Youshinkan Kendo Dojo

Youshinkan Members

	Tadatoshi Haga, Kendo, Iaido Hanshi 8^th Dan Well-acquainted with kendo, he visits many countries to initiate real kendo. Especially, he has been to Canada, the United States, and Australia every year for over a decade, and he taught kendo until he was the age of 85. He teaches the foundation of kendo and completes to train student perfectly in 45 minutes. His footwork is nimble as a bird, and his use of shinai (bamboo sword) is very sharp as a real sword.
	Mitsuru Asaoka, Kendo Kyoshi 8^th Dan, Iaido Renshi 6^th Dan He considers that teaching kendo must be eager, conventional, and magnificent. He is one of few instructors who initiate the genuine traditional kendo in Canada. One of the members has expressed that he is a dual personality because he completely change as a demon during practices even though he is a good-natured person as usual. His leadership is marvelous, and all members of Youshinkan always admire his theoretical, comprehensible, and sophisticated explanations. He has served a referee of the World Kendo Championship (WKC) three times before. Also, he has raised many students of Team Canada, and two of them have become the best eight of the WKC. He always investigates himself.
	Motoki Asaoka, Kendo 6^th Dan, Iaido 4^th Dan Loving his family, Motoki is a reliable, the young teacher of Youshinkan. His ability of kendo exceeds his father’s. At the age of 31, he passed the 6^th Dan grad examination of All Japan Kendo Federation on his first attempt. Enthusiastically and strictly, he makes efforts to promote his ability. In fact, although he can practice only once a week, he swings a heavy wooden sword 1000 times every night at home. His posture and kendo style is always solid and bold. He has been a member of Team Canada four times. Since he was young, he has served a translator of Haga Hanshi, so he is knowledgeable about kendo. His father wants him to supervise the compilation of a textbook of kendo in English someday.
	Alex Shirran, Kendo 5^th Dan His height of 192cm, Alex is called as a “cannon”. Using his height, his Men-uchi (attacking head) was expressed the fastest in the world. At the 8^th WKC in Toronto, Canada, Hideaki Takahashi (from Kyoto, Japan), Kendo Kyoshi 7^th Dan, admired his remarkable attacks. Recently, as Alex is become a veteran, his kendo style has been calm but bold. When ladies from Japan visit the Dojo for practice, they usually fall in love with him at the first sight.
	Suguru Asaoka, Kendo 5^th Dan, Iaido 3^rd Dan Suguru has achieved two straight times of Canada champion in the past, and he has been the best eight of the WKC. He is tough in a pinch, and his use of shinai is phantasmagoric. At the 11^th WKC in Santa Clara, the United States, at the team tournament, he took a point from Japan and put Team Japan in a difficult situation. At the age of 18, he has practiced kendo at the Metropolitan Police Department in Japan for three months, and its success was utilized at that time. He is an optimist, and his key of development in the future is how he overcomes himself.
	The Last Samurai, Kendo 4^th Dan Webmaster of this site. He is called as the "Kagemusha" (wirepuller). He was a captain of the kendo club at a famous high school, so he have a little knowledge about kendo. He has enough skills; however, he does not take degrees. He behaves as a true samurai. Recently, he is practicing golf, and his goal is to be a professional golf player.
	Shinpei Okada, Kendo 4^th Dan Friendly and keenly, Shunpei has started kendo at the middle of his age. His trademark is mustachios, and he is known as a mini-teacher since he is charging beginners. He is one of the most kendo freak in Youshinkan because he always thinks about kendo all time, at home, workplace, and even he dreams about kendo while he is sleeping. He goes to other dojo to catch up his ability if he is a lack of practice. Recently, his kendo has improved well.
	Tomoko Amgweld, Kendo 4^th Dan, Iaido 3^rd Dan Eagerly, Tomoko spends all her life for kendo. In May, she attends the All Japan Kendo Enbu Taikai in Kyoto every year. She is young in spirit, and her kendo is aggressive. She had a remarkable Men-uchi before, but she hits difficult Kote (wrist) recently. At home, she has established a Iaido dojo and practice by herself. At first, she took her children to the dojo, but she was interested in it, and finally, she became a kendo freak.
	Dr. Bobby Yanagawa, Kendo 3^rd Dan Bobby started kendo from the age of 10. He has studied abroad in Japan and continued practice at Sendai Ikuei High School. He could not practice kendo for a while because he was busy to study in UBC, but as he is endowed with amazed stamina and intelligence, his tremendous kendo style still exists. However, there is a rumour about him that his amount of drinking is improved well rather than kendo skill.
	Shirley Chan, Kendo 3^rd Dan Friendly and charming, Shirley got married last August, and she stops practice right now. She had been to Japan as an English teacher for a year, and she continued kendo and passed 3^rd Dan at that time. She is good at cooking and can cook any cuisines, Japanese, Chinese, European, etc. All Youshinkan members are waiting for her comes back to the dojo as soon as possible.
	Ayako Kobayashi, Kendo 4^th Dan Ayako started kendo when she was six, and she has never been absent. While she is clumsy but enthusiastic, she does not have any title of tournaments, yet her foundation of kendo is perfect. Recently, her efforts were rewarded, and she reveal her ability to tournaments. Her style is solid and bold like a man. She is expected that she becomes a reliable and respectful teacher in the future.
	Takenori Nakamura, Kendo 4^th Dan, Iaido 1^st Dan Grown up tranquilly in the majestic nature near Mt. Fuji, Takenori does not know any fighting spirits, and his personality is mismatch with kendo. By his father's absolute order, he is apprenticed to Asaoka family, and he has been studying English and Kendo. Recently, his kendo style has gotten better, and he always promote his kendo by himself. In the future, he wants to be a full-fledged kendo man.
