SCKF Shinkyu Shinsa, 10/17/10

NEWS & REMINDERS

See SCKF page for details about the promotional examination, including a tentative schedule and links to written tests for 1kyu and all yudansha.
Be sure to come to practice every Monday and Friday until the shinsa, especially those testing for 1kyu and above.
For shinsa day:
- Plan to arrive by 8:45am for sign in. Sign in closes at 9:30am. No late applicants will be allowed. If you show up at 9:31, you will not be able to participate!
- For those trying for 1kyu and all yudansha ranks, turn in your completed written test at sign in.
- Wear your nicest keikogi, hakama, and tenugui
  - make sure they are washed and pressed
  - remove your Norwalk patch, otherwise it and any other markings will need to be covered with tape (special tape will be available at the shinsa)
  - check each other to make sure everyone is neatly dressed
- At shinsa sign in time you will receive a label to put on the center flap of your tare with your participant number. You must be dressed in keikogi and hakama and bring your tare to receive your label. Remove your nafuda (name tag) for the shinsa.
basic review for the shinsa:
- chakuso (the manner of wearing keikogi, hakama, and bogu)
  - practice putting on your keikogi, hakama, and full bogu, checking yourself in a mirror (practice until you can do everything quickly and properly without the mirror).
  - check men himo length: must be 40cm max (15.75")
  - kote himo must be trimmed and tied securely
  - see this shoelace site if you have problems tying your himo with a crooked bow or if you want to learn how to tie the quick knot.
- examination points
  - chakuso
  - reiho
  - kiai
  - kamae
  - ashi sabaki (footwork)
  - shisei (posture)
  - basic strikes
  - basic waza
  - maai (distance to opponent)
  - ki-ken-tai-no-ichi
- kihon test for 4kyu applicants
  - reiho
  - kirikaeshi
  - men 3x
  - kote 3x (not going through)
  - do 3x
  - kote-men 3x
- testing for all other ranks consists of:
  - kendo with two other people trying for the same rank
  - 4dan: also perform and receive kirikaeshi
  - 1kyu and above: kata (if pass kendo)
  - 1kyu and above: written tests
Even if you are not participating in this year's shinsa, this information is very important for everyone.
the senseis held a meeting 9/27 to decide the participant list. In addition to federation regulations and criteria, the senseis took into consideration skill, maturity, attendance, attitude, kendo tests, and kata tests, as appropriate.

Norwalk participants, including participant number, requested rank and result

                        req res
 30  Kim Christie        5   5
 31  Matsuda Kane        5   5
 48  Hahn Danielle       4   4
 62  Hahn Janet          4   4
 69  Tseng George        4   4
 73  Tseng Cindy         4   4
 82  Balacanao Darryl    4   4
 83  Trost Jeffrey       4   4
 91  Yoon Kay            4   4
 99  Yoon Courtney       3   3
104  Kim Esther          3   3
114  Toh Shauna          3   3
116  Kim Won             3   3
148  Kim Patrick         1   -
164  Huang Michael       1   1
172  Kim John            1D  1D
196  Chung Alex          2D  2D
207  Yook Kenn           2D  2D
232  Kariya Yoshijiro    4D  --
239  Hahn Rex            4D  --

Those requesting 6kyu and 5kyu do not attend the shinsa (rank is awarded by passing the kihon test at the dojo).

Application fee varies by requested rank: youth kyu $20, adult kyu $20, 1dan $30, 2dan $40, 3dan $45, 4dan $50. Make check payable to Norwalk Kendo Dojo; the dojo will write one check to pay the federation for shinsa fees.
If you receive a new rank, you must pay for a menjo (rank certificate) in order for your rank to be officially recorded. Menjo fees vary by rank: youth kyu $10, adult kyu $20, 1dan $30, 2dan $40, 3dan $60, 4dan $80.
Note: all menjo are in English; AUSKF no longer offers Japanese menjo. Make check payable to Norwalk Kendo Dojo; the dojo will write one check to pay the federation for the menjo.