Renshi 7th Dan Iaido Kendo Instructor From Hankins Sensei: What does the title Sensei really mean? The literal translation from Japanese is “One who has gone before.” It is my honor and responsibility to teach the art in its entirety: Physical, emotional, spiritual and ethical. We do not have all the answers. But, together, we can discover the questions. Biography: Jason Hankins has been involved in martial arts since his youth. He began his training in Zen Nippon Kendo Renmei Iai and Muso Jikiden Eishin Ryu Iaido in the fall of 1998 under the guidance of Jules Harris Sensei. Jason, along with Dick Beckstead Sensei, has been a head instructor at Zen Bu Kan since 2003. He received a third place ranking in the national All United States Kendo Federation iaido taikai in 2005 and 2006. He is a lay practitioner of Zen and works as a Firefighter/ Paramedic in West Jordan, Utah, where he lives with his three children.