Sumi Masatake
Hachidan Hanshi Kendo
Professor of Physical Education at Fukuoka University of Education
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For those of you who may be attending the Seminar for the first time and indeed for many who are regulars (17 years this year), here is a brief history of Sumi Sensei.
I first met Sumi Sensei on a visit to France when a group of British Kendoka was invited to practice and stay with The Maisons Lafitte Dojo, just outside Paris. This was in 1988.
During this visit, on the Saturday we visited another Dojo in Paris ‘Paris BUDO’. At the practice was Masatake Sumi (then 7th Dan) who, with his wife Kaoru and two sons were resident in France. He was the official teacher to the French Kendo Federation.
His two sons were then quite young, but both practicing Kendo (now Soichiro is 3rd Dan and Ken the eldest is 4th Dan). Sumi Sensei’s wife Kaoru is a highly respected Naginata Sensei and was also teaching French students (she has also attended the seminar with her naginata).
Sumi Sensei expressed at that time a desire to visit Britain, and so we jumped at the opportunity and he and his family came over for a weekend. At that time the Kodokan Seminar had run for three years, two with Junpei Matsumoto (then 5th Dan now 7th Dan) and once with Shoji Enamoto (then 6th Dan now also 7th Dan), both of these Sensei were of a very high standard and very much appreciated by all who attended and by myself for all their help.
However the best was yet to come. Sumi Sensei asked if he could help us out the following year 1989, by hosting the Seminar- ‘Oh Boy’- And the rest is history. This is the 14th year he will have come for the Seminar and for the last four years accompanied by his two friends.. Kumamoto and Tashiro Sensei who ably assist in all aspects (including the Après Kendo)?
KENDO HISTORY
Began age 8 at Primary school in Fukuoka. 1st Dan age 15, 2nd Dan age 16, 3rd Dan age 19, 4th Dan age 20, 5th Dan age 23, 6th Dan age 26, 7th Dan age 32, and 8th Dan age 47 (the minimum age required to take 8th Dan) passing first time, over one thousand 7th Dans took part.
In 2001 he was made Hanshi [only 3 appointed for that year and none the previous year].
He is also captain of the Fukuoka Team in the All JAPAN Professors championships and occupies a position of high responsibility in the ALL JAPAN KENDO FEDERATION as one of the Managing Directors.
A teacher of the highest calibre, the best I have ever met or could hope to meet, we are very fortunate for his support and I personally feel very proud to be associated, taught and am extremely grateful for his patronage over the years.
- Paul Budden, Kodokan Dojo
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KODOKAN KENDO CLUB