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KENDO - "The Way of The Sword" 

Is the ancient martial art of Japanese fencing. Kendo began with the manufacturing of the Japanese Sword in the middle of the Heian period (784-1160 AD). Use of the sword became widespread during the following tumultuous 500 years. Mastering the use of the sword became the most important accomplishment of the warrior class (Samurai). Kendo was used as away of educating warriors to be helpful to society, rather than only as a means to defeat an opponent. 

Kendo is now practiced world wide by millions of men, women and children. Kendo Dojos, (Training Halls) in Japan are operated by primary and secondary schools, universities, corporations, police, privately and by differing levels of government. 

Kendo training sessions are fast moving, noisy and a highly aerobic activity. 

Kendo is practiced not with a sword, but with a shinai made from slats of bamboo bound together with leather. The participants wear armour (kendogu) to protect the target areas. Kendo provides a challenging and rewarding environment for sword skill, physical fitness and personal development. 

All that is required to succeed is the will to try and the determination to continue training to improve. 


"The Concept of Kendo - is to discipline the human character through the application of the principles of the Katana. 
The purpose of Kendo is - 

To mould the mind and body, 
To cultivate a vigorous spirit, through correct and rigid training, 
To strive for improvement in the art of Kendo. 
To hold in esteem human courtesy and honour, 
To associate with others with sincerity and 
To forever pursue the cultivation of oneself. 
Thus, one will be able - 

To love one's country and society, 
To contribute to the development of culture and 
To promote peace and prosperity among all peoples." 

A Brief History of Kendo :

Kendo is composed of two kanji: "Ken", meaning sword, and "Do", meaning 'the way/path of'. Together the term is literally the "way of the sword". It is a martial arts tradition spawned by the traditional schools of swordsmanship (ryu) of ancient Japan, and was practiced by and large by the bushi, or samurai class of the era. As practice with real blades is inherently dangerous, the schools developed a dummy sword called a shinai, and a set of protective equipment called bogu which protects the head (men), wrists (kote), chest (do), and groin (tare). Before the Showa period (1926-1989) it was customarily referred to as kenjutsu or gekken . Fencing with the single edged, straight bladed sword was probably introduced from the Sui (589-618) or early Tang (618-907) dynasties of China. The cultivation of sword skills flourished during the Kamakura shogunate (1192-1333). With the establishment of the Tokugawa shogunate and relative peace until the 17th century, kenjutsu went into decline. The moral and spiritual element became prominent, drawing on Confucianism, Shinto, and Buddhism, especially Zen. Following the Meiji Restoration (1868), kenjutsu went into temporary decline, but in 1879 the Tokyo Police Force initiated kenjutsu practices as a means to nurture discipline and stamina. In 1895 the Dai Nihon Butokukai (All-Japan Martial Virtue Society) was established to encourage kenjutsu and other budo arts. At the end of WWII, occupational authorities banned kenjutsu on the basis of its militaresque origins. Yet despite this, following the end of the Occupation period in 1952, the Zen Nihon Kendo Renmei (All-Japan Kendo Federation) was established. By 1957 Kendo was returned to all Japanese middle schools. 

Kendo training is based on a variety of movements of attack and defense known as waza . Most fundamental are stance, footwork, cuts, thrusts, feints, and parries. Today kendo has ten ranks and 3 teaching degrees, with the higher ranks regulated by the All-Japan Kendo Federation. The International Kendo Federation oversees all international kendo tournaments, acts as the umbrella organization of all international kendo organizations, and orchestrates the World Kendo Championships which occurs once every 3 years. 

Though it is a highly strenuous activity, kendo is also a means to strengthen the mind and the will to improve oneself. It is this aspect of kendo that attracts many of its most devoted practicioners. A Kendo bout with skilled opponent is an intense experience. For a moment in time concentration is absolute, concious thought is suppressed, and action is instinctive. Such training develops in the serious student powers of resolution and endurance under pressure which frequently affects his or her life beyond the confines of the training hall. 

The mission of the All Japan Kendo Federation states that, "The concept of Kendo is to discipline the human character through the application of the principles of the KATANA." From the beginning one must practice hard physically and develop mental control to master simple techniques. Kendo practice may be started at any age, young and old, and even with severe physical handicaps. The will to continue regular training is the essential element in learning Kendo. Kendo is practiced for character building through the manipulation of the sword calmly under great pressure. Physical prowess is less important than doing everything with full spirit even when there is no hope of winning. The essence of Kendo is attaining mental, spiritual, and physical calm with balance, thus the popular Kendo phrase, "ki-ken-tai no icchi". In effect, the spirit (ki), the sword (ken), and the body (tai) must move and act as one.

To execute a successful strike: 

Ki You must see the target, feel the chance available to you, and work the resolve to make the cut. Often there's the "go for broke" spirit in a strike which manifests itself in the kiai or scream that arises from the gut of the kendoka.

Ken The motion of the sword in it's rise and it's descent on the target must be precisely coordinated with the will and the body's movement forward upon the target. 

Tai The body must follow the will of the kendoka and the movement of the shinai as it lands on the target. The legs must lunge forward to get within striking distance, and the back must be straight. All of this is accompanied by a confident resolve to achieve the objective. 

