AUSKF IAIDO-BU INSTRUCTORS

Takeshi (Walter) Yamaguchi

 

Photo courtesy of Dennis Ralutin

 

Age: 70

Iaido: 7 Dan Kyoshi

Kendo: 7 Dan Kyoshi

 

Mr. Yamaguchi began his kendo training in January, 1962 at the West Los Angeles Kendo Dojo. In January, 1963, he began studying iaido under Torao Mori sensei, who was instrumental in re-establishing kendo on the West Coast of the United States after World War II. Mr. Yamaguchi founded the Norwalk Kendo Dojo in 1965, the Covina Kendo Dojo in 1968 and the Costa Mesa Kendo Dojo in 1975. He currently holds the rank of 7 dan kyoshi (7th degree black belt) in both kendo and iaido and holds the following positions:

 

Member, Board of Directors, All United States Kendo Federation

Chairman, Iaido Committee, All United States Kendo Federation

Senior Advisor, Southern California Kendo Federation

Chief Instructor, Norwalk Kendo Dojo and Costa Mesa Kendo Dojo

Chief Instructor and Advisor, Southern California Iaido Association           Back

 

 

 

Shozo Kato

 

 

Age: 53

Iaido: 7 Dan Kyoshi

Kendo: 7 Dan Kyoshi

 

Kato sensei was born in 1955 in Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. He has been practicing kendo and iaido for almost four decades each. He served as head coach of the U.S. national kendo team for the 10th World Kendo Championships in Kyoto in 1997 and again for the 11th world championships in Santa Clara, Calif., in 2000.

 

Kato sensei studied under the late Yasushi Nakanishi sensei (Hanshi 9 dan kendo, Hanshi 8 dan iaido and jodo).

 

After graduating from a photography school in Tokyo, Kato sensei worked as an apprentice to noted photographers such as Tenmei Kano and Minsei Tominaga. He moved to the United States in 1982 to study at the Pratt Institute of Art.

 

Kato sensei and Tsuyoshi Inoshita sensei (the current president of the Greater Northeastern Kendo Federation) established the Doshikan Kendo Club in New York City in 1984. It was renamed Shidogakuin in 1989. Kato sensei has since established Shidogakuin dojos in New Jersey, Connecticut, Florida, and Washington, D.C.

 

Kato sensei is a member of the Board of Directors of the All United States Kendo Federation. Kato sensei operates a photography studio in New Rochelle, N.Y.

 

 

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Ichiro (Arthur) Murakami

 

Photo courtesy of Dennis Ralutin

 

Age: 76

Iaido: 6 Dan

Kendo: 7 Dan Kyoshi

 

Mr. Murakami began his kendo training in 1937 at the Redondo Beach Kendo Dojo. In January, 1963 he began studying iaido under Torao Mori sensei. Mr. Murakami holds the rank of 7 dan kyoshi (7th degree black belt) in kendo and 6 dan (6th degree black belt) in iaido. He currently holds the following positions:

 

Vice President for Promotions and Examinations, All United States Kendo Federation

Senior Advisor, Southern California Kendo Federation

Founder and Chief Instructor, Industry Sheriff’s Kendo Dojo

Instructor and Advisor, Southern California Iaido Association

 
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 Richard (Dick) Anderson

 

Photo courtesy of Dennis Ralutin

 

Age: 50

Iaido: 6 Dan Renshi

Kendo: 5 Dan

Aikido: 2 Dan

 

Started Kendo & Iaido in 1980 at the University of Washington

Started Aikido in 1979, but only practices on and off

 

First Kendo & Iaido Teacher: Konno Sensei

 

Has practiced Kendo and Iaido for 28 years

 

Was a member of the U.S National Kendo Team at the 10th World Kendo Championships in Kyoto, Japan 1997

 

Has attended the AUSKF Kendo Championships held every 3 years as a member

of the Team PNKF 4 separate times.

 

Has won the AUSKF National Iaido Championships (3rd Dan and Above category)

on 4 separate occasions.

