches at the Aikido of Napa dojo in Napa, California--707-257-6639.

Nagase Shoichi teaches at the Jinmukan dojo in Overland Park, Kansas. (Check out the web page for more info!)

Pat Nichols leads a training group at the Madison Aikido dojo in Madison, Wisconsin--608-256-4579.

Rob Dillon (I, me) leads a training group at Southeast Missouri State University in Cape Girardeau, Missouri--573-651-2491.

As I've said afore this, this training is IN the bonefide techniques of TSKSR not training WITH TSKSR (as in the blood oath and living fairly near to Suwara City, Chiba Prefecture, Japan, etc.) although the traditional oath must be signed before you may receive more than rudimentary instruction. A reverse disclaimer though: as near as I can tell all of us who train in these venerable techniques--and all these senior teachers and students--feel as if we are REALLY members of the TSKSR Family even though we are, technically, members only of the extended family that has been adopted by Sugawara-sensei. Nagase-sensei is, incidentally, the Consul of Japan attached to the Japanese Consulate of Kansas City. This is not IMHO anything like an attempt to exploit TSKSR for selfish gain, ego, or sensation. This is real training in a real martial way.

ALL UNITED STATES KENDO FEDERATION INFO BULLETIN

1. Motion passed -Purchase new bilingual rule books for regional members-Yuge to inquire to IKF . We will send out info when available.

2. The IKF is planning to hold (2) shimpan seminars in the America Zone for 98 and 99. The first will likely be held this spring in Canada (time and place TBD) and next spring in the US (time and place TBD). US Kodansha should plan on attending these if at all possible. AUSKF will also hold seminars for certifying judges for 1999.

3. New officers for the 98-99 terms are as follows:

President J. Marsten, Executive VP T. Yuge, VP Promotion M. Miyahara, VP Education A. Hori, VP Competition T. Yamaguchi, Treasurer K. Lorimer, Secretary G. Heuhner, Auditor R. Fox, Recorder K. Lorimer, Menjo Recorder D. Yotsuuye

4. AUSKF 1999 Taikai will be held in Las Vegas, Nevada. Various duties will be assigned to the regional members. Such as keeping the score and timing for a court.

5. 11WKC Logo contest-Information will be forthcoming on a design contest from Messrs. Yuge & Heuhner

6. 11WKC Funding list. Mr. Jim Totten will be sending out information and a request for possible fund raising contacts to the regional members. Please help by sending back as much info as possible.

7. The Iaido committee is working with the SWUSKIF and Dallas/ Ft. Worth to set up and hold a iaido taikai and shinsa late this spring possibly in May /June timeframe. This will be followed by a seminar and shinsa in the fall time frame (time/Place/date TBD)

8. The AUSKF Summer Camp Committee is currently reviewing plans for a 98 event, they would like input from all the regionals on what summer camps they plan on holding. Please send details to Mr. A. Hori, 7871 Sun Flower Ln. La Palma, CA

9. A Syllabus for the written exams for both Kendo and Iaido (shinsa guide book) -is being worked on by Promotion Regulation Committee, (I have sent out a request for answers to the test questions for both iaido and kendo to many of the kodansha members). When the guidebook is completed it will provide reference material on how to answer and apply the written examination. This will be for all tests given in the AUSKF. Until these questions and guides are available , the requirement for a written examination continues to be held in suspension. The regulations committee completed further draft sections for the AUSKF promotional regulations. The shogo section was completed and defines the requirements and procedure for applying shogo.

10. The next AUSKF Board meeting is planned for late April in the Atlanta Georgia area. As usual there will be a godo keiko with local regional kenshi and the board members.

11. Three AUSKF Sensei were invited to participate in the Mexico Kendo Federation's seminar and shinsa for both Kendo and Iaido. Our Sensei worked with a delegation from Japan to conduct this event which was very successful and greatly appreciated by the MKF. Sensei who attended from the AUSKF were Yamaguchi, Murakami and Kato. Expenses were covered by the MKF.

12. Individuals wishing to apply for the AJKF Summer Camp at Kitamoto, Japan should be thinking about their plans as the request for names will be coming out shortly. Remember the selection order is by regional federation and rotates each year to a new federation in the order. Remember also that there are age and rank requirements to attend the seminar. Official paperwork will be out soon.

