Short documentary featuring Shigemitsu Kamata and Etobicoke Kendo Club

[Neil Gendzwill]

Many of you may have seen this on facebook already, but here is an excellent short documentary piece produced (I think) for local Toronto TV. It features Shigemitsu Kamata, current Canadian champion and national team member.

[Tort-Speed]

Thank you, Gendzwill Sensei: what a well-spoken fellow Kamata is! (And was glad to see that silver-haired Sensei in the video: besides Kendo, he was one of the Iaido instructors back in Hong Kong in the mid-1980's before his family moved to Canada.)

[Neil Gendzwill]

Are you referring to Ma-sensei, who appears early on?

[Tort-Speed]

Yes (Ma Kin Tak), and perhaps it's also him in the background later on, doing Seite? Why, did I do a bad?

[Neil Gendzwill]

No, just wasn't sure which sensei you were talking about. His daughter Man-San is on the team now.

[Tort-Speed]

He'd must be pretty proud of her. Ma Sensei was about the nicest person there: when he emigrated, the lights kinda dimmed in the training hall for me. I'd attended a sports festival in Hong Kong showing an Iaido and Kendo demo. Was impressed with the former, thought the latter a bit vocal. But the Kendo Assn. there said, must do 6 months of Kendo - to understand 'how to use a sword' - before permitting Iai. (Interesting, as many senior Police kendoka say Iai can improve one's Kendo....)