2023 East Coast Iaido seminar

Date
Wednesday, March 8 – Friday, March 10, 2023

SEMINAR LOCATION

Weehawken High School
Saturday and Sunday seminar and shinsa will be at Weehawken High School: 53 Liberty Place, Weehawken NJ.

Enter the gym through the side door, on the corner of Highwood Ave and Liberty Place.

INSTRUCTORS

Instruction will be provided by Kato Shozo Sensei, Kyoshi 7 dan Iaido, Kyoshi 8 dan Kendo.
Taikai Shinpan-cho will be Konno Tatsuhiko Sensei, Kyoshi 7 dan Iaido, Kyoshi 7 dan Kendo.

A reminder:
You must be fully vaccinated (booster is a good idea), with proof. Anyone under 18, if not vaccinated, must provide proof of negative COVID test 24 hours before seminar; and take COVID test with negative result at the seminar itself.
You must wear a mask at all times while indoors.

SEMINAR SCHEDULE

Friday, March 3: Kodansha event
Ken-Zen Institute from 9:00 am - 4:30 pm.
This event is open to Kodansha only (5 dan and up).

Saturday, March 4: Seminar
8:00 am: Doors open
9:00 am – 5:00 pm: Seminar
(Full schedule to be determined.)

Sunday, March 5: Seminar and Shinsa
8:00 am: Doors open
9:00 am – 5:00 pm: Seminar and Shinsa
(Full schedule to be determined.)

COVID PROTOCOL

You must be fully vaccinated (booster is a good idea), with proof.
You must wear a mask at all times while indoors.

LUNCH

There will be a lunch break during the seminar.

Lunches are available for pre-order on Saturday and Sunday. The cost is $11 per person. The options are:

• Chicken Fingers w. Fries
  
• General Tso's Tofu w. White Rice
  
• Grilled Chicken Burger w. Fries
  
• Mixed Salad w. Shrimp (Caesar Dressing)

(The Friday Kodansha event includes lunch).

PAYMENTS

Payments are to be made by check payable to Shidogakuin and sent to Pam Parker at 24 Fifth Avenue, Apt 426, New York NY 10011.

Foreign visitors can pay in cash at the door.

HOTELS

As far as we are aware, there are no hotels/motels within walking distance of Weehawken High School. Airbnb might be another matter.

A couple lodging options we have used for past events:

• Best Western Premier NYC Gateway 2650 Paterson Plank Rd, North Bergen, NJ
  
• Envue/Marriott, 550 Ave at Port Imperial, Weehawken, NJ
  
• Sheraton Lincoln Harbor Hotel, 500 Harbor Blvd, Weehawken, NJ
  
• La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham Secaucus Meadowlands
  
• Airbnb. (Usually a group of students will share an apt/house.)

We recommend that the attendees avoid any hotels/motels that are on the lower budget side that are in the general area of the Weehawken venue. (Particularly any options along route 1 & 9 Tonnelle ave.) Some of them are low budget for a reason, so please read their online review before booking if not staying at recommended hotels

PUBLIC TRANSIT

The closest stop on the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail is the Port Imperial Station stop. See the Light Rail schedule for more information.

NY Waterway ferries run to Port Imperial from three locations in NYC (Midtown, Wall Street and Brookfield Place). See the Port Imperial / Weehawken ferry schedule for more information.

PARKING

Street parking is enforced even during the weekends. It's 4 hours street parking, so we recommend moving your car during lunch to avoid a ticket. (About $80 last year.)

Weehawken High School has a limited number of parking spaces. They will be reserved for the Sensei.

There is a pay parking lot at 518 41st ($0.50/hr), which is about 1/2 mile or 11 minutes walk from the School.

There is a parking building at the Port Imperial Ferry Terminal, which is about 20 minutes walk from the School.

DEADLINE FOR REGISTRATION

The registration deadline is Saturday, Feb 18, 2023.

If you are planning to test, your Shinsa application must be received by this deadline. Please read carefully and follow the instructions.

For questions about online registration, please contact info@shinken.cc.

SHINSA APPLICATION

SEMINAR

An Iaido seminar will be held on Saturday and Sunday.

Seminar fee: $100.00

TAIKAI

There will Taikai on Sunday. Competition will be rank-by-rank, up to 5 dan.

IAIDO SHINSA

An Iaido promotion test for all Kyu and 1-4 Dan will be held after the seminar on Sunday.

You must attend the seminar to take the test. No exceptions!

Shinsa fee:
$30 payable by check to Shidogakuin, included in the seminar check.

Menjo fee:
A separate check, payable to Shidogakuin, in the amount indicated below, should be submitted. If the candidate does not pass, the check will be destroyed.

Kyu under 18 = $20
Kyu over 18 = $30
1 dan = $50
2 dan = $60
3 dan = $80
4 dan = $100

NEW APPROVAL PROCESS FOR SHINSA: All permissions and shinsa questions should be submitted by email.

If you are a member of GNEUSKF, AEUSKF or EUSKF you do NOT need permission to test.

Members of other regional federations should provide an email showing that your federation president is aware of, and approves of, your testing at this event.

Non-AUSKF members must be a member of a federation recognized by the International Kendo Federation, and provide an email showing that your federation president is aware of, and approves of, your testing at this event.

If you do not sit in seiza, and you have previously provided a doctor's note, it is not necessary to provide another. You do not need to let us know if you cannot sit in seiza, you will do standing versions of the first four AJKF kata..

FRIDAY KODANSHA SEMINAR

There will be a Kodansha Seminar on Friday at Ken-Zen Dojo, 54 Thomas Street NY NY.

Limited to 5 Dan and above.

Cost: $50, including lunvh..

ONLINE REGISTRATION

Online registration is not currently available.

Please contact info@shinken.cc if you have questions about the registration process.