Mark Uchida first saw Chūshingura when he was a child and was immediately hooked on Japanese swordsmanship. Unfortunately, he never really found a place to train until 1973. From there, he dived deeply into both kendo and iaido, which he started learning a year after kendo. He would later become the first head of the … Continue reading Interview with Mushinkan Dojo Founder Mark Uchida: Training with Giants, Part I
Omoto, Rod. Autobiography of Rod Omoto, 2015. https://books.apple.com/ar/book/autobiography-of-rod-omoto/id883795766. As I started this adventure into Nobuto “Rod” Omoto’s life, I thought I would be learning more about his time in the Pacific Northwest and his adventures there. However, I was surprised to take part in another adventure, years before he stepped foot into the region. From … Continue reading Reflecting on Rod Nobuto Omoto’s Autobiography
Beginning his training at a young age, Doug Imanishi took up kendo in a way to win a newspaper sword match with his older cousin when they played. From there, his desire to train kendo grew, as did his family membership in the art. In 2004, he took over Seattle Kendo Kai, the one his grandfather … Continue reading Interview with Seattle Kendo Kai Head Instructor Doug Imanishi: Kendo in the Pacific Northwest, Part II
Martial Arts of Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow 