Stoke on trent England grading

[Musha]

Hi guys, don't laugh but I failed the Ikkyu grading Stoke-on-Trent England :D.

The judging panel consisting of Mr Howell, Gary O' Donal from a Dojyo near me. All high ranking Sensei and maybe quite strict.

There seems to be little information about Grading so maybe I can write what happened.

We all arrived at about 9am and waited till the grading panel arrived and every thing was ready. Lined up to register just giving our names and received a sticker with number written on it for each side of the Zekken.
Every one practised Kata by them selves until one sensei shouted us to line up for a talk about this grading only being for Ikkyu when afew, were expecting to be taking 2kyuu. The Mr Howell did let them do 2kyuu but said it was not going to happen again.

We then got in lines relating to the numbers on our Zekken, e.g. 1-4 5-8 and the lowest numbers me being 005 donned our Men's putting the rest on in the changing rooms.
There was a kind of Shiai-jyo at one side of the hall and one person waited on the left and one right. One sensei called, and we each took a step in entering the shiaijyo, bowed, and took 3 steps to the middle sonkyoed.

Then the sensei shouted 'Kirikaeshi!' the one on the left receiving and right doing Kirikaeshi. Some seemed quite sloppy but no one made any real mistakes apart from Tenugui sticking out of men and some ones Do-tare coming loose that the sensei promptly warned us about.

The sensei shouted Yame! and we both returned to our positions as in a shiai, sonkyoed and the sensei called Jigeiko!

I remembered semei to maintain a good distance and tried my best to do Zanshin after concentrating on good Men cuts.

The sensei shouted Yame and the Kirikaeshi receiver left and attacker walked across the Shiai-jyo to receive.

After the Shoudan and Nidans repeated this after all Ikkyu had finished we waited a wile until one Sensei called some people to do Kata.

We all took it that the ones not called including me 005 did not pass the Uchikomi section.

It also seemed that Kata did not play much of a part of the grading because I noticed one person with left heal down through all 3 Kata formes.

Receiving feed back

Quite afew people did not perform Seme, just leaping from any position to get a cut.

Some were bashing into there partner into Tsubazeriai.

And some with foot work not in time with arm movements.

It was commented that I was cutting too small though I can not remember doing this without seeing my self at the time.

Well Ikkyu seems to be concentrating on body movement. Your arms and legs must be correct and in time when performing correct men cuts

Kame, Seme to Issoku itto no maai, keep your hand movements in time with your arm, make contact at the correct distance and right food making contact with the floor. Then perform Zanshin.

You must also make sure all your equipment is tied and no loose ends showing.

And remember reigi and shiai etiquette such as taking a good first step to bow, then making only three steps to reach the middle.

Just remember that what ever any one says Ikkyu is not at all easy. You do not have to perform men like a Dan grade but have the right idea about all the importaint aspects.

Guess I will try and take the next on in Japan and try to make my men better than any one elses by that time! :D.

[Marine_Boy]

I took my ikkyu last october and one thing that I made sure I did was to sit in my best seizai posture before, during and after my turn at kirikaishi and jikeiko.

What I mean by that is that during my grading, the ikkyu section was split into three group and I was in the last group. Many of the other candidates did not sit in good seizai or chatted amongst themselves. I feel that shows a lack of spirit for the grading. I also felt that we were judged or noted for our actions prior to the first part of the grading.

[D'Artagnan]

Some seemed quite sloppy but no one made any real mistakes

were we watching the same grading????

Several people made 'real' mistakes as far as i recall...

P.s. Gary's name is O'Donnell.

[D'Artagnan]

It also seemed that Kata did not play much of a part of the grading because I noticed one person with left heal down through all 3 Kata formes.



pps. Kata plays an important role in the grading, however, it was a grading for ikkyu, not hachidan.

ppps. there is no 'e' in Forms

[emitbrownne]

Hi guys, don't laugh but I failed the Ikkyu grading Stoke-on-Trent England :D. .Never mind Eric.. there always next time.:smiley:
It also seemed that Kata did not play much of a part of the grading because I noticed one person with left heal down through all 3 Kata formes.Careful Eric.. you do not want to bend people nose out of joint, or acuse you of sour grapes.

Receiving feed backWas this feedback you were given.. or have decided to post?

keep your hand movements in time with your arm, ???????? how do you not???????

