Established in 1986 as a non-profit, non-commercial organization, the Cleveland Kendo Association is a traditional dojo dedicated to the promotion of the art of Kendo (Japanese fencing).

The Cleveland Kendo Association is located in Cleveland, Ohio and operates under the guidance of Dr. T. Inoshita Sensei (7th Dan Kendo), founder of the The Cleveland Kendo Association and President of the Greater Northeastern United States Kendo Federation (GNEUSKF), Dr. Shigemi Matsuyama Sensei (4th Dan Kendo - 2nd Dan Iaido), and special guest instructor Dr. Kohsuke Nakajima Sensei (6th Dan Kendo, 1st Dan Iaido).

Cleveland Kendo has maintained a philosophy of assisting students to obtain Kendo training with minimal financial impact. All of our instructors volunteer their time and do not profit from their Kendo activity.

This non-commercial and community service philosophy have been instrumental in reaching an array of students from diverse backgrounds to develop a samurai spirituality that can be a powerful source of strength and focus to manage their daily lives.

01/25/2013 UPDATE

The 25th Anniversary Cleveland Kendo Tournament / GNEUSKF Championship

We will hold the 25th Anniversary Cleveland Kendo Tournament / GNEUSKF Championship on April 5 - 7, 2013. The details will follow. We hope a lot of kenshi will participate in this event!!

More here

 

08/8/2012 UPDATE

3rd Annual CWRU Student Cup

The Case Western Reserve University Kendo Club 3rd Annual Student Cup in Cleveland, Ohio on 28th-30th of September, 2012.

More here

 

05/1/2012 UPDATE

Joint Practice (Godo Keiko) an Promotion Exam (Shinsa)

There will be a Joint Practice (Godo Keiko) with Inoshita Sensei on May 5th, 2012 .

Date:           Saturday, May 5, 2012
Time:          1:00 Pm to 5:PM
Location: Downtown YMCA
                     2200 Prospect Street
                     Cleveland, OH 44115
Schedule:
                    1:00 - 2:00 PM Kata Seminar
                    2:00 - 4:00 PM Kendo Practice
                    4:00 - 5:00 PM Shinsa (kyu – shodan)
                    conducted by GNEUSKF
                    6:00 - 8:00 PM Dinner (location to be announced)

The event is open to all kenshi. We hope a lot of kenshi will participate in this event.

The Cleveland Kendo Association is a member of the All United States Kendo Federation (AUSKF), the Greater North Eastern United States Kendo Federation (GNEUSKF), and the International Kendo Federation (FIK).

The Cleveland Kendo Association is the only AUSKF affiliated dojo in Northern Ohio (including Akron, Canton,  Youngstown, and Toledo).

 

 

Why you should learn Kendo from an AUSKF affiliated dojo

The All United States Kendo Federation (AUSKF) is the official organization responsible for the development and promotion of Kendo in the United States. The AUSKF is made up of regional Kendo Federations that are approved by the AUSKF, which support its local dojo members. The AUSKF is a member of the International Kendo Federation based in Japan, which is affiliated with the All Japan Kendo Federation.

Membership in the AUSKF allows you to attend tournaments, visit other AUSKF-affiliated dojos and most importantly, get graded for any rank from 1st Kyu and above that is recognized by the International Kendo Federation and the All Japan Kendo Federation.

A dojo has to apply to and be accepted into the AUSKF for it to display the AUSKF logo and have its students recognized as AUSKF members.

So, what does that mean for you?

Learning Kendo from an AUSKF-affiliated dojo is like doing business with  an accredited, licensed professional (i.e. recognized by a medical board or bar association, and not "self-accredited").

An AUSKF-affiliated dojo is approved by the AUSKF because it teaches Kendo properly, with instructors whose rank and experience is internationally recognized. Senior instructors from other AUSKF dojos will visit and collaborate to make sure that the instruction is being conducted correctly and if not, they will remedy the situation. This makes for better instructors AND better students.

What will you miss if you don't learn Kendo from an AUSKF-affiliated dojo?

• You may not learn proper techniques.
• You will not be able to participate in Kendo tournaments.
• You will not be able to be officially graded above 2nd Kyu.

If you are truly interested in learning Kendo, you should learn from an AUSKF-affiliated dojo.

Note: University Kendo clubs such as Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland State University, and Kent State University are affiliated with the Cleveland Kendo Association and the AUSKF.