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Kendo"Kendo, meaning 'Way of the Sword,' is a modern Japanese martial art of sword-fighting based on traditional Japanese swordsmanship (Kenjutsu). Kendo is physically and mentally challenging activity that combines strong martial arts values with sport-like physical elements."  History & Basic Tenents In early samurai governing in Japan, the main focuses of the military clans in the skills of martial arts included horse riding, archery and sword fencing. It was at this time, during the Kamakura period, that the martial art of kendo began to develop. Kendo is heavily intertwined with the ideology of Zen Buddhism, for example the samurai equated the risks on their life in battle to the Buddhist concept of the "illusory nature" of the difference between life and death. Concepts including mushin, or "empty mind," are ideas that have been borrowed from Zen Buddhism are considered necessary for reaching high-levels of kendo. Fudoshin, or "unmoving mind," is a conceptual attribute of one of the five "Kings of Light" Fudo Myo-O of Shingon Buddhism. Fudoshin involves the quality of the kendoka to not be taken over by delusions of anger, fear, surprise from an opponent or by doubt. This makes the journey for spiritual enlightenment once searched for by the samurai to be possible for individuals today.
Equipment and Clothing: Kendo is performed in traditional Japanese clothing and armor using either one or two shinai. A shinai is made of four bamboo slats and are made to represent a Katana. Kendo uses strikes with both the edge and tip of the shinai. Protective armor is worn to protect certain areas on the arms, head and body. The arm is protected by long thickly padded fabric gauntlets, the head is protected by a metal grill helmet with a leather flap for the throat and the body is protected by a breast plate and three fabric "faulds." The clothing worn is similar to the traditional samurai dress and like some other martial arts, kendoka train and fight barefoot.  Reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kendo |