I understand your desire to help other people and this is admirable.. just be careful how you go about it.. some people are easily offended.

this is friendly advice, by the way, not an ear bashing :)

[KhawMengLee]

pps. Kata plays an important role in the grading, however, it was a grading for ikkyu, not hachidan.

ppps. there is no 'e' in Forms

Yeh, remember last year at mumeshi? The same Sensei were on that panel too and they were very strict on kata...even for kyu. Stan and I both got our ikkyu there and I remember the bulk of people(about half) who passed the keiko section got failed in the kata...Stan is scary in jigeiko tho' he always looks so serious...ooo, those evil eyes!

Heh, even in the shodan test they were tough...remember that guy who has been fighting in the lidstone for like the past 8 or 10 years. He failed the kata as well...I suppose he'll be at it again this year in the lidstone.

Well musha...I can't tell you what went wrong because I wasn't there nor could your description highlight what was it that failed you. But remember next time, strong seme...break your opponent's central line...its like extending your will to overcome his/hers. Only then do you strike.

You'll hear this heaps but remember:

1)Good posture.(RELAX...chill out dude...hehehe)
2)Strong seme.(Show that you have strong will/spirit) my second partner in my shodan exam just decided that he'd strike like a drummer on acid and managed to impale himself on my shinai...if you don't break center, don't attack.
3)Take time. (Don't bash, time the attacks. 1 good men cut is worth a 100wild hits)
4)Big motion/cut.(preferably men cuts)
5)LOUD KIAI!

Remeber:

"Our greatest triumph lies not in never failing, but picking ourselves up after the fall!" Ralph Waldo Emerson

Good luck next time!

[Marine_Boy]

Stan is scary in jigeiko tho' he always looks so serious...ooo, those evil eyes!



Awh, come now, I'm not that scary. It's just my way of letting people known that I'm about to feast on their livers...

:laugh:

But I'll tell you who has evil eyes. Sahal sensei.

Ooo, if you're not 100% alert and concentrated, he'll get you!

[D'Artagnan]

Heh, even in the shodan test they were tough...remember that guy who has been fighting in the lidstone for like the past 8 or 10 years. He failed the kata as well...I suppose he'll be at it again this year in the lidstone.



I expect so, he attempted shodan again at stoke, but i don't think he even got to the kata this time. so i expect he will be at the Lidstone again. I'll be there as well, just so i can keiko with this year's winner afterwards. plus i am testing for Nidan the day after (so fingers crossed for that :redface: )

[GMason]

Eric,

You will need to check with Keith Darwick (BKA Grading Officer), to see if you need written permission from the BKA inorder to grade in Japan. You normally do if you grade abroad.

Also, you could always come to the Bolton Seminar at the end of the month, there will be loads of opertunity to get some high grades to have a look at your Kendo and give you some pointers.

[KhawMengLee]

I expect so, he attempted shodan again at stoke, but i don't think he even got to the kata this time. so i expect he will be at the Lidstone again. I'll be there as well, just so i can keiko with this year's winner afterwards. plus i am testing for Nidan the day after (so fingers crossed for that :redface: )

ahem! I hope he's not really going to fight in the lidstone this year.

Good luck at the grading tho! Heheh...hopefully I'll be joining ya next year in nidan land!

[D'Artagnan]

Good luck at the grading tho! Heheh...hopefully I'll be joining ya next year in nidan land!

Thanks Mate! see you in Nidan Land!

[KhawMengLee]

Awh, come now, I'm not that scary. It's just my way of letting people known that I'm about to feast on their livers...

:laugh:

But I'll tell you who has evil eyes. Sahal sensei.

Ooo, if you're not 100% alert and concentrated, he'll get you!

Since we are on eyes I'd like to mention a certain Sensei who has "bedroom" eyes. OMG, do jigeiko with her and after looking into those eyes she can tsuki balls me to eternity and I'd still have that stupid lovestruck grin on my face.

I tried doing that too. Not the same reaction from the opponents but the same result no less...the look of sheer mortal terror seemed ample enough distraction for a good shomen cut.

[JSchmidt]

[QUOTE=GMason]Eric,

You will need to check with Keith Darwick (BKA Grading Officer), to see if you need written permission from the BKA inorder to grade in Japan. You normally do if you grade abroad.
/QUOTE]

To grade abroad, you need permission from John Howell and not Keith Darwick.

