11/2024

This year’s PNKF Taikai was brutal! We brought eight competitors, and my first thought is gratitude for everyone being constantly ready—to load the vans, to chat with senseis, to warm up at 8:30 and stay ready for an incredibly long day, to be courtside supporting current competitors, to help with running the court, and to start the team match while I was on the far side of the gym on shimpan duty 😭. Competition was fierce and none of us made it to final rounds, although a couple of the guys got close, and our team match went to daihyōsen (tie-breaker). I learned a lot about what we need to work on, and I’m confident that at the next tournament (that I won’t be present for) we will be a stronger, more dynamic team.

10/2024

Fourth successful Oregon-kyu shinsa done; we’ve added another 1-kyu and two more 2-kyu’s to our ranks.

04/2023

Third successful Oregon kyu-shinsa done! This time ten of our members received new ranks, and seven of them are eligible to take the 1-dan test in Seattle this summer! In other news, I’m sorry I missed Japan Night again–guess I’m making a habit out if it, although it sounds like a lot of fun.

12/2023

I’ve been away way too long. . .October was way, way too busy for my pace. At the end of September, we sent a member to the first ever AUSKF Collegiate Seminar down in Berkley, then I attended the shinpan (referee) seminar in Washington, then, just before I left, in mid-October, we attended our second Oregon Shinsa, and now we have several three more ranked members! I missed the PNKF Taikai in November, but congratulations to Nghia and Evan for placing first and second in their division! We have three more taikai (!!) this school year, and I really hope we can get all of our ranked members to at least one of them. I’m happy that everyone is simultaneously improving their kihon (basis) and developing their own styles, and I love that my own kendo is now being challenged.

_-Jennifer

7/2023

On Saturday, 7/29, we were the first of the martial arts groups to demonstrate at Eugene’s annual Asian Celebration. This was a pretty neat event with a lot of booths and both martial arts and musical groups performing throughout the afternoon. Personal highlights were seeing the lion dance (and feeding the lion), and participating in the Obon dancing in the evening. (I haven’t had the chance to fail at simple dance moves since I left Japan!)

In other news, I was sorry to miss the weekend seminar in Idaho July 14-16, but it sounded like fun! Maybe next year. . . I’m really happy to hear about our members practicing at different dojos over the summer, too.

-Jennifer

6/2023

-Jennifer

I had to leave for research this month, but I have to admit I think the officers are taking their responsibilities more seriously than I did! Really sorry I missed the balloon taikai with OSU! 😭 But just like that, the school year is over and it’s overwhelming to look back on the year: Our first full school year practicing indoors, several demonstrations, a promotional exam, a competition in Seattle, a fundraiser, two practices with visiting senseis, a friendly rivalry with OSU. Just as important is how much everone has stepped up: We have a clean and well-stocked equipment room. We’ve elected 2023 club officers. Members take turns teaching beginners and leading practices, and everyone helps each other out. It’s fun to see how everyone’s kendo is growing in different directions, and I can’t wait to see how much everyone’s changed when I get back!

5/2023

A couple more excting events this month: We hosted our second event with visiting senseis; this time Nakamura-sensei and Kato-sensei from Obukan brought a team down from Obukan, and OSU also brought many of their members. We filled Studio 41 with kiai!

During the morning before the seminar, we headed out to Southern Eugene to help Joey’s parents prep for fire season in our first fundraising event. What a beautiful day and a great excuse to get outside! Huge thanks!

-Jennifer

4/2023

✅ First taikai participation. Still riding the post-shinsa high, I honestly didn’t know how we’d be ready logistically for the annual UW Taikai, and didn’t actively encourage participation this year, but there was so much enthusiasm! In the end, we had a full 5-member team, plus a photographer (Joey), and even team zekken! I couldn’t resist riding along—which I paid for with a few overnighters but I’m so glad I went! Our team line up was as follows:

Senpō: Anna
Jihō: Quinn
Chūken: Alex
Fukushō: Logan
Taishō: Wenqian

The excitement of the taikai atmosphere—with college teams from UW, OSU, and UO, the PNKF team, and many dojos from around Washington—filled the gym and I immediately started regretting not competing myself. But I think that was the right choice for me, because I wouldn’t have traded watching everybody’s individual and team matches for the world. We may not have won, we may not even have placed—heck most of us left still chasing that elusive first career ippon—but you know what? We looked good. Real good. Every shiai was fought with aggression, intensity, and determination. Scoring opportunities were there, and strikes were well-executed, as you might expect right after a shinsa. Shiai and even jikeiko can so easily become grindingly defensive holdouts in the trenches, waiting to see who breaks concentration or makes a mistake first, but instead, I think everyone was able to really test their kendo and say that this was a really good learning experience. (Pardon the cliché.)

With several members now validated for driving, the level of maturity of all members throughout the trip and competition, and ability to get all the logistics together on short notice, I feel like the club has passed a huge milestone .

-Jennifer

I’m really happy club members are doing so much for club visibility. I didn’t even have a hand in the Japan Night demo, but the photos I’m seeing look so good!

-Jennifer

3/2023

I am honored and delighted to report that all eight UO Kendo members who tested for rank on 3/11/2023 passed. Even at the 3-kyu level, rank is not guaranteed, and the senseis gave us much advice for improvement. However, one of the joys of working with motivated college students is witnessing the astonishing rate at which they improve, even between practices. I’m sad that I’ll be away for several weeks during the spring term, but I think we’ve established ourselves as members of the Oregon kendo community and advanced our relationship with the OSU Kendo Club. Without the shinsa looming, I also hope we can work on new skills and individual skills, seme, and sae.

-Jennifer

With an inch of snow and slushy streets, eight of us set out for a mock shinsa and jigeiko at Obukan. This was my first time seeing our members perform under extremely stressful circumstances, and it reminded me how, with the disapperance of life-and-death encounters, important the tension of competition is as a part of personal development in kendo. Also, from the time we met in the snowy parking lot until the time I got back, I was solidly impressed and proud of students’ initiative, respectfulness, and thoughtfulness, as well as with the kendo. At the start of this club, I was in for purely selfish reasons, but now I really want to ganbaré for the sake of these students and their kendo.

-Jennifer

2/2023

I hear that Evan and Alex gave a well-received demonstration that’s brought in a few new folks to practice as well. Very nice!

-Jennifer

1/2023

On short notice a handful of us went up for OSU’s keiko with Choi-sensei. What a great experience (but, man, I could use a little sleep)! I hope that OSU and UO members can meet each other soon. . .

-Jennifer

「礼」The purpose of etiquette (礼法 = reihō ) is not only an act of respect for one’s opponent, but an expression of self and self-control. “Conquer yourself, then win against another.” (From a translation of the Art of War, discussed by Satō-sensei.)

-Jennifer

開けましておめでとうございます！

This morning, while folding tenugui, I came across this one:

-Jennifer

12/2022

For the first time we were able to host Choi-sensei of the Portland Kendo Club and Atagi-sensei of the Redmond Kendo Club as well as a couple students from OSU. Next time I will plan to have more instruction and less ji-geiko time.

I learned much from attending the shinpan (refereeing) seminar in Seattle. I hope we can have a friendly intercollegiate match this year!

-Jennifer