Kendo dojos in the Philippines

[Pokie]

Hey guys, anyone out there plays or have played kendo in the Philippines ? There's chance I might be going there for holidays in 4 months time and Im looking for dojos to train there, and make friends too

I heard of Manila Kendo Club and UP Kendo Club, can anyone pls let me know more about them ? I already looked at website, it says where it is, founder and some other links...but I want to know more :P

Thanks !!

[Togashi Yokuni]

Hi, I'm currently a member of the Manila Kendo Club. I'm not sure what more information you need beyond those in the website, so can you ask away?

Cheers!

[Pokie]

Hi, I'm currently a member of the Manila Kendo Club. I'm not sure what more information you need beyond those in the website, so can you ask away?

Cheers!

Hi Togashi san, thanks very much for replying. How about, what can you tell about your experiences in training there ? How is training like there ?

Thanks !!

[Togashi Yokuni]

Hello again!

Personally, my experiences in MKC have generally been both tough and fun...as I suppose kendo should be for us addicts. Right now we have four regular sensei, two 7th-dan, one 5th-dan, and one 4th-dan, with a 6th-dan sensei who drops by every now and then. All Japanese, of course, and we know that we're very lucky to be able to count on their guidance.

Most of the students are Pilipinos, with a few Japanese and French students in the mix. We currently only have a few members with dan-level though, but we still try and make our kendo competitive.

Our training format for the Saturday training (5-7pm) is as follows (this is for the senior students, or those who wear bogu) : We start with five minutes of cleaning the dojo floor. Then the rei ritual, followed by about ten to fifteen minutes of warm-ups. Then we do suburi for fifteen to twenty minutes. After a (very!) short break, we do waza practise for maybe thirty minutes. Then we break again for about five minutes, and go for ji-keiko. The length of time for this is variable, depending on how much time is left, but it's usually about forty minutes worth. Then it's five minutes of uchikomi-keiko, and the fun (torture ) is over.

We also have an abbreviated practise on Wednesdays (7-8pm). Here we start with about twenty minutes waza immediately followed by forty minutes of ji-keiko immediately followed by five minutes of uchikomi-keiko...and as you'll note, NO BREAKS!

One thing about training here though...the heat and humidity will get to you. If you're not used to it...well, let's just say that the first time I put on my bogu, I nearly vomited and fainted.

Anyway, hope that answers your questions. If you have any more, please feel free to ask. When are you coming here, anyway? Hope to see you in the dojo when you do.

Cheers!

P.S. Oh, by the way I'm not sure but I think the UP Kendo Club is currently inactive/disbanded. At least, I haven't once been able to catch them during their scheduled practise sessions, and I work in that school! Not entirely sure though, I'll try to confirm this fully.

[plotty]

Hi Togashi-San,

I'm going to the Philippines this year for X-Mas for about 3 weeks and was thinking about visiting your dojo. I was just wondering, if your dojo is going to be on a break during X-Mas, since alot of people usually go to the province during that time.

[Hyaku]

Hi Togashi-San,

I'm going to the Philippines this year for X-Mas for about 3 weeks and was thinking about visiting your dojo. I was just wondering, if your dojo is going to be on a break during X-Mas, since alot of people usually go to the province during that time.

I will be there too. I am sure you will enjoy it. Have a nice time

[Togashi Yokuni]

Hello Plotty and Hyaku!

Glad to hear that you'll be visiting the Philippines during the Christmas season. Nice time to visit (for people used to drier climates), as the weather isn't that unbearably humid around December.

Unfortunately Plotty, we do have a break during the Christmas season. Our last training day is usually the Saturday before Christmas (Dec 18), and practise resumes on the first Saturday of January (not quite sure if it's gonna be Jan 1 or 8...will have to check). I sincerely hope that the schedule of your visit will allow you to attend practise at the dojo. Guests very welcome, as we don't get many of them.

Hope this helps!

Cheers!

[plotty]

Thanks for the info Togashi. Well it looks like I'm going to have to join you guys in January then. I'm arriving on the 20th and leaving middle of January, so I'll definetly be able to get at least one practice in with you guys.
Do you know if there are any Kendoka in the South of the Metro aswell, since I'll be staying in the Alabang area and your dojo is on Edsa and traffic is horrible around X-Mas time, or any other time of the year on Edsa.
Thanks for all the info so far. Please keep it comming.

P.S. You have some french students? Do they by any chance go to EuroCampus Manila?

[Togashi Yokuni]

Well, the bad news is that as far as I know the MKC is the only kendo club that's currently active in Metro Manila area. I heard that there might be a kumdo dojang based in the Makati area, but I'll have to confirm that.

The good news is that if you're coming from the South, you don't have to pass through EDSA to go the dojo (assuming you bring a car or ride a taxi). You can pass through the C-5 road, through which you can avoid the EDSA traffic. There's a way to get to the dojo from C-5. If you want I can make a map/give directions and e-mail them to you.

As for the French students, well one of them is a businessman in his forties, so I guess he doesn't go to school anymore. I only called him a student, as he IS a fellow student in the club. As for the other one, he's a kid yes, but I'm not sure where he goes to school. Might have to ask him up on that.

Anyway I'm glad to be of help, and ask away some more if you have more questions!

Cheers!

[Pokie]

Thanks very much Togashi san, you read my mind !! ~ I can't wait to train in Philippines, it is my homeland...it will be very exciting..although Im not used to the weather anymore, are there breaks between training to drink water ? Just want to know if I should hydrate myself more than normal before training heheh !! Looks like I will be going there next feb...thank heavens wasnt gona go in the Christmas break *phew* But yes, wow...sounds like really tough training, and sounds like a lot of fun too

salamat po

Ari

[Andoru]

ahh I've always thought you're an Indo!

[Togashi Yokuni]

Don't worry about drinking water, I know how that feels. Any chance that I can get, I try to rehydrate myself, comes with the territory. So yes, we do usually try to get in sips of water during any of the breaks, especially during the one between suburi and waza practise, and the one between waza practise and ji-keiko.

As for our training being rough, well I actually have no basis of comparison for that as I've never practised in another dojo before. One of the sensei though IS rough on the students...he once tossed me to the floor five times during one ji-keiko session. It's all in the spirit of developing better kendo though, and he's a nice enough guy out of the dojo floor. He's actually turning out to be my favorite sensei in the group.

One thing if you're going in February though...if you happen to be going during the last weekend of Feb, you just might miss most of the senior members and sensei, as there is a Tournament in HongKong which the club is joining. Practise won't be suspended, but a lot of people might not be there. Just so you know...

Cheers!

[Pokie]

ahh I've always thought you're an Indo!

Andoru....come on la, how can you ah ? orang Philippines ah !

But, I didn't think you were indo...are you ?

Thanks for the info Togashi-san, if things turns out well, it looks like I will be in Phils before Valentines Day. Sometimes we have rough senseis here too, so I kinda have an idea what to expect, even then, hopefully I'll learn a new trick or two.

[asian_knight]

Kamusta Togashi-san
I didnt know that there is a kendo club in UP. Im going back to Philippines next year on vacation. School and work always keeps me from coming back. Its been a while since I've been there. Hopefully, I would have some time so I could practice with the Kendoka out there.

[rainmaker]

Kamusta Togashi-san
I didnt know that there is a kendo club in UP. Im going back to Philippines next year on vacation. School and work always keeps me from coming back. Its been a while since I've been there. Hopefully, I would have some time so I could practice with the Kendoka out there.

Hey, do you know Apinya ? I heard she is now training at your dojo. She is a kendoka from San Jose and she do kick some serious ass!! Say hello for me..