Jakob (Who graded abroad the last two times)

[GMason]

That is why I said he should CHECK with Keith to make sure first, but hey who cares as long as he gets permission.

KhawMengLee :- I am planning on coming over to Macau in Feb. Can you recommend any dojo's in Hong Kong. Our Lass has practiced at most of the Dojo's just wanted to check If there where any really good ones you could recommend, please feel free to Email me on gmason1uk@yahoo.co.uk if you don't want to clog the board up.

[KhawMengLee]

sent you an e-mail mate!

[mingshi]

Hi guys, don't laugh but I failed the Ikkyu grading Stoke-on-Trent England :D.
...

There seems to be little information about Grading so maybe I can write what happened.
...

Guess I will try and take the next on in Japan and try to make my men better than any one elses by that time! :D.
Hey make an effort, kiddo! By the time you've finished typing your whining post, you could have done 1000 suburi instead! Do you expect ikkyu grading to be easier in Japan with all those training 5 days a week all year round? Or are you expecting they'll pass you easiler because you are a gaijin?

Little information about grading?? Everyone has the same information, and no one has special advice. Suck it up.

I have quite a lot of KWF smack-down requests and this seems to be the best reason to actually carrying it out!!

[sjp]

Eric you could not have been at the same grading as D'Artagnan and myself yesterday.
Or perhaps you were and did not bother. to pay attention to what was said.
You were at the seminar the previous day and it was quite clearly explained that 'footwork, posture and ki-ken-tai' would be
strictly observed on the actual grading.
Before the grading started everyone was also told by Sensei Howell that the panel are here to pass you not to fail you so just go out and do your very best kendo. Its not shiai and points dont matter.
That advice seemed to get lost in the translation.

As regards open gradings these are dojo events and not for national exam panels.

As the floor manager for the morning i explained how you should enter and leave the area. The fact that the area was marked out as a shiai-jo from the previous taikai is irrelevant. It had the markings on the floor and the X in the middle and half of you could not even get that bit right. In general the rei-ho was sloppy, and equipment not tied properly. This is not MY problem , I'm not grading, other than it intefers with the proceedings. You are responsible for your own kit and appearance and as i was once told 'Scruffy soldiers are crap soldiers soon to be dead ones".
Regarding your comments on 'Kata not being important' ... wrong (again).
It is always important and is jugded at the level required for the grade.
What you might get away with at Ikkyu would not be tolerated with a higher grade.


If you are not successful on the day all it means is at that point in time you are not ready for it.
I've been there, you just have to do it again.

[sjp]

Hey make an effort, kiddo! By the time you've finished typing your whining post, you could have done 1000 suburi instead! Do you expect ikkyu grading to be easier in Japan with all those training 5 days a week all year round? Or are you expecting they'll pass you easiler because you are a gaijin?
!!


One thing i forgot to add to my post Eric was that my 13 year old young Chris Johnstone passed his Ikkyu, he was no. 001.

But then again HE doesn't tell me that he knows better.

[KhawMengLee]

Hey make an effort, kiddo! By the time you've finished typing your whining post, you could have done 1000 suburi instead! Do you expect ikkyu grading to be easier in Japan with all those training 5 days a week all year round? Or are you expecting they'll pass you easiler because you are a gaijin?

Little information about grading?? Everyone has the same information, and no one has special advice. Suck it up.

I have quite a lot of KWF smack-down requests and this seems to be the best reason to actually carrying it out!!


Haha...Jenny Wan Mistress of the Smack-Down!

[JSchmidt]

That is why I said he should CHECK with Keith to make sure first, but hey who cares as long as he gets permission.


Sorry, wasn't meant as a rebuttal, but as a piece of information. You need to contact John Howell directly for gradings abroad, as he has to tell the appropiate kendo federation that you're ok to grade.

Jakob

[GMason]

Eric :- A grading is one of the many things where you have no where to hide. You are either good enough or you are not. Unfortunatly it would appear on that day you where not good enough..... but this is just another reason why Kendo is character building....... you fail you don't moan about it (Well not openly anyway) you pick yourself up and try again, everyone fails at some point. I know I have.

Jakob :- Like I said..... Not to worry, as long as he gets the correct Info......

Steve :- Sorry I couldn't make it Saturday & Sunday

[PhilMcLaughlin]

Musha

I had a bet on with another member as to how long it would take you to post on the forum about the grading

he won, I thought it would take longer ;-)

You cant learn kendo on the web - get your backside into the dojo, listen to what the sensei and in particlular YOUR sempai tell you (& they are trying really hard to help you but you dont see it) & then act on it.