Kendo as practiced today is the result of refinements in the use of the Japanese sword spanning more than 1000 years. On the surface kendo appear to be only a physical activity: but beneath the surface are many benefits that may be acquired over a period of time through honest, sincere effort and self-examination. Kendo did not start as a clearly defined art --it evolved over centuries of trial and error through combat known as "Kenjutsu" to the present form which on the surface may be called a sport. Kenjutsu is the use of the katana in combat. Kendo is the use of a bamboo sword called the shinai to make strikes to a limited number of targets. The cultivation of the human spirit through Kendo also enhances our daily lives in work, relationships, knowledge and relaxation. 

To learn Kendo, as with anything, repetitive practice in the basics is the foundation for expanding knowledge, growth, ability and true success. Training in Kendo is immediate and continuous with success as the companion of honest effort. Progress is derived from one's effort immediately, though it will seem small in comparison to the total spectrum of Kendo. Kendo success is achieved through aerobic and anaerobic physical effort, mental discipline and honest self-examination. We teach ourselves patience, discipline, cultivation of the human spirit, respect for ourselves, opponents, fellow human beings and nature as well as how to learn and and how to teach. Kendo is one of the things that can be started at any age level, childhood or old age,and with a pure spirit of learning always improve ones-self. We learn to relax under situations of high stress and perform beyond what we consider as the limits of our ability. No human being is unique, we differ only our willingness to do that which is needed. 

In Kendo the practice halls are known as dojo. Although this word is in common use throughout the martial arts, it was first used in Kenjutsu many centuries ago, originating from the Buddhist term for "a place of enlightenment" probably in the 11th or 12th century. Within the dojo, training is hard and sustained, and must be so. The accent is on discipline since it is only through the sometimes harsh feudal methods that one can reach the ultimate goal of the master --mastery of oneself. 

We use the word reigi to describe the discipline or etiquette of kendo. It is this reigi or good manners and respect between kendoka at all levels, that is the most unique and valuable thing that kendo can offer the modern world. It is as old as kendo itself. In a Western environment it would be impossible to impose totally Japanese culture on our students and we do not attempt this. But in any dojo the students, Japanese or not, can observe the traditional kendo reigi and this encourages the growth of a fundamental understanding of that which is naturally colored by the individual's own cultural background. One of the values of kendo training, according to many masters is that it produces a calm mind and allows its followers to face everyday problems squarely. 

An aspiring kendo student must never forget that he is joining a society whose training program dates back to very ancient military practice and whose members are conditioned to accept rigors in this training not for their own sake but for the moral values behind them. For the greatest part of history, kendo or kenjutsu was practiced almost exclusively by the bushi. For the warrior: perserverance, skill-at-arms, breadth of character, steadiness, and self-control in all situations were the goals that lay at the end of a lifetime's study of swordmanship. These are still the kendoka's aims. The swordsman found that great ryus often exert a significant influence on political thought and action. They were men who commanded enormous esteem amongst their contemporaries and posterity; even today kendoka are highly regarded in Japan. It is for these reasons that kendo reigi is considered so important and is so closely observed within the dojo. 

Kendo therefore, as opposed to kenjutsu, is not practiced in order to destroy opponents but rather to train oneself in character building. It is in this aim of spritual awakening that kendo has much in common with Zen Buddhism. However, kendo is deeply influenced not only by Zen but by orthodox Buddhist, Confucian, and Shinto philosophy.
The expert manipulation of the sword is only the means to the end. In a kendo match only one person may win but many people may take part. Physical prowess and technical skill are counted less important than doing everything with full spirit and participation even if there's no hope of winning. What is important is attaining mental and spiritual calm and balance. 

1.0 What is kendo?

Kendo is the way of the sword, Japanese fencing. Kendo in a modern context means the form of Japanese fencing governed by the International Kendo Federation and the Zen-Nippon Kendo Renmei, or similar styles. About 8 million people world-wide participate, 7 million of them in Japan. It is taught as part of the school physical education curriculum. College kendo teams in Japan are high-profile; major competitions are televised complete with colour commentary. Kendoka wear armour protecting the head, throat, wrists and abdomen; these are the only legal targets. The split-bamboo practice sword, called a shinai, is wielded two-handed; the kendoka faces his opponent squarely. A small number of high-level practitioners utilize a shinai in each hand. Kendoka move using a peculiar gliding step refined for use on the smooth floors of the dojo. Kendoka generally practice as partners although the basics of posture, movement, grip and swing are learned in supervised solo practice. Because of the equipment, kendoka can and do practice full speed and full power, including free-sparring. Kendoka sometimes practice partner kata similar to kenjutsu, in which two partners carry out a prescribed series of attacks with wooden or steel swords.

1.1 OK, then what is kenjutsu?

   
Kenjutsu is the generic term for Japanese sword-fighting. Donn Draegger, the well-known martial artist and scholar, used the convention that in Japanese martial arts, the "do" forms are those used to improve the self, while the "jutsu" forms concentrate on teaching the techniques of war. Note that this is a modern convention, not something that reflects historical usage of the suffixes. However, it has come to be the way that many people use the terms.

Using the broad (non-Draegger) definition of the term, all Japanese sword fighting is kenjutsu, even kendo. This document uses the term kenjutsu to refer to the fencing curriculum of any of the koryu, or old schools of Japanese martial arts In other words, old-style (not kendo) Japanese sword fighting after the swords have been drawn is kenjutsu. The term kenjutsu encompasses rather a lot of different styles of sword fighting which incorporate various training methods. 

