| Imagecaption | Two kendōka in tsuba zeriai |
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| Name | Kendo(剣道) |
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| Focus | Weaponry |
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| Hardness | Semi-contact |
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| Country | |
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| Creator | Naganuma Sirōzaemon Kunisato (長沼 四郎左衛門 国郷), attributed |
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| Parenthood | kenjutsu |
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| Olympic | no |
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| Website | http://www.kendo-fik.org/ |
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, meaning "
Way of The
Sword", is a modern
Japanese martial art of sword-fighting based on traditional
samurai swordsmanship, or
kenjutsu.
Kendo is a physically and mentally challenging activity that combines strong
martial arts values with sport-like physical elements.
Practitioners
Practitioners of kendo are called , meaning "someone who practices kendo", or occasionally , meaning "swordsman". and the old term of
kendoists sometimes is used,
The "Kodansha Meibo" (a register of dan graded members of the All Japan Kendo Federation) shows that as of September 2007, there were 1.48 million registered dan graded kendōka in Japan. According to the survey conducted by the All Japan Kendo Federation, the number of active kendo practitioners in Japan is 477 thousand in which 290 thousand dan holders are included. From these figures, the All Japan Kendo Federation estimates that the number of "kendōka" in Japan is 1.66 million by adding the number of the registered dan holders and the active kendo practitioners without dan grade.
Concept and purpose
In 1975 the
All Japan Kendo Federation (AJKF) developed then published "The Concept and Purpose of Kendo" which is reproduced below.
Concept
Kendo is a way to discipline the human character through the application of the principles of the
katana.
Purpose
::To mold the mind and body.
::To cultivate a vigorous spirit,
::And through correct and rigid training,
::To strive for improvement in the art of Kendo.
::To hold in esteem human courtesy and honor.
::To associate with others with sincerity.
::And to forever pursue the cultivation of oneself.
::Thus will one be able:
::To love ones country and society;
::To contribute to the development of culture;
::And to promote peace and prosperity among all peoples.
History
Since the earliest
samurai government in Japan, during the
Kamakura period (1185–1333), sword fencing, together with
horse riding and
archery, were the main martial pursuits of the
military clans. In this period kendo developed under the strong influence of
Zen Buddhism. The samurai could equate the disregard for his own life in the heat of battle, which was considered necessary for victory in individual combat, to the Buddhist concept of the illusory nature of the distinction between life and death.
Those swordsmen established schools of kenjutsu (the ancestor of kendo) which continued for centuries and which form the basis of kendo practice today. The names of the schools reflect the essence of the originator's enlightenment. Thus the Ittō-ryū (Single sword school) indicates the founder's illumination that all possible cuts with the sword emanate from and are contained in one original essential cut. The Mutō-ryu (swordless school) expresses the comprehension of the originator Yamaoka Tesshu, that "There is no sword outside the mind". The Munen Musō-ryū (No intent, no preconception) similarly expresses the understanding that the essence of kenjutsu transcends the reflective thought process.
The formal kendo exercises known as kata were developed several centuries ago as kenjutsu practice for warriors and are still studied today, albeit in a modified form.
The introduction of bamboo practice swords (shinai) and armour (bōgu) to sword training is attributed to Naganuma Sirōzaemon Kunisato during the Shotoku Era (1711–1715). Naganuma developed the use of bōgu and established a training method using the shinai.
In addition, the inscription on the gravestone of third son , the 8th headmaster of the Kashima Shinden Jikishinkage-ryū Kenjutsu, states that his exploits included improving the bokuto and shinai, and refining the armour by adding a metal grill to the men (head piece) and thick cotton protective coverings to the kote (gauntlets). Kunisato inherited the tradition from his father Heizaemon in 1708, and the two of them worked hard together to improve the bogu until Heizaemon's death.
This is believed to be the foundation of modern kendo. Kendo began to make its modern appearance during the late 18th century. Use of the shinai and bōgu made it possible to deliver strikes and thrusts with full force but without injuring one's opponent. These advances, along with the development of set practice formats, set the foundations of modern kendo.
