Southern California
Kendo Federation

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SCKF Shinkyu Shinsa
Saturday 4/19/14, 11am
Covina Dojo

  • see application cover letter for details
    • applications are due 4/9/14,
    • cover letter must be signed by dojo head instructor
    • forms must include rank, birthdate, height, and weight for each participant
    • per the SCKF promotional examination regulations, 4dan applicants must also have participated in both kata and shinpan seminars within the last 2 years. Attendance lists are posted for the following:
    • names will appear on menjo as they appear on the application form. If you wish to make any name changes, a special request needs to be made to AUSKF, as they will be confirming kenshi names and membership status. Please clearly note any such change requests on your form when submitting it.
    • SCKF membership deadline was 12/31

  • blank form for non-SCKF participants
    Note: you will need the approval and signature of your regional federation. Please also be sure to get approval from your dojo head instructor.

  • shinsa location: Covina Dojo, 1203 W Puente Ave, West Covina 91790

  • sign in closes at 10:30am
    • 1kyu through 4dan applicants: turn in your completed written tests at sign-in
    • no late applicants allowed!

  • shinsa procedure demonstration
    • starting from the April 2013 shinsa, yudansha applicants will use the 2-person rei procedure to begin and end jitsugi
    • there will be no kihon test demonstration since it is unchanged from previous shinsa

  • see below for more information on the shinsa as well as results

  • brief summary of promotional examination regulations and criteria:
    • 4kyu applicants shall demonstrate kendo basics with a motodachi (see kihon test)
    • all applicants requesting 3kyu and above shall perform kendo jitsugi for their examination; grading will be based on the official SCKF ranking criteria
    • 4dan applicants shall perform kirikaeshi (striking and receiving), in addition to kendo jitsugi

    • rules for requesting ranks (see criteria for full details):

      rank   min age   min time in practice
      ----   -------   ---------------------------------------------------
      6kyu      8       6 months practice
      5kyu      9       6 months practice as 6kyu or 6 months practice
      4kyu     10       6 months practice as 5kyu or 12 months practice
      3kyu     11       6 months practice as 4kyu
      2kyu     12       6 months practice as 3kyu
      1kyu     13       6 months practice as 2kyu
      1dan     14       6 months practice as 1kyu
      2dan      -      12 months practice as 1dan
      3dan      -      24 months practice as 2dan
      4dan      -      36 months practice as 3dan

      "Time in practice" assumes the kenshi is practicing regularly, eg keiko at least once or twice per week

    • shinsa fees
      • $20 kyu (both youth and adults)
      • $30 1dan
      • $40 2dan
      • $45 3dan
      • $50 4dan
      SCKF also charges a $20 "no show" (failure to participate) fee that will be assessed to the dojo if their kenshi signed up but is unable to participate in the shinsa (includes cancellation less than 7 days prior to the shinsa, as well as missing sign in).

    • written tests are required for everyone requesting 1kyu and above.
      • see the AUSKF written tests (pdf)
      • the tests must be turned in at sign-in time
      • please write your name, participant number, requested rank, and dojo on your written test
      • note: this year's written tests are being re-evaluated and will be available soon

