Join

Thank you for your interest in our club.

For beginners, all you need is comfortable clothes (t-shirt/shorts or sweats) and a shinai. Your first practice will be a trial with free of charge. We suggest that beginners with no prior experience start on the first Saturday of each month, which would allow you to join the practice cycle smoothly.

For your first practice, we should be able to rent out a shinai if you don't have your own. From your second practice, you would want your own shinai - we will be able to provide a shinai together with the shinai bag and tsuba. Eventually you would need extra shinais and we can provide with the dojo rate [link]. You can also purchase shinai, shinai bag, tsuba etc from suppliers such as e-bogu.com, maruyamakendosupply.com, californiabudogu.com with appropriate length and weight [shinai regulation chart]. They are all quality shinai on these sites listed, so an inexpensive complete one is fine - be careful they also sell the bamboo only, you will need a complete one, unless you are familiar with how to assemble one with separate parts by yourself.

We suggest that members work out the schedule so that you can practice twice a week (or more in a season when we have practice more than twice a week) on a regular basis. From our past experience, it will help both practitioners and instructors.

Please don't hesitate to ask questions about joining, shinas and equipments by contacting us.

Ages

We don't have any explicit age restrictions and wholeheartedly welcome young kids in our classes. At the moment, members of our youth group are between 6 and 17 years of age.

Dues

There is a monthly fee which each member should pay. Check payments page.

Forms

All members are expected to fill out a membership form and waiver and bring it to your first practice.

Equipments

Apart from regular shinais discussed above, when your basics become solid, the sensei(s) will indicate you are ready to purchase a keiko-gi (cotton top) and hakama (pleated trousers) from various suppliers (~$100). We stress basics, so shinais are all you will need for the first several months.

As your skill & commitment further progress, the sensei(s) will indicate when you can start to wear/acquire bogu (armor for kendo). These can be purchased through suppliers such as e-bogu.com, maruyamakendosupply.com, californiabudogu.com with about $300-$800+. We have some second hand bogu sets in stock. Please let senseis know if you are interested in them.

Roadmap for gi & hakama (clothes), and bogu (gears)

Readiness to practice in gi & hakama and, later, in bogu depends on demonstrated fundamentals, attendance, and maturity. The sensei(s) will suggest when you will be ready to hear gi & hakama, and then bogu. If you are unsure about your readiness, do not hesitate to discuss your readiness with sensei(s).

The general expectations for being ready to wear a gi & hakama include:

Attend classes regularly.
Know and demonstrate basic dojo etiquette and understand basic Japanese/kendo terminology.
Demonstrate solid kamae and footwork.
Perform basic suburi satisfactorily.

The general expectations for being ready to practice in bogu include:

Consistent attendance and commitment
Demonstrate appropriate maai (distance) when practicing with a partner.
Perform kirikaeshi satisfactorily.
Perform men, kote, kote-men, and do strikes against a receiver, including proper passing-through (抜け) when appropriate.
Demonstrate ki-ken-tai-no-itchi (気剣体一致)—coordination of kiai, strike, and footwork.