The primary goal of kendo is to improve oneself through the study of the sword. Kendo also has a strong sporting aspect with big tournaments avidly followed by the Japanese public. Thus kendo could be considered the philosophical/sporting aspect of Japanese swordsmanship. Since the early 1700s virtually all ryuha teaching kenjutsu have promoted it as a means to self-improvement and emphasized the philosophical aspects of the art. As a general statement though Draegger was correct: most kenjutsu has more of a focus on the techniques of war. In practice, both concentrate on practicing hard and learning proper technique: improvement of the spirit falls out of that naturally as there is no seperation of mind and body in kendo or koryu philosophy.

In terms of learning to fight with a sword, kenjutsu has a more complete curriculum. Kendo of necessity limits the range of techniques and targets. Kendoka generally use shinai, which allow techniques which do not work with real swords. Kenjutsu practitioners do not usually use shinai in training, preferring to use bokken (wooden swords) or katana (steel swords) in order to preserve the cutting techniques of real sword fighting. Kenjutsu training largely consists of practising cutting technique and performing partner kata. For safety reasons, free-sparring is seldom practised with bokken or katana.

In some ryu, there is contact, which usually happens in a controlled manner within a partner kata. Some of the ryu use protective equipment, such as the gloves and head padding of the Maniwa Nen Ryu. Others, Shinkage Ryu in particular, use a fukuro shinai which is made of bamboo split into many pieces at the end and completely covered with leather.



1.2 Isn't bokken technique taught in aikido?

Yes, with qualifications. Not every aikido dojo offers qualified instruction in actual sword techniques. Many of them use bokken practice only as a way of better understanding the empty-handed techniques, as these techniques are grounded in kenjutsu.

Ueshiba-sensei was trained in many styles of bujutsu, including kenjutsu, jojutsu and aikijutsu. He distilled and modified the myriad of techniques he knew into modern aikido. Most modern students do not have the time or inclination to learn the empty handed curriculum as well as bokken and jo, so the concentration tends to be on the aiki techniques. Even among those dojos which emphasize bokken, the techniques are somewhat different from kenjutsu. Ueshiba-sensei's swordsmanship was excellent, incidentally. Should you ever get an opportunity to watch film of him with a bokken, take it.


1.3 What is kumdo?

Kumdo is the Korean pronounciation of kendo. Kendo was introduced to Korea by the Japanese during the occupation. After the Japanese left, the Koreans continued practicing using slightly different gear and new terminology. A considerable amount of revisionist history can be found regarding Kumdo which can be attributed to a strong nationalistic attitude, not to mention bitterness towards the Japanese.

According to some sources, Korea does have its own style of swordsmanship but it is little practiced and mostly lost. The older style seems quite circular and often incorporates kicks and punches into the forms: it seems related to Kumdo only in that a sword is used. During the 15th century Japanese swords were imported in significant numbers; previously Korean swords had been straight and mostly double-edged. Most of the older texts which survive label the weapons used as "Japanese swords" but may have been showing older forms incorporating the more modern weapon.

1.4 Are there different styles of kendo/kenjutsu?

Kendo is pretty much the same world-wide. Most dojos are governed by the International Kendo Federation (IKF), which grew from the Zen-Nippon Kendo Renmei (ZNKR, the All-Japan Kendo Federation). There is a second federation in Japan, not as popular, but the differences are more political than technical.

There used to be hundreds of kenjutsu ryu; only two dozen or so have survived and they are mostly very small organizations. One of the oldest is Tenshin Shoden Katori Shinto Ryu. There is also Itto Ryu, from which much of modern kendo is derived. Here is a list of known surviving ryu compiled by Antony Karasulas and Satoshi Yokota:

Abe Ryu 
Yagyu Shinkage Ryu 
Niten Ichi Ryu 
Mugai Ryu 
Jigen Ryu 
Muso Jikiden Eishin Ryu 
Omori Ryu 
Katori Shinto Ryu 
Kashima Shinto Ryu 
Suio Ryu 
Muso Shinden Ryu 
Maniwa Nen Ryu 
Takenouchi Ryu 
Yagyu Shingan Ryu 
Tatsumi Ryu 
Shinkage Ryu 
Muraku Ryu 
Jikishinkage Ryu 
Hoki Ryu 
Ono-ha Itto Ryu 
Hokushin Ryu 
Nakanishi-ha Itto Ryu 
Tamiya Ryu 
Shindo Munen Ryu 
Itto Ryu

2.0 What is iaido?

Iaido is the art of drawing and attacking with a sword. "Iai" is composed of the characters "i(ru)" (to be, to stay in, to sit, to remain seated) and "a(u)" (to come together, to meet, to harmonize). There is some debate among experts as to how and why the term "iai" came to refer to drawing the sword. One school of thought contends the terms originated with the practice of drawing the sword while seated, which had no practical value in traditional times, since samurai did not wear their long swords while seated. Another possibility is that "iai" was adopted for this purpose to connote the idea of handling an opponent instantly and without moving from the spot on which one is attacked. 

Iaido is usually used to refer to mainstream iaido: the standard set of techniques proscribed by the Zen-Nippon Kendo Renmei (seitei-gata) or those proscribed by the Zen-Nippon Iaido Renmei (iaido toho). Iaidoka generally practice both those techniques and an accompanying koryu, usually either Muso Jikiden Eishen Ryu or Muso Shinden Ryu.

