HAPPY 80th BIRTHDAY to BUSTER SEFOR sensei (Renshi, 7th Dan Kendo, 4th Dan Iaido, 1st Dan Jodo).
SEFOR sensei (or "Buster Sensei" as he is known by his students), has been instrumental in establishing Kendo in South Africa for the past 4 decades! Whether it was instructing, administering or networking, Buster sensei's efforts as a kendoka and SAKF administrator was always done for the betterment of Kendo in South Africa!
Furthmore, because of his tireless work to develop Kendo in South Africa, his efforts were officially recognised by the Japanese government and was awarded the "Order of the Rising Sun with Gold and Silver Rays" (旭日章, Kyokujitsu-shō) in 2011! This auspicious award was presented to him by the Japanese Ambassador to South Africa at his private residence.
(refer to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Order_of_the_Rising_Sun for more info on this award).
To read more about Buster sensei's contribution to the development of Kendo in SOuth Africa, refer to: https://www.rivoniakendo.co.za/post/history-of-kendo-in-south-africa-1985-2018
Buster sensei has also at one stage of his martial arts career, pursued and obtained his 4th dan in Iaido. In fact, back in 2011, he was also instructing iaido at the now disbanded, "Ichido Iaido Dojo'!
Buster sensei's amazing ability to network has brought some amazing Kendoka to our African continent over the years, including our lifetime honorary SAKF President, Teruaki ISHIMARU sensei (Renshi, 7th Dan); Tadahiro AJIRO Sensei (Hanshi, 8th Dan; FIK Vice President); and Tokuaki IRRI sensei (Hanshi, 8th Dan).
Perhaps one of the most memorable moments in Buster sensei's martial arts career, was when he obtained his 7th Dan in Kendo in Tokyo, Japan back in 2015! I was after that the World Kendo Champions (WKC) in Tokyo where Buster sensei attempted for the first time, and successfully passed his 7th dan Kendo grading, making him the first and (as at writing in 2021) the ONLY 7th dan Kendo practitioner on the African continent! What an amazing accomplishment!
These are but a few milestones in Buster sensei's life which shows his incredible dedication to Kendo development in South Africa.
Thank you and happy birthday again, sensei! May you have many more wonderful experiences and milestones ahead of you!
The below video was compiled by the South African Kendo Federation (SAKF), with contributions from all the SAKF-Affiliated dojos in South Africa (including the RKC Dojo)!
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The Rivonia Kendo Club (RKC) train the traditional Japanese martial arts of Kendo and Iaido (sword-based martial arts), as well as Jodo(the art of the short staff/stick), that encourages the cultivation of the human character.
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