SEMINAR REPORTS

OHMI JINGU ENBU

January 3, 1998

by Peter Boylan, Shiga-ken Japan

Shogatsu, or New Year's, is the biggest holiday in Japan. Everyone visits their local shines and temples to greet the kami and pray for a good year. It is also popular to visit famous shines and temples as well. The really famous shrines and temples turn into mad-houses, filled with crowds jostling to get to the front of the temple to make a New Year's offering and say a prayer.

In Shiga Prefecture, right next to Kyoto, one of the major shrines, Ohmi Jingu, has a big festival on the third day of the New Year, the last day of the Shogatsu holiday. The Shiga Prefecture Kendo Renmei takes part in this festival every year by performing Iaido in front of the main hall of the shrine as an offering to the Kami of Ohmi Jingu. There is an open, white gravel garden separating the area for making offerings and prayers from the honden, the building where the Kami resides, and we demonstrated there.

Before we could demonstrate, we had to go through a Shinto purification ritual. All of the participants in the demonstration, who ranged from mudansha up to hachidan, filed into the ante chamber of the honden, and the priest chanted in very, very formal Japanese (which of course, I couldn't understand), and a female assistant told us to bow our heads in the appropriate places. After this the priest waved sasaki leaves and a wand with cut rice paper over us to purify us. Finally, Kojima Sensei, hachidan, Tsuda Sensei, nanadan, and Inoue Sensei, Nanadan, made offerings of sasaki leaves to the Kami as representatives of our group.

One of the miko, or shrine maidens, directed us out a door opposite the one we had come in, and as we filed out that door and down some steps, we were each given a small cup of sake to drink to further purify ourselves. We got to keep the cup as a souvenir.

Now the enbu began. There were approximately forty people taking part, and the first thing we did was take a group picture on the steps of the honden. Kojima Sensei embarrassed somebody's wife by making her come up on the steps with her kids to be in the picture. She couldn't say no to him. How do you politely say "No." to hachidan?

After all the pictures were taken we started demonstrating. We were outside, on gravel, between the visitors to the shrine, who were throwing coins into the big bins set out for offerings, and the honden, from which was coming amplified chanting.

The first demo was by two of the nanadans, who the ZNKR Kendo Kata. Then there was a demo of ZNKR Jodo. The third set was another demonstration of the ZNKR Kendo Kata, which Tsuda Sensei did with another nanadan.

After this everything got a little looser. Someone had brought about twenty rolled, rice straw, tatami coverings to use for tameshi giri, and a couple of the nanadans set up to do a little tameshi giri before the shodans went out as a group to demonstrate five kata each.

As they were doing the tameshi giri, Tsuda Sensei, who is one of my teachers, walked up to me and said "Peter-san, katana wo karete, tameshi giri wo yarimasho." or "Borrow a sword and go do tameshi giri."

I recall stammering "I'm too scared." or something equally brilliant. Unfortunately Tsuda Sensei wouldn't give up on the idea. And I was genuinely scared of doing tameshi giri here. I'd only done it once, two weeks before this, and I wasn't what you could call good at it. On my first swing, a kirioroshi into a bundle of rice straw lying on its side, I bent the sword so badly it looked more like a letter C. Luckily it was loaned to me by my friend, Nakagawa Sensei, who also happened to have made it. He had made the sword at a Dallas Japanese Sword Show when he was a guest of the show some years ago. He'd never sold it because he said the metal was too soft. I guess I proved him right.

He had expected the sword to get bent, and was standing there with some tools to straighten it. He straightened it up, and the cutting practice went on. I did eventually cut through one-and-a-half rolls of straw mat that night, but I never made even a moderately acceptable kesa cut through an upright bundle.

All of the tameshi giri at the Ohmi Jingu was on upright bundles of straw mat. I had pulled all of my kesa cuts my first time out so badly they looked more like baseball swings than sword cuts. I really didn't want to do this in front of spectators and the finest swordsmen I knew, but Tsuda Sensei wouldn't give up on the idea.

Finally I said, "Sensei, I can't ask someone to loan me their sword, but if you ask, I'll do my best." What was I going to do? Walk up to someone and say, "Sensei, can I borrow your $20,000 dollar sword so I can probably bend it trying to do tameshi giri." I had hoped this would be the end of it. Unfortunately, old men have no shame (he's 81). He walked over to the group preparing to do tameshi giri and started asking.

