Canadian Iaido Association

Denton Hewgill Sensei, CIA President

Denton Hewgill Sensei, 2nd President of the Canadian Iaido Association, holds the level of ZNIR Shichidan (7th Dan), which he received in October 2016.

Denton Sensei has had a continuous interest in Japanese culture and sword arts since he was a teenager, when he first saw a picture of Kendo practitioners in the Richmond area of Vancouver. However, it was not until 1990 that Denton Sensei had the chance to begin practicing Iaido and Kendo under the direct tutelage of Theodore (Ted) Davis sensei. In 1991 and 1992, Denton Sensei took two trips to Japan for more Iaido training and testing with four more trips of about a month each in the interval between 2009 and 2013.

Beginning in 1990, Denton Sensei practiced Kendo for 10 years, after which he trained only in Iaido with Ted Davis sensei until Davis sensei’s unfortunate passing in 2007. Since the inception of the CIA, Denton Sensei has been the treasurer, until he was selected as President by Ted Davis Sensei in 2007, and has held the position of President since. Denton Sensei became a Seitōkai member in 2009, and in 2016, was awarded a Seitōkai 7th Dan in the recognition of his ZNIR 7th Dan Achievement. In 2019, recognised for his dedicated contribution to Iaido, Denton Sensei was specially awarded MJER Seitōkai Hachidan (8th Dan) by the MJER Seitōkai Headquarters.

Another long term interest of Denton Sensei is Rinzai Zen. He studied with Joshu Sakai Roshi for 10 years starting in 1970 and matured another 17 years under Shinzan Miyamae Roshi from 1990 to 2007.

Denton Sensei is a skilled mathematician, teaching at the University of Victoria from 1969 until his retirement in 2005. Most of his mathematics research was devoted to applied mathematics and scientific computing. In later years research shifted to the development of Japanese language software. Denton Sensei was instrumental in the creation of several programs for learning Japanese: Kanji Gold in 1999, Nihongo Parotto in 1998 with Dr. Noru in the Japanese Department of UVic, and Real Japanese, in 2007, a joint effort with the Japanese department of UVic.

Pertinent History:
Iaido – 36 years
Rinzai Zen – 36 years
Tai Chi – 18 years
Kendo – 10 years
Taekwondo – 5 years
Karate – 2 years

Taikai History

27th year of Heisei (2015) 23rd Hamamatsu Iaido Kyōgi Taikai, Renshi no Bu, Top 8th Place 28th year of Heisei (2016) 24th Hamamatsu Iaido Kyōgi Taikai, Renshi no Bu, Top 16th Place

Last Edited: October 20, 2024