History of JKA

As part of the Indonesian Kendo Association (IKA) JKA is part of the International Kendo Federation (FIK) as of May/June 2014.

JKA history is rather brief. Kendo has been in Indonesia for many years and undergone a variety of changes that led, for a time, to kendo being managed by the local Japanese kendo club, Jakarta Kenyukai.

Wishing to come out from the Japanese shadow and with the encouragement of our Japanese sensei, JKA was created in 2007 and formally organised as a viable club in 2008.

Although the history is short, our dedication to kendo has been much longer. JKA members are a devoted group of kendoka from a mix of backgrounds gathering for one reason; the practice of kendo as a martial art. Meguro-sensei (7-dan) has been our anchor and kendo guide for many years, but we were quite lucky to have 3 additional 7-dan sensei come and teach us; Hamada-sensei (returned to Japan 2009), Kishikawa-sensei (returned to Japan 2010), Shimomura-sensei (returned to Japan). However, without forgetting the contributions of all our sensei - past and present - JKA would not be the club it is now.

Without the assistance and guidance of our sensei, the cooperation of regional AJKF charter clubs in Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand, many of our members would not have the opportunity to experience kendo outside of our doors or receive official AJKF grading. We have had great opportunities through the organisation of our sensei to practice with many visiting Japanese sensei and with the cooperation of regional clubs are regular participants in the ASEAN Kendo Tournament.

In 2008 we held our first official event, the 50 Year Japan-Indonesia Anniversary of Cooperation Tournament, to coincide with other events celebrating 50 years of cooperation between Japan and Indonesia. This tournament was officially sanctioned by event organisers and the Japanese Embassy and gave JKA members a chance to meet and do keiko with and compete against several Japanese teams, Hong Kong Kendo, Beijing, and our friends from Brunei.

More importantly it also gave our kendoka a chance to keiko with several distinguised 8-dan sensei (Iwai, Sumi, Yamahata, and Irie senseis) and the current chairman of AJKF, Takeyasu-sensei.This is now an annual tournament and open to all comers.JKA members along with our sensei also participate in the Hong Kong Open Kendo Tournament held annually.

JKA is also associated with Bandung Kendo Federation, Surabaya & Malang Kendo, Yogyakarta Kendo and Medan Kendo.

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