	Kazuki Fujishima, Kendo 3^rd Dan A little chubby but charming, Kazuki has studied abroad in Canada for English and Kendo. Once she had been apprenticed to Asaoka family, she moved out to a Canadian home-stay to focus on development her English skills. At the dojo, she practices to the best of her ability, and her kendo is admirable. However, she had a bad habit that she closes her eye when opponents attack. Now, she goes back her hometown and teaching English at a cram school.
	Keita Kobayashi, Kendo 4^th Dan Ayako's younger brother, Keita started kendo when he was four. As he is called as the "Shinai magician", his use of shinai is phantasmagoric. Since he is left-handed, he can also take jodan-no-kamae. His counter attacks are marvelous, and even if Asaoka Kyoshi tells him to not use counters at tournaments because judges cannot see those, he always promotes his techiniques. He is a hope of Canada kendo for the future. Now, he goes to Japan to teach English for children and to practice kendo.
	Akira Taguchi, Kendo 3^rd Dan Born and grown in Banff, Akira calls himself a sexy boy of Youshinkan. He changes his jobs many times; he has been an extra of movies, a fashion models, etc., and he is a bartender now. He started kendo when he studied abroad in Hokkaido, Japan. Although he has improved at practice, he has a difficulty to control his mind by himself, so at tournaments or even practice matches, he cannot pluck up his whole ability.
	Masahiko Inouye, Kendo 2^nd Dan The specialist of salmon fishing, Masahiko has a sense of humour and good reflexes. His kendo is very aggressive, and it is difficult to defeat him. However, he blocks when opponents attack, so if he understands counter attacks, his kendo will be improved. He is an expected person in the future.
	Mitsue Inouye, Kendo 2^nd Dan Although she likes matches and has a good reflexes, Mitsue becomes passive sometimes, and she is irresolute when she attacks. She enjoy practice with her husband all the time. Their practice each other is similar as a scuffle and looks like that they emit their stresses. They get along well.
	Tina Chiu, Kendo 2^nd Dan From UBC Kendo Club, Tina is struggling to remodel her foundation of kendo, and she practices basics most of time at the dojo. She can play the piano very well, and she speaks Japanese well even if she is from Taiwan. Because her BF is a kendo freak, she is always put through the wringer. She grew up in comfortable circumstances, and she does not know what hardship is, so it is a key of a development whether she can endure severe practice.
	Joko Inouye, Kendo 3^rd Dan The son of Mr. and Mrs. Inouye, Joko has a plentiful animal instinct by patrimonial sensibility. Since his character is very unique, it is impossible to fix his foundation of kendo, so to develop his personality, he uses nito (two swords) with his small body. Because he has a good reflexes, it is difficult to defeat him. His use of nito is not speedy as usual, but if you lose intension, you will be hit.
	Kengo Ito, Kendo 2^nd Dan Since Kengo is very good at any sports and has magnificent sense of humour, his kendo is active. Although he is talented, he has a luck of practice because he is busy for studying, playing soccer, and hanging out with his friends. There is a rumour that he must spend his time with his a few girlfriends(???), so he has no time to practice. Yet, he is still young, and we look forward his unlimited possibilities.
	Yunosuke Dunn, Kendo 1^st Dan Even if he is the age of 16, his body is huge as a adult man. Since he loves kendo, Yunosuke always attends every practice. He has just started kendo for one year, and he is still practicing basics most of the time; however, at 15^th Canadian Kendo Championship, he made a great contribution that he led Youshinkan to the 2nd place in the team matches. It is not a dream that he can be one of the Team Canada members in the future.
	Kazuma, Beginner Since Kazuma has been doing kendo for about a half year, he improved his kendo. However, he loses concentration sometimes, and his kiai (a yell to encourage own spirit and to coerce opponents) is very small.
	Derek, Beginner Derek has started kendo with Kazuma. Although he attends to practices, he loses concentration easily. We are waiting for his awareness that he needs more motivation to learn kendo.
	??? She has just started kendo.
	??? Who is she? A student of Youshinkan? Defeating all members? Anyway, she has a full of energy!
	Tom Kominami, Kendo 2^nd Dan He has restarted kendo.
	Makiko Yoshino, Beginner Since she loves to watch kendo, Makiko often came to the dojo to see the practice, but she was started kendo forcibly by a kendo freak without any objections. She is learning a basic now. However, she knows about kendo well, so she criticizes severely when she sees nasty behaved referees and participants.
	Masaki Yanagitani, Beginner While he likes kendo, Masaki has just started. He is studying the law right now. Since he is interested in a book of samurai, his knowledge of Bushido (the way of samurai) is marvelous.
	Chisato Dunn, Supporter The mother of Yunosuke, Chisato always takes her son to the dojo. Since she watches practices, her knowledge of kendo is remarkable. She loves to watch tournaments, but she criticizes with Makiko as a spectator.
	Jack, Beginner Jack has just started kendo. His improvement of kendo is impressive since he is good at sports.
	Yasu, Beginner Yasu has just started kendo. He is very enthusiastic to learn kendo, but he is tense too much and is awkward in his movements sometimes.
	Ayaka, Beginner Ayaka has just started kendo. Since she has a good sense of kendo, we are looking forward how she grows in the future.
	Tsubasa, Beginner Ayaka's young brother, Tsubasa has just started kendo with his sister. Similar as his sister, he improves well even if he has attended practice twice, but he is a little bit shy.
	Tadashi Kubota, Kendo 2^nd Dan Tadashi is called as the man of Olympic because he come to the dojo once in four years. However, since he is a member of the first graduating class of the dojo, his kendo style is still marvelous. He seems over 30 years old, but actually, he is ....
	Miyuki Ito, Kendo 3^rd Dan From Nagoya, Japan, since she loves Vancouver, Miyuki has decided to stay in Canada and became a member of Youshinkan. Her policy toward kendo is natural and orthodox. Her counter of kote is marvelous.
	Jason Steeghs Jason has learned Kendo in Korea, and he's practicing with us after he came back.

