A sudden question – are you good with your stepping? Those who are skilled in their stepping make a nice “bang” sound. But even some veterans struggle with this. You should step in not from your heel but from your toes, or rather, your whole feet should come down at Read More
– Though we use iaitō, bokutō and shinai; we must never forget that these are swords – Iaido and kendo are both budō that place a strong emphasis on manners and etiquette – not only to our partners, but also the spaces within which we practice and to opponents who are Read More
– World’s Top Tsuki Strike which Defended the Japanese Crown – The 12th World Championship Team final between Japan and South Korea continued on until the daihyo match. It was the 6th year running that the two neighbors met in the final, and the last two editions had gone on Read More
The World Championship was held in Japan – the first time in 6 editions and 18 years. The 10th World Championship at Kyoto was the beginning of the fierce rivalry between Japan and South Korea. For the first time in the history of the competition, the team games were divided Read More
The underdogs who turned the impossible into reality The Second Far-away Winner of the Gyokuryuki The last Gyokuryuki High School Kendo Championship (men’s edition) of the 20th Century was won by the underdog of all underdogs, Kurashiki High School (Okayama). Kurashiki had only made it to the inter-high team championship Read More
Incorporating Practical Muscle Training into Kendo Practice Muscle training (amongst other forms of cross-training) has struggled to become a regular part of kendo keiko. There is a traditional mindset that thinks you need only to work diligently at regular keiko, and also the thought that in kendo you do not Read More
Tozando proudly introduces the brandnew Kendo Shinai and let’s take a look at the new arrivals and see what sets them apart from the rest. First up we have the Tokuren. This shinai is unmistakeable with its completely straight and slim profile. Made from four dense staves of madake bamboo Read More
Student kenshi who changed the air in the kendo world Renewing youngest winner record that stood for half a century The 2014 All Japan Championship saw a finale that no one would have picked. It was Yuya Takenouch, 3rd year student at Tsukuba University, who stood above all. It was Read More
There are all kinds of sports in our world, but a big difference between kendo and other sports is its approach towards “manners”. Many people have the image that if you take up kendo you will learn good manners. Why is kendo so strict when it comes to enforcing etiquette? Read More
In order to win and achieve good results in sports, there are important areas other than physical abilities like strength and skill. Specifically, “concentration” and “intuition” play a key part. But unlike physical abilities, these are not measurable. How can we train ourselves in these areas? It is very important Read More
