On August 12th and 13th, the All United States Kendo Federation (AUSKF) hosted the 12th All United States Kendo Championships (AUSKC) at the Emory University Gymnasium in Atlanta, Georgia. This tournament brought together hundreds of well-qualified Kenshi, the Japanese word for Kendo practitioners, from all over the nation. In addition to throngs of delighted spectators; the AUSKC’s drew a considerable turnout at well over 400 competitors—calling attention to the swift rise in popularity of Kendo throughout the United States. The successful two-day tournament was witness to new friendships being formed and heated rivalries revisited.
The AUSKC is the most competitive tournament held in the U.S. with only a limited number of spots available per federation. This tournament first debuted in 1978 in Los Angeles, and has been held triennially ever since. The AUSKC’s are organized through a system in which each contender represents his or her specified “federation”. These federations are usually named after the region of the nation its affiliates reside in and they are frequently referred to by their abbreviations (i.e. Southern California Kendo Federation – SCKF). With the national team representatives competing in the event; the AUSKC’s were a truly incredible experience for any Kendo practitioner.
“The Finals were great. They were so fast! I only wish to be like them when I watch,” stated tournament contender, Kouji Kamimoto, as he watched, in awe, the conclusion of the Men’s Individual Finals match. The Men’s Finals matchup was between two house-hold names in Kendo – Danny Yang and Sandip Ghodgaonkar. Having competed successfully at international Kendo matches, they both are well-known in the world of Kendo. Contrary to expectation, the match did not last very long; however the two arguably best Kenshi (Kendo practitioner) showcased an inspiring fight by competing with all their might, leaving everything out on the mats.
Yang received his first point with a kote (wrist) strike, which only caused Ghodgaonkar to fight back with his own blazing fast kote strike. As their shinais (Bamboo Sword) touched with esoteric communication, viewers began to anticipate action. Loud yells and the sounds of their feet clashing on the floor filled the arena. In the blink of an eye, Yang had struck yet another kote. The gymnasium spontaneously arose in yells and cheers for Yang had taken the championship title.
“I lost early in the tournament. But it’s okay. It’s not winning that counts. Just watch out for me at the 13th AUSKC!” exclaimed Jonathan Kim, a competitor in the Men’s Individual division, as he gave his last respectful bow to the tournament site. 
