Instructors
Shigeo Kimura
Founder & Chief Instructor
7th Dan, Kyoshi – Kendo
Immigrating to Canada in 1973 from Miyagi prefecture - Japan, Shigeo Kimura established his first dojo “Takbukan” in 1980. The dojo was later named the Toronto Kendo Club. Kimura Sensei has been practicing Kendo for more than 65 years and currently holds the rank of 7th Dan Kyoshi. As a youth, Kimura Sensei practiced kendo at Kogota Nourin, an elite-level high school, before graduating and attending university at Takushoku University, also renowned at the time for its kendo. Kimura Sensei has represented Canada at the highest stage, the World Kendo Championships 3 times as a player (5th WKC Brazil, 6th WKC France, 7th WKC Korea) twice placing 3rd in the Team division. Kimura Sensei has served as Head Coach for Team Canada (8th WKC Canada & 9th WKC) leading the team to 3rd place finish each time. Additionally, Kimura Sensei has been selected by the International Kendo Federation (FIK) as a referee for multiple World Kendo Championships. Kimura Sensei currently serves as the Chief National Examiner for the Canadian Kendo Federation. Outside of the dojo, Kimura sensei operates his restaurant Ginko and is married to his wife Anne-Marie, and has 3 sons, Shigenari (Matthew), Takuya (Andrew), and Masamune (Erin).
Paul Nakamura
6th Dan, Renshi – Kendo
Kendo Highlights: - Canadian Kendo Federation Renshi: 2019 - Canadian Kendo Federation 6 Dan: 2012 - All Japan Kendo Federation Foreigner's Summer Camp: 1989, 1994 - U of T Team 1st: 1996 - U of T 3rd Dan and above 3rd: 1992 - Ontario Senior Team 1st: 1989 - Ontario Junior Team 1st: 1981 Previous dojo affiliations: - JCCC dojo, Toronto - NTT dojo, Tokyo - Konno dojo, Tokyo - Takahashi dojo, Ottawa
Koichi Miyamoto
7th Dan – Kendo
Born and raised in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Koichi first started kendo with the Manitoba Kendo Club. After graduating from University, Koichi moved to Toronto and began to train with the Toronto Kendo Club. Koichi has placed 3rd twice at the Canadian National Kendo Championships (CNKC) in 2005 and 2011. And he served as the head coach for the junior Ontario Provincial team which came to 2nd place in the 2017 & 2023 CNKC as well as the assistant coach for Junior Team Canada, co-leading a delegation of 18 players to Belgium. Koichi currently sits on the Kendo Ontario Advisory Board and is an active CKF Grading Panellist. Outside of Kendo Koichi has competed competitively in Badminton, reaching a Top 10 provincial ranking and is an avid Blue Jays fan.
Yuko Miyamoto
6th Dan – Kendo
Yuko started kendo at the age of 8 following in the footsteps of her older brother and sister at Ichimoriyama dojo in Shiogama, Miyagi. Yuko continued to practise kendo at Miyagi Gakuin from Junior High to University and was Captain of the Kendo-bu during that time. Yuko competed at national level competitions such as the Tohoku Taikai. Yuko comes from a strong lineage of Kendo players with her brother competing at Inter-High and Kokutai, and her niece and nephew’s have all competed at the All Japan Middle School, Inter-High, and Kokutai levels. Her youngest nephew Gouki was 2nd place at the 2021 Inter-High championships. In 2006 Yuko moved to Canada and joined the Toronto Kendo Club. Her passion is teaching young children, as well as supporting Women’s kendo development in Ontario. Yuko’s notable placements in Canada include: - 2006 UofT Tournament - 1st Place Women’s Division - 2007 Steveston - 1st Place Women’s Division - 2007 Detroit Open Kendo Tournament - 1st Place Women’s Division And represented Canada at the 2019 Ostu-Hai Tournament in Japan placing in the best 32. Outside of Kendo, Yuko enjoys playing the piano, cooking, and eating good food.
Mami Ito
5th Dan – Kendo
Mami started kendo at the age of 7 at the Yashima dojo in her home-town in Kagawa prefecture. She continued to practice kendo at Mure Junior High School and Takamatsu Chuo High School. Upon graduating, Mami joined the Mutsumikai dojo affiliated with her employer Higashihara Shoten Ltd in Kagawa. In Japan, Mami has participated at National level competitions including: - 2009 56th All Japan High School Championships (Inter-High) - 2016 8th All Japan Prefectural Women’s Kendo Championships - 2016 National Athletic Kendo Championships (Kokutai) And since arriving in Canada has participated in several tournaments - 2022 JCCC Sr. Kendo Tournament - 1st Place Women’s Division - 2023 Detroit Open Kendo Tournament - 2nd Place Women’s Division - 2023 UofT Tournament - 2nd Place Women’s Division. Outside of Kendo, Mami enjoy’s Painting, hip-hop dancing, listening to music, and Japanese onsen.