Concepts such as , or "empty mind", are borrowed from Zen Buddhism and are considered essential for the attainment of high-level kendo. , or "unmoving mind", is a conceptual attribute of the deity Fudo Myo-O, one of the five "Kings of Light" of Shingon Buddhism. Fudōshin, implies that the kendōka cannot be led astray by delusions of anger, doubt, fear, or surprise arising from the opponent’s actions, collectively called . Thus today it is possible to embark on a similar quest for spiritual enlightenment as followed by the samurai of old.
The Dai Nippon Butoku Kai was established in 1895 to solidify, promote, and standardise all martial disciplines and systems in Japan. The DNBK changed the name of gekiken (Kyūjitai: 擊劍; Shinjitai: 撃剣, "hitting sword") to kendō in 1920.
Kendo (along with other martial arts) was banned in Japan in 1946 by the occupying powers. This was part of "the removal and exclusion from public life of militaristic and ultra nationalistic persons" in response to the wartime militarization of martial arts instruction in Japan. Kendo was allowed to return to the curriculum in 1950 (first as and then as kendo from 1952).
The All Japan Kendo Federation (AJKF or ZNKR) was founded in 1952, immediately following the restoration of Japanese independence and the subsequent lift of the ban on martial arts in Japan.
The International Kendo Federation (FIK) was founded in 1970, it is an international federation of national and regional kendo associations and the world governing body for kendo. The FIK is a non-governmental organization, and its aim is to promote and popularize kendo, iaido and jodo.
The World Kendo Championships are an FIK event and have been held every three years since 1970.
Equipment and clothing
Kendo is practiced wearing a traditional Japanese style of clothing, and using one or, less commonly, two .
Equipment
The
shinai is meant to represent a Japanese sword (
katana) and is made up of four
bamboo slats, which are held together by leather fittings. A modern variation of a
shinai with
carbon fiber reinforced resin slats is also used.
Kendōka also use hard to practice kata.
Kendo employs strikes involving both one edge and the tip of the shinai or bokutō.
Protective armour is worn to protect specified target areas on the head, arms and body. The head is protected by a stylized helmet, called , with a to protect the face, a series of hard leather and to protect the throat, and padded to protect the side of the neck and shoulders. The forearms, wrists, and hands are protected by long, thickly padded fabric gloves called . The torso is protected by a , while the waist and groin area is protected by the , consisting of three thick vertical fabric flaps or faulds.
Clothing
The clothing worn under the
bōgu comprise a jacket (
kendogi or
keikogi) and
hakama, a garment separated in the middle to form two wide trouser legs.
A is wrapped around the head, under the men, to absorb perspiration and provide a base for the men to fit comfortably.
Modern practice
Kendo training is quite noisy in comparison to other martial arts or sports. This is because
kendōka use a shout, or , to express their fighting spirit when striking. Additionally,
kendōka execute , an action similar to a stamp of the front foot, when making a strike.
Like some other martial arts, kendōka train and fight barefoot. Kendo is ideally practiced in a purpose-built dōjō, though standard sports halls and other venues are often used. An appropriate venue has a clean and well-sprung wooden floor, suitable for fumikomi-ashi.
Once a kendōka begins practice in armour, a practice session may include any or all of the following types of practice.
;
:Striking the left and right men target points in succession, practising centering, distance, and correct technique, while building spirit and stamina.
;
:Waza or technique practice in which the student learns and refines that techniques of Kendo with a receiving partner.
;
:Short, intense, attack practice which teaches continuous alertness and readiness to attack, as well as building spirit and stamina.
;
:Undirected practice where the kendōka tries all that has been learnt during practice against an opponent.
;
:Practice between two kendōka of similar skill level.
;
:Practice where a senior kendōka guides a junior through practice.
;
:Competition practice which may also be judged.
Competition
A scorable in a
kendo competition (
tai-kai) is defined as an accurate strike or thrust made onto a
datotsu-bui of the opponent's
kendo-gu with the
shinai making contact at its
datotsu-bu, the competitor displaying high spirits, correct posture and followed by
zanshin.
