These are MUST-VISIT places for Budoka Not only in kendo, but in any contest are decided not just on raw ability. “Luck” can also play an important part. There is a saying “do your best, and leave the rest to Providence.” In order to win, the basic idea is to Read More
I’m sure the Budo practitioners know how “maai” (gap or distance) is important in Budo. There is an appropriate maai between you and your opponent during the fight. Being too close or too far apart is no good. “Maai” is the correct distance between you and your opponent. People who Read More
There are all kinds of sports in our world, but a big difference between kendo and other sports is its approach towards “manners”. Many people have the image that if you take up kendo you will learn good manners. Why is kendo so strict when it comes to enforcing etiquette? Read More
I’m sure many of you would sit silently and meditate with your eyes closed both before and after practice. Some groups call it mokuso (silent thinking), some meiso (closed-eye thinking), or seiza (simply, sitting). When you join the dojo, the instructor will tell you the meaning and how to do Read More
The core muscles are very important not only in Budo but in many sports, and training your core muscles has many benefits. In this edition I will introduce some ways of training your core muscles, including ways that are effective for Budo. The core muscles (Japanese taikan) broadly refers to Read More
Kendo of course requires physical strength but also mental strength. There are many ways to train up your mentality, but the most basic level is mannerisms. This relates to other martial arts too, but it all “begins and ends with manners”. If you are aiming to be a strong kenshi, Read More
In Japanese Budo such as kendo, judo, kyudo, there are levels named “kyu” and “dan”. Each has its own characteristic, but many people wonder what the difference is between the two. Kyu is a word that describes the quality or the condition of objects as in “ikkyuhin”, “nikyuhin” and “sankyuhin” Read More
In today’s article we are looking at how we can work on our training outside of our regular dojo. If you are struggling to make it to regular training and want some ideas on how to make it up outside of the dojo then this is the article for you. Read More
In sports, many believe that breathing is important, and that is the same in Japanese Budo. Moving in the rhythm of your breathing gives your greater strength and speed, and brings out the best of your abilities. Moving with your breathing is necessary for a high level of performance. There Read More