Iaidoka (and kendoka) wield a sword not to control their opponent, but to control themselves. Iaido is mostly performed solo as a series of kata, executing varied techniques against single or multiple imaginary opponents. Each kata begins and ends with the sword sheathed. In addition to sword technique, it requires imagination and concentration in order to maintain the feeling of a real fight and to keep the kata fresh. Iaidoka are often recommended to practice kendo to preserve that fighting feel; it is common for high ranking kendoka to hold high rank in iaido and vice versa.

In order to properly perform the kata, iaidoka also learn posture and movement, grip and swing. Sometimes iaidoka will practice partner kata similar to kendo or kenjutsu kata. Unlike kendo, iaido is never practised in a free-sparring manner.


2.1 OK, then what is iaijutsu?

Iaijutsu is another term for iaido. Some koryu call their iai iaido, others call it iaijutsu, depending on whether they feel the emphasis is personal development or practicality. Generally the term is used the same way as kenjutsu is, to differentiate an older set of techniques more focussed on the art of killing on the draw than improving the self. Practically what is called iaido and what is called iaijutsu are very close, aside from the technical differences that seperate any koryu. Iaijutsu as a term is not used very often.

Seitei-gata iaido (that set of techniques recommended by the ZNKR) is like a moving meditation - the draw and cut are very deliberate, formalised and beautiful. The iai done by koryu can be more direct and forceful, less concerned with the state of the practitioner's mind and more with dispatching the opponent. Iaido schools are generally affiliated with a particular koryu. In addition to the seitei-gata, students also learn their own ryu's techniques, which may be close to the seitei-gata in feeling or close to what is thought of as iaijutsu. It's not completely black and white.

2.2 Are there different styles of iaido/iaijutsu?

Iai is like karate, it is a broad "method of combat" which involves drawing and cutting like karate involves kicking and punching. The various styles are just that, styles. The main thrust stays constant.

The most well-known ryu that calls part of its curriculum iaijutsu is the Tenshin Shoden Katori Shinto Ryu. Katori Shinto Ryu is a sogo bujutsu ryu, meaning many types of armed and unarmed combat are taught. Another sogo bujutsu incorporating iaijutsu in its curriculum is Tatsumi Ryu. Most other so-called iaijutsu schools are run by charlatans.

Katori Shinto, Tatsumi and Shindo Munen Ryu are three the oldest koryu extant today teaching iai. The other ryu listed here, and most of the ryu practised today come from a common root, the Muso Ryu of Hayashizaki Jinsuke Shigenobu. These include Sekiguchi Ryu, Hoki Ryu, Tamiya Ryu, Jushin Ryu, Suio Ryu and Ichinomiya Ryu.

The most popular (in terms of numbers of students) forms of iaido are represented by the Muso Jikiden Eishin Ryu and the Muso Shinden Ryu. The iaido of the ZNKR is heavily based on these two schools, that of the ZNIR (Zen-Nippon Iaido Renmei, the All-Japan Iaido Federation) mostly based on the former. Most modern students belong to one of the two ryu, plus the ZNKR or ZNIR.

Toyama Ryu and Dai Nihon Batto Ho are offshoots of Muso Jikiden Eishin Ryu, although Toyama Ryu is actually just a subset.

There are many other ryu, especially in Japan. This has been a partial listing of the most popular.

3.0 What about batto-jutsu, tameshi-giri, shinkendo and others? 

Again, *generally*, batto-jutsu is another word for iaijutsu, tameshi-giri is the art of physically cutting with the sword and shinkendo is fencing from a real sword perspective. However, hundreds of years ago, the various sword teachers called their arts by various names which all designated more or less complete curricula of sword technique. In other words, what one ryu called kendo (or iaijutsu, or kenjutsu, or batto-jutsu) in the 15th century is not the same as what we call kendo today - it would have incorporated techniques of fencing, drawing and cutting, as no swordsman would be sufficiently trained without all three skills.

Shinkendo today generally refers to Obata Toshishiro’s system of swordsmanship.

3.1 OK, so if they're watered down, why study kendo or iaido? 

Studying swordsmanship in the late 20th century is not a practical matter. Unlike the various empty-handed arts, there is no direct application for self-defence. You are unlikely to whip out a katana or bokken when accosted in a dark alley. People start the study of swordsmanship for a variety of reasons. Those who study for a long time end up staying for two reasons: they enjoy the practice, and they feel they improve themselves through their practice. These things can be accomplished through kendo and iaido, in fact some might say they are more readily accomplished through the do forms, as that is their intent. Note that just because an art is labelled jutsu does not mean that there is no spiritual side to the training; that is a distinction that separates the most extreme sides to each style. If your interest is in accurate and realistic sword technique applications, then you may not be satisfied with kendo or iaido. Be aware that *qualified* instructors of kenjutsu or iaijutsu are extremely difficult to find. There are only a handful in North America, and a whole passle of charlatans. 

4.1 How do I evaluate a school?

If you are looking at a kendo dojo, they should be affiliated with the International Kendo Federation through the local federation. For example, dojos in Canada belong to a local federation such as the Ontario Kendo Federation, which is in turn a member of the Canadian Kendo Federation, which is a member organization of the IKF. Dojos in the US are likewise linked through a regional federation such as the Pacific Northwest Kendo Federation to the All US Kendo Federation and then to the IKF

If you are looking at a iaido dojo, then a similar association through the IKF would be one sign of legitimacy, or else a link to the Zen Nippon Iaido Renmei. Not all iaido dojos belong to one of the two federations, though. In that case, you should ask what ryu (tradition or school) the dojo belongs to and what the instructor's qualifications are.

