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Kendo
"way of the sword"
Kendo
“way of the sword”
Traditional Japanese style of fencing with a two-handed wooden sword, derived from the fighting methods of the ancient samurai (warrior class).
Hokkyokusei Kendo Kai
(HKK=North Star Kendo Association)
Established 1998
Age 16 - Adult
Class Schedule:
Saturdays 11am-1:30pm
Sundays 9-10pm
Mondays 8-9:30pm
Fridays 8-9:30pm
To learn more contact:
Head Sensei Stephen Voss
Kendo 4th Dan Black Belt
& founder of
"Hokkyokusei Kendo Kai"
Affiliated with
All U.S. Kendo Federation
Steve Voss (4th Dan Kendo) has over 31 years of experience practicing kendo. His first seven years were spent learning under Minoru Kiyota Sensei (Professor of Buddhist Studies at University of Wisconsin), a long-term practitioner of kendo starting before World War Two. While at Wisconsin, Sensei Voss did a Master of Science in Kinesiology, majoring in Motor Learning.
His thesis was titled:
Differences in Selective and Sustained Attention in Fencing and Kendo Practitioners
Additionally, he presented a paper on the same topic at the 1996 Symposium on Martial Arts and Western Sports held at the UW with Professors of Physical Education and Martial Arts from the U.S. and Japan. Upon graduation in 1998, he founded Hokkyokusei Kendo Kai (HKK=North Star Kendo Association) when he moved to Rochester. It is a member dojo of the Midwest (MWKF)and All United States Kendo Federations (AUSKF).
Sensei Voss served as the MWKF Secretary and President for 4 years each. He has fought, managed, and coached for the MWKF at the AUSKF National Tournament in 1996, 1999, and 2002. In 2004, he attended the 29 th All Japan Kendo Federation’s (AJKF) Foreign Kendo Teachers Seminar in Saitama, Japan, a weeklong training camp run by 8th Dan Kendo instructors chosen by the AJKF. The purpose of which is to train teachers in countries outside Japan in proper kendo methods and philosophy.
Due to the comparative rarity of kendo in the U.S. and the distance between dojos, Sensei Voss has traveled in the U.S. and Japan, as well as hosted higher-ranking sensei, in order to receive teaching from these instructors at practices, seminars and kendo camps. At the Midwest and U.S. level these are taught by 7 th & 8 th Dan Sensei from the U.S. or Japan. HKK has been fortunate to host two of Japan’s finest teachers (Yamanaka Shigeki Hanshi 8 th Dan and Saito Shigeki Kiyoshi 8th Dan) for several years, on their way to the MWKF Summer Camp. These travels etc., are to ensure that proper kendo is taught and practiced.
Sensei Voss and HKK offer standard training in the three main aspects of kendo: kendo kata (bokuto), kendo kihon (shinai/bamboo sword fencing basics) and jigeiko (shinai/bamboo sword open Japanese fencing) in a friendly and family like atmosphere. Through our membership in the MWKF and AUSKF we participate in seminars, tournaments and rank advancement locally, regionally and nationally. Since its start, HKK has produced four 4 th Dans, ten 3 rd Dans, eleven 2 nd Dans, fifteen 1 st Dans, and fifteen 1 st Kyu kendo ranked members. In addition to rank testing, members have won awards in local and regional tournaments with two participating on the MWKF team at the national kendo
tournament.