Kendo

Histoire

Kendo, "the way of the sword", comes from the sword schools of the samurai. In the 18th century armour (bogu) and the bamboo sword (shinai) were developed so students could strike each other at full speed without injury.

In 1895 the Dai Nippon Butoku Kai brought the schools together. After the Second World War kendo was banned for some years; the All Japan Kendo Federation was founded in 1952 and the International Kendo Federation in 1970, the year of the first World Championships.

Le saviez-vous ?

• Points are scored only on four targets: head (men), wrists (kote), body (do) and throat (tsuki).
• A strike only counts with a loud shout (kiai), good posture and alertness after it (zanshin).
• Kendo has no coloured belts: grades go from kyu to 8th dan.
• The 8th dan exam is famous for being one of the hardest in the world, with a pass rate around 1%.

Glossaire des techniques

Men

strike to the head

Kote

strike to the wrist

Do

strike to the body

Tsuki

thrust to the throat

Chudan-no-kamae

middle guard

Ki-ken-tai-ichi

spirit, sword and body as one

Zanshin

alertness after the strike

Hiki-waza

strikes while moving back

Formes

Nihon Kendo Kata (7 with the long sword, 3 with the short sword)

Armes et équipement

Shinai

bamboo sword

Bokuto

wooden sword for kata

Bogu

armour: men (helmet), kote (gloves), do (chest), tare (waist)

Hakama

wide trousers

⚔ In the Arsenal

KatanaBokkenShinaiBoguHakama

☯ Philosophy and quotes

“From one thing, know ten thousand things.”— Miyamoto Musashi, The Book of Five Rings (1645)

“See distant things as if they were close, and close things as if they were distant.”— Miyamoto Musashi, The Book of Five Rings, Water scroll (1645)

“Your everyday stance should be your fighting stance, and your fighting stance your everyday stance.”— Miyamoto Musashi, The Book of Five Rings, Water scroll (1645)

“If your mind stops on your opponent's sword, you will be cut.”— Takuan Soho, The Unfettered Mind (letter to Yagyu Munenori) (c. 1632)

“Matters of great concern should be treated lightly; matters of small concern, seriously.”— Yamamoto Tsunetomo, Hagakure (c. 1716)

Musashi's nine rulesDokkodo: the way of walking alone (selection)The virtues of bushidoBudoDoDojoReiShu-ha-riZanshinMushinFudoshinKiaiMa-aiSenKatsujinkenSee all →

Figures clés

• Miyamoto Musashi (c. 1584–1645) — legendary swordsman, author of The Book of Five Rings
• Yamaoka Tesshu (1836–1888) — swordsman and founder of the Itto Shoden Muto-ryu

Sources: International Kendo Federation (FIK) · All Japan Kendo Federation