Guests

	Mr. Fujii, Kendo 3^rd Dan He is a student of Tokyo University of Agriculture. Now, he is going to UBC.
	Mr. Jeffrey Chien, Kendo 2^nd Dan From Steveston Kendo Club, he loves and studies kendo enthusiastically. It takes 50 minutes to come to the dojo, but he attends practice at least once a week. Now, he is remodeling his foundation of kendo and struggling to remove bad habits.
	Mr. Seto, Kendo 3^rd Dan When he visited Vancouver, he came to our dojo and practiced with us.
	Ms. Jessica Lin, Kendo 1^st Dan From McGill University Kendo Club in Montreal, Jessica learns kendo eagerly. Her kendo is bold, and she always tries to hit straight. We look forward her improvement in the future.
	Ms. Hisae Aiba, Kendo 3^rd Dan, Iaido 4^th Dan During staying Canada by a working visa, she comes our dojo to practice kendo and iaido.
	Mr. Yujiro Ohashi, Kendo 2^nd Dan The friend of Akira, Yujiro has been staying Canada for a year by a working visa. When he was a high school student, he was with a kendo club and practieced everyday.
	Ms. Haruyo Osaka, Kendo 3^rd Dan From Osaka Sport Science University Kendo Club, Haruyo visits her sister who has immigrated to Canada. She is enthusiastic because she brings her equipments and goes to each dojo even if she stays only ten days. Although she is small, she uses various techniques as she has trained concentration, agility, and stamina at the club.
	Mr. Kose Ichinose, Kendo 3^rd Dan From Asia University Kendo Club, Kose is going to Fraser Valley University College in Abbotsford and studying English.

Index