Dojo
Reiho
Shisei
Kamae
Waza
Ichibyoshi-no-Uchi
Dai-Kyo-Soku-Kei
Procedure of technique acquirement
Keiko
Shu-Ren-Kou
Shiai, Shinsa
Kendo-Kata
Conclusion
-Koji Sato
Dojo (gymnasium)
The place of honor is side on which the Kamidana (a household shrine) or the National flag is set in Dojo. The side which is closer to the entrance is a lower place. The order of the seats starts with Kancho's (superintendent's) seat, and then Shihan's (a fencing master's). The seats of others follow in the order of their grades of Kendo and their ages.
Reiho (Courtesy)
Kendo starts with a greeting and finishes with a greeting. When you sit on the floor, start with your left leg. When you stand up, start with your right leg. When you bow while seated on the floor, you have to put your both hands together on the floor. Then you take Sonkyo position drawing your Shinai.
Shisei (posture)
"If you can't make a proper posture, you can't start Kendo."
Enzan-no-metsuke: Look at your opponent with a gaze toward the mountains in the distance, taking in not only his or her face, but whole body. Go forward as if you start to move with your belly button (Move keeping your center of gravity at the same position), and go backward as if you start to move with your shoulder.
Kamae (position)
Chudan-no-Kamae: When you do Chudan-no-Kamae, keep the line of your backbone straight and keep your chin down. Stretch your left leg.
Fumi-komi: When you do Fumi-komi, step out with your left foot and stomp on your right foot. Then put your left foot closer to your right foot.
Waza (technique)
There are two different ideas to consider Waza (technique) in Kendo.
- "Kendo is what you do or feel before the moment you start your Waza (technique) against the opponent. The Waza (technique) itself is just a movement of your body."
- "If you don't know much about Waza (technique), you can't tell or teach Kendo."
Practicing Men-waza (technique of Men) is very important. There is a saying, "If you acquire the technique of Men, you can achieve any other technique at any time."
Ichibyoshi-no-Uchi (Swing Shinai with single time)
When the beginners of Kendo swing their Shinai, they tend to swing upward first and stop and then swing downward. In other words, they divide their swing into two motions (Swing Shinai with double time).
These two motions have to be combined, and you should swing Shinai upward and downward in a single motion (Swing Shinai with single time).
Procedure of suitable swing is:
- Move your center of gravity forward, feeling like you start with your right leg and left hand.
- Swing upward and downward at a single time.
- Keep your posture as you finish your swing even after you pass by your opponent.
- Keep your right arm at the height of your shoulder. And keep your left arm at the height of your pit of the stomach.
You have to practice to swing dynamically (Dai), to make your swing strong and powerful (Kyo) to make your swing very fast and quick (Soku) and finally to swing lightly and easily (Kei).
Procedure of technique acquirement
To acquire a new technique, first, you have to see and understand the technique, and then you have to learn and practice it and acquire it, and after you acquire it, you have to be able to do the technique at any time and do it against anybody. After you accomplish these procedures, the technique will be yours and become your strong point.
Keiko (practice)
Beginners: Suburi (practice of swing), Ashi-Sabaki (foot work), Fumi-komi (step-in)
Youths: Uchikomi, Kirikaeshi, Kakarigeiko
As a youth, you have to do following:
- Learn many techniques correctly.
- Pay special attention to Sho-Dachi, the first swing you make in the practice each day.
- Practice with better and more experienced Kenshis than you.
- Try to take the initiative from the opponent in the game.
- Practice as your teacher says. Shu (Keep) means keeping basics in your mind.
- Ha (Break) - You have to try to catch up and pass your teacher. Ha (Break) stands for breaking the limit of your teacher.
- Ri (Leave) - Then you have to leave your teacher and become independent and teach others to spread your idea. (The basics are same as your teacher's but you have to put your own idea to them and make original techniques.)
- Shu (Learn) First you have to learn from your teacher.
- Ren (Practice) Then practice it repeatedly.
- Kou (Revise) Then revise the technique.
- Shu (Learn from teacher)
- Ren (Practice repeatedly)
- Kou (Revise the technique)
Shiai, Shinsa (Match and Test)
Matches and tests are the methods to spread Kendo and encourage Kenshi practice. Winning the matches and passing the tests are definitely not the goals of Kendo. Those things are, again, merely encouragements of the practice. But when you have a match or a test, you've got to have resolution to win.
"Don't be too proud in mind when you win. Don't be too disappointed when you lose."
You can learn many things from the match you lost. You have to keep presence of mind.
"Sometimes we can't find the reasons why we won, but we can always find the reasons why we lost."
To reflect on the match you lost with good grace and find out the problems you had leads you to quick improvement of your skills.
Kendo-Kata (Forms in Kendo)
First, remember the order of every Kata (form). Then learn the correct Shosa (conduct or movement) and Maai (timing). Learn how to make fast and slow motions and how to put stress or accent in the movement. Finally, learn how to breathe during the motion.
I think many people tend not to practice Kendo-Kata. Youths, especially are not interested in it. But you can learn how to handle the sword through Kendo-Kata, and learning Kendo-Kata prevents Kendo from becoming a sport just for fun.
Conclusion
"Ken" in the word Kendo stands for the real sword (Katana, a Japanese sword), or seriousness in Japanese. So you should practice Kendo very seriously as if you bet your life on it. You can't do it over again. (Once you draw the real sword, there is no way to put it back without finishing your opponent.)
"Do" in the word Kendo stands for the learning or training, or a road, a way in Japanese. A road never ends. So there is no limit or summit in the way of learning Kendo. The road can be sometimes steep and hard. And it can be sometimes smooth and level, so that it can make you too bored to keep practicing. Once you make up your mind to do Kendo, it is important for you to continue to learn Kendo seriously and never to give it up.
Books to which I referred in my coaching carreer:
| Books about Kendo | |
| Geisho harigaya sekiunn | (Odekiri, Ischiun) |
| Gorin-no-sho | (Miyamoto, Musashi) |
| Kendo | (Takano, Sazaburo) |
| Koshi to Tanden de Okonau Kendo | (Morita, Bunjuro) |
| Fudouchi | (Mihashi Shuzo) |
| Ittouryu gokui | (Sasamori Junzo) |
| Books about Kendo imformation | |
| Kensou | (Zenkenren (All Japanese Kendo Federation) |
| Text books | |
| Yoshonen Kendo Shido Yoryo | (Zenkenren (All Japanese Kendo Federation) |
| Kendo no Tebiki | (Monbusho (the Ministry of Education in Japan) |
| Kendo Kyohon | (Keishicho (the Metropolitan Police Office in Japan) |
| Books of mental lecture in Kendo | |
| Kendo Kowa | (Ogawa, Chutaro) |
| Soufu Anzannpitsu | (Yuno, Masanori) |
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