One the weekend of Aug 26 & 27 we had the privilege to participate in the 2023 CKF Iaido Instructors Seminar, led by Atsumi Hatakenaka Sensei, Hanshi 8th Dan (Hatakenaka Sensei is a Delegate from the AJKF). The 2-day seminar was hosted by Etobicoke Kendo & Iaido Club, ON (Thank you Stephen Cruise Sensei! 🙏 ) with the support of the Canadian Kendo Federation.

It was a great opportunity to improve our iai and to understand how to better coach every detail of the Zen Nippon Kendo Renmei Iai series. We also had the opportunity to practice how to properly shinpan a iaido taikai. Our sincere gratitude to Patrick Suen Sensei for organizing this event, a wonderful opportunity for the growth of iaido in Canada

In a few weeks our dear Natasha Fracassi will be starting a new adventure, continuing her studies and of course her Kendo journey in BC. We want to take this opportunity to congratulate her for making the 1st cut of top-10 players for the Team Canada selection. We will miss your indomitable spirit and your diligence in training Natasha 💪

Please come back soon!

CNKC 2023 - The clash of bamboo swords, the swift footwork, and the indomitable spirit of kendoka filled the air at this year's 2023 Canadian National Kendo Championships. Held in Markham, ON from August 12 to August 13 for the first time since 2017, it was a chance for competitors from all across Canada to come together and compete.

Shidokan sent a large contingent of 10 players to compete in individual and team divisions in the Senior, Junior and provincial categories. Everybody gave it their all, and we're proud of the competitive spirit everyone displayed. Thank you to Junko Ariyama Sensei, Maxime Sensei and Veronique Sensei for their efforts in organizing and coaching the provincial teams. A big thank you to the organizers and volunteers of this event, and congratulations to all participants on their great show of fighting spirit.

Congratulations to:

Our sincere gratitude to Ed Chart Sensei, Miki Chart Sensei, Kristy LaPorte & Branden from Ottawa, ON for paying us a visit.

On this opportunity we were luck to be coached by Chart Sensei and Miki Sensei in our iaido training. For Kendo Kristy and Branden joined us for shiai practice

Please come back soon!

On June 15th we received a visit from Steve Harris all the way from Halifax, NS. Thank you Steve, come back any time!

We take this opportunity to bid farewell to our dear Francis Pétrin who will start a new life adventure in Japan. Francis has been a valued member of our dojo for almost 10 years.

We will miss you brother! 気をつけて!

Also: Thank you Juan Schneider Sensei (from Kitajima dojo) for paying us a visit!

Thank you 민형기 Min Hyung-Ki Sensei (from Seoul, Korea) for paying us a visit!

It was a great keiko, please visit us again soon!

We would like to congratulate Gabriel Schor Sensei 🥉 For bringing back some bling bling 💪💪💪 bronze medal in the 5dan+ Category at the 2023 Garden State Kendo Tournament! (May 20 2023 - Palisades Park, NJ) おめでとう!

You make us very proud!

Shidokan kicks off the new Spring/Summer session welcoming new members and getting ready for the gruelling training ahead.

Ganbatte!!

On May 6th, with the support of the Canadian Kendo Federation, we hosted a Kendo Referee (shinpan) Seminar, open to all Kendoka in the region. Our gratitude to Hyun-June Choi Sensei, 7th dan Kyoshi and Mathew Raymond Sensei 7th dan Kyoshi for leading the Seminar.

It was a full day Seminar focused on improving our referee's skills as well as to review the provitional post-covid rules set by the AJKF. Our volunteer-competitors (shiasha) also had the opportunity practice against many opponents.

Thank you Kenji Toida Sensei, Jin Whan Lee Sensei, Bora Choi Sensei and to all instructors, shiai-sha and volunteers, without which this event would not have been possible. Hope to see you all again very soon!

To celebrate the end of the semester, we held an internal tournament to give all of our members a chance to compete and work on their shinpan experience. For many of our newer members, it was their first tournament: "Inazuma (lighting) Kendo Taikai"

Everyone fought hard in both the individual round robins and there were exciting team matches in the second half of the tournament.

A big thank you to our organizing committee and to all of our volunteers, without whom this event would not have been possible.

With the semester coming to a close, our beginner and junior members went through internal grading in both kendo and iaido. Congratulations to everyone who passed, and thank you for all your hard work this semester! Looking forward to the road ahead.

On a different note, we want to wish the best of luck to out dear Eugene, as she travels abroad to continue her studies. Come visit us soon!

On March 30h we bid farewell [for now] to our dear Kassem Mezher. New adventures await for him in Japan at International Budo University 国際武道大学.

- Looking forward to see how much stronger you'll become!
See you soon Kassem!
お元気で

This March, Shidokan hosted the first Iaido Seminar and Grading event since the pandemic shutdown. We dedicated this event to the memory of our dear Robert Miller Sensei who, sadly, passed away last December.

It was good to see many old friends again and appreciate the support from the different dojos attending. It felt nice to be practicing all together again. Thank you to our dear Ohmi Sensei, Cruise Sensei and Chart Sensei for leading the Saturday seminar as well as instructors from Shidokan and from Ottawa.

In February, a few Shidokan members participated in various kendo events. In Vancouver BC, there were Team Canada Prospects practices and the 59th Stevenston Taikai (February 11th). In Detroit US, there was a seminar led by Komeda Toshiro Sensei (Kyoshi 8th Dan) as well as the 2023 Detroit Open Taikai (February 18th and 19th).

