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Summary for 2006
January
  • Wed, 1/4/06: SEJSCC Board Meeting
    Introduced new dojo president Hamamura Junko and new head instructor Kodama Jean. Mrs Doi and Darren attended on behalf of Mr Doi, who will be the regular representative to the meeting.

  • Fri, 1/6/06: First Keiko
    Chakuza vs seiza. Mokuso hands. The importance of goals and good attendance.

    The parents prepared zenzai (sweet bean soup), fresh mochi, and New Year's dishes - many thanks!

  • Sat, 1/7/06: SCKF Board Meeting
    Announcements: Eiga sensei seminar at Sho Tokyo 1/28, Mori Hai taikai at Norwalk 1/29, shinpan seminar at Venice 5/28.

  • Mon, 1/9/06: Keiko
    Will have shiai-geiko on 1/27. This will include sanbon-shobu kihon shiai for beginners. Start reviewing shiai rei-ho (this will be the 1st point in kihon shiai).

  • Fri, 1/13/06: Keiko
    Plan to watch the Mori Hai taikai, especially people who just put on their mens, to get a feel for what level you should be at with your peers. Eiga sensei seminar at Sho Tokyo 1/28 ($10). Dojo picture on 1/27, including parents.

    To thank them for their contributions, crystal awards were presented to the recent dojo officers: Mrs Domen, Mrs Hamamura, Mrs Tanaka, Mr Choi, Mrs Endo, and Mrs Amano.

  • Sat, 1/14/06: Team USA Final Eliminations
    Omura Yuli, Domen Sumi, and Kodama Jean participated. Sumi was selected as alternate. Training will be mostly at Norwalk Dojo, but is closed to non team members.

  • Mon, 1/16/06: Keiko
    Tanden. More on shiai rei-ho.

  • Fri, 1/20/06: Keiko
    Guest senseis from Taiwan, Chien sensei and Hsieh sensei (currently at Chuo).

    The parents bought a cake to celebrate Domen Sumi being selected to the Team USA Women's Team.

  • Sun, 1/22/06: SCKF New Year's Party

  • Mon, 1/23/06: Keiko
    Yuko-datotsu

  • Fri, 1/27/06: Keiko
    JK sick so shiai-geiko and dojo photo postponed 1 week.

  • Sat, 1/28/06: Eiga Sensei Seminar

  • Sun, 1/29/06: Mori Hai Taikai

    3-1 Kyu, 2nd place: Amano Shotaro
    3-1 Kyu, 3rd place: Amano Shingo
    1-2 Dan, 3rd place: Hamamura Yu
    Senior 60+ years, 3rd place: Fukawa Koji
February
  • Wed, 2/1/06: SEJSCC Board Meeting
    Kendo parents help needed in kitchen for fundraiser luau on 4/8. Nerio Scholarship forms passed out (for graduating high school seniors).

  • Fri, 2/3/06: Keiko
    Group photo and shiai-geiko.
    The importance of ato-geiko and rei-gi.

  • Sat, 2/4/06: SCKF Board Meeting
    At Mori Hai at Norwalk Dojo, one person injured his foot on judo mat bracket. Passed out North-South applications and membership dues xls file passwords (all due 3/11).

  • Mon, 2/6/06: Keiko
    Welcome back Tanaka Katsuaki (served in the Army, including over a year in Kosovo).

    Mr Yoshimura cooked up his famous Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki. Yum!

  • Fri, 2/10/06: Keiko
    Fusensho practice. More on ato-geiko and rei-gi.

  • Sat, 2/11/06: Steveston Taikai (Canada)
    SCKF Youth Team, 2nd place: Choi Andrew (chuken), Amano Shingo (taisho).

    From Norwalk Dojo, Amano Shingo, Choi Andrew, Amano Shotaro, and Mr Choi traveled to Canada for the taikai. Since only 5 kenshi from SCKF attended, Norwalk made up the majority of the SCKF contingent! Andrew and Shingo were selected by the senseis as the 2005 "most improved" kenshi, so their expenses were paid by the dojo.

  • Mon, 2/13/06: Keiko
    More on rei-gi: conduct in the dojo and regarding apparel and equipment. How to fold hakama.

