Dojo Portrait, Shushikan: Horsens Kendo Club
Newest kendo club in Denmark
Population: 3rd smallest
修志館 shushikan essentially means “no pain no gain”
Membership Count: 4 men, 2 boys
Trainer Count: 1
Website: https://horsenskendo.aclaursen.dk
Training frequency: 2 twice weekly
Training level: Mudansha/yudansha blend
Peter Jensen is the trainer for Horsen’s Shushikan, and is the second youngest yondan in Denmark. He has practiced kendo for around 10 years, but has trained so often that he is more like someone who has trained for more than 20 years. He started at Århus Soryukan, but soon after began to also participate in Vejle’s Goninkan and Nordfyn’s Goshikan practices. Most people in Denmark choose to take up kendo because they love Japanese culture or have a great interest in martial arts or are major anime fans, but Peter is from the 4th rare category, those who really like hardcore unusual sports. He started with Badminton, but looked for a different sport where he could really shine.
It is no surprise, that he quickly became a part of the talent team and soon thereafter achieved a place on the national team where has been one of the strongest members since 2015. He has also won several competitions in Denmark. Peter’s nakama on the national team have many fun stories about him, his silly personality and antic after he’s had one too many beers. However they also say about him that he is extremely goal oriented, disciplined and engaged in his training. He is energetic, focused on wining and at the same time really good at building up a supportive team culture. He is good to learn from and always ready to help.
Peter recently started his own dojo in januar 2021. It was not easy to open a dojo at the tail end of the pandemic, but it has slowly grown and has several dedicated members. His dojo is known as a place with very fun keiko, but where you need to work really hard!
Peters favorite shinai is the standard type and his favorite waza is makiage men. His best memory is from Stockholm Open with his old nationalteam mate, Lukas Rasmussen. Lukas is a very good friend and like Peter, was always really serious about kendo, winning and having a professional team. For Peter Stockholm Open was a really cool experience because it was a boys’ adventure from travel, to the competition to just hanging out afterwards.
Peter dreams of building up the dojo to a grand place of over 20 member. He wants it to be hoe of a new generation of national team members and it is practically assured that he will become one of the first Nandan in Denmark.