For federation-affiliated kendo and iaido, ideally the instructor should be at least yondan (4th degree). But in some isolated areas that is not possible and you may find a junior person doing the best they can.

If you have your heart set on kenjutsu or iaijutsu you are probably out of luck. Instructors are few and far between. If you find a school, be cautious - there are frauds about. Be especially wary if a lot of money is being charged. Kendo and iaido instructors are always volunteer and most legitimate kenjutsu instructors work the same way. Another warning sign is if the kenjutsu classes are offered as one of many styles taught by the same school - "we teach karate, jujutsu, tai chi and kenjutsu at Bubba's Black Belts". Similar to unaffiliated iaido dojos, find out what the ryu is, what the instructor's qualifications are and who his teacher is. If you get unsatisfactory answers or the questions are being dodged, don't join.

Ask if you can observe a class - there should be no problem. When visiting a class, arrive early and stay for the entire class. If you have questions, ask them before class or save them for after class. Be polite

6.0 How did kendo originate?

The earliest swords known to exist in Japan were of Chinese style and origin and date to the 2nd century BC. These ancient swords are referred to as ken or tsurugi, depending on whether you use the sino-Japanese or Japanese pronunciation of the Chinese ideogram for sword or knife. From this term comes kendo, way of the sword, and kenjutsu, art of the sword. The first curved swords were also continental imports called kanto tachi, used during the 6th and 7th centuries. Japanese sword technology began to outstrip the continental blades around the 8th century, with the advent of the first Japanese curved swords. These swords were probably based on a second type of curved sword called a warabite-to.
    
There were no schools of swordsmanship in ancient times. Reference to the use of bokken (wooden sword) for fighting and training date back to 400 AD. This was followed by tachikaki, the art of drawing the sword. Tachikaki developed into tachiuchi (match with swords) by the 8th century, after which there was slow development in kenjutsu. Most scholars believe that by the early 15th century swordsmanship had acquired regional personality and formalized schools (ryuha) began to develop. This was part of a generalized trend of the times among Japanese arts of various sorts to formalize styles and lines of transmission,

Scholars have identified five such regional traditions in existence around the 15th century: that of the Kashima-Katori area, known as the Shinto-ryu or Kashima-no-tachi; that of the capital region, called the Kyoryu ("capital tradition") or Kyohachi-ryu ("8 styles of the capital"); that of Hyuga region in Kyushu, called the Kage-ryu ("shadow style"); that of the Chujo family in the Kamakura area (the Chujo-ryu), and the Nen-ryu tradition of the northeast.

One of the pioneers in the early development of swordsmanship was Kamiizumi Ise-no-kami. He lived in the 16th century and is credited with the invention of the fukuro shinai, a bamboo sword split 16 or 32 ways and completely covered in leather.

Shinkage ryu is a family of many ryuha which still exist today, all claiming descent from Kamiizumi.

In the 17th century, Ittosai Ito Kagehisa achieved a reputation for peerless swordsmanship and deep-thinking philosophy. He named himself Ittosai (one sword man) and founded Itto-ryu, the one sword school. It still exists today and strongly influences modern kendo.

In the mid-18th century, Chuto Nakanishi developed the modern four- piece shinai and the kote (gloves). The do (chestplate) and men (helmet) followed, and by the end of the century, the practice armour and weapons had been refined into more or less the form they are used today. The new equipment required a new set of rules for the dojo, and the new style of fencing ultimately became known as kendo, although that specific term was not popularized until the early 1900s. 

From 1868 through the 1880s the Meiji government tried to move Japanese society awar from outdated arts like swordsmanship, closing traditional fencing acadamies and tightening restrictions on the wearing of swords in public, banning them outright in 1878. Kenjutsu was barely able to survive in this period. The Japanese police are credited with much of the effort in keeping swordsmanship alive during this period. In 1872 Sakibara Kenkichi was permitted to organize the Gekken Kaisha (Fencing Company) and hold public demonstrations and competitions. These proved popular, spawning a handful of other gekken groups. The involvement of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police in fencing promotions began in 1879; it was the police, who needed to establish standardized techniques and rules for training recruits, that took the biggest early steps away from old-style, ryuha-ideosyncratic swordsmanship and toward the homogenized sportive version of swordsmanship that eventually became modern kendo. In 1909, the first college kendo federation was formed, followed by the Zen-Nippon Kendo Renmei (ZNKR, All-Japan Kendo Federation) in 1928. This federation, along with the Zen-Nippon Iaido Renmei (ZNIR, All-Japan Iaido Federation), govern kendo and iaido today.
    
7.0 How did iaido originate?

The above history of kendo/jutsu applies also to iaido/jutsu. In the latter half of the 15th century, Iizasa Ienao (also known as Iizasa Choisai) founded the Tenshin Shoden Katori Shinto Ryu. This ryu, and in the early part of the 16th century, the Tatsumi Ryu and Takenouchi Ryu all taught drawing as a formal part of their curriculum. These ryu all claim to be among the earliest to develop such skills. 