  • Fri, 2/17/06: Keiko
    More on rei-gi: conduct during practice and aisatsu

  • Mon, 2/20/06: Keiko
    Visit by Takachiho High School students: Okawa Masahiro, Oyama Takahiro, Gotō Ayako, Saeki Aya (all 3 dan). Keiko and an exhibition shiai, followed by refreshments (sandwiches).

  • Fri, 2/24/06: Keiko
    Signed, framed tenugui presented to Yoshimura Mike sensei to congratulate him on his promotion to 6 Dan last November. Announced Norwalk Kendo Dojo website. The importance of kirikaeshi. Next shiai-geiko on 3/10. Will be finishing up part 1 basics and conditioning, so be sure to practice squat suburi at home.

  • Sat, 2/25/06: Rafu Shimpo article
    If you were in the dojo portrait, your picture was in the newspaper! Today's issue of the Rafu Shimpo contained a one-page spread on the Southeast Japanese School and Community Center, with one quarter page devoted to Norwalk Kendo Dojo. Photocopies of the article are available, or see the online article (hi res 362KB or lo res 45KB).

  • Mon, 2/27/06: Keiko
    Parallel ai-men uchikomi contests. Aisatsu practice.
March

  • Wed, 3/1/06: SEJSCC Board Meeting

  • Fri, 3/3/06: Keiko
    Parallel ai-men and follow-thru contests. Write goals to turn in 3/10.

  • Fri, 3/10/06: Shiai Geiko
    Kachinuki shiai-geiko (1st place Woo Joseph, 2nd place Lee A.J., 3rd place Amano Shingo). The secret of doing 100 squats: don't use brute force and massive ignorance! Turned in goals. Parent/sensei meeting.

  • Sat, 3/11/06: SCKF Board Meeting
    North-South taikai: parking will be difficult, so be sure to arrive early. AUSKF Board meeting: Apr 1-2 in Orlando. OCB taikai: Norwalk will have one team plus combine with Costa Mesa for a second team (they have 3 young kenshi). Shinpan seminar: new tentative date 6/4 (was 5/28, Memorial Day Sunday).

  • Mon, 3/13/06: Keiko
    New kihon-dosa movement: men-no-uchi yon-kyo-do (1: step forward in kamae, 2: step forward and strike men, 3: step backward in kamae, 4: step backward in kamae). This replaces squat suburi in kihondosa.
April

  • Wed, 4/5/06: SEJSCC Board Meeting

  • Fri, 4/7/06: Shiai Geiko
    Team shiai geiko, to prepare for North-South Taikai on Sunday.

  • Sat, 4/8/06: Luau
    The dojo provided a huge team of volunteers to help in the kitchen for the Center's Hawaiian Luau Show fundraising event. Volunteers included Mr & Mrs Yoshimura, Mrs Domen, Mr & Mrs Choi, Andrew & his sister, Mrs Yoo (Terry's mom), Mrs Cho & Esther, Mrs Hamamura, Mrs Amano, and Reyna Marina. Many thanks to all for helping make the event a great success.

  • Sat, 4/8/06: SCKF Board Meeting

  • Sun, 4/9/06: North-South Tournament

    11-13: 1st place: Chung, Alex
    14-17: 2nd place: Amano, Shingo
    Adult: 3rd place: Sanchez, Matthew
    1-2 Dan: 2nd place: Domen, Sumi
    5dan+: 3rd place: Yoshimura, Steve
    Wom dan: 3rd place: Kodama, Jean


    Kyu team: Amano, Shingo
    Women's team: Domen, Sumi
    Yudansha team: Hamamura, Yu

  • Mon, 4/17/06: Keiko
    F = M x A, part 1: mass (connect tanden to monouchi using core, arms, hands)

  • Fri, 4/21/06: Keiko
    From now on, ending hayasuburi will just be one set of 100 for those who were late, missed the last practice, or will leave early, everyone else joins in the last 30

  • Mon, 4/24/06: Keiko
    F = M x A, part 2: acceleration (tenouchi: acclerate monouchi using wrists and hands, not elbows)

  • Sun, 4/30/06: Center Clean Up
    The following people helped clean up the Center Friday night and Sunday morning: Mr and Mrs Yoshimura, Mrs Tanaka, Mrs Endo, Hatagami, Mr Choi, Mrs Hamamura, Mrs Domen, Jean Kodama. Many thanks!
May

  • Mon, 5/1/06: Keiko
    F = M x A, part 3: acceleration (tenouchi, continued: what it means when the senseis say "too much right hand!")

