Nanseikan Kendo Club 南西館剣道クラブ

This post is to clarify who can instruct within our dojo, by dividing members according to experience levels by rank. The levels below are ranked in order from most junior to most senior. If you are a Nanseikan member, please read, understand and observe these roles when in the dojo. Graded and ungraded members (up to 3 kyu) Watch and listen Practice Practice Practice Assistant instructors (2 kyu and above) All of the above points, plus... Able to run warm-ups and suburi when asked and given direction Able to assist beginners and low kyu grades with equipment issues only (no technical instruction) Knowledge of basic terms and commands Instructors (2 dan and above) All of the above points, plus... Able to formally start and end training – give commands to line up, rei, etc. Able to run Beginners’ course Able to devise and run warm-ups, suburi Able to devise and run drills and rotations to include all students at an appropriate level Able to monitor safety and participation of all studen

Vale  Stylianos "Stilts" Polichroniadis (1959-2024) Kendo 5 dan former President, Victorian Kendo Renmei, former President, Australian Kendo Renmei, Senior Instructor, Nanseikan Kendo Club Father, mentor, dear friend.

Membership to the VKR is now due for new and renewing members.  If you are renewing, you have been sent instructions to your registered email address Here is the information regarding your membership to the VKR. It must be done by each member individually through the Revsport portal. Membership must be confirmed by 15 June in order to grade in July .  Send any questions to secretary.nanseikan at gmail.com ******************************************************************** Step 1)   Go to the  VKR 's Revsport Registration page. Click on the "Returning  Member " button, or the "New Member" button depending on your membership status. https://www.revolutionise.com. au/ vkr /registration / New  members  will be provided with an AKR ID in Revsport once it is issued by the AKR. Renewing members will need to enter their name, DOB, gender and club (Nanseikan) which will then send an email with the renewal link to click and go through. Step 2)  The AKR requires that all 

  This year is the year of the Dragon, so hopefully it will be a great year! We've already started the year unofficially with casual training sessions and a change to our domain name, from kendo.org.au to nanseikan.au. This is so the AKR can take over use of the .org.au domain. Here are some of the main events coming up in the next few months: 2 February   VKR monthly trainings restart (Kenshikan). First Friday of each month. Training is free of charge. Doors open 6.30pm, training 7.00 to 8.00pm, Over 5 dan training 8.00 to 8.30pm. 3 February    NSK official trainings start  16-18 February - Gwangju Exchange Kendo Seminar (MUKEN) 24 February     NSK first beginners' course 2-3 March   ACT Open Championships (Canberra) 4-23 March   club-based kendo gradings (various) 24 March   3K-1K and 1D-4D grading (Kenshikan) 29 March - 2 April    AKC (Sydney) 28 April - VKR AGM (online)

  Another year gone. Thanks everyone for making it a good one. In 2024, let's keep challenging ourselves to improve, no matter where we are in our kendo journey! We start back officially on 3 February, but there will be casual trainings organised over the summer break. Kenshi from other clubs who wish to join in can email secretary.nanseikan at gmail dot com for more info. 

Term 4 starts today and continues until 20 December. It is an 11 week term There will be no training on 14 October due to the dojo location being used as a venue for the Voice referendum.  Instead there is a seminar being run by MBK featuring Okada Morimasa sensei, Kyoshi 8 dan. Registrations for this seminar close today (Sat 8/10) at 8 pm.  Register here. Details below.

