Memorable Kendo Matches 10: Kenji Ikeda (1958-60 Gyokuryuki High School Games)

Memorable Kendo Matches 10: Kenji Ikeda (1958-60 Gyokuryuki High School Games)

The star player in 3 back-to-back Gyokuryuki Titles finishes it off with a 4-man sweep in the final 3 back-to-back wins gained huge publicity back then, and its glory still lives on today While kendo was banned during and after WWII, the Gyokuryuki Games (which had a different name back Read More

Illustration of Kendo Henka Waza

Henka Technique in Kendo Part 2

Point of Caution in Applying Henka Trying out the henka moves introduced here straight away in matches will probably not work out well. There is a saying: practice like it’s a match, and play the match like it’s practice. When you use an untrained skill in a match, it will Read More

Image of Japanese sword tang, Nakago

The Nakago of the Japanese Sword: Invisible in the shaft but a valuable point of appreciating the Japanese Sword

There is a line that runs between the blade’s edge area and the ridge area. Between this line and the bottom of the blade (the area hidden inside the sheath) is called nakago (tang). The nakago is shaped by a particular form of filing, before the signature of the sword Read More

Illustration of Kendo Henka Waza

Henka Technique in Kendo Part 1

Kendo is a martial art that developed during the Edo period Until then people trained with wooden swords, but that changed to the shinai and they began wearing protective gear. And gradually rules were put in place to establish what has continued until today. Many techniques have been developed ruing Read More

Iaido demonstration at All Nippon Student Iaido Taikai

Japan University Iaido League

In America, the College Football league is hugely popular. Michigan University boasted an average of 100,000 spectators per match in 2017. In English, rugby is famous as a university sport. Japanese universities are also known for their sporting achievements, and that is the same with martial arts. When it comes Read More

Image of Japanese sword hamon pattern

The Hamon of the Japanese Sword – An Artistic Pattern That Reveals the Aesthetic Sense of The Swordsmith

Even those seeing a Japanese sword for the first time are captivated by the vividness of the hamon (blade pattern). The hamon refers to the part that is tempered with extra heat, so it is actual proof that the sword went through the tempering process. The swordsmiths could simply stretch Read More

Takachiho High School Kendo Club at Gyokuryuki Taikai

Memorable Kendo Matches 9: Yuichi Kono (1987 Gyokuryuki High School Games)

Victorious in Historical High School Kendo Rivalry In 1986, PL Gakuen (Osaka) won the Gyokuryuki boys with fine performances from 2nd grader Takahiro Nabeyama. They were seeking back to back titles the following year with Nabeyama as their key player. Facing PL in the final was Takachiho (Miyazaki), who had Read More

Cloose-up image of Japanese sword

Kitae-Hada: The testimony of the Japanese Sword that does not break or bend and cuts well

The blade of the Japanese sword is made by heating the tamahagane (steel for making swords) to high temperature then hitting it flat with a mallet. They use a chisel to create the rift in the blades, fold it, then hit it again with a mallet. This process is repeated Read More

Image of Kendo player drawing Japanese sword

The Relationship Between Kendo and Iaido

Kendo was born in the mid Edo period as a martial art using the shinai and protective equipment, and continues to this day earning as much popularity as to host international competitions. There is another martial art involving the sword called iaido, and in thi edition I would like to Read More

Image of Kendo player concentrating

3 Methods to Train Your Concentration in Kendo in Just 3 Minutes!

In any sport, it is important to maintain a high level of concentration in order to win. How about in kendo? As you are constantly battling close with your opponent in a short match time, if you lose one moment of concentration you will expose yourself to the opponent. In Read More