NEW WEBSITE!!

Be sure to check out our new website at www.MemphisKendoAssociation.com !!

There is plenty of information about our Beginner's Program there!

First Kendo 6.dan Sensei in Memphis

On Sunday, August 28, 2022, Patrick Register-sensei made a bit of history on the Memphis martial arts' scene by becoming the first Memphis kenshi to be promoted to the rank of 6.dan at a rank testing held in Las Vegas during the 2022 AUSKF Summer Camp, by a grading panel consisting of sensei holding the highest rank achievable in the art of Kendo (which, with a normal less-than-1% pass rate itself, is boasted as the most difficult exam to pass in Japan, surpassing even that of the Japanese bar exam). It is truly an honor to be promoted by such an august group of sensei:

Yoshiteru TAGAWA-sensei (Kendo Hanshi, 8.dan)

- former AUSKF President and FIK Western Zone-Vice President

- U.S. National Kendo Team coach (1982, Sao Paulo, Brazil)

- first person to pass the 8.dan exam in Japan as an AUSKF-member

Shozo KATO-sensei (Kendo Kyoshi, 8.dan; Iaido Kyoshi, 7.dan)

- U.S. National Kendo Team head coach (1997 - Kyoto, Japan; 2000 - Santa Clara, CA)

- World Kendo Championship referee (2006 - Taipei, Taiwan)

- U.S. National Kendo Team manager (2012 - Novara, Italy)

- second person to pass the 8.dan exam in Japan as an AUSKF-member

Isato MATSUDA-sensei (Kendo Hanshi, 8.dan)

- All-Japan 8.dan Championship - 3rd Place (x2)

- All-Japan Kendo Championship - (x8)

- World Kendo Championship - (x1)

- Tozai Taiko (East/West) Championship (x10)

- All-Japan Teachers' Championship - 2nd place

- National Sports Festival - 2nd place (x1), 3rd place (x1)

Toshiya ISHIDA-sensei (Kendo Hanshi, 8.dan)

- Osaka Police Department Instructor

- Japan National Kendo Team manager

- All-Japan Kendo Championship - 1st place (x2)

- All-Japan 8.dan Kendo Championship - 1st place (x1)

- All-Japan 7.dan Kendo Championship - 1st place (x2)

- World Kendo Championship - 1st place (x4, team)

- All Japan Police Kendo Championship - 1st place (individual), 1st place (x3, team)

- Tozai Taiko (East/West) Championship - (x1)

Tanetoshi TERACHI-sensei (Kendo Kyoshi, 8.dan)

- Tokyo Police Department senior instructor (KEISHI-CHO)

- All-Japan Kendo Championship (x8)

- All-Japan 8.dan Kendo Championship (x4)

- World Kendo Championships - 1st place (x3, team)

- All-Japan Police Kendo Championship - 1st place (x2, individual), 1st place (x8, team)

- Tozai Taiko (East/West) Championship - (x1)

This is a tremendous accomplishment. CONGRATULATIONS, REGISTER-SENSEI!

MKA gives birth to new 4.dan sensei!!

Congratulations to Paul Westblade-sensei on successfully passing his 4.dan testing in Atlanta on Saturday, February 26, 2022!

This is a significant achievement for Paul and a great honor for Memphis Kendo Association.  As several people are aware, Paul passed the rank of 2.dan around the turn of the 21st century and then went on sabbatical for about 15 years.  He re-joined Memphis Kendo in 2018, and as a testament to his abilities, was able to pass the rank of 3.dan within a year of his return, which is absolutely no small feat.  After waiting the required minimal time to test for his next rank (3 years), he passed 4.dan on his first attempt, which is, again, no small feat.  The jump from 3.dan to 4.dan is the first (and very) significant step and achievement in a kenshi's career, and for most people --- notably even for those who aren't coming off a 15 year layoff --- it is not uncommon to be unsuccessful in the first few attempts.

With Westblade-sensei's achievement, Memphis Kendo is now able to boast the most sensei-level instructors (5) in its history:

Patrick Register-sensei (5.dan)
Kazuto Yasuda-sensei (5.dan)
Rogers Gossett-sensei (4.dan)
Tommy Ferguson-sensei (4.dan)
Paul Westblade-sensei (4.dan)

Congrats to Paul Westblade-sensei!