The next thing I know, a man I've never met, is waving me over to his side, and handing me a sword. He says "Kanemitsu desu." The Kanemitsu line produced some of the finest swords in Japanese history. Many of them are cultural treasures. I was being loaned one to cut straw with. This one was a fine example of why Kanemitsu blades are such treasures. Wonderful balance, feel, and swing.

By this time the shodans had nearly finished their demos, and they were getting ready to come off the grounds. I was lead over next to Kojima Sensei. He wasn't doing any demonstrating, but he was announcing each demo to the shrine visitors watching on the opposite side of the demonstration ground from the honden.. Another Sensei did tameshi giri ahead of me, and then Kojima Sensei turned me to the crowd and said, "Gaijin-san ni, tameshiri wo yate-moraimasu." or "We will receive a demonstration of tameshi giri from the gaijin." As I was bowing to the crowd, I could see many of them digging out their cameras, and several video cameras swung into action as well.

I went out on the demonstration ground, and did my ritsurei to the Kami and the sword, while praying to both to let me get this right, just once. I turned, drew, and advanced on the bundle of straw. It was just waiting for me to twist my cut a little, so it could bend the sword. This was my foe.

I took a long time getting ready for the first cut. When I swung, it was a little bit high. The sword entered through the top of the bundle instead of the side, but the cut itself, was clean. My next cut was very nice. I relaxed, having beaten the demon once, and just let the sword swing itself. It was a wonderful sword, and made a beautiful cut.

Unfortunately, I started thinking after that. My third cut, while clean, was not as good as the second. At that point I decided to quit while I was ahead. There was still enough of the bundle left for two or three more cuts, but I didn't want to press my luck any more than I already had. I was afraid I would twist my cut, or worse, cut into the wooden spike the bundle was sitting on.

I backed away from the bundle, bowed to the sword and the Kami, and got off the demonstration grounds. I can only attribute my success to my teachers, and having been given a fantastic sword to use.

All the nanadans were telling me what wonderful cuts I had made, and the some of the lower dans were clearly amazed. Part of their amazement was because very few people do tameshi giri, and most of those are at least godans. I was playing far above my current, lowly rank.

Following my tameshi giri, the nidans went out to perform their kata, along with a mudansha from America, Jodie Holeton, who only started iaido in September. He got stuck with them because I was supposed to be his guide, and I was stolen from him to do tameshi giri. He made his way out, and did five kata from the ZNKR Seitei Kata. He did quite well. It was only the fact that he was demonstrating alongside the nidans that made him look at all bad.

After that there was some more tameshi giri by the high ranks. A two of the nanadans boosted my ego tremendously by not making clean, complete cuts once or twice. In their defense however, we were outside, barefoot or in thin tabi socks, and the temperature was near freezing.

After they finished, it was time for me to do my kata demo, with the sandans, instead of lower down, where I belong. I was now so cold that I was beyond shivering, I shook if I tried to stand still. That's is no excuse for bad kata though, because practice in the winter here is always barefoot in near-freezing or freezing temperatures, even though we are inside. The Japanese don't seem to believe in heating gymnasiums or dojos. My first four kata went all right. Unfortunately, for my last kata, I swung my iaito right into the gravel. I was just thankful I did that with my own sword, and not the wonderful one I had been loaned.

After everyone had done their demonstrations, and all the tameshi had been cut, we assembled on the demonstration ground and bowed to the Kami again. Then we grabbed our coats and sword bags and shoes, and hurried back to the side building where our clothes were.

There Ohmi Jingu had a small treat for us. There were several large bottles of sake, and chips, roasted squid and other treats. While we were drinking, several of the senseis took the time to give me some advice on doing tameshi giri. Most of it was not new, things like "Cut through and past the bundle." and "Let the tip of your sword continue down, well past level when cutting." Of course, just because I'd heard it before, that doesn't mean I don't need to hear it again.

One piece of advice however, was totally unexpected. "Be careful not to cut your foot." It seems that this is a common injury among people who do a lot of tameshi giri. I was told that if you drop your shoulder too much during your follow-through, you are likely to cut your big toe, perhaps even cut it off. After thinking about it though, this made sense. Especially since the night I first did tameshi giri, someone, not me this time, put a six inch cut in the mat they were standing on, as well as cutting the tameshi.