Then when you go to a seminar the day before a grading & the sensei teaching it are the ones on the examination panel it would be a good idea to listen to what they say

You have no grade & it appears little will to learn - I dont care what you think & wont do so until you demonstrate some application to the task in hand which you have not done so far - if you think it will be easier in Japan - by all means go ahead & learn the hard way

meanwhile your posting about the senseis & the process is not appropriate - you simply dont know what you are doing vs what you are supposed to be doing & thats your issue. You shouldnt try to pass comment in an international forum

you have only yourself to answer to about your performance on the day

that day it wasnt good enough - YOU have to take on the lesson and learn how to do it correctly - thats kendo.

Next time , if you study correctly, you should be able to pass

time for you to start learning & stop posting inane opinion - you may not understand how that might be interpreted negatively by people outside the UK so you should stay quiet until you do !

if you have particular questions then use the UK mailing list (carefully)

cheers

[JSchmidt]

if you have particular questions then use the UK mailing list (carefully)
Hehehe..pay good attention to the 'carefully' bit :D

Jakob

[Musha]

Thanks for your posts guys and especially KhawMengLee :D. And I am going to ignore the nasty people :wink:.

I posted so I could help any one that was interested in grading and did not know how a grading could go.

I can remember only afew things added from my perspective and there were definitely not 'Sour grapes.' I even made it my business to thank both people I fenced with, and talked for afew minutes with a Japanese man I fenced from Mumeshis. In English and broken Japanese hehe. I also thanked one Judge and would have thanked them all if I could.

Please tell me why I posted this because of sour grapes?

And Emit you can ask my mother because she was listening to the feedback from one of the judges.

As close as I can he said "Numbers 11 12 14 (Some high numbers) various mistakes, 005 your left hand was in the centre." I said the day before that I was not confident.

I did not storm off and I at the time I though that maybe passing would be a bad thing for me at this time. If I thought I passed and was not good enough, the Ikkyu grade would not have been worth the paper it is written on.

Looking forwards to my next practice and working on what I did wrong :D.

P.S. I can't think about Grading in Japan until I get there. And if I do it usually jikes me :D.
I wonder what Senki did..

I'm also glad that I am so famous in the Kendo world people bet on me :D. And I'm not even graded hehehe.

[Kirin]

Musha,

Don't mind and keep trying at your 1-kyu again!
& Good luck on your next testing!

You were lucky at your testing, cause some stated earlier that judges said they are there to pass you not to fail you.

But under IKF rule, to pass 1-kyu there should be five 5-dan judges and three must say yes. Obiously, you might had bad day or not so good keiko during your testing.
No need to talk about what other people did during the shinsa.
It was you who did not convince judges. At that given time, they felt you were not 1-kyu caribar. (thats why there are 3 out of 5 consent by panel)

You can test again in 3 months so keep practicing !
If I were you, I would test again in Britain, so that I can prove to those judges what really you are. (to me, going japan and test is just running away from situation.... plus you need approval from your regional/national federation to test overseas, plus you need to find local japanese federation or organization who will accept you... lots of paper-works and hustle.)

Again, good luck! :)

[Atama]

Musha,
Maybe (if your not already doing so) up your training to as many classes per week as possible before a grading. I know that when me and Dave (nishi) had a grading coming up we would hit every kendo class possible including Bramhall, Halifax and even stoke on trent. Practice makes perfect and travelling to different clubs and fencing different people gives you a great advantage.

P.s Do you train with Wilf at the bramhall club by any chance? ...well if you do tell Wilf and Ellen that Lisa & Dave say hi. :smiley:


LISA

[PhilMcLaughlin]

Thanks for your posts guys and especially KhawMengLee :D. And I am going to ignore the nasty people :wink:.

I posted so I could help any one that was interested in grading and did not know how a grading could go.

" Musha Grading at Ikkyu is normally straight forward. It isnt unusual not to succeed the first time out but the recipe for success is simple. Do good kendo as defined by the sensei. In the UK You will follow the same format until Yondan (kiri kaeshi, 2 x ji geiko, kata (if you pass the ji geiko) written test). I got quite cross at your post because you have implied that the information isnt available - It is - its in your dojo - it was at the seminar the issue is that youre not listening. "



I can remember only afew things added from my perspective and there were definitely not 'Sour grapes.' I even made it my business to thank both people I fenced with, and talked for afew minutes with a Japanese man I fenced from Mumeshis. In English and broken Japanese hehe. I also thanked one Judge and would have thanked them all if I could.

