History of Kendo

History of Kendo

The Kendo | What is Kendo | History of Kendo | Origin of Kendo | Kendo Practice | Competition and Grades | Way of the Warrior | Words and Terms | Kendo Equipment Since the earliest samurai government in Japan, during the Kamakura period (1185-1233), sword fencing, together with horse riding and archery, were the main martial pursuits of the military clans. In this period kendo...

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Kendo Competition and Grades

Kendo Competition and Grades

The Kendo | What is Kendo | History of Kendo | Origin of Kendo | Kendo Practice | Competition and Grades | Way of the Warrior | Words and Terms | Kendo Equipment Competition: In shiai, or competition, a point is only awarded when the attack is made firmly and properly to a target point with ki-ken-tai-ichi, or spirit, sword and body as one. This means that for an attack to be...

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Kendo Equipment

Kendo Equipment

The Kendo | What is Kendo | History of Kendo | Origin of Kendo | Kendo Practice | Competition and Grades | Way of the Warrior | Words and Terms | Kendo Equipment Kendo is practiced using a shinai (weapon) (竹刀, しない) as a weapon. One, or more rarely two shinai, are used. The shinai is the practice “sword” and is made up of four bamboo staves, which are held...

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Kendo Practice

Kendo Practice

The Kendo | What is Kendo | History of Kendo | Origin of Kendo | Kendo Practice | Competition and Grades | Way of the Warrior | Words and Terms | Kendo Equipment Practices consists of stretching and warm ups to start. Next the basic footwork and strikes are practiced. After this, the group will split into advanced (those wearing bogu) and beginner (non-bogu players)...

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Kendo Way of the Warrior

Kendo Way of the Warrior

The Kendo | What is Kendo | History of Kendo | Origin of Kendo | Kendo Practice | Competition and Grades | Way of the Warrior | Words and Terms | Kendo Equipment INTRODUCTION: Bushido, literally translated “Way of the Warrior,” developed in Japan between the Heian and Tokugawa Ages (9th-12th century). It was a code and way of life for Samurai, a class of warriors...

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Kendo Words and Terms

Kendo Words and Terms

The Kendo | What is Kendo | History of Kendo | Origin of Kendo | Kendo Practice | Competition and Grades | Way of the Warrior | Words and Terms | Kendo Equipment Age-kote – when the kote is held above the pit of the stomach while executing a strike. Aiuchi – when both opponents make datotsu simultaneously. Bassoku - a penalty for an infraction or foul. Bogu - kendo...

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Origin of Kendo

Origin of Kendo

The Kendo | What is Kendo | History of Kendo | Origin of Kendo | Kendo Practice | Competition and Grades | Way of the Warrior | Words and Terms | Kendo Equipment Modern Kendo bears but faint resemblance to Kenjutsu and to its feudal origins of sword wielding samurai warriors which are today depicted in movies and television. Kendo, literally translated, “the way of the...

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The Kendo

The Kendo

The Kendo | What is Kendo | History of Kendo | Origin of Kendo | Kendo Practice | Competition and Grades | Way of the Warrior | Words and Terms | Kendo Equipment Simply put, it is fencing, Japanese style. It is based on the legacy of classical Japanese swordsmanship, that is as old as Japan herself. “Bushi” or “samurai” used the sword to establish and...

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What is Kendo

What is Kendo

The Kendo | What is Kendo | History of Kendo | Origin of Kendo | Kendo Practice | Competition and Grades | Way of the Warrior | Words and Terms | Kendo Equipment When looking back into the History of Kendo, there are several fundamental points that cannot be overlooked. The first point is the advent of the Japanese sword. The Japanese sword that emerged in the middle of the 11th...

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