Navy Kendo, Fleet Review, Portsmouth

[don don]

Are there any Kendoka on the ships heading for the International Fleet Review at Portsmouth? If so, and you haven't seen the official invite, would you care to join us and the Japanese Maritime Self Defence Forces for some training at Portsmouth Kendo Club on Saturday June 25th? Please let me know if you want to come as I will need a rough idea of how many people to expect. On board without your Bougu? Talk to us...
Please contact Portsmouth Kendo Club kendo687@msn.com
Space is limited in the Dojo, so preference is given to those on the International Fleet. Invitations to others are going out this week.

[don don]

Sorry, the correct e-mail is kendo687@hotmail.com

[Paikea]

Now, THAT sounds like fun...

[crabbi]

Now, THAT sounds like fun...
Hi Paikea-San

Yes.... you've no idea how good the day was...!

We started with 2 hours training at our Dojo with Yanai-Sensei, Budden-Sensei, Matsuda-Sensei and Rowe-Sensei... this was absolutely brilliant in itself ...!

We had a number of other very welcome guests including a team of Kendoka from the British Army !!!

After a short break (and some refreshments), we went on to the Gymnasium and HMS Temeraire... the Royal Navy Physical Education Training Centre in Portsmouth.

There we met with the Kendoka from the Japanese Navy for their Goodwill Visit... There was then 2 hours of Shiai (UK Team versus Japanese Navy) and Keiko...

Then we all went to a local Pub for a barbecue and a relaxing and very friendly evening together...

A very memorable day !!!

Cheers

[Paikea]

So, how are His Imperial Majesty's sailors in the shai-jo?

[crabbi]

So, how are His Imperial Majesty's sailors in the shai-jo?
There were 10 of them... varying standards... but all very good... one Nito Kendoka (also one Nito on the UK team...)...

Every single bout was excellent... everyone showed immense spirit... There was an immense feeling of mutual respect.

There was an excellent demo of Kirikaeshi from a young Kendoka (Toby) who was partnered by Yanai-Sensei... this was well received by all present...

Budden-Sensei told me later that the Japanese Naval Kendoka in fact came from 3 different ships and could only rarely practice their Kendo... and then only suburi on the flight deck...! They had been at sea for 3 months (recently having visited Russia...).

Everything went very smoothly... 'Don-Don' had been co-ordinating through the British Royal Navy and directly with the Japanese Navy via e-mail for nearly a year to organise this event, and it can only be described as a great success... Having such senior Sensei there representing the BKA and other Dojos / Countries was certainly the 'cherry on the cake'...!

I am still very much a Kendo Noob... so if anyone reading this could give a more authoritative account that would be very welcome...!

cheers

[Hongsermeier]

Sounds like you all had a very good time. We will be having the same type of thing this week here in So California. We will be having practice on both wed and thurs nights. They come here every year. The practice's and friendly match's are a lot of fun.

[Paikea]

Hmmm...we also do a "Fleet Week" kind of thing in early June, but I don't recall any visits by the Japanese Navy in the past. The Canadians generally send a destroyer or two to visit Kell's Pub and coincidentally Fleet Week, but that's about it as far as international representation. I wonder if we could fix that, as I believe one of our sensei is pretty tight with the Japanese Consul General? It's worth a look-see, anyway.

Fumikomi on a steel deck - ouch.

[crabbi]

Hi Chaps...

This wasn't any ordinary visit... it was part of the 200th anniversary celebrations for the Battle of Trafalgar.

There are over 160 ships from over 60 nations at anchor in Portsmouth to take oart... Three of these are Japanese and thats' where the Kendo team came from...

cheers

[Paikea]

Hi Chaps...

This wasn't any ordinary visit... it was part of the 200th anniversary celebrations for the Battle of Trafalgar.

There are over 160 ships from over 60 nations at anchor in Portsmouth to take oart... Three of these are Japanese and thats' where the Kendo team came from...

cheersUnderstood, but it costs nothing to ask, and who knows? BTW - I heard the Blue Fleet won that re-enactment again...mustn't offend certain members of the EU with blatant nationalism.

[crabbi]

Understood, but it costs nothing to ask, and who knows? BTW - I heard the Blue Fleet won that re-enactment again...mustn't offend certain members of the EU with blatant nationalism.
Hi Paikea-San

Sorry if I sounded dismissive of your post... that wasn't the intention...

cheers

[Inouye02]

I believe one of our sensei is pretty tight with the Japanese Consul General? It's worth a look-see, anyway.

Fumikomi on a steel deck - ouch.Hmmmmm? I hope that Sensei is still tight, after Team SCI took home the Japanese Consul Team Trophy, which was in the PNKF for over 30 yrs, Now there is only a plaque ...but a nice one, we will be returning it this year..

[Inouye02]

Sounds like you all had a very good time. We will be having the same type of thing this week here in So California. We will be having practice on both wed and thurs nights. They come here every year. The practice's and friendly match's are a lot of fun.and where were you Brad ?

[Andoru]

Last Wednesday my club was visited by two kendoka who work on the USS Kitty Hawk (aircraft carrier). The Kitty Hawk participated in war exercises with the Australian defence forces 2 weeks prior off the coast of Queensland and recently docked at Sydney on Sunday for 5 days of R-n-R. These two were only able to do suburi on the ship as they didn't know each other until 2 weeks ago! It was great to have them at our club!

[bluhawq]

Isn't that the carrier that docked near the botanical gardens?

[Andoru]

The one and only. It left this morning amidst heightened security alert.