Men’s Individual Matches:

1^st Place  Tadakatsu Amishiro        Japan

2^nd Place  Yuya Takenouchi            Japan

3^rd Place  Man Uk Jang                   Korea

3^rd Place  Hidehisa Nishimura       Japan

Women’s Individual Matches:

1^st Place  Mizuki Matsumoto           Japan

2^nd Place  Yung Yung Hu                 Korea

3^rd Place  Bo Kyung Won                 Korea

3^rd Place  Yukio Takami                   Japan

Men’s Team Matches:

1^st Place                                              Japan

2^nd Place                                             Korea

3^rd Place                                             Hungary

3^rd Place                                             USA

Women’s Team Matches:

1^st Place                                              Japan

2^nd Place                                             Korea

3^rd Place                                             USA

3^rd Place                                             Brazil

I was surprised, and somewhat disappointed that these championships were not widely covered in the Japanese press, although NHK TV did broadcast the men’s team championships on the last day, Sunday.

The World Kendo Championships represent the “World Cup” of Kendo and are held every three years in rotation around the world ever since the first world championship was held in 1970. They have only been hosted four times in Japan, the first one in Tokyo, the 4^th one in Sapporo, the 10^th one in Kyoto, and the 2015 championships back in Tokyo. The next World Kendo Championships will be held in Inchon, Korea.

This is a truly international contest, with nearly 50 countries participating from Asia, Europe, and Latin America. I’ve wondered why this truly magnificent martial art isn’t included in the Olympic Games (along with Karate) and was pleased that the Vice- President of the International Kendo Federation indicated that for Kendo to join the Olympics was his goal.

Curiously, Hawaii had its own men’s team apart from the US team, as did Taiwan, Macao, and Hong Kong and China. Not surprising, most of the players on the Hawaiian and US teams were Asian-Americans.

The most exciting matches were between the Japan and Korea teams. The Korean players were powerful—tall, muscular and aggressive— but the Japanese outpointed with their finesse, grace, agility, and technique. These qualities are great Japanese strengths to be very proud of.

Whenever I see champions in any field, whether in the martial arts, other athletes, the arts, business or government. I am always reminded and sometimes chastened by the extraordinary effort that any champion makes. We recognize the greatness but can’t fully grasp the “blood, sweat and tears” that these champions experience to get where they are.  Raw potential is not enough no matter how great. It’s the effort, the hard work, the toil that brings a champion to the winner’s stage.

The All-Japan national championships will be held at the Nippon Budokan next November. It is such a splendid and fitting venue for such a beautiful art, reflective of the Samurai spirit.

All the best,

Warren J. Devalier

Interface Inc.

©2015 Warren J. Devalier