Hello Everyone!
Thank you again for all your support! We have 210 people coming to show each other amazing ippons!!
It’s going to be a super busy day, and we are doing our best to offer as many matches as possible for everyone, and at the same time finish the day at a reasonable time. After this 1st tournament, we will ask for your feedback so that each year we can improve on the quality of the Washington DC Kendo Cup.
The gym is reserved from 8am to 8pm. The doors will open at 7am for registration. When you come through the lobby, please take the stairs to the “basement” level. You cannot miss the basketball courts. It is huge. Please do not leave shoes by the entrance. We ask you to keep your shoes in your bogu bags. The locker rooms are available to use, but you may have to bring your own locks. Showers are available for your convenience after the tournament, but please bring your own towels.
Lunch – This is somewhat a tricky situation – The facility does not allow outside food catering. They do have a cafeteria, but it is not cheap. We recommend you bring your own snacks and simple lunches. Due to the number of participants, we will not stop for lunch. The tournament will continue. Please eat when ever you can when your division is not fighting.
The schedule of the day can be seen by clicking this link: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1BPTN7KP-lI-OW1Z1iQmbu2b3yffUWVlLDmUXFf-yia8/edit?gid=993405196#gid=993405196
Round robin groups, and court allocations will be sent out on a separate email in the next few days.
After party – The Garden – it is an open garden restaurant/beer garden. No tickets will be sold, no rsvp. They have ample spaces, so please just head out there after the tournament – 100% your choice, and we can socialize and network there.
1503 Mount Vernon Avenue, Alexandria, VA 22301
https://www.thegardendelray.com/
Vendors, yes Hokubei Budogu will be there, it is our tournament LOL, but we have also invited California Budogu and Maruyama Kendo Supplies – all very good Budogu friends and more choices for our competitors.
For team divisions: Dojo leaders/reps please send me an email with your teams like this:
DOJO NAME (TEAM A, B, C, etc depending on how many teams your have)
Youth – team of 3 (Names of Senpo, Chuken, Taisho)
Adults – team of 5 (Names of Senpo, Jiho, Chuken, Fukusho, Taisho)
If you have a set Mix team – Please indicate name of player, which position, and which dojo)
If you have a partial team, and you need extra players, please let us know, and we will allocate “free agents” to complete your team.
One additional info, on 9/4/2026, Friday evening 6:30pm to 8:00pm, there will be an open keiko at Ace Kendo Academy (www.acekendo.com) – Session will be led by Tamura sensei (7 dan) from Sei Ken Kai, Atlanta. The dojo has limited space, but I think we can make it work.
Thank you again, and please keep an eye out for additional information before the weekend.
Sincerely,
Yong Back
Owner of Hokubei Budogu and Organizer of The Washington DC Kendo Cup