OUR STORY
Sydney Kendo Club (SKC) was founded in 1974 and is the longest running Kendo club in Australia. We are affiliated with the New South Wales Kendo Association (NSWKA) and Australian Kendo Renmei (AKR). Each week, we have two training sessions for adults. Many visitors train with us from other clubs, be it locally, nationally or internationally.
Our members come from many walks of life, with high school and university students, tradies, professionals, public servants, expats, retirees, mothers, fathers, and grandparents.
Our passionate and experienced team of volunteers provide our members with a rewarding learning experience and warm community in Kendo, and the Club overall is here to propagate the practice of Kendo, contribute to the local community and provide a home for international visitors.
SKC aims to represent the best of Kendo tradition while striving to improve Kendo in Australia by holding seminars with visiting Kendo Sensei. Our training schedules cover all skill levels from beginner to the experienced. Please feel free to contact us or drop in at a training session.
「錬技睦和」"Rengi Bokuwa" is our motto at Sydney Kendo Club. This means "We vow to train our skills and minds in harmony, keeping good terms with each other to become better human beings and to contribute to society". This is the ultimate goal of Kendo.
OUR EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
JON DALEY
President
SARKIS ASKANIAN
Secretary
SEBASTIEN RILLO
Treasurer
CLUB SENSEI AND SENIOR MEMBERS
DANIEL STRENGER
Kendo 6 Dan Renshi
Daniel commenced Kendo in 1973 at the Muirfield and Epping Kendo Clubs, Sydney, and then in 1974 joined the Willoughby kendo Club at its inaugural training which subsequently became the Sydney Kendo Club. In 1979 he was a member of the Australian Kendo Renmei team that attended the World Kendo Championships in Sapporo, Japan. From 1982 Daniel commenced residency in Japan and from 1982-1983 was formally enrolled as a ‘Kendo research student - itakusei’ at Nippon Taiku Daigaku (Japan Sports Science University), Tokyo, as nominated by the Australian Kendo Renmei. From 1982 through to 1998 Daniel was a member of various Tokyo Kendo associations returning thereafter to Sydney. Daniel has been a Secretary and Treasurer of both the Sydney Kendo Club and Australian Kendo Renmei, and a member of the NSW Technical Committee. Daniel attained 6 Dan in 2017 in Aichi, Japan, and Renshi in 2018 in Tokyo.
VIVIAN YUNG
Kendo 6 Dan
Vivian Yung began practising kendo at Sydney Kendo Club in 2001 and has since been an active member of the Club and the wider Australian kendo community. She served as Secretary of the NSW Kendo Association from 2002 to 2008 and has also served for several years as President of Sydney Kendo Club. In recognition of her contribution to Australian kendo, Vivian received the John Butler’s Contribution to Kendo Award in 2007.
In 2009, Vivian commenced a decade of service on the Australian Kendo Renmei (AKR) Executive Committee as Secretary. She has also played an active role in the development and promotion of women’s kendo, coordinating the Oceania Women’s Kendo Seminars between 2011 and 2017. In 2019, in recognition of her longstanding service and contribution to Australian kendo, Vivian was awarded Life Membership of the Australian Kendo Renmei.
As a competitor, Vivian has won the Australian Women’s Individual Championship twice and has been a member of multiple Australian Women’s Team Championship-winning teams.
Vivian made her debut for the Australian National Kendo Team at the 2006 World Kendo Championships, the first of four appearances representing Australia at the World Championships. She reached the final 16 of the Women’s Individual competition at both the 2009 and 2012 World Kendo Championships and received the Fighting Spirit Award for her performance at the 2012 World Kendo Championships. In 2013, she represented Australia at the 2nd World Combat Games in St Petersburg, Russia.
In 2018, Vivian captained the Australian Women’s Kendo Team to a historic bronze medal at the World Kendo Championships - the first World Championship team medal for Australian kendo.
