To All Canadian Kendo Federation Members March 2009

We would like to inform all Canadian Kendo Federation Members about some exciting news events for Team Canada.

A)Team Canada Men’s and Women’s Team score big at Steveston and Detroit Kendo Tournaments!

On February 14 the Steveston Kendo Club held their annual kendo tournament. There were over 250 competitors and 34 dojos competing from as far away as Hawaii, California, and Ontario. It was a very exciting event. Both Men’s and Women’s Team Canada Kendo Teams had an opportunity to showcase their talents. Both teams scored big!. In the Men’s Individual, Shigemitsu Kamata, Suguru Asaoka and Captain Daisaku Taguchi finished first, second and third respectively. In the Women’s Individual, Natsuko Fukushima and Maya Taguchi came in first and second. In the Team Event, Men’s and Women’s kendo teams compete against each other. The Women’s Team consisting of Maya Taguchi, Natsuko Fukushima, Akiko Fukushima, Yumiko Hayashi and Keiko Marumo finished in third place, losing to the Vancouver Kendo Club Men’s team. The TC Men’s Team consisting of Daisaku Taguchi, Suguru Asaoka, Shigemitsu Kamata, Takashi Yamada and Kyle Lee became champions by beating out the Vancouver Men’s Team in the final match. Congratulations to both teams and also all the other Team Canada members who challenged themselves in the individual matches.

On the Sunday after the tournament, the Women’s Team held a joint pracitice with Team USA. The Team challenged the US in a number of shiais, followed by keiko and a joint lunch.This will build a good relationship between both teams. Meanwhile, the Men held a Team Canada practice as well. All in all, a successful weekend!


B)Team Canada Men’s place second at the Detroit Kendo Club Tournament.

On February 15, after driving all day before the tournament, members of Team Canada and substitutes faced off against some daunting opposition in Detroit. Eddie Yamashita came second in the Men’s individual event, and the Team, consisting of Eddie Yamashita, Hyun-June Choi, Antoine Fortier, Ryo Yasumura and Songhee Lee came in second in the Team event. It was worth the drive!

C)Women’s Team Canada hold successful gassuku in Steveston on February 28


With a theme of “I am Woman, Hear Me Roar!”, the Women’s Team Canada held a kendo gassuku at Steveston on the weekend of February 28. Members came from across Canada to participate. One key objective was to see how the Team has progressed since the last gassuku in September. There were a number of gruelling kendo practices including one hour kakari-geiko sessions!! Other non-kendo activities were designed to develop team work. Thanks to Captain Maya Taguchi, one activity was to build “Pyramid Power”(see picture). Coach Dean Ara felt that it was “one of the best gassuku’s he had ever been involved in”. All members came through with flying colours. Based on the results, the Coach has finalized the members of the team. This will be announced shortly.

3571 Stouffville Road, Stouffville, Ontario, L4A 7X5 Tel/Fax: 905-887-0937 rtasa@kendo-canada.com