To the left is a chart of the points allowed for striking in a kendo shiai (match). Note that the kendo uniform and bogu (armor) are modern replicas of the armor you may have seen in old Japanese paintings or in historical films about the bushi (honorable fighting men) of the 16th and 17th centuries. The use of heavy cotton and bamboo armor that are shown allow for full contact sparring with little risk of serious injury, while allowing the kendoist a surprising amount of mobility and speed.  Kendo as it is taught in our classes makes use of all these advantages in training. Traditional keikogi and hakama (the kendoist's uniform) are worn both to protect and to allow for freedom of movement. Correct movement, posture, coordination and speed are the cornerstones on which our teacher builds solid kendo skills which have proven most effective, both for the Sensei and his students. Respect for one's opponent, the traditions of kendo and one's self are all fostered in a diverse learning environment which includes students of many ages and nationalities. Kendo is an excellent way to condition the body while cultivating the mind, increasing self confidence and awareness while refining skill and honing individual technique.  Whether considered a sport or an art, kendo has earned its place as a much revered practice in the martial ways.

Special attention should be paid the distinct mental/spiritual side the art, as is the case with many martial arts forms. Western dialects don't really have a good one-word translation for the word "ki", which is best described by collections of words such as soul/heart/life-force. Ki plays a large part in development of skill, as such short meditation takes place before and after each class so that the fencers can clear their minds of any distractions and focus on kendo development, reflect on lessons learned and bring a clear mind to the dojo floor. It is very hard to explain the concept of ki to individuals that have no prior contact with Eastern culture, suffice it to say that everyone exerts ki all the time, whether they are fencing or holding a conversation. To have the ability to exert ki is to appear to be more than your physical self. Kendo channels this exertion into martial ardor and hence increased skill.

There are kendo clubs all over the world, and worldwide tournaments are held. In Japan, schoolchildren join kendo clubs and compete much like American children with soccer. There are high school and college kendo teams that compete as well as professionals who must win local tournaments for a chance to fence in the All Japan Kendo Tournament, which is held once a year. There are as many styles of fencing in kendo as there are styles of kung-fu, so visiting a new dojo brings an inevitable surprise because one never fails to see something new.

While I certainly don't assert that I can sum up all of kendo in a few short paragraphs, I must say that much like the bushi who were known for sacrificing all for the development of their skill, kendo fencers use kendo to better themselves in all walks of life. I once heard a fencer sum it up nicely in common terms "Once you know how to win a sword fight, everything else is easy."

Below are videos of our recent demonstrations:
Part 1 kakarigeiko (2.6 MB)
Part 2 waza and uchikomi (4 MB)
Part 3 keiko and kirikaeshi (5.6 MB)
Click for last year (2 MB)

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