Leaders

Sang Kim Sensei

Current President

Hi, welcome to the site.

My name is Sang Kim. I am the current president of the U.S. Federation of Battodo. I’ve inherited this position from Bob Elder Sensei, who is the Founder and first President. However, I believe I’ve also inherited the position from the many members who have sacrificed their time and effort toward making this Federation possible, and I want to make sure that I do my best to honor that effort.

The Federation's primary philosophy is to provide a common ground in which groups can train together, with members maintaining an open mind about each group's style. Elder Sensei describes this in more detail in his statement, so I'll just say that I try my best to live by this philosophy. It is not just about learning new techniques, but about helping to support the various sword groups throughout the U.S. I feel as though swordsmanship has helped me grow as a person, not because of its techniques but because of the people that I have met through the years. 

I hope that if you’re already a member of the Federation, you will keep working to grow and to help your fellow swordsmen; that you will have the same opportunities that I have had in training with some of the great teachers in the sword arts today, and that you will make new friends along the way.  

If you’re not a member, then I encourage you to take a step toward finding new ideas for training, and having a good time. 

Thank you for all your time and effort. 

Bob Elder Sensei

Founder and first President, Founder’s Statement written in 2011

Welcome to the U.S. Federation of Battodo. I am Bob Elder, Founder.

Our Federation was formed to unite the many varied Japanese sword enthusiasts in the continental Americas. There are many small pockets of practitioners in the U.S. whose members desire an outlet to come together with other sword students in a spirit of common training without the politics inherent in many groups.

We practice and teach two sets of Battodo Seitei (standardized) Kata. These are forms that are not ryu-ha (style) specific, and when practiced by everyone establishes a level playing field, ensuring fairness during judged competitions. We also have a basic set of sword cuts, practiced on tatami or goza. These are set up to simulate actual cuts done in kata and practice.

When the federation was first created, we were representatives of the Japanese Federation here in the U.S. We have incorporated the standardized katas and cutting patterns in our All US Japanese Sword Tournaments.

Now a word about us: We follow, very closely, the Japanese methods for learning, manners and decorum. In this group, the people who will benefit the most are open minded, non-political and helpful. The most knowledge will be gleaned by those who look for similarities in training instead of focusing on negative differences.

In closing, we are a rare group in the annals of martial arts. Our members practice many varieties of sword styles and have a wide array of personalities. So far, all have worked to better the whole, instead of allowing for personal ego building in individuals. This is our creed, and we will not falter. Enjoy the sincere, 100% positive effects a group like this can have on your life. Thank you so much for your time and effort, and I hope that you will learn and prosper within the framework of the U.S. Federation of Battodo.