Kendo (剣道 kendō , lit. "sword way") is a modern Japanese martial art, which descended from swordsmanship (kenjutsu) and uses bamboo swords (shinai) and protective Armour (bōgu). Today, it is widely practiced within Japan and many other nations across the world.
Kendo is an activity that combines martial arts practices and values with strenuous sport-like physical activity.
Practitioners of kendo are called kendōka (剣道家?), meaning "someone who practices kendo", or occasionally kenshi (剣士), meaning "swordsman". The old term of kendoists is sometimes 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 477,000 in which 290,000 dan holders are included. From these figures, the All Japan Kendo Federation estimates that the number of "kendōka" in Japan is 1.66 million, with over 6 million practitioners worldwide, by adding the number of the registered dan holders and the active kendo practitioners without dan grade.
Concept:
Kendo is a way to discipline the human character through the application of the principles of the katana.
Purpose:
1.To mold the mind and body.
2.To cultivate a vigorous spirit,
3.And through correct and rigid training,
4.To strive for improvement in the art of Kendo.
5.To hold in esteem human courtesy and honor.
6.To associate with others with sincerity.
7.And to forever pursue the cultivation of oneself.
8.Thus will one be able:
9.To love one's country and society;
10.To contribute to the development of culture;
11.And to promote peace and prosperity among all peoples.
Equipment and clothing
Kendo is practiced wearing a traditional Japanese style of clothing, protective Armour (防具 bōgu?) and using one or, less commonly, two shinai (竹刀 shinai?).[24]
Shinai (竹刀)
Bokutō (木刀)
Men (面)
Dō (胴)
Tare (垂れ)
Kote (小手)
Armour and clothing components
Equipment[edit]
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 wooden swords (木刀 bokutō) 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 men (面), with a metal grille (面金 men-gane) to protect the face, a series of hard leather and fabric flaps (突垂れ tsuki-dare) to protect the throat, and padded fabric flaps (面垂れ men-dare) to protect the side of the neck and shoulders. The forearms, wrists, and hands are protected by long, thickly padded fabric gloves called kote (小手). The torso is protected by a breastplate (胴 dō), while the waist and groin area is protected by the tare (垂れ?), 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 cotton towel (手拭い tenugui) 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 some other martial arts or sports. This is because kendōka use a shout, or kiai (気合い), to express their fighting spirit when striking. Additionally, kendōka execute fumikomi-ashi (踏み込み足), 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.
Kendo techniques comprise both strikes and thrusts. Strikes are only made towards specified target areas (打突-部位 datotsu-bui) on the wrists, head, or body, all of which are protected by armour. The targets are men, sayu-men or yoko-men (upper, left or right side of the men), the right kote at any time, the left kote when it is in a raised position, and the left or right side of the dō. Thrusts (突き tsuki) are only allowed to the throat. However, since an incorrectly performed thrust could cause serious injury to the opponent's neck, thrusting techniques in free practice and competition are often restricted to senior dan graded kendōka.
*Once a kendōka begins practice in armour, a practice session may include any or all of the following types of practice.:
1.Kiri-kaeshi (切り返し)
Striking the left and right men target points in succession, practising centering, distance, and correct technique, while building spirit and stamina. (see Kirikaeshi for more information)
2.Waza-geiko (技稽古)
Waza or technique practice in which the student learns and refines that techniques of Kendo with a receiving partner.
3.Kakari-geiko (掛稽古)
Short, intense, attack practice which teaches continuous alertness and readiness to attack, as well as building spirit and stamina.
4.Ji-geiko (地稽古)
Undirected practice where the kendōka tries all that has been learned during practice against an opponent.
5.Gokaku-geiko (互角稽古)
Practice between two kendōka of similar skill level.
6.Hikitate-geiko (引立稽古)
Practice where a senior kendōka guides a junior through practice.
7.Shiai-geiko (試合稽古)
Competition practice which may also be judged.
*Techniques
Techniques are divided into shikake-waza (to initiate a strike) and ōji-waza (a response to an attempted strike). Kendoka who wish to use such techniques during practice or competitions, often practice each technique with a motodachi. This is a process that requires patience. First practising slowly and then as familiarity and confidence builds, the kendoka and motodachi increase the speed to match and competition level.
