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The
Aiea Taiheiji Tournament
Halawa Gymnasium
August 1, 2004
The anticipation of participating in a tournament
excited the competitors of the
annual Aiea Taiheiji tournament.
It was held on August
1, 2004 at the Halawa Gymnasium.
The anxiety and pressure to perform well filled the air.
There were six divisions to participate in, Yonenbu (ages 10 and
below), Shonenbu (ages 11 to 14 years), Seinenbu (Ages 15 and above,
non black belt), Women’s (no restrictions), Yudansha 1-2 (only rank
restriction) and Yudansha open (above yudansha 3 dan and above). The referees (shimpans) were of 3 dan and above. The
Shimpan Director was Yukimasa Furutani Sensei who oversaw the tournament
shimpans.
After lunch, the Hawaii Kendo Federation’s Iai-bu
(Iaido branch) performed 10 wazas of the Seitei iai for the audience. The iaibu was lead by Dr. Jinichi Tokeshi and
Mr. Dick Teshima.
The results of the tournament are as follows:
Yonenbu
Division 1st
Place Erika Hill
2nd Place Ty
Shiramizu
3d Place Kodey Gratz
3d Place Charles
Aina III
Shonenbu
Division 1st
Place Mathew Ito
2nd Place Braxton
Fukutomi
3d Place Dominick
Correlli
3d Place James Okada
Seinenbu
Division 1st
Place Gregory Gates
2nd Place Cael
Goodin
3d Place Aaron Kim
Women’s
Open 1st
Place Roxine Kubo
2nd Place Satomi
Takara
3d Place Takayo
Furutani
3d Place Lori Chun
Yudansha
1-2 Dan
1st Place Akihiro Okada
2nd
Place Colin Maruoka
3d Place Elton Ushio
Yudansha
Open 1st
Place
Billy Kang
2nd
Place Chris Goodin
3d Place David Sato
The tournament closed with words from Arnold Fukutomi
Sensei and the Hawaii Kendo Federation’s President Terushi Ueno. Dr. Michael Kurosawa was the Master of Ceremony.
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