In kendo equipment, the men is used to protect the head and the throat. The men, apparently, was first made by a man named Naganuma Shirozaemon Kunisato. Naganuma and his father Yamada Mitsunori were trying to develop equipment such as the men and kote so that kenshi could strike each 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
In this article we take a look at how to take care of your iaito and keep it in good condition. Caring for your equipment is an important part of budo after-all! The iaito is a sword designed specifically for practicing iaido and uses an alloy blade instead of a Read More
In Japanese ancient martial arts, there are many unique weapons and techniques. Among them, the kusarigama is an especially famous and popular weapon. In Yoshikawa Eiji’s novel Miyamoto Musashi, there is a character named Shishido Baiken who shows a strong personality. And his combat is one of the most famous Read More
Look at your opponent’s face, as taught by young Miyamoto Musashi Let us also break down Miyamoto Musashi’s teaching on the eye too. Musashi is known for his teaching on “Kanken no me” but long before his famous “Gorinsho”, he wrote the following at the age of 24, after defeating Read More
In kendo, sometimes you can get injured during practice or during the match. Because it’s a match where you are facing an opponent, so that increases the risk of injury. Using the shinai and protective gear means that it probably has less risk of injury compared to other martial arts, Read More
For kendo matches, some may be wondering whether it is fine to use foot supporters. For those who have pain in their foot, or those who do not want extra pressure on their foot, supporters play an important role. Many are thinking they would like to use them if it Read More
There are “teachings” of martial arts passed down from ancient times, and as we try to dig deeper into how our ancestors taught their skill, today we would like to talk about the theme of the “eye”. There are many teachings on the “eye” that have been passed down through Read More
