Any person over seven years of age, regardless of sex, is entitled to become a member. However, exceptions regarding age may be made with the permission of the committee. We ask those individuals interested in kendo to come observe our practices.
Upon viewing one of our practices it will allow you to better judge if kendo is what you wish to pursue. Please see the practice link for the locations, dates, and times of our practices.
** Please note that new beginners are accepted based on the discretion of the Sensei. Senior practitioners, ranked 1 KYU and higher, can join our club at anytime during the year.
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Annual Fees
- $600 Family Pass (all members in a single household)
- $480 Single Adult (18 yrs and older)
- $420 Single Child (17 yrs and younger)
Please note:
- Annual membership (12 months) starts from January and ends in December of the same year. New members starting after January pay the full annual membership for the first 12 months membership and appropriate monthly renewal rate (family/adult/child) for the remainder of the following year.
100% of these fees go directly to pay for gym rental, travel, competitions, and other general supplies that are required to administer the dojo. Our instructors are all strictly volunteers and do not receive any payment or stipends of any kind. You will have other purchases that you are expected to make (although not all at once) These are:
- SHINAI: These are the bamboo sticks. You will need two (one for regular use and one as a spare). Shinais frequently break and will need to be replaced on a frequent basis. Each shinai is about $50.
- GI and HAKAMA: This is your top and bottom. There are large number of types and quality (hand made vs machine made) that will vary the price. Typically about $200 to $500.
- BOGU: This is your armour. Again, varying quality will affect the prices. Typically about $500 to over $3000.
READ KENDO 101
Always Fresh
The Japanese have always liked fresh fish. However Japanese waters haven’t had a lot of them for decades,in order to feed people, the fish boats were built bigger to go into deeper waters. The further they went, the longer that was taking for them to return with the fish. If the trip took several days so the fish wasn’t that fresh anymore. To resolve the problem, the companies installed freezer in the boats. However the consumers noticed the difference between fresh and frozen fish and because they didn’t like the flavour of the frozen fish they had to sell it cheaper.
The companies then installed fish tanks in the boats so they could catch the fish, store them in the tanks and keep them alive until they arrive to land, but after a while the fish stop moving in the tanks, when they arrive they were bored and tired but alive.
The consumers noticed too the difference in flavour because when the fish stop moving they lose the fresh flavour.
How do you think the Japanese companies solved the problem? How did they manage to bring the fish from deep waters and keep the fresh flavour?
Before getting the actual answer, read the following:
When people reach their goals (start a new business, pay the debts, find a partner, etc.) they tend to lose their passion, there is no need to make that extra effort, so they would relax since they have finally reached their goal.
This is the same for people that win the lottery, or those who receive a large inheritance and never mature, or those who stay at home and become addicted to depression or fall prey to foreign substances… Just like the problem with the Japanese fishermen, the solution is simple: “People prosper when there are challenges in their lives”.
To keep the fresh flavour in the fish, the companies put the fish in the tanks but they also add a small shark. Of course the shark ends up eating some of them but the rest return happy, fresh and alive.
The fish had a challenge! They have to keep swimming to keep their lives.
When you reach your goals, create new ones, don’t create success to lie on top of it. Invite a shark to your tank and discover how far you can really go. A few sharks will make you discover the true potential that will keep you alive, doing what you do, the best you possibly can. And even when you have them in your tank, let them bite each other, don’t get scared with their teeth and tricks… be alert, and with that, always “fresh”.
“The small chains of routine are too small to feel them until they get too strong to break them.”