Kendo (剣道 kendō), meaning "Way of the Sword", is a modern Japanese martial art of sword-fighting based on traditional Japanese 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 kendōka (剣道家 ), meaning "one who practices kendo", or occasionally kenshi (剣士 ), meaning "swordsman".
There are estimates that about six million people world-wide practice Kendo, with approximately four million in Japan, one million in Korea, and more in Europe and the United States. The "Kodansha Meibo" (a register of dan graded members of the All Japan Kendo Federation) shows that as of January 2003, there were 1.3 million registered dan graded kendoka in Japan. The number of kendoka not yet graded to a dan level is not included: those kendoka would outnumber considerably the dan graded players.
Equipment and clothing
 Bōgu set. |  A shinai. |  Armour and clothing components |
Kendo is practiced wearing traditional Japanese clothing and armour ぼうぐ (防具 , bōgu), using one, or less commonly two shinai. The shinai is meant to represent a Katana, and is made up of four bamboo slats, which are held together by leather fittings. Kendoka also use wooden swords ぼくとう (木刀 , bokutō) to practice kata. The footwork and the strikes in Kendo are very different from European fencing as the design and balance of the weapon is significantly different. Kendo employs strikes involving both the edge and tip of the shinai.
Protective armour is worn to protect specified target areas on the head, arms and body. The head is protected by a stylised helmet めん (面 , men) with a metal grill to protect the face and a hard leather flap to protect the throat. The forearm, wrist, and hand are protected by long, thickly padded fabric gauntlets こて (小手 , kote). The body is protected by a wooden breastplate どう (胴 , dō) and three vertical fabric fauldsたれ (垂れ , tare). The clothing worn under the bōgu comprise a jacket (kendogi or keikogi) and a hakama, which is a skirt-like garment separated in the middle to form two wide trouser legs. A cotton towel てぬぐい (手拭い , tenugui) is wrapped around the head, under the men, to absorb perspiration and provides a base for the men to fit comfortably. Like some other martial arts, kendoka train and fight barefoot.
Modern practice
Kendo training is quite noisy in comparison to other martial arts or sports. This is because kendōka use a shout, or kiai きあい (気合い ), to express their fighting spirit when striking. Additionally, kendōka execute fumikomi-ashi (踏み込み足 ふみこみあし), a stomp of the front foot, when making a strike. 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. Modern kendo techniques comprise both strikes and thrusts. Strikes are only made towards specified target areas だとつ-ぶい (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 つき (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 kendoka.
 Kendoka perform sonkyo after combat. |  Two kendoka in tsuba zeriai. |  Kendo target points, or datotsu-bui. |  Two kendoka, one (left) is playing in nitō (two sword style) and the other (right) is playing in ittō (one sword style). |
Once a kendoka begins practice in armour, a practice session may include any or all of the following types of practice.
- Kiri-kaeshi (切-返し きり-かえし): Striking the left and right men target points in succession, practising centering, distance, and correct technique, while building spirit and stamina.
- Waza-geiko (技-稽古 わざ-げいこ): waza or technique practice in which the student learns and refines that techniques of Kendo with a receiving partner.
- Kakari-geiko (掛-稽古 かかり-げいこ): short, intense, attack practice which teaches continuous alertness and readiness to attack, as well as building spirit and stamina.
- Ji-geiko (地-稽古 じ-げい): undirected practice where the kendoka tries all that has been learnt during practice against an opponent.
- Gokaku-geiko (互角-稽古 ごかく-げいこ): practice between two kendoka of similar skill level.
- Hikitate-geiko (引立-稽古 ひきたて-げいこ): practice where a senior kendoka guides a junior through practice.
- Shiai-geiko (試合-稽古 しあい-げいこ): competition practice which may also be judged.
Competition
In competition しあい (試合 , shiai), a point ゆこ-だとつ (有効-打突 yuko-datotsu) is only awarded, in principle, when the attack is made to a target area with Ki, Ken, Tai-Ichi (気剣体-一致), or spirit, sword and body as one. For an attack to be successful, the shinai must strike the specified target soundly, the contact by the shinai must happen simultaneously with the attacker's front foot connecting with floor, and the kendoka must execute a spirited and convincing kiai in coordination with the strike. For a strike to be deemed sound, the point of contact must fall within the top third of the shinai, and the direction of movement of the shinai must be technically correct. Finally, zanshin (残心 ざんしん), or continuation of awareness, must be present and shown throughout the execution of the strike, and the kendoka must be ready to attack again.
In competition, there are usually three referees しんぱん (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.
The first competitor to score two points 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 ひきわけ): The match is declared a draw.
- Enchō (延長 えんちょう): The match is continued until either competitor scores a point.
- Hantei (判定 はんてい): The victor is decided by the referees. The three referees vote for victor by each raising one of their respective flags simultaneously.
Grades
Technical achievement in kendo is measured by advancement in grade, rank or level. The kyū (級 きゅう) and dan (段 grading system is used to indicate one's proficiency in kendo. The dan levels are from first-dan しょだん (初段 , sho-dan) to tenth-dan じゅうだん (十 , jū-dan). There are usually six grades below first-dan, known as kyu. The kyu numbering is in reverse order, with first kyu いっきゅう (一級 , ikkyū) being the grade immediately below first dan, and sixth kyu ろっきゅう (六級 , rokkyū) being the lowest grade.
Eighth-dan はちだん (八段 , hachi-dan) is the highest dan grade attainable through a test of physical kendo skills. In the AJKF the grades of ninth-dan きゅうだん (九段 , kyū-dan) and tenth-dan are no longer awarded, but ninth-dan kendoka 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 a demonstration of the skill of the applicants and for some dan grades, also a written exam. The eighth-dan kendo exam is extremely difficult, with a reported pass rate of less than 1 percent.
There are no visible differences in dress between kendo grades; those below dan-level may dress the same as those above dan-level.
Kata
There are 10 Nihon Kendo Kata にほんけんどうかた (日本剣道形). These are performed with wooden swords ぼくとう (木刀 , bokutō). 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 kata-yoかたよ (形容 ) or ha-biki はびき (刃引 ), may be used for display of kata.
Kata one through seven are performed with both partners using a daitō (大刀 ) or tachi (太刀 ) style bokutō of around 102 cm. Kata 8–10 are performed with one partner using a daitō and the other using a kodachi こだち (小太刀 ) or shōtō しょうとう (小刀 ) style bokutō of around 55cm. During kata practice, the participants take the roles of either uchidachi うちだち (打太刀 ), the teacher, or shidachi 仕太刀 (しだち ), 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 kendo 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 kendo kata.
In 2003, the introduction of Bokuto Ni Yoru Kendo Kihon-waza Keiko-ho (木刀による剣道基本技稽古法), a set of basic exercises using a bokuto, attempted to bridge this gap. This form of practice, is intended primarily for kendoka up to second dan にだん (二 ), but is very useful for all kendo students.
Outside 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 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.
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