TORRANCE TRIBUNE July 9, 2015 Page 7 By TerriAnn Ferren Photos by TerriAnn Ferren, unless otherwise specified Last week I received an invitation to attend the 2015 SCKF (Southern California Kendo Federation) Individual Championships Tournament at Wilson Park in the Dee Hardison Sports Center in Torrance. I knew nothing about Kendo, and the only experience I had was one evening when I happened to walk by the Kendo class in Torrance. The athletes caught my attention simply because of how they were dressed. They were covered in black from head to toe. At first, I thought they were wearing long skirts but the skirt was split, like culottes. The head protection was black except for a silver grill in front of the face. The head covering flipped above the shoulders from each side of the head and each participant was wielding a bamboo stick. The thing that caught my attention, aside from the striking attire, was that they seemed so polite to each other as they flung their bamboo sticks in the air. Walking toward the Dee Hardison Sports Center from the parking lot, I could hear a noise. It sounded like high-pitched clanking and then it dawned on me that the participants must be practicing. The noise intensified, as I got closer to the gymnasium and by the time I stepped concrete foot into the large gym, my ears were met by the thunder of the clanking bamboo Need A sticks.Driveway The participants or Patio? were all over the gym ‘sparring’ with each other, practicing Lindahl Concrete, Inc. Kendo in Torrance George Nakano Wise Electric Contracting Service Commercial/Industrial/Residential Serving El Segundo for the tournament. Actually, I asked the Specializing in all Residential Concrete WWW.LINDAHLCONCRETE.COM lady sitting at the check in table at the front door what was going on and she told me that the participants first warm up, then they have opening ceremonies and demonstrations, and then the competition begins. Sitting on the bleachers, I had a great view of all the people. There were boys, girls, little children, and adults. I spoke with Noah Nakayama age 14 who was dressed in full regalia that told me he has been doing Kendo for six years. That means he was just eight years old when he started. “I just like doing it [Kendo],” Noah said. Then I approached Ryan Kim, age 12, who told me he has been doing Kendo two and a half years. I asked him what he likes about it and he said, “You actually do something instead of just sit around. It’s physical.” Next to him, Daniel Cho, age 11, told me he has been doing Kendo three years and said, “It’s more complex than other sports and there is more to it.” I then asked Daniel if he was excited about the tournament and he told me that he was scared. I can relate to that. Master of Ceremonies, Kevin Abe, First Vice President of SCKF, announced the opening ceremonies were about to begin. What surprised handyman BILL’S HOME & APARTMENT MAINTENANCE electric License No: 785853 me right away was how very orderly since 1945 and disciplined this huge group was as they began getting ready for the ceremonies. I watched as they began taking off their gear, placing it neatly on the floor, and then sitting with their teams. It was the most amazing sight I had ever seen. I’d never been in a gym that quiet filled with so many people. This indeed was a special day. Not only was it the 2015 SCKF Championships, but several people were also being honored. Some of those being honored had participated in the USA Men and Women’s 16th World Kendo Championships (held every three years) at Nihon Budokan in Tokyo, Japan several weeks before, on May 31, 2015. Of the eight men participating in Japan, five were from Torrance Kendo. Christopher Yang, (Men’s Captain), Daniel Yang, Simon Yoo, Jason Brown, and Jarrod Hatakeyama. Quite impressive! The entire group then lined up according to their club, and what I noticed was that even the very young participants were quiet and polite. You could hear a pin drop. No kidding. It has been a very long time since I have seen such a large group so respectful and attentive. They barely moved! The sound of the taiko (drum) officially opened the tournament followed by the National Anthem. Special guests were introduced, rules were read, demonstrations were held, and then the competition began. Orderly – very orderly. As I sat in the bleachers and looked across the gym at all that was happening, I couldn’t help but notice how incredibly organized everything was. I watched the participants but I couldn’t figure out how they made points. There was lots of bowing and polite distance between the two - until they clashed with their bamboo sticks. Very impressive, honestly. Luckily, I was able to ask former Torrance Councilman and State Assemblyman, George Nakano about how he started Kendo in Torrance. “Gene [Barnett, Director of the Parks and Recreation Department at the time] was there to help us organize the Torrance Kendo Club as a Charter Club of the Torrance Parks and Recreation Department in 1974,” said George. George went on to tell me that, “In the early years, we were meeting in the cafetorium (the old cafeteria) at Torrance High School on a weekly basis because the floor was built on a raised foundation and not directly on concrete.” George told me he began practicing Kendo in 1959 at the Gardena Valley Japanese Cultural Institute. “I believe the most important things in Kendo - are to teach honor, discipline, etiquette, and respect. The fencing part is the process to achieve these goals,” added George. After George stepped down as the Dojo (head instructor) in 1985, Mr. Tim Yuge picked up the responsibility until this year. Now our Kendo Club is going strong to this day under the guidance of Mr. Christopher Yang, who started Kendo in Torrance when he was 8 years old. Mr. Tim Yuge told me, “Kendo means the ‘Way of the Sword’ (Ken = sword, Do = Way or Path). It was developed during the period of the Maniji Restoration in Japan when the Tokugawa Government was overthrown. The Samurai class were banned from wearing their swords, approx. year 1868. The samurai followed the philosophical code of Bushido, which George stated in his reply is about honor, discipline, respect, etc. Formerly called Kenjutsu, it became a way for the samurai class to continue their practice of swordsmanship, Kendo developed from Kenjutsu allowing for the use of the bamboo sword and protective armor.” Tim told me that Kendo is not really a sport or a martial art, kendoists study and practice ‘the way of the sword’ more in the ideals of TerriAnn in Torrance painting TKO PAINTING CO. INC. 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