Ide Katsuhiko Sensei

Ide Katsuhiko Sensei of Hiroshima passed away suddenly following an automobile accident in early September. He was a Kendo 7dan, Iaido 8dan, and Jodo 8dan who visited Guelph during our May seminar on a number of occasions. He was an All-Japan Iaido champion whose technical skill and strong presence was immediately striking. He taught us many valuable things but the one that sticks with me most is his dedication to hard training - he said that, when he was preparing for a tournament, he would always do at least 1000 cuts a day to improve his technique. I have probably never done 1000 cuts in one day - so there is something to strive for. He will be missed by those who knew him.

Update: A bit more info about Ide Sensei from Trevor. Ide Sensei was the one who beat Haruna Sensei in the 1988 All-Japan championships before Haruna Sensei won them in '89. Ide Sensei received his 8th Dan in May of 1989, and Trevor suspects he was the first winner of the 8th dan taikai in Hakkone. Truly a very accomplished martial artist.