Both weekends were a great learning experience for our Shidokan memebers. They fought and trained with heart! Thank you for representing us Gabriel Schor, Natasha Fracassi & Kassem Mezher.

A big thank you to head coach Dean Ara sensei as well as the other Team Canada coaches who taught and supported our members. Also, a thank you to Komeda Sensei for coming all the way from Japan to run an amazing seminar.
-Some of these photos are credited to @KendoPhotography

On Dec 17th our beginner group and some of our junior members went through our internal kendo grading.

The weekend of November 19th, a few members of Shidokan joined up with our friends in Ottawa for the 2022 Ottawa Iaido Taikai, hosted by Tokushikai and Patrick Suen Sensei. We were honored to have Susan Sekreta Sensei lead and judge the Taikai competition. Congratulations to the Shidokan members who each took home a medal!

Sunday followed with a half day Iaido Seminar. Always time to learn more and grow. The weekend was a great learning experience and we hope to represent Shidokan at many more Taikai events.

Our gratitude to Patrick Suen Sensei and Tokushikai Canada Dojo for organizing this 2022 Ottawa Iaido Taikai.

This November one of the largest contingents from Shidokan travelled to Toronto for the fall grading. With members challenging grades ranging from 1kyu to 5dan, we are happy to say most passed their exams successfully. It is great to see after all the hard work put in by each kendoka in the months leading up to the grading.

Congratulations to everyone! We would especially like to congratulate Juan Vasquez Sensei and Gabriel Schor Sensei on acquiring their 5dan at this grading.

During the weekend of October 30th 2022, Kenji Toida Sensei, 7th dan Kyoshi of MKC organized and led a godokeiko, hosted in collaboration with Shidokan at Vanier College. During the godokeiko, kendoka are given the opportunity to keiko with sensei and practitioners from all over Quebec. It was a great opportunity to get advice for the upcoming grading as well as for general improvement, in addition to being a wonderful event to bring together the Quebec Kendo community.

Thank you to everyone who participated, and we hope to see everyone again soon!

For the new fall Season 2022, we finally returned to our main dojo located at Concordia University Loyola Campus. It was great to step back into Concordia after a long time away, to welcome so many new faces, and to see many familiar faces returning.

A great start to the semester, lets all work hard to complete each of our goals for the end of the year!

To end the summer season, we held an internal taikai as an opportunity for members to acquire more shiai experience and provide senior members with a chance to work on their shinpan skills.

Thank you to all of our beginner volunteers for helping out and making this fun opportunity possible!

At the beginning of the fall session, our diligent members voluntered to represent Shidokan at the Concordia Student Union Fair.

After all the closures during the pandemic, this was a great opportunity to promote our dojo within the University.

Thank you very much everybody, great job!

On the weekend of August 27th & 28th the Canadian Kendo Federation in colaboration with the Tokushikai Dojo, hosted the 2022 "Ottawa-Montreal Regional" Iaido Summer Seminar and Grading. The seminars were led by Goyo Ohmi Sensei (Iaido Kyoshi 7-Dan, Kendo 6-Dan) and Stephen Cruise Sensei (Iaido Kyoshi 7-Dan, Kendo 5-Dan)

We had the privilege to review our Zen Ken Ren Iaido training with Cruise Sensei, Ohmi Sensei and Ed Chart Sensei. At the same time students from Montreal and Ottawa had the opportunity to challenge grading.

After 2 long years the Montreal Kendo Tournament (Taikai) returned to town. We were very happy to see old friends reunited again for a full day of kendo. It was a great display of spirit and determination. Shidokan's women division delivered a powerful performance, obtaining great achievements, Congratulations!

On July 9th we received a visit from our friend Miki Chart, a iaido and kendo practicioner from Tateyama Kendo Club in Ottawa.

We enjoyed a great practice, thank you very much for visiting us Miki!
Hope to see you again soon!

On June 29th, Shidokan hosted a Kendo Shinpan (referee) Seminar open to all practicioners in Quebec. The seminar was led by Junko Ariyama Sensei and Kenji Toida Sensei. The objective was to review the new approach and changes to judging a match given by the AKJF.

We think it's very important for all kendo practicioners to understand the new rules and procedures during taikai/shiai in order to conduct a proper judgment during the matches. It was very enlighting, we think this is a possitive move for Kendo in general.

On June 18th a Shidokan contingent traveled to QC city to participate in the CKF Kendo grading. It was great to see an event back in the province after quite a while. Our members performed great and will soon be ready to challenge their next rank.

Shinsa (Grading) is an important part of a kendoka's journey, we appreciate everyone's effort.
A big Thank you to the organizers! Milestones achieved, new challenges ahead, congratz! now let's get back to work!

Canadian Kendo Federation Kendo Referee Seminar - Etobicoke, ON. Thank you to Kimura Sensei, Kamata Sensei and Asa Sensei for the seminar, and all the participants.

It is great to see everyone returning to kendo and working to improve the level of officiating.

Pictures courtesy S. Kamata, KendoNord

We are happy to announce Shidokan is receiving beginner students again! These past 2 years have been hard more many kendo & iaido dojos, Shidokan in no exception.

We are very lucky to have a very strong core of dedicated members who are eager to share their passion with the next generation under the leadership of Santoso Sensei. During the Summer we will be training at the Concordia Loyola Chapel & Vanier College. Ganbatte!