OUR HISTORY

The Cebu Kendo Club (CKC) emerged from a training circle originally devoted to Hyoho Niten Ichiryū Kenjutsu, a classical Japanese sword tradition known for its disciplined two-sword technique. Although their practice was rooted in kenjutsu, their instructor, Colin Hyakutake-Watkin, a 5th Dan kendoka, helped sustain a parallel interest in kendo. In 2015, a visit from a Davao Kendo Club (DKC) member became a pivotal introduction to the wider landscape of Philippine kendo, prompting the group to alternate training between the two budo to build both familiarity and commitment. A later visit from the Metro Kendo Club (MKC) provided the decisive push toward formalization, leading to the establishment of CKC in Cebu City by the end of 2016.

CKC’s growth thereafter was marked by significant institutional and national contributions. In 2017, the late Isagani Batayola, club President and Head Sensei, advanced kendo’s visibility through his faculty role at the University of San Carlos, where he introduced kendo as a physical education subject within an academic setting. The club’s standing further strengthened when it hosted the 3rd Philippine National Kendo Tournament in 2018, demonstrating organizational maturity and influence beyond Cebu. Taken together, these milestones reflect CKC’s evolution from a kenjutsu-centered group into a recognized kendo institution, supporting grassroots expansion and reinforcing the development of kendo practice in the Philippines.

OUR LOGO

 Initially, at the club's conception in 2015, the symbol that represented the club was the personal emblem and Kamon (家紋) of founding member and dojo head, the late Isagani Batayola-sensei. 

As the club grew, a new mon was put forward as a symbol for the club itself. In 2018, the current "Nami" (wave) mon was adopted as the official symbol of the Cebu Kendo Club. The mon is two mirrored crashing waves flanking still water in the center. 

Water represents life, grace, adaptability stillness, and reflection. Yet, water in motion can also be swift, powerful, and unstoppable. With the city's close proximity to and love for the sea, the symbol was a natural choice for the club.

"Water is fluid, soft, and yielding. But water will wear away rock, which is rigid and cannot yield. As a rule, whatever is fluid, soft, and yielding will overcome whatever is rigid and hard. This is another paradox: what is soft is strong." - Lao Tzu

Logo/ Kamon Design and Conceptualization by:

- Kathryn Layno [Art Desinger/ Cebu Kendo Club Senior Member]