Aloha ALL...newbie here.

[Shunsoku]

Just thought I would introduce myself, as I am new to this forum.

I have had an interest in Kendo for many years...I remember seeing the Ainakoa Kendo Club (I think it was them) back in the 80's practicing in a pavilion at a park...on concrete. I had never really seen Kendo done until that day. It looked cool and all, but not something I was interested in DOING at the time.

I moved from Oahu to the Big Island of Hawaii in '97, and checked out a rec. center where a lot of various Martial Arts are practiced. I was checking out a kickboxing school at one end of the rec center, and then I heard "it"..."YAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!" followed by the unmistakable sounds of shinai's clashing! I walked over to the other end of the rec. center and there they were...

I watched the Hilo Kobukan Kendo Club keiko which was led by Sensei Charles Narimatsu at that time. I asked Narimatsu Sensei if I could "join", and he said just come by and watch a few times. I showed up for many of their keiko and just watched. Finally, I guess Narimatsu Sensei felt I was serious in that I wanted to learn Kendo so he handed me a bokken and ran me through the Kendo No Kata. He then asked if I did Kendo before, to which my answer was no, and then he said something about my age...LOL! I studied with Narimatsu Sensei for sometime...and then I got a job which conflicted with keiko times...

In '08 I went back to Kobukan, only to find out that Narimatsu Sensei hardly went to the keiko anymore, and it was also under new instructors. One of the old school Kobukan instructors was still actively there, but more or less just roamed the dojo floor and "supervised". I got my daughter into it for a brief moment, and then things got busy again...(Which was actually fine because no longer was Narimatsu Sensei's ways being taught, so it just didn't feel right.)

'12...I went back to the same rec. center recently as suggested by one of my "sensei" from the '08 Kobukan days. Again, I sat and watched a few keiko, finally met the head Sensei, and asked to join. The teaching style is somewhat similar to what I was used to, BUT there was just a lot more technical aspects explained. Also, this Kendo club just felt..."right".

Now I am back into it again, training under head Sensei C. Nishioka of the Hilo Renshinkan Kendo Club. I have a LOT to learn, and I think I gotta be the oldest san Kyu out there! However that's all good because I told Narimatsu Sensei as well as Nishioka Sensei that I do Kendo not for rank, but because i enjoy it...

Anyway, mahalo much and hope to learn from this place as well!
take care all!