Yuukan Kendo Club Reunion 2008

We're really just a rag-tag bunch of people from different walks of life and martial disciplines who banded together to learn kendo from Sensei Tak, our Questor officemate. No belts, no levels (except sensei, sempai and kohai), just exercise and a love for the sport and the culture. At first we subsisted on hand-me-down shinai (bamboo swords) and bogu (armor) from Sensei's gracious old Japanese high school.

It lasted 4 years, from ca. 2000 to ca. 2004. It started with Sensei Tak, Bambi, Cecil and Me. Then the young ones Ralph and Patrick. Then the Guerrero sisters Lea, Liz and Joy. Then JM, Toby and the rest of the gang. Sometimes Allan, sometimes Emil, sometimes Jess, Jofred, Larson, Jiggy, etc. At our highest point there were 17 of us, but it was usually 10. Occasional visiting Japanese kendoka, Philippine kendoka, judoka, karateka and aikidoka. The occasional trial-by-combat lecture by arnisador Guro Phil at the UP Vanguard. *sigh* Those were the days. For some time it was just me and Ralph. Then it ended with me and Tyran.

Far from formal, it was nothing grandiose, but it was special. The echo of iaido forms by Liz from Germany, MMA moves by Toby and JM, capoeira stuff thrown in too. Still want to go formal at the MKC (Manila Kendo Club), but I don't and can't seem to have the time. I envied Liz, Lea and Joy for that.

Eight years since the first shinai was swung and four years after the last suburi, we met for Sensei Tak's and Patrick's birthday. We had japanese food and drink! Somen, takoyaki, sushi, sake, smb (okay, not japanese) and tenugui (kerchief) souvenirs! :p

Sensei Tak's here for a year, we're looking for a place so we could start practicing again. :D Hehehehe.

Cy Sablay Kendo

Funny how things line up. Out of the blue Cy asked me where to buy bokkens and shinai when we were at the LISSA Summer Swim. Seems he's interested in swordplay having talked to Tyran and seen a kendo club in UP years ago. Well, guess what, Tyran was my kohai and I was part of that kendo club in UP years ago, the Yuukan Kendo Club (an unrecognized informal club). Tyran and I were the last two guys of the club, I closed it down since I ran out of things to teach Tyran. I gave Cy one of my old shinai (bamboo swords) so he could practice. As it turns out, Liz also practiced Haedong Kumdo, a korean art similar to Japanese Kendo. Finally, after years, I found out what subtle difference there was between kendo and kumdo in my talk with Liz. Seems they can change grips from right over left to left over right, which we didn't do in kendo. With the guys graduating and CY going back to the province, I think we'll set up an SLIS informal meet a year from now where we can beat each other senseless. :D I'll ask Tyran if he wants to come. That's Cy's sablay and Janny sleeping it off from thesis work, btw. *sigh* I'm out of practice, tried a swing at the tambayan pillow and missed. I hit the bulletin board. The sound shocked the guys at the Flipp tambayan, me thinks. Soweee. O_o;;