  • Mon, 5/8/06: Keiko
    F = M x A, part 4: acceleration (accelerate your body through the opponent)

  • Fri, 5/12/06: Shiai Geiko
    Round robin (groups of three). The following won both of their matches: Woo Joseph, Kim Nadia, Kim Patrick, Chung Alex, Choi Andrew. Used two courts with yudansha shinpan.

  • Sat, 5/13/06: Center Recognition Dinner

    Mr and Mrs Yoshimura were among the honorees. Many thanks to Mrs Hamamura, Mrs Domen, Mr Choi, and Mrs Endo for helping out in the kitchen that afternoon.

  • Mon, 5/15/06: Keiko
    start optional waza keiko from 8:30 - 9:30 (de-gote)

  • Fri, 5/19/06: Dojo Meeting
    see minutes
June

  • Sat, 6/3/06: SEJSCC Demonstration
    The Dojo put on a kendo demonstration as this month's Japanese school cultural presentation. Many thanks to all who helped: Henmi sensei, Kodama sensei, Yoshimura Mike sensei, Yoshimura Steve sensei, Chang Jeffrey, Hamamura Yu, Amano Shingo, Cho Alex, Marquin Joel, Kim Patrick, Sanchez Matthew, Chang Hannah, and Reyna Marina, and parents Mr and Mrs Yoshimura, Mrs Hamamura, Mrs Amano, and Mrs Domen. We went out to for pizza at BJ's afterwards.

  • Sat, 6/3/06: Rafu Shimpo article
    Today's issue of the Rafu Shimpo contained a one-page spread on the Southeast Japanese School and Community Center, with one quarter page devoted to a write-up on Norwalk Kendo Dojo's iaido group. Photocopies of the article are available, or see the online article (73KB).

  • Sun, 6/4/06: SCKF Shinpan Seminar, Venice Dojo
    Attended by the following senseis: Yamaguchi, Huang, Henmi, Fukawa, Kodama, and Yoshimura Mike. Kato Takumi also attended.

  • Fri, 6/9/06: Shiai Geiko
    Team shiai geiko to prepare for taikai on Sunday

  • Sun, 6/11/06: SCKF Championships


    Senior 60+, 3rd place: Fukawa sensei
    Women's dan, 3rd place: Kodama sensei
    Yudansha championship, best 8:
    Yoshimura Steve sensei

  • Fri, 6/16/06: Dojo Meeting

  • Sat-Sun, 6/24-25/06: AUSKF Summer Camp
    Attended by the following senseis: Yamaguchi, Huang, Henmi, Fukawa, and Kodama
July

  • Fri, 7/7/06: Welcome new kenshi!
    - Lee, Christopher
    - Yoon, Courtney
    - Oh, Joshua

  • Fri, 7/7/06: Carnival planning meeting

  • Sun, 7/9/06: kata seminar
    Attended by the following senseis: Yamaguchi, Henmi, Fukawa, Kodama, and Yoshimura Mike, and also by Kariya Yoshijiro.

  • Fri, 7/14/06: Dojo Meeting

  • Fri, 7/21/06: bokken order, start delivery 7/31

  • Sat-Sun, 7/22-23/06: SEJSCC carnival
    thank you to all volunteers (please email any omissions)

  • Mon, 7/31/06: movie night
    pizza and videos (selected clips from the 1/14/06 Eiga sensei seminar and a 1994 high school team tournament)
August

  • Sun, 8/6/06: Nisei Week tournament, Nishihonganji, Little Tokyo

    - Chung Alex: 2nd place, 11-13 group
     
    - Norwalk team: 2nd place
    Team members were Kim Patrick, Chung Alex, Choe Andrew, Amano Shingo, Amano Shotaro (taisho), and Hamamura Yu (coach).

