The Canadian Kendo Federation is proud to announce the U18 Junior Team Canada delegation as they prepare to travel to Japan to represent Canada at the prestigious 53rd Kaiseiki National High School Kendo Tournament (53回魁星旗争奪全国高校勝抜剣道大会) and the 40th Kaiseiki National High School Kendo Tournament (40回魁星旗争奪全国高校女子剣道大会) hosted by the Akita Kendo Federation.
The Canadian delegation will participate in the Renseikai training sessions followed by the main tournament on March 29-31, 2026, where hundreds of top high school teams from across Japan gather for one of the most competitive youth kendo events in the world.
CKF is honoured to once again receive an invitation from the Akita Kendo Federation, made possible through the longstanding support of Kamata Shigetaka Sensei (Etobicoke Kendo & Iaido Club). We extend our sincere gratitude to Kamata Sensei for his continued guidance and for his generous donation supporting this year’s delegation.
This year marks Team Canada’s fourth visit to Akita, and each participation has contributed to the development of Canadian athletes while strengthening international relationships and growing excitement and engagement in youth kendo across the country.
A Historic First for Canadian Girls
For the first time, Canada will send a Junior Girls Team to the Kaiseiki Tournament. This may also mark the first participation of an international girls’ team in the history of the tournament; an exciting milestone for Canadian kendo and for the continued growth of opportunities for young women in the sport. The 6 girls selected for the competition team come from clubs across Canada and we are excited to see them compete at the tournament.
U18 Junior Girls Team
Captain: Akari Kobayashi — Youshinkan Kendo Club
Renee Bae — Chinook Kendo Dojo
Harumi Ara — Renbu Dojo
Fiona Huang — Victoria Kendo Club
Lily Hoysak — Etobicoke Olympium Kendo Club
Regina Liao — Renbu Dojo
Coach: Makiko Ara
U18 Junior Boys Team
Captain: Taketoshi Miyamoto — Toronto Kendo Club
Jayden Chung — Nord Kendo Club
Kazma Yoshimura — Renbu Dojo
Marcus Yong — Kensyukai Markham Kendo Dojo
Dean Buckham — Victoria Kendo Club
Kohei Ryan — Etobicoke Olympium Kendo Club
Coach: Koichi Miyamoto
Supporting the Next Generation
International competition offers young kendoka a rare opportunity to test themselves against Japan’s strongest high school athletes while deepening their understanding of kendo spirit, discipline, and culture.
Young athletes interested in future Junior Team Canada opportunities are encouraged to speak with their instructors about pursuing competitive and high-performance training pathways.
The 5th Canadian Junior National Championships will be held in Burlington, Ontario on May 17-18, 2026. It is an important opportunity for athletes to be seen by Team Canada coaches and the CKF Board, who actively monitor emerging talent for future international programs. Interested athletes should speak with their instructors or provincial liaison to participate in the tournament.
Fund the Dream
Realizing the dream of competing internationally comes with significant financial challenges, from travel expenses to equipment and training costs. We invite the Canadian kendo community, families, and supporters to help empower these athletes as they prepare to represent Canada.
Every contribution, large or small, helps bring each player one step closer to success at the Kaiseiki Tournament.
Together, we continue building the future of Canadian kendo.
Photos from Past Team