Datotsu-bui or point scoring targets in kendo are defined as:
Men-bu, the top or sides of the head protector (sho-men and sayu-men).
Kote-bu, a padded area of the right or left wrist protector (migi-kote and hidari-kote).
Do-bu, an area of the right or left side of the armour that protects the torso (migi-do and hidari-do'').
Tsuki-bu, an area of the head protector in front of the throat (tsuki-dare).
Datotsu-bu of the 'shinai' is the forward, or blade side (jin-bu) of the top third (monouchi) of the shinai.
Advancement
Grades
Technical achievement in kendo is measured by advancement in grade, rank or level. The and grading system is used to indicate one's proficiency in modern kendo. The
dan levels are from to . There are usually six grades below first-dan, known as
kyu. The
kyu numbering is in reverse order, with being the grade immediately below first dan, and being the lowest grade. There are no visible differences in dress between kendo grades; those below dan-level may dress the same as those above dan-level.
is the highest dan grade attainable through a test of physical kendo skills. In the AJKF the grades of and tenth-dan are no longer awarded, but ninth-dan kendōka are still active in Japanese kendo. International Kendo Federation grading rules allow national kendo organisations to establish a special committee to consider the award of those grades.
All candidates for examination face a panel of examiners. A larger, more qualified panel is usually assembled to assess the higher dan grades. Kendo examinations typically consist of jitsugi, a demonstration of the skill of the applicants, Nihon Kendo Kata and a written exam. The eighth-dan kendo exam is extremely difficult, with a reported pass rate of less than 1 percent.
Titles
can be earned in addition to the above
dan grades by
kendōka of a defined dan grade. These are , , and . The title is affixed to the front of the
dan grade when said, for example . The qualifications for each title are below.
Kata
There are 10 . These are performed with . The
kata include fundamental techniques of attacking and counter-attacking, and have useful practical application in general kendo. Occasionally, real swords or swords with a blunt edge, called or , may be used for display of
kata.
Kata one through seven are performed with both partners using a or style bokutō of around 102 cm. Kata 8–10 are performed with one partner using a daitō and the other using a or style bokutō of around 55 cm. During kata practice, the participants take the roles of either , the teacher, or , the student. The uchidachi makes the first move or attack in each kata. As this is a teaching role, the uchidachi is always the "losing" side, thus allowing the shidachi to learn and gain confidence.
Nihon Kendō Kata were drawn from representative kenjutsu schools and tend to be quite deep and advanced.
In some areas the regular training curriculum does not include Nihon Kendō Kata. In 2003, the All Japan Kendo Federation introduced , a set of basic exercises using a bokuto, attempted to bridge this gap. This form of practice, is intended primarily for kendōka up to , but is very useful for all kendo students.
Outside Japan
The International Kendo Federation (FIK) was established in 1970 to provide a link between Japan and the developing international kendo community. It is an international federation of national and regional kendo associations and the world governing body for kendo. The FIK is a non-governmental organisation, and its aim is to promote and popularise kendo, iaido and jodo. Seventeen national or regional federations were the founding affiliates. The number of affiliated and recognised organisations has increased over the years to 50 affiliates by February 2009.
The World Kendo Championships are an FIK event and have been held every three years since 1970.
See also
All Japan Kendo Federation (AJKF; ZNKR or Zen Nippon Kendo Renmei)
Budo Senmon Gakko
Gendai budō modern Japanese martial arts
Gosho Motoharu
Iaidō Sword drawing
Jōdō A martial art using a short wooden staff, or stick
Kendo around the world
Kenjutsu Classical Japanese sword art
Kirikaeshi A special exercise in kendo training
Koryū Old style (Japanese) martial arts
Kyūdō Japanese archery
Naginata A martial art using a halberd like weapon
Naginatajutsu Old style naginata
Seitei Iaido
Zen Nippon Kendo Renmei Iaido
Notes and references
External links
All Japan Kendo Federation (AJKF)
International Kendo Federation (FIK)
Category:Dō
Category:Combat sports
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Category:Japanese martial arts
Category:Japanese swordsmanship
Category:Gendai budo
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Category:Zen art and culture