The enbu at Ohmi Jingu was quite interesting. I had the opportunity to watch a number of excellent teachers demonstrate their kata, and to see a lot of tameshi giri. That was at least as important as doing it myself. On top of all that, a friend got it all on video.

I would like to publicly thank two men. I want to thank Tsuda Sensei for pushing my into doing the tameshi giri, and borrowing a sword for me, and I want to thank Mizukuchi Sensei, for loaning me a wonderful blade to use. I can not express my gratitude to them for giving me this opportunity.

34th ANNUAL VANCOUVER KENDO TAIKAI

- January 10, 1998

9 Years and Under

1st place - T. Young, Sunrise

2nd place - Y. Nakamura, UBC

3rd place - S. Okusa, UBC

3rd place - K. Amadatsu, Steveston

10 to 12 Years

1st place - J. Marsten, Highline

2nd place - J. Inoue, Sunrise

3rd place - M. Kubota, Sunrise

3rd place - A. Fukushima, Vancouver

13 to 15 Years

1st place - N. Akitaya, Vancouver

2nd place - K. Maruno, Renton

3rd place - N. Fukushima, Vancouver 3rd place - T. Yamada, Vancouver 16 to 25 Years

1st place - D. Taguchi, Sunrise

2nd place - R. Shirahama, Renbu

3rd place - S. Asaoka, Sunrise

3rd place - A. Ueno, Vancouver

26 to 39 Years

1st place - P. Nishikihama, Steveston

2nd place - M. Gapasin, Renton

3rd place - S. Hasunuma, Cascade 3rd place - D. Dejong, Highline

41 Years and Over

1st place - C. Marsten, Renton

2nd place - Y. Taguchi, Sunrise

3rd place - G. Bucholtz, Tacoma

3rd place - M. Smith, Tacoma

Women 16 Years and Over

1st place - Y. Sugiyama, Renbu

2nd place - M. Hayashi, Vancouver 3rd place - E. Marsten, Highline

3rd place - M. Taguchi, Sunrise

Junior Team

1st place - Vancouver A

2nd place - Vancouver B

Senior Team

1st place - Sunrise

2nd place - Steveston

Dojo Team

1st place - Vancouver

2nd place - Sunrise

S.W.O.R.D. REGIONAL KENDO

University of Guelph, Saturday Jan 24, 1998

JR basic skills

1. Robi Frigon (Burlington)

2. Kenji Kimura (Buffalo)

3. Owen Donohue (Buffalo)

KYU

1. James Cappiello (Buffalo) 2. Ed Chart (Guelph)

3. Doug Standfast (Renbukan)

3. Colin Fritz (Buffalo)

JR Bogu

1. Robi Frigon (Burlington)

2. Kenji Kimura (Buffalo)

3. Owen Donohue (Buffalo)

1^st and 2^nd Dan

1. Tada Ishimitsu (Guelph)

2. James Kim (U. Waterloo)

3. Hiroaki Kimura (Buffalo)

3. Mikel Roberts (Burlington)

3^rd Dan and up

1. Yasuhiro Mori (Guelph)

2. Dave Mori (Renbukan)

3. Paul Weaver (Tillsonburg)

3. Geoff Carson (Renbukan)

Seniors

1. Geoff Carson (Renbukan)

2. Mike Chapman (Renbukan)

3. Hiroaki Kimura (Buffalo)

3. Paul Morgan (Burlington)

Teams

1. Renbukan

2. U. Waterloo

3. Buffalo A

3. Buffalo B

Fighting Spirit Award

Geoffrey Mizuno.

HYO HO NITEN ICHI-RYU SEMINAR

University of Guelph, Sunday Jan 25, 1998.

12 people from Canada, the USA and even Belgium (Hi Jacques) attended a one day seminar introducing the Hyo Ho Niten Ichi-ryu sword techniques. Students practiced kata from the itto seiho (long sword against long sword) and the nito seiho (two swords against long sword). Since it is impossible to actually learn these kata in such a short time, emphasis was placed on the body movement and general principles of timing and distance. The next major seminar for Niten Ichi-ryu in Guelph will be during the spring seminar with Matsuo Haruna sensei, May 19, 1998.

Yearly subscriptions (12 issues) to the Journal of Japanese Sword Arts are $36 cdn in Canada, $36 US in USA, and $48 overseas. Subscriptions, stories, news, views, and anything else should be sent to Kim Taylor Editor JJSA, 44 Inkerman St. Guelph, Ontario, Canada N1H 3C5.

