Tesshin Dojo - 徹心道場

Discover Japanese Culture in Calgary - Sing up now via the QR code or the link in our profile.
Tesshin is hosting a special event “The Art of Kendo”this Sunday, September 6th, aimed at promoting and sharing Japanese culture with the Calgary community🍁
*This event is free of charge.

Here’s what you can experience:

① Discover Kendo as Japanese Culture
What is kendo? Learn about its cultural background, values, and philosophy, and how these ideas can connect with Western audiences.

Presented by David Westhead, founder and head instructor of Tesshin and General Manager of Team Canada.

② Explore the World of Kendo Equipment
Discover the craftsmanship and wisdom behind kendo equipment.

Mr. Akinori Ichihashi, owner of Nishimura Equipment Store in Japan, will introduce a variety of kendo equipment, including their functions, materials, and unique features.

③ Experience Kendo
Try kendo yourself in a guided session!

You’ll also have a special opportunity to practice alongside Shion Miyash*ta, a two-time Canadian Kendo Champion and current member of Team Canada.

Whether you’re interested in Japanese culture, curious about kendo, or simply looking for a unique cultural experience, come join us!

Come experience Japanese culture through kendo!

Hey Winnipeg! Ready to try kendo?
Tesshin Winnipeg is welcoming new members for the upcoming term (Sep-Dec).
FREE trial starts TODAY (Tue, Sep 1)!
Sign up now via the link in our profile or the QR code.

*Ages 8 and older
*Kids, families, and adults welcome
*Complete beginners to experienced kendo players welcome

No equipment is needed for your trial session.

Experience the traditional Japanese martial art of kendo!

The WKC venue has finally been announced!
世界剣道の会場が正式に発表されましたね！
日本武道館！

A little while ago, our report on the kids kendo program, “Kendo for Kids – Tesshin at CJCA,” was featured in the CJCA newsletter (Calgary Japanese Community Association ).

It was a wonderful opportunity to offer children in the community a chance to experience Kendo and Japanese martial arts (budo) culture.

Thank you again to everyone who participated in and supported the program!

Please take a look at the newsletter to learn more 😊
https://calgaryjca.com/newsletters/newsletter-june-2026/

A few moments from recent keiko.

Trial sessions, new faces, and lots of positive energy filling the space.
It’s always great to see new people discovering kendo, and even better when they’re having fun and becoming curious about it😃

Come visit us and give kendo a try!

Some spots on the men-buchi had lost their colour, so they were touched up. Looking good again!
Taking care of your bogu is also one of the joys of kendo 😊

面ぶちの色が剥がれてきていたので、少し色を足しました。防具のケアも剣道の楽しみのうちのひとつですね。これでまた気持ち良く稽古に臨めます。

Tesshin YYC is welcoming new members for the Fall Term!
FREE trial sessions start August 19 (Wed).

* Ages 8 and older
* Kids, families, and adults welcome
* Complete beginners to experienced kendo players welcome

Experience the traditional Japanese martial art of kendo!
No equipment is needed for your trial session.

DM us to book a free trial session.
Spots fill up quickly, so don’t wait!

Tesshin at the Calgary Stampede Parade! 🤠

On Friday, July 3, Tesshin was honored to participate in the Calgary Japanese Community Association’s (Calgary Japanese Community Association ) parade at the Calgary Stampede, alongside the amazing Yosakoi (Yosoca 夜奏華/Yosakoi , thank you for the photos!) and Japanese Taiko groups (Midnight Taiko)!

The energy was incredible, and it was so much fun to showcase the spirit of Japanese martial arts to the crowd.

A big thank you to everyone who cheered for us along the parade route! We hope our performance sparked some curiosity about kendo and inspired more people to discover this amazing Japanese martial art.

The Calgary Stampede is one of Alberta’s largest and most internationally recognized festivals, welcoming visitors from around the world. We were thrilled to be part of this special celebration of community and Japanese culture in Calgary!

Some of the kids from our Kids Kendo Program joined us for a regular practice.
Having completed six weeks of the program, they were already familiar with the dojo manners and fundamentals, and were able to seamlessly join our regular practice.
It was wonderful to see!

Our Kids Kendo Program “Kendo for Kids - Tesshin at CJCA” wrapped up on June 25, and what an incredible journey it has been!

Throughout the 6-week program, our young kendoka were introduced to kendo, learning basic techniques such as men and kote strikes while also exploring its core values, including respect and discipline. It was wonderful to see their skills, confidence, and focus develop with each class.

To celebrate their hard work, every participant received a Certificate of Participation, and participants who attended every class were proudly recognized with a Perfect Attendance Award.

We hope this program has inspired the children to continue their kendo journey while developing a lasting appreciation for Japanese culture and the philosophy of kendo.

A heartfelt thank you to the children, parents, and volunteers for making this program such a success.
We would also like to express our sincere gratitude to the CJCA (Calgary Japanese Community Association ) and its Calgary Nikkei Cultural Fund for their generous support of Tesshin and our programs.

As we continue to share and promote kendo as a part of Japanese culture, we look forward to welcoming more people to our programs.
Stay tuned for future updates and announcements!