In the late 16th century, Shigenobu Jinsuke allegedly was divinely inspired to develop a new sword-drawing art. He renamed himself Hayashizaki after the inspirational place and founded the Shimmei Muso Ryu to teach his art, called batto-jutsu. He was one of the first to teach swordsmanship as a way for spiritual development. Popularly misidentified as the originator of iai-jutsu, his influence has been great. More than 200 ryu have been founded in the wake of Jinsuke's inspiration and image, many of them named after him. Various headmasters in the line of Jinsuke's teachings formed their own ryu. Among them were Shigemasa Tamiya (Tamiya Ryu), Kinrose Nagano (Muraku Ryu) and Eishin Hasegawa (Eishin Ryu), who were the 1st, 3rd and 7th headmasters descending from Jinsuke. At the 12th headmaster, the line splits into Shimomura-ha with Masuyori Hisanari and Tanimura-ha with Hayashi Masamori. The other ryu which branched out from the teachings of these and others are too numerous to mention here. Hakudo Nakayama, who lived at the beginning of the 20th century, studied Omori Ryu, Muraku Ryu and Muso Jikiden Eishin Ryu and was experienced in all aspects of swordsmanship. He became the 16th successor to the Jinsuke/Eishin line (Shimomura-ha). He also studied Shindo Munen Ryu and Yamaguchi Itto Ryu. He went on to develop his own style, Muso Shinden Ryu batto-jutsu. Due to his diverse experience, the ryu boasted a bewildering array of techniques. He was asked to develop a simplified curriculum. He did so, and made the techniques available to all interested persons, largely kendoka. These forms of iai-jutsu, along with others, were gradually restyled as iaido in the late 40s. Oe Masamichi Shikei also lived at the turn of the century and was the 17th successor (Tanimura-ha). He formed Muso Jikiden Eishen Ryu. These two styles (MSR and MJER) make up the bulk of the iaido being practiced today.

In 1967, the Zen-Nippon Kendo Renmei formed a committee to develop a standardised curriculum of study for iaido. This curriculum was to be recommended as study to students of kendo, who were losing touch with the dynamics of combat with real swords. Members of Muso Jikiden Eishin Ryu, Muso Shinden Ryu and Hoki Ryu recommended a curriculum of seven kata that became known as the seitei gata. In 1977, another committee from the same ryu plus Tamiya Ryu added three more kata to the seitei gata. The seitei-gata iaido has the largest popular following in Japan and abroad. The Zen-Nippon Iaido Renmei was formed in 1948, and has done a great deal of work to promote iai-jutsu and iaido. It has its own autonomy and standards. Only a handful of ryu are represented by the major organizations; thus the hundreds of traditional iai-jutsu ryu did not contribute to the foundation of iaido. Classical iai-jutsu exists today but largely goes its separate way from iaido. 

8.0 What are those funny clothes kendo and iaido players wear? 

The top is called a keiko-gi, uwagi, kendo-gi or just gi. Technically uwagi is the correct term, but the others are all commonly (mis)used. It is a heavy, quilted cotton shirt with three-quarter length sleeves. The kendo-gi is very similar to the top of the judo uniform, but longer. Iaidoka usually wear a gi about the same weight as a karate uniform. Kenjutsuka and iaijutsuka may use kendo or iaido style uwagi or perhaps a kimono: there is no standard. 

The bottom is called a hakama. It is a pleated, divided skirt (the modern term might be culottes, but that's not strictly accurate) generally made of cotton or cotton-poly blend. The hakama are the same as aikidoka wear, except that kendo/iaido attaches no particular grade to the hakama. In my club, we let beginners wear them as soon as the footwork is solid enough that we don't have to correct it constantly (the hakama hides the feet).

Traditionally in kendo, the hakama is black or indigo blue for men and white for women. The gi is blue or white. Iaidoka sometimes wear all black or all white regardless of sex. Children's gi have a diamond-shaped line pattern on them. Most people wear all blue. A good quality Japanese gi is died with natural indigo, and so is the kendoka wearing it until the salt from sweat sets the dye. You can also cheat and wash a new gi in cold water and salt before wearing. 8a. Why do they wear hakama? Hakama and keiko-gi are robust versions of the formal samurai clothing of the 18th and 19th centuries. They are worn during sword practice, in preference to something like the clothes worn in karate, to emphasize the formality of occasion. Kendo or iaido training is meant to be more than just physical training, and the choice of clothes emphasises this. Additionally, the clothes add grace and dignity to an already graceful and dignified art.

From a practical standpoint, the hakama is cool and comfortable, allows easy movement and disguises the feet from the opponent.



8.1 What virtues do the hakama pleats represent?

1: Jin (benevolence)

2: Gi (justice)

3: Rei (manners)

4: Chi (wisdom)

5: Shin (faithfulness, trustfulness)



9.0 How is a Japanese sword constructed?

Very carefully.

Seriously, there are as many as a half-dozen people involved in the construction of a sword. The swordsmith forges the actual blade. He starts usually with a special kind of traditional Japanese steel called tamahagane, and works with hammer and forge to fold it a number of times. There are two processes in general, one to make core steel (shinganae) and the other to make jacket steel (kawagane). Kawagane is folded more times and ends up being harder and less ductile than shinganae. In the most simple construction, a piece of kawagane is folded around a piece of shinganae to form a jacketed core. Thus the shinganae allows the sword to flex instead of breaking on impact, and the kawagane allows it to take the famous razor edge. More complicated construction methods can produce swords made of as many of 5 pieces of steel, all forged differently. 

The folding process is used to closely control the uniformity and carbon content of the steel. An accomplished smith can tell by eye to within a tenth of a percent the carbon content of a piece of steel. 