  • Sun, 8/13/06: Nikkei Games tournament, the Pyramid, Long Beach


    - Amano Shotaro: 1st place 14-17 group
       (w/K Tanaka, TOR)
    - Amano Shingo: 3rd place 14-17 group
       (w/T Watanabe, OCB)
    - Kodama Jean: 3rd place, women's dan

  • Fri, 8/18/06: Dojo Meeting

  • Fri, 8/25/06: Saito sensei visit
    Visit by Saito sensei (Gunma ken, Japan) plus one student (Takagi Shinya, 1dan, 16 yr). Also visiting were Shikai sensei from Chuo and Yamaguchi sensei from Chuo (formerly Dallas) Many thanks to the parents for preparing refreshments (somen, fresh fruit, cake, and vietnamese sandwiches), with special thanks to Mrs Domen, Mrs Amano, and Mrs Tanaka!
September

  • Fri, 9/1/06: Welcome new kenshi!
    - Yoon, Brian
    - Cheng, Jonathan

  • Fri, 9/1/06: shiai geiko
    red/white team shiai, plus kachinuki team shiai by the teams competing in OCB taikai on Sun. Team members borrowed from Costa Mesa and OCB were also in attendance.

  • Sun, 9/3/06: OCB 30th Anniversary tournament, OCB Dojo
    Team 1: Suzuki Lui (CM), Chin Lauren, Amano Shingo, coach Yoshimura Mike sensei
    Team 2: Wong Bennett (CM), Sakata Kai (OCB), Chong Connie, Kitagawa Kyle, Jarquin Joel, coach Yoshimura Steve sensei

    Team 1 was short two people due to unexpected vacation plans, but captain Amano Shingo put forth a valiant effort and won four members of the opposing team before narrowly losing to their captain in a sudden death match. For his efforts, Shingo won a Hasegawa tsuba and a special prize for most consecutive wins. Team 2 also fought well, and with captain Jarquin Joel's sudden death win, was able to advance to the quarter finals. Good job to everyone!

  • Sat, 9/9/06: SEJSCC bingo night
    Kendo hosted refreshments and dinner (salmon). Many thanks to all who contributed:
    • drinks: Lee Kenneth, Mizutani Ray, Sanchez Matthew, Ma Phillip, Kariya Yoshijiro, Hahn Rex, Henderson Steve
    • baked goods: Chong Connie
    • baked goods and help serving: Mr and Mrs Cho In Ho, Mrs Endo, Mrs Hamamura, Mr Choi and Diane, Yoshimura Steve, Hatagami Masami, Mrs Amano, and Mrs Domen

  • Fri, 9/15/06: Dojo Meeting

  • Sun, 9/24/06: SCKF Team Championships
    see participant list
    Big congratulations to the Norwalk yudansha team for winning FIRST PLACE in the yudansha (championship) division! Adult kyu team took 3rd place. Youth kyu and women's teams made it to the quarterfinals. Good job to everyone!
October

  • Sun, 10/1/06: AUSKF Iaido Seminar and Shinsa, Cincinnati, Ohio
    Three dojo members attended: Yamaguchi sensei (chief instructor of the seminar), Kodama Jean, and Ma Phillip. The latter two tested for new iaido ranks and passed. Ma Phillip received 2kyu, and Kodama Jean received 4 Dan. Congratulations!

  • Fri, 10/13/06: Dojo Meeting

  • Sun, 10/15/06: SCKF Shinkyu Shinsa
    See notes and participant list. Everyone who participated received their requested ranks (Ma Phillip received 3+). Good job to everyone!
November

  • Fri, 11/3/06: Welcome new kenshi!
    - Liao, Alexander

  • Fri, 11/10/06: Dojo Meeting

  • Sun, 11/19/06: Team USA last practice and send off party, Norwalk Dojo


    Good luck, Sumi!

December

  • Fri, 12/1/06: Welcome new kenshi!
    - Kim, Matthew (Patrick's dad)

  • Sun, 12/3/06: SEJSCC general meeting 12-2pm
    Thank you Mrs Hamamura, Mrs Endo, Jean and Dave Kodama for attending on behalf of the dojo.

  • Fri, 12/8/06: Dojo Meeting cancelled, here is the write-up

  • 12/8-10/06: 13th World Kendo Championships, Taiwan
    Team USA Defeats Japan in 13WKC semifinals!
    USA Captures 2nd in Men's Team Competition, Korea takes 1st Place
    WOW!!!

    See the pre-championship Rafu Shimpo article

  • Fri, 12/15/06: Christmas party
    see details

  • Sat, 12/16/06: CPR training 8am-12pm, $20/person
    Koji Fukawa, Jean Kodama, Steve Yoshimura, Masami Hatagami, and Brian Yoon attended.

  • Norwalk 2006 tournament summary
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec


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