Kendo

Kendo is a sport from Japan.

People use swords made of bamboo. They wear thick armor to stay safe.

It is a loud sport. People shout to show their spirit. They also stomp their feet when they strike. This training helps the mind and body. It teaches people to be kind and fair. Many people around the world love to practice it.

Kendo is a modern sport from Japan.

It grew from old ways of sword fighting. Long ago, samurai used real swords for training. Today, people use a bamboo sword called a shinai.

This sword has four bamboo slats held by leather.

To stay safe, players wear armor called bōgu. They wear a helmet called a men to protect their head. The men has a metal grille to guard the face. They also wear kote, which are thick gloves for the hands.

To move well, they wear a jacket and wide trousers called hakama.

Kendo is a very loud sport. Players use a loud shout called a kiai. This shout shows their fighting spirit. They also stomp their feet during a strike. This move is called fumikomi-ashi.

People practice kendo to train their minds and bodies. It teaches them to be polite and honest. There are over 6 million people who practice kendo today. It is a way to seek self-improvement and peace.

Kendo is a modern Japanese martial art that helps people train their minds and bodies.

It is much more than just a sport or a way to fight. Practitioners, called kendōka, use kendo to learn how to be polite and sincere. The goal is to build a strong spirit and to show honor to others. By following the principles of the katana, or Japanese sword, people strive to improve themselves. This training helps them contribute to culture and promote peace among all people.

To practice kendo safely, players wear special protective armor called bōgu.

They wear a helmet called a men to protect the head and face. This helmet has a metal grille and thick padding for the neck. For the hands and wrists, they use long, padded gloves called kote. The torso is guarded by a piece called a dō, and the waist is covered by a protective cloth called a tare. Under the armor, kendōka wear a jacket called a kendogi and wide trousers called hakama. They also use a shinai, which is a practice sword made of four bamboo slats.

Kendo has a long history that began with the samurai warriors of Japan. Long ago, warriors practiced kenjutsu, which is the art of swordsmanship. During the Shotoku Era between 1711 and 1715, Naganuma helped develop the use of bamboo swords and armor. Later, in the 1820s, Chiba Shūsaku introduced gekiken, which means full-contact duels. This style of practice became very popular among students. Even when the government banned swords in 1876, people worked hard to keep these skills alive. Eventually, the name of the sport was officially changed to kendo in 1920.

Today, kendo is practiced all over the world.

There are more than 6 million practitioners across the globe. In Japan alone, there are about 1.66 million people who practice. Many of these people are part of the All Japan Kendo Federation, which was founded in 1952. This group treats kendo as an educational sport rather than just a martial art. There is also an International Kendo Federation that helps manage the sport in many different nations. This ensures that people everywhere can learn the art in a similar way.

When you watch a kendo match, you will notice it is very noisy. This is because players use a loud shout called a kiai to show their spirit. They also perform a move called fumikomi-ashi, which is a strong stamp with the front foot.

Players only strike specific targets on the head, wrists, or body. They use different techniques, such as shikake-waza to start an attack. They also use ōji-waza to respond to an opponent's move. It is a disciplined way to learn how to stay alert and ready.

Kendo is a modern Japanese martial art centered on the discipline of the human character. It is practiced by people called kendōka, or sometimes swordsmen. The art uses the principles of the katana, a traditional Japanese sword, to mold both the mind and the body. Practitioners strive to cultivate a vigorous spirit through structured training. They also aim to hold courtesy and honor in high esteem. By practicing sincerely, kendōka hope to contribute to culture and promote global peace.

To practice safely, kendōka use specialized equipment called bōgu, which is protective armor. The head is shielded by a stylized helmet called a men. This helmet features a metal grille to protect the face and thick padding for the neck and shoulders. The hands and wrists are protected by kote, which are long, thickly padded fabric gloves. For the torso, players wear a piece called a dō. The waist and groin are guarded by a tare, which consists of three thick vertical fabric flaps.

Instead of real steel, practitioners use a shinai to represent the sword. A shinai is made of four bamboo slats held together by leather fittings. Some modern versions use carbon fiber reinforced resin slats instead of bamboo. The size of the shinai changes based on the age of the practitioner. For example, adults use a Size 39 shinai that is 120cm or less. Junior high school students use a smaller Size 37 shinai, which is 114cm or less. Under the armor, kendōka wear a kendogi jacket and wide trousers called hakama.

Kendo evolved from the ancient martial art of kenjutsu, which was the swordsmanship of samurai warriors. During the Shotoku Era, between 1711 and 1715, Naganuma developed early training methods using bamboo swords and armor. His son, Heizaemon, later refined this armor by adding a metal grille to the men. In the 1820s, Chiba Shūsaku introduced gekiken, or full-contact duels, to traditional curriculums. This made the use of bamboo swords and armor very popular.

Modern kendo was shaped by efforts to standardize sword styles for the police. In the late 1800s, Kawaji Toshiyoshi recruited various swordsmen to create a unified style. This led to the rise of the Battotai, a group of sword-wielding policemen. Although the government banned swords in 1876, Kawaji wrote books to defend the importance of these skills. In 1920, the name of the practice was officially changed from gekiken to kendo. After a ban following World War II, kendo returned to schools in 1950.

Today, kendo is a massive global activity with many organized federations. The All Japan Kendo Federation was founded in 1952 to treat kendo as an educational sport. As of 2007, there were 1.48 million registered dan graded members in Japan. A survey by the federation estimated 1.66 million practitioners in Japan alone. Globally, there are over 6 million practitioners. The International Kendo Federation, founded in 1970, serves as the world governing body.

Training is a loud and energetic process. Kendōka use a shout called a kiai to express their fighting spirit. They also perform fumikomi-ashi, which is a powerful stamp of the front foot during a strike. Techniques are divided into two main categories: shikake-waza and ōji-waza. Shikake-waza are attack techniques used to initiate a strike or create an opening. Examples include katsugi-waza, where a player lifts the shinai over their shoulder for a surprise attack. ōji-waza are response techniques used to react to an opponent's movement.