    • see other shinsa testing notes below

  • tentative schedule for kenshi
    • 9:00am: court set up by shinsa personnel
    • 9:45am: start sign-in
      • you must be dressed in keikogi and hakama and bring your tare when you sign in
        • a label with your participant number will be applied to the center flap of your tare (remove your nafuda)
        • note: keikogi and hakama should not show markings (eg dojo patch, team logo, or slogans). If present, they will be taped over.
      • those testing for 1kyu and above must turn in completed written tests at sign-in including name, participant number, requested rank, and dojo
      • plan to arrive early so you can complete sign-in well before it closes
      • applicants requesting 6kyu and 5kyu test at the dojo, not at the shinsa
    • 10:30am: sign-in closes all divisions
      • if you are late you will not be able to participate in the shinsa, plus there will be an additional fee
    • 10:40am: 4kyu and 1dan applicants assemble in assigned courts
    • 10:50am: demonstration of 2-person rei procedure on court A
    • 11:00am: start kendo portion of shinsa
      • all participants (all divisions) line up in rows in your respective courts facing the examiner tables for opening rei
    • 1:00pm: start kata portion of shinsa
    • 1:45pm: end shinsa (note: there will not be a results meeting)
    (for shinsa officials, see schedule below)
  • shinsa testing
    • kendo
      • be at your court BEFORE your division starts. Even if you signed in before the deadline, if you are not in place before your division performs opening rei, you will not be allowed to participate.
      • follow the instructions of the tachiai on your court
      • each applicant for 4kyu will demonstrate basic skills (kihon test) with a motodachi provided by SCKF (you will be in full bogu)
      • each applicant for 3kyu and above will perform kendo jitsugi with two other applicants requesting the same rank
      • for 1dan and above, use the 2-person rei procedure to begin and end jitsugi
      • each applicant for 4dan will also do kirikaeshi at the beginning of each jitsugi, once striking and once receiving
      • remain at your court until all participants in your division finish testing, at which time your division will perform closing rei
      • for those requesting 1kyu and above ranks: after your division is done, stay together near your court The kendo test results will be tallied and announced by the shinsa coordinator, who will then record the participant numbers for kata partners.
        • only those who have passed the kendo portion will perform kata
        • if you lack a kata partner, you will be paired with someone who also lacks a partner
        • if there is an odd number of kenshi, one kenshi will do kata twice (the second performance does not count)
        • if you are absent when the kata pairings are recorded, you will be assigned a partner
    • kata
      • each applicant requesting 1 kyu or higher must be prepared to perform kata in front of the board of examiners. Note: #8 through #10 use the kodachi (short sword).
        • 1 kyu: #1 through #3
        • 1 dan: #1 through #5
        • 2 dan: #1 through #7
        • 3 dan: #1 through #10
        • 4 dan: #1 through #10
      • kata pairings were recorded at the completion of kendo jitsugi (see kendo section above)
      • you will have at least 15 minutes to practice prior to the kata test
        • each applicant must be able to perform both the uchidachi and shidachi roles
        • the role will be randomly assigned when your turn comes on the court
      • if you make a mistake performing one of the kata, you may request to redo it. After finishing the entire kata sequence and performing closing reiho, make your request (specifying which one kata you wish to redo) to the tachiai, who will pass on your request to the examiners. The examination board will not request any repeats.
    • see sample evaluation forms for both kendo and kata
  • menjo (rank certificates)
    • an official menjo requisition form created from the official results of the shinkyu shinsa will be emailed to each dojo shortly after the shinsa
      • note that AUSKF now only offers English menjo
      • the menjo will be printed with names as they appeared on the shinsa application form
    • menjo fees will be printed on the form
      • menjo fees are not optional; they are in fact a certification fee paid to AUSKF to register the new rank. A kenshi who does not pay the fee will remain at their old rank.
    • send your check to Jean Kodama (see contact info in the sign-up cover letter) so that it arrives by 4/28/14
      If modifications are necessary, please email your modified form to Jean Kodama asap, including a detailed description of the change in your email. We will need to make a change request to the AUSKF treasurer, as they will be confirming kenshi names and membership status prior to menjo printing, so this will delay the menjo process.
    • make check payable to Southern California Kendo Federation (not abbreviated "SCKF").

  • tentative schedule for shinsa officials
    • notation: E=examiners, C=court coordinators, T=tachiai, A=announcer/timer 
       time   ECTA  description
------  ----  -----------------------------------------------------------
 8:45    CTA  set up (courts, dressing area, sign in, etc)
 9:00    CTA  coordinator/tachiai/announcer meeting
 9:45    CTA  start sign in, collect written exams, tape keikogi markings
 9:45   E     examiners meeting
10:30    CTA  close sign in
10:35   ECTA  court meetings: adjust groups for absences, all divisions
10:40    CT   line up 4kyu and 1dan groups in numerical order
10:50     T   2-person rei demonstration on court A
10:55    CT   line up for opening rei (all applicants for the day)
11:00   ECTA  start shinsa
12:30   ECTA  lunch break
 1:00   ECTA  start kata
 1:45         end shinsa

  • list of examiners and volunteers (alphabetical)
    • Examiners:
      Please wear coat and tie.
      Abe T (STYO), Arima K (STYO), Hosokawa Y (CM), Kato T (COV), Murakami I (IS), Nagatani N (CHUO), Park J (CYP), Shoraku T (CM), Tew S (COV), Yamasaki J (PCI), Yuge T (TOR)

