Dojo history
The Kashi No Ki Kenyu Kai dojo was started in 1987 by Trevor Chapman sensei, Renshi 6th Dan, who passed away in 2017.
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The dojo was officially named in 1988 by Nakata sensei (Kyoshi 7th Dan) while he was visiting England as an instructor with the All Japan Kendo Federation (AJKF).
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Kashi No Ki Ken Yu Kai roughly translates as ‘spirit of the evergreen oak, friends of the association’, a reflection of the dojo's location in Sherwood Forest.
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The dojo rigorously practices kendo kata and shinai kendo, with exercises designed to refine technique, improve stamina and focus the mind.
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In 1990 and 1999, the dojo was visited by Ozawa Hiroshi (Kyoshi 8th Dan), author of ‘Kendo - The Definitive Guide’, one of the most widely-read and respected English-language kendo texts. He became great friends with Trevor who visited Ozawa sensei’s dojo every year to train with high level practitioners and to bring their teachings back to the club. Their friendship resulted in the creation of the annual Ozawa Seminar, hosted by Kashi No Ki Kenyu Kai and held every year since 2005.
Trevor Chapman sensei - founder of Kashi No Ki Kenyu Kai
The dojo has also hosted a number of events and seminars over the past 10 years, including referees’ seminars, kata seminars, a Mizo-guchi Ha Itto Ryu seminar, a kangeiko at the start of each new year and grading sessions for beginners, along with other seminars led by respected, high level kendo teachers such as Matsuda Kazuyo sensei (Renshi 7th Dan) and Paul Budden sensei (Kyoshi 7th Dan) of Kodokan dojo in Watford, Gary O'Donnell sensei (Renshi 7th Dan) of Do Shin Kenyu Kai dojo in Halifax, and teachers who have visited from Japan, including Iino Kazuhiko (Kyoshi 7th Dan), Takizawa Kenji (Kyoshi 8th Dan) and Tashiro Junichi (Kyoshi 8th Dan).
