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KIPPON FOUNDER/CEO Mr. Antoine Hotier Originally from Montreal, Canada, he placed second in the Canadian National Championships during his university years and represented Canada at the 14th World Kendo Championships held in Brazil. He founded KIPPON in 2013 and became its CEO. He also studied kendo at the Aichi Prefectural Police for seven months.

Antoine Hotier's biography

-Please tell us what made you start kendo. Hochie : "The truth is, I was a bad kid until I was about 13-15 years old. I caused trouble at various schools (laughs). My father couldn't bear to see me like that, so he encouraged me to take up kendo. I had always read Geoffrey Chaucer and Shakespeare and was interested in the spirit of chivalry, so I was motivated to try kendo in the hope that I might be able to learn about the spirit of bushido." -Please tell us about your achievements in kendo. Hochie: “I represented Canada at the 14th World Kendo Championships held in Brazil. I was 22 years old at the time (I'm now 31).” -That's amazing! What kind of work did you do before you started KIPPON? Hochie : I studied anatomy through university and sports engineering in graduate school. After that, I was invited by Mr. Kazuyoshi Higashi of the Aichi Prefectural Police to join their training for seven months. While I was staying in Aichi Prefecture, the Great East Japan Earthquake occurred. Naturally, members of the Aichi Prefectural Police also went to the disaster area and worked hard. Seeing them like that, I remember realizing that there are things more important than kendo." -Was that experience what prompted you to launch the "KIPPON" brand? Hotie: "Yes, I think it's one of the factors."

Why we launched KIPPON

-Why did you launch the "KIPPON" brand? Hochie : "After my stay in Aichi Prefecture, I returned to Canada and continued practicing kendo as a company employee. One day, my sister gave me some advice. She said, 'Kendo is a good martial art, but you destroy nature to manufacture bokuto and shinai. You should value things.' It took me aback, as I was deeply involved in kendo." -Now that I think about it, there may not be many swordsmen who have that kind of awareness. Hochie : "The brand I started, KIPPON, is also a response to my sister." -Please tell us more about "KIPPON". Hochie : KIPPON is a Canadian kendo apparel brand that emphasizes a healthy lifestyle and the natural environment. We are working on the brand concept of "One Piece, One Tree," which means that with each purchase of a product, one tree will be planted. Anyone can easily raise awareness of deforestation and contribute to environmental protection. The brand name "KIPPON" means "one tree" and "keep on." -That's a great concept. Hochie: "Kendo teaches you to respect people, but I also believe that you need to respect places. The biggest place is the Earth. So I thought it was something I could give back to the Earth, and that's how I came up with this concept." -Where are the trees planted? Hochie: "Deforestation is a serious problem in Brazil. When I went to plant trees, the Brazilian children were so happy. Seeing that made me feel like my work was worthwhile." -What kind of company do you want to be in the future? Hochie : "Rather than simply expanding our business, we believe it is extremely important to give back to the Earth. It's not just about making a profit, it's about giving back to the Earth. Environmental issues affect people who don't practice kendo as well, so I hope that more people will support this concept and we can give back to the Earth." -As someone who practices kendo, I have once again felt the need to be grateful to people other than just humans. Thank you for today. *With Mr. Taguchi (right), designer and Japanese sales agent.