[stastony]

Hi there

I'm a distinct case, since I study, work and practice kendo all in the same university.

[AlexBolduin]

That's funny. I know a French kenshi, also named Antonin, who practices kendo in Paris and alternately with the Koryo Richmond dojo when he's here in the United States. Do you know him?

[Poreponko]

Here is some information about the British University Championships, which have been held since 1996. The page doesnt have a lot of information on it, but I am trying to organise more pictures and stuff :

http://www.kendo.org.uk/newsevents/daigakutaikai/

Cheers,

[Caregrasy]

Most of the people I know in the US got into kendo during college or because their parents encouraged them. The only other group are ex-servicemen or businessmen who got into it while stationed in japan. It is an art you have to seek out in the US (or at least in the east, midwest and rocky mountains) - unlike karate/kung fu/tae kwon do which appear in every movie and have dojos in every strip mall.

I was a midwestern boy and not exposed to anything but the karate/tae kwon do until college. I started doing Iaido in college because I love swords and the other martial arts were too similar to wrestling. Since I can no longer wrestle, I took up kendo (in graduate school) because the one-on-one competition feeling in kendo is similar to that in wrestling.

[Alex Photographer]

Hmmnnn...A mate of mine called Isao (a Nidan) took over the Flinders Uni Kendo club and I joined up, on and off in 1999. I stopped for about a year and then started fully with Murdoch Uni Kendo Club. Never turned back since.

Murdoch is a good club. We provide the bulk of Kendoists for WA's state team. Usually the whole state Kyu team consists of Murdoch boys.

I think in Australia it is nice because the club usually has bogu sets to rent out to new kendokas.

Murdoch has a good environment and has seen a bunch of home-grown kendokas go into the Dan stage. We got a nice number of Dan holders, Middle Kyu and beginners.


In Malaysia one is expected to buy a set after 3 months...expensive commitment. In Kuala Lumpur (Mlaysia) The Kendo community is pretty large because of the large number of japanese ex-pats in KL.

Malaysian Kendo is doing pretty well but the dojo is a bit small.

Meng

[favwebbb]

Well, one thing is sure: it is not me ! This being said, I have only met 2 other people sharing my name in my whole life (that's how rare it is !)and one of them was at my old dojo in Lille. Statisticaly, it should be him, but I have not seen him for a good 12 years ! Say hello from me if you see him. I have had vey few contact with French kendo since I started again, and I don't know many people kendo people there, save from the Lille Dojo.
A.

[w4WBthjv]

I was born in France, and I started kendo aged 12 in Lille with JP Raick. htis Dojo is one of the largest in France, with more than 100 registered members. Being a teenager, though, I only practiced 4 years, then stopped for 10 years.... before starting again two years ago, in London. the dojo I joind (Hizen) was quite small at the time, but being in central London, we now have a large member base, with about 40 active members.
A.