Team Hokubei Budogu - Why we started sponsoring.
Hokubei Budogu is committed to giving back to the Kendo community in some way. As a business operated by a fellow Kendo practitioner, I noticed that our youth groups tend to stop Kendo after high school, and only a tiny percentage continue to practice it through adulthood.
This led to the selection of a few promising candidates who showed dedication to Kendo, discipline, and good character. I could sponsor them and work together to build inspiring stories to influence the next generation of young kendo students gradually. Together, I am starting a movement to nurture role models in the kendo community. The teens, parents, and senseis all pulled in to help me begin this "sponsorship" project.
The first recruit was Taichi Matsuura from the Midwest Kendo Federation, the second was Abigail Westblade from the Southeastern US Kendo Federation, and the third was Juah Paik, who represented Team Canada at a very young age.
Winning and losing are not essential in my sponsorship program. It is about using Kendo to develop their lives, using Kendo to become model citizens, inspiring the next generation of young Kendo students, being role models, and continuing this movement until an impact is made in the youth Kendo community.
Hokubei Budogu will do as much as possible to support our select Kenshi and future generations. A good portion of the profits from the budogu business will be used to invest in this sponsorship program.
Please follow and support our young ones as they share their Kendo stories with Hokubei Budogu.
Advisory Sensei:
- Yutaro Matsuura Sensei (7th Dan Renshi - MWKF)
Area Representatives:
- Dr. John Chu - Eastern Canada
- Mr. Brian Shin - Washington State Region
- Brendan Dateling Sensei - South Africa
Our Sponsored Kendo Youths:
- Taichi Matsuura - Midwest Kendo Federation
- Abigail Westblade - Southeastern US Kendo Federation
- Juah Paik - Team Canada
- Shion Miyashita - Team Canada