 

Here is the information regarding renewing your membership to the VKR and AKR. It must be done by each member individually through the Revsport portal.  Membership must be renewed  by 15 June in order to grade in July .  Send any questions to secretary.nanseikan at gmail ******************************************************************** Step 1)  Go to the  VKR 's Revsport Registration page. Click on the "Returning  Member " button, or the "New Member" button depending on your membership status. https://www.revolutionise.com. au/ vkr /registration / New  members  will be provided with an AKR ID in Revsport once it is issued by the AKR. Step 2)  There is an important change to this year’s process required by the Australian Kendo Renmei (AKR). The AKR requires that all  members  are bound by AKR Policies. Therefore, as part of becoming or renewing your AKR/ VKR   membership , all  members  must fill in the form here regarding AKR Policies:  https://forms.gle/ hPh

  This term starts on Sat 29 April and goes for 9 weeks until 28 June. Phew! What a busy start to the year! A beginners' course, a club-based grading, a 3 kyu to 4 dan grading, an Australian Championships, a  Kendo seminar and a 1 dan to 5 dan grading! Well done everyone for ensuring that all those events ran smoothly and congrats to those who took part, whether as competitors, volunteers, grading candidates or judges. Hall hire fee increase We will be paying more for dojo hire from this term with the first rate increase since we started at St Pius. We will also be paying for more hours per week (5 hours as opposed to 3.5 hours) to reflect the amount of time we spend in the dojo.  We will not be raising our fees however. They remain at $10/training for the first two family members ($5 for FT tertiary students and HC card holders), and free for third and any subsequent members of the same family. But this means that we need to have everyone remembering to pay their dues, otherwise

Thank you to everyone who has helped us -- club members, visitors and teachers -- on our journey in 2022. Our 20th anniversary year was full of achievements. It brought disappointment and great sadness, but also brought the joys of friendship and connection. This year brings the Australian Kendo Championships to Melbourne for the first time in many years. Easter 2023 will be a chance for us to take part in the running of this special event. Our first beginners' course starts 25 February. To secure a place, fill out the online enrolment form . Course fees are payable at the first class. For more information about what to expect, see the About and FAQ pages. If you still have questions, contact the club secretary via secretary dot nanseikan at gmail dot com. Other dates for this year on our D ates page. Let's face 2023 with renewed hope and the desire to do our best in each and every training, grading and competition. 修証一如 The goal and the destination are one.

Just a reminder that there will be no training this Saturday 26 Nov due to the Victorian state election, and our dojo being a polling booth for the day. Instead, Keegan Almeida who runs RMIT Kendo Club has said we are welcome to join them.  Location : RMIT Bundoora Sports Centre, McKimmies Road. Accessible via Plenty Rd and the 86 tram. Time : 2.00pm to 5.00pm. Last hour will be shiai training, so the first two hours more suitable for newer people.  Cost : free Keegan runs a great training with a strong focus on basics. Their club has lots of recent beginners and experienced people as well, so it's a good match for Nanseikan.

  This year has been one of our best. Above is a pic of our biggest ever beginners' class. Thanks again to Soon for running it.  This term there are a number of events both within the club and outside in the wider Kendo community: Fri 7 October - VKR monthly training at Kenshikan Sat 8 October - official term 4 start at Nanseikan Sun 16 October - Nagae Taikai at Kenshikan Friday 4 November - VKR monthly training at Kenshikan November - VKR club-based gradings Sun 20 November - VKR state council meeting (online) Fri 2 December - VKR monthly training at Kenshikan Sat 3 December - Mumeishi 3s competition, Berwick Sat 17 December - Nanseikan Shochugeiko at the beach Our 20th anniversary shochugeiko (summer training) will again be at Blairgowrie Community Hall. This year it should be bigger and better than ever. All VKR kenshi are invited. Nanseikan members will be able to carpool (and maybe also bus) together from the dojo, leaving at 7.00am to start training at 9.00am. Depending on th

  Nanseikan Kendo Club would like to invite all VKR members to a special, 20th anniversary summer training. After a two year hiatus this year it will again take place by the beach on the Mornington Peninsula. Where : Blairgowrie Community Hall, 12 William Rd. https://goo.gl/maps/HqeFZG8PsBF2 When : 9.00am -  4.00pm, Saturday 17 December. Meet at Nanseikan at 7.00am. Carpooling available Cost : free! for VKR/AKR members Food : BYO lunch. Hall has full kitchen. Afterwards BBQ on the foreshore. Bring your favourite grilling items! Register your interest:  secretary. nanseikan@gmail.com

 We welcomed back Nanseikan training last Saturday for the start of Term 3.  We had most of the members hoping to get their 6th Kyu hard at work practicing their reiho and suburi while the administration side is hard at work sorting out all the fine details for our first club grading.  Let's hope that it all goes smoothly.  ファイト! This term is a 10 week term, but we will be heading to Monash 30th Anniversary Taikai on the 30th July so there will be no training at Heidelberg West that day. Our twice-a-year beginners course will be starting on the 6th August at 9am.  I just sent out the information pack to everyone signed up and we're looking forward to welcoming you all.  If you haven't signed up yet and want to join in, please fill in the form here:  https://forms.gle/3Gty3cVRyYAE6R3g7   There is more information about the beginners course on our About page. Lastly, congratulations to Nick for winning the Fighting Spirit award at the Otsuka Memorial Taikai at the Kenshikan l

This July-August will be a busy time. The main things are the first club-based grading on Saturday 23rd July at 10am for 6th kyu to 4th kyu which Nanseikan will be hosting and also the grading the following day at Kenshikan for 3kyu to 1st kyu. The other big event is the Victorian Kendo Championships which is an entire weekend on the 13 & 14 August.  A reminder:  if you want to keep up with last minute changes and info, download the free smartphone app Signal and we can invite you to our two groups: Nanseikan Announcements and Nanseikan Casual. See below for what's coming up in detail:

  It is with great sadness that I pass on the news of the passing of Larry Mahaffy. Larry was not a Nanseikan member but he was a regular visitor to our dojo. He started Kendo late in life but had a rare passion and commitment for the art. He understood implicitly what it represented and how it fitted into his life. For a time he practiced with his son Finn at MBK-Kenshikan Dojo. Throughout his battle with cancer he continued to practice undaunted. During Covid lockdowns he regularly and enthusiastically attended our online Zoom trainings.  My last text message exchange with him was at the end of May and we were making plans for club members to go to his house and train with him, at whatever level he felt able to. He said the doctors had exhausted all treatment options. His last text was,  "I'd love to think I could manage a bit of suburi (walking around the block has been a struggle of late!) Stay warm!"  Two weeks later I texted to invite him to attend dinner at our Kan

This weekend just past saw the successful staging of our first ever, two-day gasshuku. Held right after the winter solstice, it was an appropriately chilly Kangeiko! The program was ambitious but we succeeded in covering everything on the schedule. Judging by the smiles and feedback, everyone got something out of the weekend. It was especially good to host kenshi from other dojos, whether they were dojo leaders or beginners. Nanseikan members did a wonderful job as hosts, being available not just to help but to take on various roles in the running of the weekend. Special shout-outs and thanks to Soon, Nick and Chie. Thanks also to William, Quinn and Chee for coming in on Friday to help set up. And thanks to everyone who helped with the most difficult part of the entire weekend - the clean-up afterwards! There were some important absences and apologies. Some of our own members were away because of illness or family commitments. Matsumoto sensei sent her apologies for not being able to a

  As mentioned tonight at training there have been developments in Japan regarding tsubazeriai. It is anticipated, although this is not confirmed yet, that tsubazeriai will remain tightly controlled from now on. This is building on the adjustments people have made to becoming accustomed to the 'provisional' Covid-safe restrictions around tsubazeriai.  The reason for these longer term changes is to limit the ability of shiaisha to use tsubazeriai as a resting or defensive position. This has previously been a major issue in Japan at high school and university level. And as a result, through the spread of Youtube, these 'trends' get taken up around the world. The worst use of tsubazeriai before now has been for the purpose of time-wasting: where a shiasha 'runs down the clock' once they have established an ippon lead in a match. This is from a post on George McCall's excellent kenshi247 blog. McCall sensei teaches Kendo at a high school in Osaka and is well-ve