" the best way to thank the judges is to enable them to pass you by studying your form and improving"

Please tell me why I posted this because of sour grapes?

And Emit you can ask my mother because she was listening to the feedback from one of the judges.

"your mum cant take the grade for you.......;-) "


I'm also glad that I am so famous in the Kendo world people bet on me :D. And I'm not even graded hehehe.

"that says a lot - unfortunately its not good :-( "


The forums are a great place for sharing experience & getting support - witness the positive feedback youve been getting , but you do need to be more careful of the impression that you may give to people outside the UK.

The BKA have been and are putting in enormous amounts of effort to improve basic kendo in the UK. The information you dont think available is actually there in abundance.

good luck with your studies

phil

[emitbrownne]

Please tell me why I posted this because of sour grapes?

And Emit you can ask my mother because she was listening to the feedback from one of the judges.
Eric.. you have the wrong end of the stick again.

I was trying to be helpful.

To put negative comments about other kendoka who passed thier grading when you failed can be construed as "sour grapes".

I was not trying to prove you wrong by asking a question... I was asking a question. From the way you wrote your piece it seemed that you were dishing out the advice not recieving it.. all I wanted was clarification.

I shall not attempt to be helpful again.

[KhawMengLee]

Excuse me...what kind of Bogu does Mr Vadar wear?

and where does he get those shiny shinai?

[mingshi]

And Emit you can ask my mother because she was listening to the feedback from one of the judges.
Excuse me, are you the one taking the grading or your mom? :confused2

[emitbrownne]

Excuse me...what kind of Bogu does Mr Vadar wear?

and where does he get those shiny shinai?
Rich boy show off stylee... woodgrain effect Do.. 1.5mm machine stitch..

the shiny shinai are from nine circles... generally oval grip :)

[Musha]

And Emit you can ask my mother because she was listening to the feedback from one of the judges.

Emit you said you were not sure if it was true what the judges said about me. I said you can ask me, my mother or even another man from my home dojyo (Wif's by the way :D.) Some people not you Emit, seem to find it easy to take offence and see unwritten things in what I see as a unbiased post.

Thanks again all :).

P.S. I don't know what this means, but the judges asked me to repeat the Jiegeiko. I should have took a film :).

[KhawMengLee]

Excuse me, are you the one taking the grading or your mom? :confused2

Ouch! Smackdown round 2!

[Andoru]

Excuse me, are you the one taking the grading or your mom? :confused2
Owwwwwwww my ribs! :D

[Musha]

Lol I missed that one :D. My mother started doing kendo too about 3 weeks ago. Maybe she could take it for me next time? :D.

[Nishi]

The forums are a great place for sharing experience & getting support - witness the positive feedback youve been getting , but you do need to be more careful of the impression that you may give to people outside the UK.

The BKA have been and are putting in enormous amounts of effort to improve basic kendo in the UK. The information you dont think available is actually there in abundance.


I agree...now im training in a different country I get to see the other side of peoples impressions on UK kendo, and for the most part I think UK kendo is misunderstood and under-estimated. I have the highest respect for UK kendo, and im trying to take more care of how I represent it as well.

Musha, there is tons of awsome kendo in your neck of the woods...after I networked a little bit, I/we made (like Lisa said) trips on a regular basis to Preston, Bramhall (as you know), Stoke-on-Trent, Yoshinkan (Liverpool)...Halifax or Bolton when we could, there is a total abundance of information out there, dont be afraid to network buddy!

On top of these great places to train, are the friends you'll make, UK kendo is very supportive, although some of these posts could heve been written with more caution themselves, as they to, represent UK Kendo.

[JSchmidt]

and for the most part I think UK kendo is misunderstood and under-estimated.
Hmmm?..how so?

Jakob

[PhilMcLaughlin]

I agree...now im training in a different country I get to see the other side of peoples impressions on UK kendo,

[snip by Phil]

although some of these posts could heve been written with more caution themselves, as they to, represent UK Kendo.


