Japanese Kendo Introduction
劍道（けんどう
)
The purpose of practicing Kendo is;
To mold the mind and the body,
To cultivate a vigorous spirit,
And through correct and rigid training,
To strive for improvement in the art of Kendo
To hold in esteem human courtesy and honor
To associate with others with sincerity,
And to forever pursue the cultivation of oneself.
Thus will one be able to love his country and society,
To contribute to the development of culture
And to promote peace and prosperity among all peoples.
Kendo originated from Kenjitsu, the actual form of sword fighting used by the samurai until the Meiji period. Over the years, wooden swords replaced real swords to reduce injury during training. By the later half of the 18th century, the samurai class started to disappear and the study of the sword became more of a mental discipline rather than a practical fighting form. It was around this time that modern kendo took form: the use of protective armour and a bamboo sword (the shinai) were introduced to further reduce injury to the participants and standard regulations for matches and practice were established.
Table of Contents
- Kendo Introduction
- Kendo Equipment
- Kendo Technique
Japanese Culture and Society Links
Japanese Sports 競技 (スポーツ)
Japanese Food 食品 (しょくひん)
Japanese Pop Culture 文化（ぶんか）
- Hello Kitty Phenomena
- Japanese Anime, Japanese Manga
- Japanese Hair Straightening: All You Ever Wanted to Know
- Japanese Karaoke
- Kawaii
Miscellaneous
- Creating a Japanese Garden Theme
- Keeping and Handling Japanese Inro
- Misconception about Ninja
- Japanese Bonsai
- Japanese Geisha
- Japanese Wedding
- Why Do Japanese Have Long Lifespan?
- Decorate with Japanese Art
Japanese Literature Links
- Haiku Poetry
- Japanese Alphabet
- Japanese Language
- Japanese Pronunciation
- Learning Japanese Kanji
- Tanka Poems
Japanese Art Links