Dojo History

A History of Matsu Kai Kendo and Iaido Dojo

     by Bruce Campbell, founder and head intrsuctor

It seems somewhat humorous to speak about the history of a group that is so young (since 1998), especially when compared to an Art as old as Kendo. Nonetheless, here is a brief history of the founding and growth of the the group.

When I passed godan (5th dan) in late 1997 my instructor suggested that I should look into opening a branch dojo. In that discussion, he spoke of a plan/dream to have branches of our dojo all around Vancouver and even Western Canada. Since we were (and remain) strictly non-profit, the motivation for this seemed to me to be the love of kendo rather than to build a profitable business.  I liked the idea and took it to heart with my part of the dream being to start a dojo in Coquitlam (a suburb of Vancouver, Canada)

The first goal was to find a place and I began looking at community centers, halls, church centers, etc. I also started talking to several friends in the martial arts community.  One in particular, Mr. Mike Scales (Shotokan Karate), was particularly helpful by introducing me to Mr. Tom Crawshaw of Pinetree Community Center in Coquitlam.  After some discussion we arranged some time in the Center on a “trial” basis.

I posted a few handbills around the community and waited to see what would happen. On the first night there was only two of us - an Iaido student and myself. About half way through the evening I noticed a lady hanging around the door and stopped to greet her. She was the mother of four children who all did kendo and was looking for a new place to practice.  After a conversation where I felt very much like I was being interviewed they agree to come the next practice.  Suddenly, we went from two to six and after the first practice with the children I suggested that the mother might want to join too.  To my delight she agreed and very soon thereafter there were seven - the Marumo family, my Iaido student and me.

One of the wonderful things about kendo is that it is noisy. How many times have people told me stories of walking along and hearing the unmistakable sound of Kendo practice? Well, the same happened here and there were people watching practice every day. We made it a policy to greet and welcome anyone who wanted to watch and gradually, individuals and small groups started practice. Within a few months we were up to 15 for each practice and that trend continues.

In 2008 the dojo moved to a new location in Coquitlam, the Victoria Park Hall - formally called “The Dogpatch”.  This grand old building has been around for over 80 years but recently had a full renovation.  Now it is a clean, bright facility which makes a terrific training location.

Our open-door policy is that anyone is welcome as long as they practice sincerely and give respect to everyone - including themselves. It has worked very well and the dojo has continued to flourish. Of course there is a steady turnover. Most stay for a few weeks or months and then move on. Yet, I am happy to report that no one has left angry or been “kicked” out. And, I encourage each person to continue to search for A Way that works for them - be it dance, visual arts, theater, etc.  As the saying goes, “There is only on Path but each of us must walk it in our own way”.

I am constantly humbled and rewarded by the support, hard work and dedication of those who practice at Matsu Kai and with their help I hope the dojo will remain a landmark in Coquitlam for years to come.

Bruce Campbell - April, 2009