The history of kendo stretched back to the Heian period when the samurai developed many skills (kenpo, kenjutsu) to protect themselves during battle. As the samurai began ruling Japan and Japan plunged into the sengoku period (civil war), the samurai begain training hard in their sword skills because winning in Read More
Every sport has rules that cannot be violated and when they are there is a penalty that matches the severity of the offense. Kendo has specific infringement rules, which include rules where one goes “that is obviously wrong” and more “technical” ones that aren’t so obvious. The obvious ones include Read More
At first glance Aikido can seem like one unified martial art, but this is far from the case. Aikido is in fact comprised of many styles – each one emphasizing different parts of the founder Ueshiba Morihei’s Aikido. For someone looking to begin Aikido or even someone well-versed in a Read More
To get an ippon or to win in kendo you need “heart”, “skill” and “physique”. Only when these are all combined can you gain ippon. Regarding the “heart”, it’s about having a still mind, or to concentrate on the match. In order to concentrate better and to get your spirit Read More
Japanese manga is known all around the world simply as “manga”, and the number of manga genres are endless. Although not many, there are some that have kendo as the main theme, so I will introduce these here. First, “Musashi no Ken” was very popular in the 80s. The author, Read More
What nations are strong in kendo? For football we have the FIFA World Cup and for Baseball we have the World Baseball classic, all serving as major tournaments to measure each nation’s strength. For kendo, the World Kendo Championships have been held every three years since 1970. It is still Read More
The way of the samurai values mannerisms (rei) above all else as reflected in the saying “It begins and ends with rei (mannerism/bowing)”. Rei refers to the actions and behaviors expected at various events, and signifies the moral standards for developing human relationships and maintaining social order. Rei is now Read More
Kendo footwork is so unique and probably does not exist in any other sport. The basic footwork is called “suri-ashi” (sliding feet). First, your right foot should be placed forward and the heel should be raised slightly off the floor. Be mindful that the gap between your right heel and Read More
Air strokes have “one act”, “two act”, and “three act” versions using the wooden sword as well as a method using the shinai called “kiri-kaeshi” where you wear the mask and do it with an opponent. This article will focus on the “three act” version and list some things that Read More
Kendo is tough – there is no escaping it. Your keiko demands a lot of you and doesn’t let up. Of course not all keiko are alike and some places are easier than others, but the very nature of Kendo is self-improvement and the results of your jigeiko are unambiguous. Read More