    • Court coordinators:
      Please wear SCKF polo shirt (or a plain polo or dress shirt) and slacks
      Olson B (CM), Yamamoto J (SD)

    • Announcer/timers:
      Please wear SCKF polo shirt (or a plain polo or dress shirt) and slacks
      Inouye J (VEN), Yoon B (NOR)

    • Tachiai:
      Please wear keikogi and hakama
      Chang J (NOR), Dong A (CM), Han C (STYO), Imai H (STYO), Kariya Y (NOR), Matsumoto S (GED)

    • Motodachi:
      Please wear keikogi, hakama, and bogu
      Dong A (CM), Han C (STYO)

    • Other:
      Kodama J (NOR): head coordinator
      Shikai Y (CHUO): assistant coordinator

    Onegaishimasu!

Shinkyu shinsa results

new 6 kyu
SUNWOO Lynn (CHUO), HUH Jacob (CHUO), CHAN Terence (COV)

new 5 kyu
HUH Grace (CHUO), CHAN Annabelle (COV), YAP Misha (PCI), BARBER Jamar (PCI), SASAKI Astin Hiroyuki (VEN)

new 4 kyu
YAP Kenta (PCI), HIRONAKA Sage Remulla (PCI), HEBNER Jack (PCI), SONG John (ANC), CHUNG Somang (YKJ), KIM Kevin Sunghyon (YKJ), AU Augustine (COV), KIM David Sungjoon (YKJ), AU Vincent (COV), CHU Christina (SD), WASHINGTON Bill (SD), CURTICE Sean (SD), HUGHES Alex (SD), CHAN Naomi (COV), HEBNER Ron (PCI), SHIM Seong Uk (SD), YAO Charles (PCI)

new 3 kyu
IKARIYAMA Yuya (PCI), CHAN Jolie (COV), DEGUZMAN Cedrik (PCI), KIM Jeffrey (COV), KIM Isaac (ANC), CHOI Junghun (IRV), LEE Geonhyo (ANC), LEE CHON Philip (YKJ), WHEBLE Jeffrey (PCI), CORNWALL Kaeleigh (VEN), HWANG Joseph (IRV), PARK Hansae (YKJ), CHOI James (YKJ), TOM Andrew (GED), ELDON David (SD), ENDOW Richie (SFV), HIRONAKA Megumi (PCI), SASAKI Masumi (SFV), KIM Ryan (ANC), CHAN Andy (COV), CHON Jae Yeon (YKJ), CHEN Yuda (COV)

new 2 kyu
HUBERT Keishin (COV), CAVERLY Daichi (SD), KANESHIRO Matthew J.D. (SFV), PAK Tina (YKJ), KANESHIRO Mark D.J. (SFV), PONCE Kazuki (JCI), NAKASHIMO Daiki (GED), LIN Christina (COV), LEUNG Jonathan (IS), LIN Keng-si Ben (COV), DEGUZMAN Mark (PCI), HUBERT Christopher (COV), BALDWIN Freeman (SFV)

new 1 kyu
KO Jee Yun (YKJ), SHIMA Rintaro (GED), LEE Taeyoung (IRV), OKAMURA Shinsuke (COV), TELLEZ Tony (JCI), LEE Eugena Shihyung (COV), SAWADA Ritsuko (SD), YEE Michael (COV), OH Jin Won (YKJ), ABURTO Ivan (COV), STOPNIEWICZ Albert (CM), KIM Won (GED), RUNDLE Joe (SD)

new 1 dan
KIM Jeremy D. (ANC), TANAKA Rei (GED), JUNG Sukhyun (IRV), ASHBY Travis (CM), YAMASAKI Lani (CHUO), CHOI Ryan (IS), HYUNG Kevin Min (YKJ)

new 2 dan
KIL Yuri (CHUO), MIYATA Mathew (GED), ZHU Tonie (CHUO), HILL Erika (PCI), WILHITE Axel Emmett Andrew (VEN), YOO Paul (PCI), LING Jacky (COV), CRAWFORD Sam (PCI), KOSTIN Andrey (SFV)

new 3 dan
NOGAMI Kyoko (NCKF), TAGUCHI Takahiro (GED), ARAI Kenji (WS), CHINEN Masaaki (GED), YU Mike (COV)

new 4 dan
AMANO Shotaro (NOR)

Congratulations to all!

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