CONNECT SPORT
Zac Carr (Niigata) and Andrew Richards (Niigata) interviewed by Samantha Stauch (Gunma)
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hat inspired you to join your school’s kendo club? Did you have any prior experience? ZC: Actually, I had no intention to join initially. I have only a little martial arts experience and I just wanted to watch kendo, to see how it was done. However, after sitting for about 10 seconds, sensei handed me a shinai (flexible bamboo kendo sword) and ordered me to join the class. After that, he asked me to come again, and again. I decided it was fun and a great way to learn a martial art for free, so I stuck with it.
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AR: I practiced kendo for about five years in Maryland before I came to Japan. My love for kendo was one of the reasons that I wanted to come to Japan. I found the kendo community to be kind and welcoming. I always made a few new friends whenever I went to a tournament or a test in America. Soon after I came to Japan, a coworker of mine introduced me to a local club that practiced at a junior high school. I was the only adult that practiced at the club. The other members were elementary and junior high school students. Occasionally, some of the parents who also practiced kendo came and practiced with me as well. When I came to Japan, I was a second kyu. The sensei encouraged me to test for first kyu and first dan as soon as possible. For reference, the kyu rankings typically start at sixth or fifth kyu and work their way up to first kyu. They're like the colored belts of other martial arts. Dan ranks start at first dan and work their way up to eighth dan.
