Photo courtesy of T. Patana Guess what? It was that time again! Time for the 39th Annual Pacific Northwest Kendo Federation Taikai. I heard that the competitors this year were up into the 300s, although I don't have an exact number, and represented several states and countries. Some great kendo went down last weekend, as well as some surprises. Everything that's needed for a good tournament could be found at the Kent Commons and I'm glad I was able to be a part of it. Our trip was a bit different this year. Most of the six people that we took to compete had engagements that needed to be worked around, so we all opted to leave later in the day which meant we missed out on practice at Bellevue Dojo that night. We arrived to the hotel pretty late, had a quick bite to eat and then headed to bed. The next day came early, not only due to the late night but also due to us helping set up the courts this year. We arrived bright and earl...
One man's Kendo journey