Fake swords apparently started being made around the Kamakura period. In the Muromachi period there was already a “certificate of authenticity” which included an inscription on the tang of the words and a description of the blade. In the Edo period fake swords “developed” further, and all sorts of fakes Read More
One day before the Swiss Kendo Championship, I received the email from Tozando that I have won the Trip to Japan. I couldn’t believe it and needed a weekend to realise what happened and that I should give my conformation for the trip. During the whole Kendo weekend, I thought Read More
Kendo bogu breaks down into Men, Do, Tare and Kote. Amongst these components, the Kote are particularly known for wearing out the fastest. As a matter of fact, by the time you wear one breastplate out, you’ll probably have already eaten your way through three sets of gloves. The main Read More
When you watch historical plays, you often see a scene in which commoner touches a samurai’s shoulder, whereupon the samurai immediately draws his sword and cuts him down. This is called “burei-uchi”, meaning “striking for improper manners”. Another term used is “Kirisute Gomen” which means “permission to cut down”. There Read More
The Japanese sword is divided based on the period of era it was made. Kotō (old sword) refers to the sword made before the Keicho era (just before the Edo period) and Shintō (new sword) refers to swords made between the Keicho and the beginning of the Meiwa era (1764). Read More
A question that’s on the mind of many Kendo practitioners is; “What’s the best way to wash my indigo-dyed Kendo Gi and Hakama?” A knee-jerk answer to that would be to simply avoid using the washing machine and to hand-wash your clothing lest you want to damage the fabric. And Read More
Japanese food is surged in popularity worldwide and is loved for its healthiness. The Japanese food or washoku that we eat now has gone through many changes, yet still keeps some traditional elements. But what about in historical times, when they did not have all the foodstuff we have today? Read More
A Half-Century Challenge -A Father to Son Story of Invention “Working as an artisan is incredibly tough, and I have worked hard to improve the working conditions since my father’s time” says Mr. Oka. His father is the Kazuman Tada, the late founder of Tada Industrial Corporation which manufactured Japanese Read More
The last six months of my life has been pretty much all about Miyamoto Musashi. When I’m not doing my real job, Musashi is sure to be there giving me a hard time. He has even been haunting my dreams of late. The reason for this obsessiveness is a recent Read More
The Setta (literally meaning “snow sandals”) are a kind of traditional Japanese footwear which were traditionally made with weaved bamboo sheath that was insulated and waterproofed by gluing leather to the sole and lastly metal rivets were attached to the heel for durability. Even in Japan, the opportunities to wear Read More