Good point Dave thanks for pointing it out - my first posting was intemperate - i really shouldnt go onto the forums after a tough day and a couple of beers ;-))

Musha - its up to you now - as you can see there is ample support locally if you look for it & not much excuse if you dont

cheers

[Nishi]

Hmmm?..how so?
Jakob

Nothing negative of course, just a few suggestions that UK kendo is not as attatched to to Japanese Kendo, as Canadian Kendo is, and that we may do some strange things in the UK. Ive heard this a couple of times from different sources. It will take me several years of training here to really see the differences though..(if any).

I have always thought the UK was very connected to Japanese tuition, I think that may be misunderstood outside the UK (hence my support of Phil's original post regarding representation), as anyone who trains in Britian is aware of the high level of Japanese sensei/seminars that are offered.

As for under-estimated, thats just my own little opinion, I just think there is talent in the UK.

[JSchmidt]

Ok, I don't see that, but then I also have the luxury of having access to a Japanese teacher and several Japanese sempais.

Jakob

[Musha]

Thanks Nishi,

I'm planning to go to Japan any way and maybe join a Dojyo there. In England I don't have a car my self and it is pretty hard to get any where using public transport.

I went to a Jyoudo mini seminar/national squad practice at Halifax and met afew people from the Halifax dojyo. Failed to get to Birmingham on time because of BKA site error :). And am currently going to Mr Needham's dojyo instead of Wilfs because of work.

Unless I get a car the only chance I get is comps and seminars :(.

[Nishi]

Thanks Nishi,

I'm planning to go to Japan any way and maybe join a Dojyo there. In England I don't have a car my self and it is pretty hard to get any where using public transport.

I went to a Jyoudo mini seminar/national squad practice at Halifax and met afew people from the Halifax dojyo. Failed to get to Birmingham on time because of BKA site error :). And am currently going to Mr Needham's dojyo instead of Wilfs because of work.

Unless I get a car the only chance I get is comps and seminars :(.

Hey you cant go wrong at Mark's dojo (Bolton)...that is pure basics repeated until your sick, i luv'd training there!!! Sounds like your networking already, and I realize your younger so travelling about the country is difficult but youve got years to do this...good for you! Remember, theres no rush!

Regarding your grading, there is a principal in kendo that we overlook sometimes. When your doing jigeiko and your opponent hits you with possibly the best men-cut ever, we are taught to hold our composure and except it with grace, and let it go. This is one of those principals that you live by as well, so your grading didnt go as planned....keep your composure, its all part of kendo and learning.

Ask Mark (Bolton) how many times he attempted ikkyu all those years ago, theres quite an inspirational story there.

[Neuron]

Hi guys. I just registered on this site 'cos I saw some familiar names being mentioned.

Musha:

Shame about the grading, but Kendo's not all about grades or competition results :wink:

It's tempting to say "how did he pass and I failed?" or in shiai, "how's that ippon and
mine not?", but it's part of Kendo to accept examiners' and shinpan's ruling gracefully.

And stop winging about not being able to get places 'cos you haven't got a car!
Neither have I, but I get by... admittedly, mainly by smiling at people who do... but
it does the trick! :wink:

Besides, in Japan, you'll suffer greatly from the incomprehensible language they speak
and not being able to find decent chips! :wink:
(Just kidding, 'right, don't take it too seriously)

Anyway, I'm thinking of joining the dojo in Stockport. Can you tell me what it's like?
Number of people there, percentage of grades, fees, practice days etc?
Would apreciate it very much.

cheers

[senki-kendo-jos]

[QUOTE=Musha] I can't think about Grading in Japan until I get there. And if I do it usually jikes me :D.
I wonder what Senki did..[QUOTE]

senki turned up, made sure she did as Sakai sensei told her, made sure her bogu was tied properly and neat and then just did her best. Because I was gaijin I didn't have to do the written test (yep, there was one out there!) and no one did kata for some reason.

It probably also helped that I didn't really know what was happening... I had got it into my head that it wasn't a grading for some reason and basically turned up and did what I was told. The fact that I thought it was just a keiko means that I wasn't nervous!

I thought I passed just because I was a gaijin but then I passed shodan and realised that it wasn't the case. Theyre tough on everyone. Just do your best!!

[Musha]

I just booked a ticket to go to Japan next Jan for 9 months :D. Senki did you join the Japanese kendo renmei or English? For insurance etc.. I remember Gareth said one I had to write to the British Kendo association.. :surprise: