Kendo

Kendo (剣道, “way of the sword”) descends from kenjutsu, the sword schools of the samurai. Practice with the bamboo shinai and protective armour (bōgu) made full-speed sparring possible, and the modern sport was organised under the All Japan Kendo Federation in 1952. The International Kendo Federation followed in 1970.

Character

• Targets: Head (men), wrist (kote), torso (dō) and throat thrust (tsuki).
• Ki-ken-tai-ichi: A valid strike needs spirit, sword and body to arrive together – hence the shout and the stamping foot.
• Etiquette: Bowing, silence and posture are part of the grading, not decoration.
• Kata: Paired forms with wooden swords preserve the old techniques.

Who is it for?

Anyone who wants explosive, decisive movement and a deep tradition. The armour is a bigger investment than in most arts, but clubs usually lend beginner sets. Expect loud training and a lot of footwork before you ever hit anything.