Instructor
Instructor
Jeff Kamo
4th Dan Jodo
Location
Location
Creekside Community Centre
1 Athletes Way
Vancouver, BC
Class Schedule
Sunday
12:45pm–2:15pm
Monday
No class
Tuesday
No class
Wednesday
No class
Thursday
8:15pm–9:45pm
Friday
No class
Saturday
No class
Cost
Cost
- $50 CAD per month, or
- $10 CAD per drop-in
Disciplines
Disciplines
- Jodo
About
Hoshu Dojo Vancouver is home to our lineage's first school in North America, started by Thomas Groendal, and has maintained a quiet but strong community presence for over ten years. Situated at the heart of Olympic Village, the second floor dance studio provides a serene view of the city while offering a central and accessible location for practice.
Registration and payment is managed by the community centre. Please pay at the front desk upon arrival, or via the Vancouver Parks Board online portal. You may be asked to present your receipt in class.
Please note that space is limited, and priority will be given to monthly registrants, though we will do our best to accommodate all in attendance.
A uniform and weapons are not required for the first few lessons. However, it is appreciated if you can contact us ahead of your first class so that spare weapons can be arranged.
Instructors and Senior Students
Instructors and Senior Students
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Jeff Kamo
4th Dan Jodo
Born in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Jeff was first introduced to martial arts as a young boy in elementary school through Tae Kwon Do, continuing until high school where he connected with his heritage by discovering Japanese martial arts—specifically Aikido and Iaido. Several years after moving to Vancouver, Jeff encountered Jodo when he met Thomas Groendal at a seminar in 2013. Since then, Jeff has dedicated his martial arts journey exclusively to the way of the stick. When classes resumed following the pandemic in 2021, Jeff stepped up to lead the Vancouver Jodo community and has since become deeply involved in the broader Canadian scene. He currently serves as both Secretary of Jodo Canada and Jodo Western Examiner for the Canadian Kendo Federation, helping guide practitioners across western Canada. When he's not training, Jeff enjoys his career in software development and indulges in creative pursuits like running Dungeons & Dragons for friends, walking his dog Oscar, and sampling a good beer.
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Jess Hilliam
4th Dan Jodo
Jess came to Jodo in early 2017, in pursuit of supplementing her Aikido which she started one year previous, both of which are her first forays into Japanese martial arts. She balanced both arts faithfully, even through a stint of teaching her own Aikido class, until mid-2019 when she opted to commit solely to Jodo. Along with partner and fellow student Jeff Kamo, Jess became a familiar face in the Hoshu Dojo network attending regular events south of the border, including training annually with Goto-sensei. Her other passions include: most varieties of gaming (board, video, and TTRPGs, to name a few), coding, and long, sunny walks with honorary dojo mascot and rescue dog, Oscar.
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Oscar
Dojo Mascot
Oscar “joined” Jodo in 2021 a few months after his adoption by humans Jeff and Jess, and served as a stoic and watchful presense during class as a means to cope with some separation anxiety while he adjusted to his new life. He's even traveled for a few Hoshu Dojo events, and his good behaviour and silent charm have earned him the title of Dojo Mascot. These days, Oscar likely won't be found in the dojo as he learns to manage his anxiety, though he makes the occasional social appearance at certain gatherings.