by Mark Kawabe | Jul 24, 2016 | Uncategorized
No matter your ability of level of kendo, you will experience challenges. There is a technique you haven’t mastered. There is a person you haven’t beaten. There is always something to improve. These challenges can be frustrating, and can lead one’s...
by Mark Kawabe | Jul 3, 2016 | Uncategorized
As mentioned in my previous post, I’ve been starting to wear some new tenugui. For those who’ve been around for a while, do you recognize where this tenugui comes from? Did you get it? Click here for another hint. ...
by Mark Kawabe | Jul 3, 2016 | Uncategorized
In kendo, a tenugui is Japanese term for the cloth that is wrapped around the head to provide additional padding and sweat absorption underneath the men (helmet). There are a few observations about them. One of the things that marks a newbie in bogu is the...
by Mark Kawabe | Jun 23, 2016 | Uncategorized
Kiai refers to the yell or shout made at the time of an attack. The kanji for kiai is made up of two characters. The first is “Ki”, meaning energy and the second is “Ai” which can be translated as “matching”, “meeting”...
by Mark Kawabe | Jun 5, 2016 | Uncategorized
“How has it come about that we are so bewitched by our self-hatred, so impressed and credulous in the face of our self-criticism, as unimaginative as it usually is? And why is it akin to a judgement without a jury? A jury, after all, represents some kind of...
by Mark Kawabe | May 25, 2016 | Uncategorized
Hello everyone! Thank you to all you generous donors out there! The 1000 Cut Challenge event raised $810 for Japanese Earthquake Relief efforts! I’m really quite pleased by this, considering the small number of brave, valiant participants we had. We averaged...
by Mark Kawabe | May 15, 2016 | Uncategorized
A small-ish group of hardy and spirited kendoka participated in our 1000 Cut Challenge fundraiser for Japanese Earthquake Relief on Saturday, May 14. For those unfamiliar with the “1000 Cut Challenge”, our club held the first one in 2004 as a fundraiser...
by Mark Kawabe | Apr 18, 2016 | Uncategorized
I recently watched the movie “Whiplash”. Here’s a scene that reminds me of some kendo sensei I’ve met. Note: this is a NSFW clip due to coarse language and violence. When I say this reminds me of sensei I’ve met, I mean it. There are some...
by Mark Kawabe | Apr 17, 2016 | Uncategorized
Yesterday the Cambridge Kendo Club hosted the Hamilton and Hayakawa Kendo Clubs (and 1 each from the University of Waterloo and York University Kendo Clubs) for a multi-club practice. 20 people on the floor may not seem like many when compared to larger clubs, but...
by Mark Kawabe | Mar 8, 2016 | Uncategorized
This phrase is taken from the purpose of kendo, as outlined by the All Japan Kendo Federation (AJKF). It comes after these other lines: “To hold in esteem human courtesy and honour, To associate with others with sincerity.” There are those who choose to...