When the basic blank has been constructed, the smith will continue to work what is essentially a metal bar into the shape of the sword. When the forging is done, the blade is the correct length, curvature and general shape, but lacks a finish and certain of the various edges and features. The smith will then use coarse polishing stones to further define the blade before passing it onto the polisher. The polisher uses successive grades of stone to finish the blade. The polisher is responsible for the famous edge, but that is only one part of his job. His real job is to bring out the beauty of the smiths art. Properly polished, the complexity of the construction is revealed. Improperly polished, the blade is ruined. A woodcarver makes a saya (scabbard) for the sword. Each saya is custom carved out of wood from the ho tree. The actual blade is required, as the carver will use it as a template to make a properly fitting saya. 

A jeweller makes the habaki, the small but critical metal piece which is constructed to fit exactly on the blade next to the tang, and provide the snug friction fit which keeps the blade from rattling in the saya. 

Further craftsmen make the finishings. There can be separate craftsmen for the tsuka (handle), tsuba (handguard) and menuki (hilt ornaments). 



9.1 How many layers in a Japanese sword?

It depends on the smith. Shinganae is generally folded about 10 times, resulting in about a 1000 layers. Kawagane is folded anywhere from 12 to 16 times, depending on the smith and the metal he is working with, and so could have from 4000 to 65000 layers.



9.2 What are the different types of Japanese swords?

Generally, the swords are classified by length. A daito is a sword with a blade longer than two shaku ( shaku = 11.9 inches ). A wakizashi is between one and two shaku in length, and a tanto is less than one shaku.

There are lots of other names. The most common one, katana, refers to the style most people have seen, a daito which is worn stuck through the obi (belt) with the edge up. A tachi is an older style, slightly longer and more curved, worn slung on cords with the edge down, usually used in a calvary style. A nodachi is a bigger tachi, with a very long handle, worn slung over the back for battlefield application. A kodachi is a smaller tachi. A wakizashi is also a short sword, although of a newer style (kodachi is often used as a generic term for short sword, and so may also be used to refer to a wakizashi). A chokuto, or ken, is a very old style straight sword.

9.3 How is a Japanese sword measured?

The length of a Nihon-To is measured from the back of the tip in a straight line to the mune-machi (which is where the back of the blade fits into the habaki). Since some blades have more or less sori (curve) than others, the measurement is done in a straight line for simplicity and commonality. A sword with a lot of sori would be actually longer if you followed the shinogi, for example, than a sword without much sori. But in the final result, they both reach the same distance away from the swordsman. The handle is not included because it doesn't matter how long the handle is.

For record keeping purposes there are several different measurements made on the blade to give a more complete description. Besides the length of the blade, the length of the tang is measured, the width of the blade at the machi (where the blade meets the tang), the width at the yokote (defining line between tip and blade), the thickness at the mune machi and the yokote, and the length of the kissaki (tip).

10.0 What sort of weapons are used for practice?

The usual weapon used in Kendo is the shinai. It is constructed of 4 pieces of split bamboo. The tip of the shinai is covered in leather; the four staves are held apart by a t-shaped piece of rubber. The staves are held together at the opposite end by a long leather handle. The handle is round rather than oval like a real katana. A leather lace tied in a complicated knot about a third of the way from the tip keeps the staves from spreading too far apart. A string runs down one stave -it signifies the dull edge, or back of the sword. The split construction allows the staves to both flex and compress against each other, absorbing much of the energy of the blow. Attacks which miss the armour cause bruises; nothing more. Poorly maintained shinai can be dangerous - bamboo shinai must be checked and sanded regularly to avoid splinters, and oiled or waxed to help prevent drying out and subsequent breakage. For this reason carbon fibre shinai have become popular. Although expensive and less lively-feeling compared to bamboo, they are virtually maintenance free and last for years. Also, carbon fibre shinai may be purchased with an oval grip, which many people prefer. Previously, only expensive hand-made bamboo shinai had oval grips.

More advanced kendoka use bokken, or wooden swords. Bokken are usually constructed of white Japanese oak, although they can be made of a variety of exotic hardwoods. They are curved and sized like a katana, and the handle is about the same length and oval. Kenjutsu is often practised with bokken, and in fact kendoka use bokken to practice the kendo kata, which are derived from kenjutsu. 

Iaidoka at lower ranks use iaito, which are dull katana. A good iaito at the least has a proper handle with rayskin and cord grip and is constructed strongly enough so as not to be a danger in practice. The more expensive a iaito gets, the more closely it's construction mirrors that of a good sharp sword (shinken). Kendo kata swords are like iaito, but a little heavier and capable of withstanding the blows received in the course of the kata. Kenjutsu is sometimes practised with these. Sharp katana, or shinken, are real Japanese swords. Iaidoka in the ZNKR are required to take their 5th dan exam using a shinken; advanced kenjutsu practice uses them.



10.1 What is required for shinai maintenance?

Shinai are not ready for use when brand new. They must be taken apart, sanded and oiled to make them safe for use in practice. Additionally, staves which are splintered or damaged from use should be repaired or replaced. Here's some instructions for doing so:

Untie the string (or tsuru) at the handle and pull the tsukagawa (leather handle) off. Hold the staves together with one hand while you do this, and before you separate them mark the butt ends so you know which is top, bottom, left, right. Then pull off the sakigawa (leather tip) and nakayui (the fancy knot in the middle) along with the tsuru.