FROM THE SEI DO KAI PRESS

IAIDO MANUALS

BBI-1 KIM'S BIG BOOK OF IAIDO (I):The Manual

8X11" 108 pgs. Kim Taylor:

BBI-2 KIM'S BBI (II): Seitei Gata

8x11" 100 pgs. Kim Taylor

BBI-3 KIM'S BBI (III): Omori Ryu

8x11" 94 pgs. Kim Taylor

BBI-4 KIM'S BBI (IV): Eishin Ryu

8x11" 127 pgs. Kim Taylor

BBI-5 KIM'S BBI (V): Oku Iai

8x11" 100 pgs. Kim Taylor

OTHER BOOKS

PH-1 SONGS OF THE SWORD

5X8" 100 pgs. by Kim Taylor

SD-1 RESISTING SEXUAL ASSAULT

8x11" 130 pgs. by Kim Taylor

SD-2 STUDENT GUIDE TO SELF DEFENCE

8x11" 150 pgs. by Kim Taylor

VIDEO TAPES

VHS/NTSC format only.

VID-1 SEITEI GATA IAI 1993

VID-2 SPRING SEMINAR/TACHI UCHI NO KURAI

VID-3 THE 1994 SENIOR CLASS, SEITEI GATA

VID-4 THE 1994 SENIOR CLASS, KORYU

VID-5 CKF YUDANSHA GRADINGS 1991, 1992

VID-6 CKF YUDANSHA GRADINGS 1993

VID-7 CKF YUDANSHA GRADINGS 1994

VID-8 CKF YUDANSHA GRADINGS 1995

VID-9 THE 1993 UG SUMMER IAIDO SEMINAR

VID-10 THE 1995 JOHN RAY SEMINAR AT UG - 1

VID-11 THE 1995 JOHN RAY SEMINAR AT UG - 2

VID-12 1994 SEMINAR WITH HARUNA SENSEI

VID-13 OMORI RYU AND SENIOR CLASS 1995

VID-14 1996 SEMINAR WITH HARUNA SENSEI

VID-15 CKF YUDANSHA GRADINGS 1996

VID-16 TACHI UCHI NO KURAI (includes material from VID-2)

COMPANION VIDEO TAPES TO THE BBI MANUALS

VIDBBI-1 BEGINNING IAIDO I

VIDBBI-2 BEGINNING IAIDO II

VIDBBI-3 SEITEI GATA IAIDO

VIDBBI-4 MUSO JIKIDEN EISHIN RYU SEIZA NO BU

VIDBBI-5 MJER TATE HIZA NO BU

VIDBBI-6 MJER OKU IAI IWAZA

JJSA Journal of Japanese Sword Arts $36 Cdn in Canada,

$36 US in USA, $48 overseas.

JINX-1 IAI JINX WRITING CARDS

SEI DO KAI ORDER FORM

Please send me:

BBI-1. $30 __

BBI-2. $30 __

BBI-3. $30 __

BBI-4. $30 __

BBI-5. $30 __

BBI-SET. $120 __

JINX-1 $7 __

PH-1. $17 __

SD-1. $25 __

SD-2. $25 __

SD-SET. (1&2)$45 __

JJSA $36 __ Can/USA

$48 __ Overseas

VID-1. $25 __

VID-2. $25 __

VID-3. $25 __

VID-4. $25 __

VID-5. $25 __

VID-6. $25 __

VID-7. $25 __

VID-8. $25 __

VID-9. $25 __

VID-10. $25 __

VID-11. $25 __

VID-12. $25 __

VID-13. $25 __

VID-14. $25 __

VID-15. $25 __

VID-16. $25 __

Any 5 Vid tapes $100 __

VIDBBI-1. $25 __

VIDBBI-2. $25 __

VIDBBI-3. $25 __

VIDBBI-4. $25 __

VIDBBI-5. $25 __

VIDBBI-6. $25 __

6 Vidbbi tapes $150 __

TOTAL $_____

Address:

Prices include postage, Send order form to: Kim Taylor 44 Inkerman St. Guelph Ontario N1H 3C5. Payment in Canadian or US funds. Make checks or money orders payable to Kim Taylor or to Sei Do Kai Iaido.

For price quotes on weapons contact Kim Taylor at the above address,

tel 519-836-4357, or email kataylor@uoguelph.ca