Vivian attained the rank of 6th Dan in 2024. She is currently the Australian National Women’s Kendo Team Coach, continuing her contribution to Australian kendo through the development and preparation of Australia’s female athletes for international competition.
ANDREW VAN HAMOND
Kendo 6 Dan
Andrew Van Hamond began his Kendo journey at Sydney Kendo Club in 2001 and has remained a dedicated member and supporter for more than two decades. A 6th Dan practitioner, Andrew has trained extensively in Australia and Japan, spending approximately six months each year training at clubs across Tokyo, Nagano and Niigata. His commitment to continual learning reflects his belief that Kendo is a lifelong journey.
Andrew has held several significant leadership roles in Australian Kendo, including President of Sydney Kendo Club and the longest-serving President of the NSW Kendo Association. He currently serves as Chairperson of the Board of Directors of the Australian Kendo Renmei (AKR) and as a Director of the Asian Oceania Kendo Federation. Throughout his Kendo career, Andrew has contributed significantly to the development, promotion and governance of Kendo in Australia, while fostering strong international relationships and supporting clubs, practitioners and the future growth of Kendo.
He continues to train regularly at Sydney Kendo Club and in Japan, maintaining his connection with the club where his Kendo journey began.
COLIN MINTER
Kendo 5 Dan
Colin started Kendo at the Sydney Kendo Club in 1979. Since then, Colin has represented NSW in the Australian Kendo Championships and represented Australia in competition in New Zealand. He also attended the Kitamoto Foreign Leaders Summer Camp. Colin attained the rank of Kendo 5 Dan in 2014. Colin now runs his own Dojo at Western Sydney Kendo Club at Ermington but regularly offers his support and trains at SKC.
NANAKO NAKAMURA
Kendo 5 Dan
Nanako Nakamura, a SKC member since 2020, currently holds a 5th Dan. She started Kendo in Tokyo at a young age and was a former member of the Waseda University Kendo club. Her active participation extends to Kendo clubs in Japan, Germany, and the Netherlands. Nakamura sensei has been a medallist at the NSW Kendo Championship and was recently the NSW Team Women's Kyu coach.
MARK STONE
Kendo 5 Dan
Mark started kendo while a student at the ANU Kendo Club in Canberra in 1991 before moving to Sydney and first joining SKC in 1995. While living and working overseas he was a member of Gudo Seishinkan in Hong Kong, Hizen Dojo in London, and Shidogakuin in New York. He also spent many years teaching children at Kizuna Dojo in Sydney. He currently has his 5th Dan.
CHRIS BARBE
Kendo 5 Dan
Chris "Taitari Sensei" Barbe holds 5 dan in kendo. Starting kendo in 2001 he has been a key feature of the Sydney Kendo Club.
STEVEN LAWLEY
Kendo 4 Dan
Steven commenced Kendo in 1968, while still at High School. At that time Kendo training was held at various dojo around the Sydney area. Initially he was trained by Yoshida Sensei, subsequently by Takeuchi Sensei and many visiting Sensei. A great influence was Shizawa Sensei. In 1974 Steven started training at the new Sydney Kendo Club dojo which had started at Willoughby Dojo, where it still continues today. Steven won the Australian Individual Championship in 1975, 78, 79, 81, 86, and 1988; the New South Wales Individual Championship in 1983, 1994, 1995. He also won the Queensland Open Championship in 1980. He was the Captain of Australian Team at the World Championships in 1979, Sapporo, Japan, after which he attended the Foreign Kendo Leader Summer Seminar in Saitama Prefecture. He was again the Captain of the Australian Team at the 1988 World Championships in Seoul, Korea. He has also been a past President of the Australian Kendo Renmei, past Secretary of Australian Kendo Renmei, and past Secretary of NSW Kendo Association, and also a past Member of the AKR Kendo Technical Board.
He was graded to 4th Dan in 1987 during the visit of Nakakura Sensei.