1.Shikake-waza
These attack techniques are used to create suki in an opponent by initiating an attack, or strike boldly when your opponent has created a suki. Such techniques include:
2.Tobikomi-waza
This is a technique used when one's opponent has weak kisei (spirit, vigour) or when they yield a suki under pressure. Always hold kisei and strike quickly.
3.Hikibana-waza
Body and shinai will lose balance as you strike or when being attacked. This technique takes advantage of this to help execute a strike. A good example is Hikibana-kote, when a strike is made to an opponent's kote as they feel threatened and raise their kensen as you push forward.
4.Katsugi-waza
This provides a surprise attack, by lifting the shinai over your shoulder before striking. Here a skilful use of the kensen and spirited attack is crucial for effective katsugi-waza or luring your opponent into breaking his/her posture.
5.Nidan-waza
There are two types. The first is for moving to the next waza after a failed first strike, and the second holds your opponent's attention and posture to create the suki for a second strike. The former requires a continuous rhythm of correct strikes. The latter requires continuous execution of waza, to take advantage of your opponent's suki.
6.Harai-waza
This can be used if one's opponent's kamae has no suki when your opponent tries to attack. Your opponent's shinai is either knocked down from above or swept up from below with a resulting strike just when his/her kamae is broken.
7.Debana-waza
This technique involves striking your opponent as you realise he/she is about to strike. This is because their concentration will be on striking and their posture will have no flexibility to respond. Thus debana-waza is ideal. This can be to any part of your opponent's body, with valid strikes being: debana-men, debana-kote, and debana-tsuki.
8.Oji-waza
These counter-attack techniques are performed by executing a strike after responding or avoiding an attempted strike by your opponent. This can also be achieved by inducing the opponent to attack, then employing one of the oji-waza.
9.Nuki-waza
Avoiding an attack from another, then instantly responding. Here, timing has to be correct. A response that is too slow or fast may not be effective. Therefore, close attention to an opponent's every move is required.
10.Suriage-waza
If struck by an opponent's shinai, this technique sweeps up their shinai in a rising-slide motion, with the right (ura) or left (omote) side of the shinai. Then strike in the direction of their shinai, or at the suki resulting from their composure's collapse. This technique needs to be smooth. That is, don't separate the rising-slide motion and the upward-sweeping motion or it will not be successful. Valid strikes include: men-suriage-men, kote-suriage-men, kote-suriage-kote, and tsuki-suriage-men.
11.Uchiotoshi-waza
This waza knocks an opponent's shinai to the right or left. This neutralises a potential strike and gives the ideal chance to strike as an opponent is off-balance. For success, an opponent's maai has to be correctly perceived and then one knocks down their shinai before their arm fully extends. Valid examples are: do-uchiotoshi-men and tsuki-uchiotoshi-men.
12.Kaeshi-waza
This technique is a response. As an opponent strikes, you parry their shinai with yours. Then flip over (turn over your hands) and strike their opposite side. Valid strikes include:men-kaeshi-men, men-kaeshi-kote, men-kaeshi-do, kote-kaeshi-men, kote-kaeshi-kote, and do-kaeshi-men.
*Rules of Competition
At the European Championships in Bern 2005. The kendōka to the right maybe scores a point on the kote.
A scorable point (有効打突 yūkō-datotsu) 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.
Zanshin (残心), or continuation of awareness, must be present and shown throughout the execution of the strike, and the kendōka must be mentally and physically ready to attack again.
In competition, there are usually three referees (審判 shinpan). Each referee holds a red flag and a white flag in opposing hands. To award a point, a referee raises the flag corresponding to the colour of the ribbon worn by the scoring competitor. Usually at least two referees must agree for a point to be awarded. The match continues until a pronouncement of the point that has been scored.
Kendo competitions are usually a three-point match. The first competitor to score two points, therefore wins the match. If the time limit is reached and only one competitor has a point, that competitor wins.
In the case of a tie, there are several options:
Hiki-wake (引き分け): The match is declared a draw.
Enchō (延長?): The match is continued until either competitor scores a point.
Hantei (判定?): The victor is decided by the referees. The three referees vote for victor by each raising one of their respective flags simultaneously.
