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2014 SESSION

14104995D
HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 123
Offered February 17, 2014
Commending Shidogakuin Washinkan Kendo Dojo.
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Patron-- Rust
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WHEREAS, Kendo, meaning “way of the sword,” is a Japanese martial art derived from 16th century traditional swordsmanship using bamboo swords and protective armor for training; it is widely practiced throughout Japan, the United States, and many other nations around the world; and

WHEREAS, Kendo is a physically and mentally challenging activity that combines martial arts practices and values with strenuous physical activity; and

WHEREAS, the purpose of practicing Kendo is to mold the mind and body, to cultivate a vigorous spirit, and through correct and rigid training, to strive for improvement in the sword martial arts and to forever pursue the cultivation of oneself; and

WHEREAS, founded in 1984 by Shozo Kato and Dr. Tsuyoshi Inoshita, Shidogakuin Kendo Dojo has experienced great success and expanded from a single dojo in Manhattan to an organization that includes dojos along the East Coast, including a location in Herndon; and

WHEREAS, in 1993, James Yan and Hiroaki Suzuki, with guidance from Shozo Kato, established a Kendo dojo at the National Institutes of Health to teach the martial arts of Kendo; and

WHEREAS, the goal of the Shidogakuin Washinkan Kendo Dojo is to provide teachers with technical skills and teaching strategies; to implement the protocols to create an environment of professional courtesy, honor, and mutual respect; and to provide the facilities necessary to learn and practice the art; and

WHEREAS, the Shidogakuin Washinkan Kendo Dojo also works to create a safe, friendly, and family-oriented atmosphere; to inform the community that there is an opportunity to learn and practice the sword martial arts; to prepare students for practice, competition, and advancement testing; and to prepare students for leadership in the dojo and the larger community; and

WHEREAS, Shidogakuin Washinkan Kendo Dojo instructors have excelled at the international level; senior instructor Shozo Kato has achieved the rank of Kendo 8th dan (black belt) and Iaido 7th dan, James Yan has achieved Kendo 5th dan, Rod Faghani has achieved Kendo 5th dan and Iaido 4th dan, and Hiroaki Suzuki has achieved Kendo 4th dan; and

WHEREAS, the Shidogakuin Washinkan Kendo Dojo practiced at facilities in Oakton and Spring Hill and the Herndon Classical Ballet Studio before relocating to the Herndon Community Center to accommodate its expanding membership in 2006; the dojo has enjoyed a very positive ongoing relationship with the center; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, That the Shidogakuin Washinkan Kendo Dojo hereby be commended on the occasion of its 20th anniversary; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to Shidogakuin Washinkan Kendo Dojo as an expression of the House of Delegates’ gratitude for its service to youth and adult martial arts students in the Commonwealth.