Dojo Info

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Membership

New Beginners

If you have no kendo experience or are a beginner not yet in armor, new student intake is during the first two weeks of each calendar quarter (First two Sundays and Tuesdays of January, April, July, and October). Before joining, we recommend observing at least one practice and talking with us in person prior to joining to help you get an understanding of how we train. To start, you will only need comfortable exercise gear – a t-shirt and sweatpants will suffice. Don’t worry about purchasing equipment just yet! A shinai (bamboo sword) will be provided to all new beginners. Expect to spend at least your first quarter in plain clothes while you practice kendo fundamentals and conditioning. Sensei will determine when you are ready to begin wearing a uniform and bogu (armor).

Children can start training as early as eight years of age, but may start sooner or later depending on their maturity and ability to follow group instruction. However, it doesn’t matter how old you are when you start, but more so how you apply yourself during training and how often you train. Many start kendo as adults and continue to enjoy practice well into their senior years. You should be prepared to commit to attending practice at least once per week to make sure you keep a steady momentum and keep pace with your peers. Especially for beginners, there is much to absorb in your first few months and a steady attendance is important as we often build upon previous week's lessons.

Experienced Kenshi

Do you already have kendo experience? Maybe you are newly relocated to the Seattle area, or you would like to restart kendo after a long hiatus. People with previous experience in bogu are not restricted to waiting until the next quarter before joining the dojo, but we request that you consult with our head instructor, Imanishi sensei, and discuss your previous experience and rank. Also, if it has been some time since you were last active, we want to make sure you resume your kendo practice safely at an appropriate pace and intensity.

Visitors with a current yearly membership in AUSKF or FIK affiliated federation are qualified to join practices immediately as a visitor prior to committing to full membership. We recommend that you take the time to attend a few practices both at Seattle Kendo Kai as well as visit other PNKF clubs in the region to determine which works best with your schedule, goals, and personal fit. Should you decide to join SKK, it would be helpful to have a copy of your most recent menjo (rank certificate) for our records.

Dues & Application Forms

SKK dues are required quarterly, and a discount is applied if paying for the year in full. Federation (PNKF) dues are required once per calendar year regardless of when you join. Your PNKF dues also includes the cost of AUSKF membership for the year. New members will receive a free starter-shinai with their paid dues.

Required

• Seattle Kendo Kai membership application
• Regional and National Federation registration
• 2018 Online Waiver