 

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Yoshitsugu (Pat) Murosako

 

 

Age: 87

Iaido: 7 Dan Renshi

Kendo: 7 Dan Kyoshi

 

Started kendo at the age of 9 which means he has been practicing for 78 years. He started practicing iaido in 1952 at the age of 31 and has been practicing for approximately 56 years. His kendo teacher was Tokichi Nakamura sensei and attended the Hokubei Kendo Academy. He was also a member of the Chiuka Kendo Renmei, now know as the Fresno Kendo Club. He still actively leads kendo and iaido classes at the Musokai iaido dojo and the Meadowbrook kendo dojo in the PNKF.

 

Murosako sensei's father was sent to Federal prison along with many other kendo instructors and leaders in the Japanese community. He was drafted into the U.S. Army and served in a MIS (Military Intelligence Services) unit in Tokyo.

 

Murosako sensei acted as the informal secretary at a meeting of high ranking kendo sensei in the Los Angeles area shortly after the war. This group included Mori Torao sensei and eventually became the foundation of the "Kendo Federation of the United States of America" (KFUSA) one of the pre-cursor organizations that eventually has become the current All United States Kendo Federation (AUSKF).  Murosako sensei also served as the Treasurer of the KFUSA before the organization split into two separate organizations for a period of time before becoming the current AUSKF. From 1982 to 1984, Murosako sensei served as the President of the Southern California Kendo Federation (SCKF). In 1993, he served as a referee in the 9th World Kendo Championships held in Paris, France. In April, 2008, he was awarded a Certificate of Commendation by the Consulate General of Japan.

 

Murosako sensei is an advertising art director by profession and designed the logo currently being used by the SCKF.

 

The following site has a biography of his experiences during WWII before he was drafted into the army:

http://www.discovernikkei.org/en/resources/military/veteran.php?keyword=makin&servicebranch=&row=13

 

More kendo and iaido information can be found on the Musokai website: http://www.musokai.org/.

His biography is also featured in the following books:

 

Warriors Path by James Sidney

North American Kendo, Pre - 1936 (author unknown)

 

 

 

 

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Tatsuhiko (Ed) Konno

 

Photo courtesy of Dennis Ralutin

 

Age: 60

Iaido: 7 Dan Renshi

Kendo: 7 Dan Renshi

 

Practiced Kendo 52 years and Iaido approximately 45 years.

 

The bio at the Muskokai web site is pretty good, although a little out of date regarding ranks.  The bio sketch on his web site for his business contains some good information also.

 

http://www.tokenkonnoart.com/tkonno.htm

 

Additional Info:

 

For a number of years Konno sensei arranged to have his last iaido instructor, Kino sensei, visit the U.S. on numerous occasions until, he was no longer able to travel.  Since that time he has arranged for Noguchi sensei, one of Kino sensei's senior students, to visit the U.S. almost every year.

 
 
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Thomas Hooper
 

Photo courtesy of Dennis Ralutin

 
Age:
Iaido: 6 Dan Renshi
Kendo: 6 Dan Renshi
 

Thomas Hooper, Iaido and Kendo Renshi 6th Dan, is a native of New York City.  He began studying Kendo and Iaido (Muso Jikiden Eishin-ryu and ZNKR Iai) in 1974 at New York's Ken-Zen Dojo under its founder, Shunshin Kan-sensei (Kendo Hanshi 8th Dan, Iaido Renshi 6th Dan), who pioneered those arts in the eastern U.S. 

 

Following Kan-sensei's death in 1987 Mr. Hooper became Ken-Zen's head Iaido instructor, and eventually a senior member of its Kendo staff.  Since 1991 his primary Iaido tutelage has been under Matsuo Haruna-sensei (Kyoshi 8th Dan, d. 2002) of Okuyama prefecture, Japan, and Masakazu Oshita-sensei (Kyoshi 7th Dan) of Kobe, Japan.

 

In late 2003 Mr. Hooper relocated from New York to western Massachusetts (turning over Ken-Zen's Iaido leadership to Pam Parker-sensei), and in mid-2004 formed a new dojo, Sei-Zan Kai, in order to offer training in Iaido and Kendo to that region.  He makes his living as a classical musician.

 
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