Nicolas Bergeron
4th Dan – Kendo
Nicolas started kendo in 1998 at his hometown of Limoges, France while at university. He practiced at the Naginata Kendo Limoges Etudiant Club (NKLEC). During that time, he also spent two years at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh, Scotland where he received his 1st and 2nd dan and practiced at the Edinburgh Kendo Club. He moved to Paris, France in 2004 where he joined Kenyû in the local 13th arrondissement, dojo led by Yoshi Inoue sensei, 7th dan and got his 3rd dan. Nicolas moved to Toronto in 2008 and joined Toronto Kendo Club. He currently owns the grade of 4th dan. He is currently assisting with kids, juniors and adults classes and also is the Secretary of the Ontario Kendo Federation (Kendo Ontario). As a frequent traveller who remains in close contact with the small, yet connected Kendo community of friends around the world, he is never missing an opportunity to practise in Paris or anywhere else if he is on a business trip!
Bill Leong
4th Dan – Kendo, Iaido
Bill started kendo in the summer of 1999 at the age of 39. In that same year, he attended the annual Kendo Camp as a non-bogu participant. A few years later, Bill would become the organizer for the Toronto Kendo Club’s Annual Kendo Camp. In 2000, Bill started his iaido training with past TKC member, Fred Kay Sensei (now retired) and currently continues to practice iaido at another dojo with the Toronto Iaido Club. In 2019, Bill was selected to represent Canada at the All Japan Kendo Federation Foreign Kendo Leaders Summer Seminar in Kitamoto, Japan. Outside of kendo, Bill is now retired and spends most of his time doing volunteer work and traveling on his motorcycle. When traveling for long periods, if there's an opportunity to practice kendo somewhere, Bill will bring his Bogu & shinai along for the ride.
Anthony Walker
4th Dan – Kendo
I was born and grew up in Toronto and started kendo in 2008 (hard to remember when I started exactly); at first before I started Kendo I was looking at either Fencing or kendo, after looking into kendo it seemed a lot more active. Currently I am the club’s tournament organiser and bogu repair shop. I learned how to repair kote from Miyagawa sensei in London, Ontario; this is the reason my kote looks a little like Frankenstein’ monster. Outside of kendo I am somewhat of a techie/maker, sometimes I tinker soldering together electronics, coding, trying to fix something that is broken or even do some 3D modelling and bring it to life on one of my 3d printers. To add to that pile I am also a video and board gamer, snowboarder and have a big dog that likes long walks. For work I work as a technical trainer/writer for a cloud service provider, for training I instruct technicians who will be assisting customers on the frontline of the helpdesk services line of business. This does mean I’m often teaching both at kendo and at work.
Hitomi Soso
4th Dan – Kendo
Born and raised in Hokkaido, Japan, Hitomi first started Kendo at her high school dojo and within three years, achieved 2nd dan. She then moved to Tokyo for university and joined their dojo. On her second year of university, she achieved 3rd dan and stopped playing. Coming to Canada in 1995, one of her colleagues invited her to watch a University of Toronto tournament which sparked her interest of Kendo once again. After obtaining her permanent residency, she decided to resume Kendo and joined TKC in 2000. In 2001, she participated in the University of Toronto Kendo Tournament and achieved 3rd place in the women’s division. After that, she got married and gave birth to three children, she took several long breaks from Kendo and did not attend any tournaments or grading. In 2018, she was able to start attending practice regularly and achieved her 4th dan in 2022. Outside of Kendo, she works as an Employment Advisor for a non-profit organization, helping marginalized populations and enjoys spending time with her family. She believes that anyone can start Kendo at any given age and specifically encourages people at older ages to start playing.
Richard Li
4th Dan – Kendo
Started kendo in 2008 with Reishinkan in Beijing, China. Later in 2009, Richard came to Canada for his master’s degree at Fredericton, New Brunswick, where he helped the creation of Higashikaze (East Wind) kendo dojo and led regular practices for more than 4 years. Richard moved to Toronto in 2015 and joined Toronto Kendo Club. Outside of Kendo, Richard works as a senior software engineering manager and enjoys badminton, coding as well as calligraphy.
Harley Roberts
4th Dan – Kendo
Harley is passionate about kendo and is currently holding kendo 4th dan ranking. Outside of kendo, Harley is a school teacher.
Simon Conlin
4th Dan – Kendo
Simon is passionate about kendo and is currently holding kendo 4th dan ranking. Outside of kendo, Simon is a producer.