History of the Dojo | Seattle Kendo Kai

A Century of Kendo in Seattle

As one of the oldest dojos in the Pacific Northwest, it holds a unique place in American kendo history, being the only pre-war dojo to resume operations after World War II. Today, SKK continues to serve both youth and adult members, offering classes that honor the dojo’s rich heritage while promoting growth, skill, and camaraderie among all students.

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Founded in 1924, Seattle Kendo Kai (SKK) is among the oldest active kendo clubs in the United States and one of the few to reopen after World War II. Kendo was introduced to the Pacific Northwest by Japanese immigrants around the turn of the twentieth century. Early kendo demonstrations occurred in 1905 at the University of Washington and in Tacoma in 1910. The first recorded kendo tournament was held in 1910 at the Great Northern dock, near what is today Pier 91 on the Seattle waterfront. By the 1920s, the greater availability of equipment and the arrival of more experienced instructors allowed for the expansion of kendo across the Pacific Northwest. The formation of SKK established Seattle as a hub of kendo in the region. In 1929, the club’s junior members affiliated with Boy Scout Troops 55 and 56. Seattle kenshi also organized an affiliate club with Maryknoll Catholic School, a parish serving the city’s Japanese American community. During the 1930s, SKK members participated in tournaments across Washington, Oregon, and British Columbia. Many issei (first generation) parents saw kendo as a way to instill their American-born nisei (second generation) children with core values of discipline, spirit, and respect. According to instructor and early club superintendent Umajiro Imanishi, the motto was “to make strong the mind, heart and character.”

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Formerly a bayonet instructor in the Japanese imperial army, Imanishi made an impression on the younger members with his demanding focus on proper technique. Other contributors to the growth of SKK in the 1930s included Yoriaki Nakagawa who also served as the principal of Seattle’s Japanese language school; Kazuo Shoji, known for his “bold, strong, fearless kendo style;” and head instructor Tamotsu Takizaki. According to George Izui, Takizaki led rigorous five- or six-hour “Sunday sessions” at an abandoned warehouse on the corner of 12th and Yesler. During these practices, one person would face as many as fifteen fellow students at a time. In 1936, Tokichi Nakamura of San Francisco visited Seattle to establish a branch of the California-based Hokubei Butokukai. The group practiced at the Japanese Buddhist Temple at 508 Main St. until 1940 when the building was demolished to make way for the Yesler Terrace Housing project. Afterwards, Hokubei Butokukai moved into its own newly constructed dojo at 1212 S. King St., what is today the Nisei Veterans Hall. Although SKK instructors often visited the dojo to teach, the relationship between the two clubs was strained and no joint tournaments were held. Joe Kozo Uenishi later recalled that the presence of a rival club prompted SKK to seek affiliation with the Dai Nippon Butokukai, the leading martial arts organization in Japan.

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Thereafter, SKK became a branch of Dai Nippon Butokukai. The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941 and the subsequent issuing of Executive Order 9066 (authorizing the forced removal of persons of Japanese descent from the West Coast) dealt a severe blow to kendo in the United States. SKK instructors were among the first Japanese Americans in Seattle apprehended by law enforcement due to suspicion of kendo’s ties to Japanese militarism. Many kenshi burned equipment, photos, and records to avoid persecution. With most Japanese Americans confined in concentration camps, the practice of kendo all but ceased for the duration of the war. The 1950s saw a gradual revival of kendo. In Seattle, a key opportunity came in 1957 when sailors on the visiting Nippon Maru invited former SKK members Kazuo Shoji and Kiyoshi Yasui to practice on board ship. Soon after, Yasui and Shoji joined with Umajiro Imanishi to resume practices in the second-floor dance hall of the Morrison Hotel in Pioneer Square. The group also practiced at the Seattle Buddhist Temple at 1427 S. Main St. In the mid-1960s, the re-formed SKK moved to its current location at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church where Shoji was a parishioner. Other clubs soon followed. Tacoma and Obukan kendo clubs, both of which also traced their origins to before the war, restarted in 1967 and 1975 respectively.

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The Kendo Club at University of Washington and Highline Kendo Kai also formed in the 1970s. Tacoma head instructor Nobuto “Rod” Omoto became especially influential in this period, both as a teacher and in growing the Pacific Northwest kendo community. Doug Imanishi, grandson of Umajiro Imanishi and SKK’s current head instructor, described Omoto as “skillful and wise…always positive…. He knew kendo, through and through; he knew the technical parts, the historical parts, the people involved. He made you feel special and inspired you. Because he inspired you, you did your best.” Omoto was a leading figure in the formation of the Washington Kendo Federation, which later expanded to become the Pacific Northwest Kendo Federation. “Whoever holds a shinai is a friend of mine,” he said. Umajiro Imanishi served as head instructor at SKK until suffering a stroke in 1964. Afterwards, Kiyoshi Yasui assumed the responsibility. Gary Imanishi, also a grandson of Umajiro Imanishi, served as head instructor in the 1980s until opening his own dojo, Cascade Kendo Kai, in 1988. Manabu Yabe took over at SKK until 2004 when Doug Imanishi accepted the position he holds today. As it celebrates its 100th year, SKK continues to play an important role in perpetuating the practice of kendo in the Pacific Northwest and training the next generation of kenshi.

REFERENCES

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“George Izui and Seattle Kendo,” The Iaido Journal (March 2002). “Kendo in North America, 1885-1955,” in Martial Arts in the Modern World, edited by Thomas A. Green and Joseph R. Svinth, 149-156. Westport: Praeger, 2003.