Minamoto no Yoshitsune, Kenjutsu, and the Tengu The namesake of one of our most popular bogu, the Kurama Set is named after the highest peak in Kyoto, Mt. Kurama. I decided to visit the mountain and see with my own eyes what makes it special. Mt. Kurama is located North Read More
In kendo, you are often told not to put your left foot in front when you enter your kamae. There is no actual rule regarding that kind of position, and in fact there are many positions where your left side is in front, such as the hidari-jodan, hasso-kamae, and waki-gamae. Read More
There are many kendo competitions like the All Japan Championships. One such competition is the “Kyoto Taikai”. This is known as a famous competition nationwide, and the official name is not “Kyoto Taikai”, but the “All Japan Kendo Enbu Taikai”. The purpose of the All Japan Kendo Enbu Taikai is Read More
There are many techniques in kenjutsu, and one of the most infamous is the “Tsubame-gaeshi”. Not only those who have taken up sword-fighting, but anyone who knows Miyamoto Musashi would probably have heard of this famous move at least once. Tsubame-gaeshi is a technique where you swing the sword down Read More
Kendo has grade examinations, and the first to take is the shodan examination. For those who begin kendo from junior high school, this shodan examination can become an early goal. Some people hear the word “shodan” (first grade) and think it can’t be too hard. But not everyone who takes Read More
In Kendo, as your prepare yourself mentally in order to win matches, the first thing to note is that it is a sport against someone else. If you try and do things that your opponent doesn’t like, you can gain the upper hand. To do that, it is important to Read More
Kendo includes many different kinds of practices, and there are some really odd ones too. Some of them are done without any protective gear on. There are different kinds of gear-less practices, and one I’d like to recommend is footwork practice. Many people will be imaging holding a shinai normally Read More
There are professional soccer players and baseball players. How about kendo players? That depends on the definition of “professional”, but if see it as making a living through the sport, making a living only through kendo matches, there is no system for playing kendo professionally in Japan. Some combative sports Read More
Kendo is a martial art that takes manners seriously. Players bow before the match, fight hard once the match begins, and then bow politely whether they win or lose. During this ordeal, there is a position called sonkyo (crouching). In modern kendo sonkyo is often called the “lion’s position”, and Read More
Kendo existed before WWII but it used to be called “kenjutsu” and was considered a type of ancient martial arts, today around the world many people view Kendo as a sport. Back then, it was different from the form we have today; the wooden sword was used in place of Read More