NOTE: there's usually no need to untie any knots other than the one at the handle - make sure you undo the string there, not the leather! However, from time to time, as the nakayui works loose it should be retied as one of its functions is to retain large splinters within the shinai body rather than to allow them to protrude.

The sakigawa, nakayui and string all slip off the end together. There's a rubber t-shaped thing called the sakigomi that separates the staves at the tip, it may come off with the sakigawa or you may have to pull it out. Inside the handle portion of the bamboo, there's a little metal square that fits into some notches. Don't lose it, it helps keep the staves in the proper position relative to each other.

Once you've got it all apart, take some sanding paper and smooth over the edges of the staves where they meet and rub against each other. You'll note that they are fairly sharp when new. You don't have to do a lot of sanding - 2 or 3 strokes should do it. The purpose is to make the staves move smoothly past one another without binding or generating splinters. I like to use a foam sanding block for this job, but anything with a medium-fine grit should work. You can also get special tools from Japan, I have a combination file/plane that works very nicely.

Once that's done, lay the staves down on some paper towels in your basement or something (somewhere that spilled oil won't matter) and oil them. I like to lay them outside down, so that the concave inner surface is up. Then I fill the concave surface with oil. A light oil is best, like sewing machine oil or gun oil (without bluing), but you can use vegetable oil like Mazola. There's also commercial oils available from Japan. Anyway, if you use a light oil let the staves soak for at least 5 days, if you use vegetable oil let them soak for 3 days. Oversoaking with the light oil isn't a problem, but too long with the vegetable oil can leave them heavy and soggy. Check each day and if the oil has been absorbed add a little more. When they're done soaking, wipe off the excess oil and reassemble.

A faster alternative is to hand rub the oil into the take... be careful that there are absolutely no splinters if you chose to do this... there shouldn't be anyway. Take a cloth lightly soaked in oil and rub the take on all sides to help them absorb the oil.

Check your shinai for cracks and splinters before, after and during each class. Small splinters can be sanded out. Follow the same procedure for disassembling and reassembling your shinai.

Cracks and larger splinters should not be repaired. Save the take from shinai that have been damaged. By carefully selecting from among them, you can rescue a damaged shinai by substituting the spare take which fits best. Repaired take have been known to cause serious injury.

If you are at the stage of your practice when you are hitting a real target (another shinai or a motodachi in bogu) then you should have two shinai in case one breaks during class.

In addition, to distribute the wear over all of the take as evenly as possible, from time to time 'rotate' the take (unless you have one of those fancy dobari kobun tsuka's [the ones with the oval cross section]). To rotate the take, undo the tsuru knot where it ties to the tsukagawa. Slide the nakayui slightly upwards (towards the sakigawa). Rotate the sakigawa and nakayui 1/4 turn to the right (left if you prefer just go the same direction each time), pull the tsukagawa part-way off to loosen it and rotate it 1/4 turn in the same direction. Reseat the nakayui and tsukagawa and retie the knot. 

The purpose of all this is for safety and durability. Shinai come from a climate which is much more humid than North America or many parts of Europe, and so it is necessary to oil them to prevent breakage and splintering. Unoiled shinai will tend to splinter more, break sooner and thus be more dangerous and cost you more money. Properly maintained, a bamboo shinai can last as long as a year.

11.0 What is the armour for kendo?

The armour protects the head, throat, wrists and abdomen; these are the only legal targets. The helmet is called a men. An oval steel cage protects the face; a throat guard extends down from the cage and provides the "tsuki" target - about 3" by 4". Padding for the top of the head, ears and shoulders is attached to the cage. Traditionally the padding would be horse hair but modern bogu uses a thick felt. The padding is covered with cotton fabric and compressed with close stitching. The whole affair is tied on with long woven strings. The "men" target is the top of the head, from corner to corner, as it were. A cotton towel called a tenugui is worn under the men for comfort and to soak up the sweat. Tenugui are printed with a design, usually kanji, and given as souvenirs. Equipment manufacturers also give them as promotional items. 

The tare, also of felt and cloth construction, protects the hip and groin. There is no legal target on the tare. Usually the tare will have the kendoka's name and dojo affiliation displayed (this is a requirement for tournament competition) on the main flap via an embroidered cover called a zekken. 

Overlapping the tare is the chest protector, called the do. The do is constructed of from 48 to 64 bamboo staves, covered in leather and lacquered. Cheap ones are fibreglass. The do protects the entire front of the chest, and extends around the sides to protect from roughly the hip bone to the first couple of ribs. The abdominal portion of the do is the "do" target. The portion covering the heart (called the mune) becomes a legal "tsuki" target in certain positions.

The kote protect the hands and wrists. The backs of the hands and knuckles are covered in heavy padding with a leather exterior. The portion of the kote covering the wrists is constructed like the men padding. The palms are covered with a layer of leather. They look like boxing gloves crossed with medieval gauntlets. 

11.1 How much does kendo armour cost? 

A decent used set (if you can find one) might cost $US200. The minimum you could expect to pay for a set from Japan you would be happy with for some years would be $US600 (5 mm with fibreglass do, discounted 50% from list). Cheaper Taiwanese sets could be had for about $US400, but the money would be better put towards a good Japanese set. At the high end, complete sets can be $US10,000 or more. 

Fortunately, many clubs have old sets of armour available to loan or rent. If they did not do so, they would have trouble attracting new students. Sooner or later you will be expected to shell out. 

11.2 What are you paying for in those expensive sets, anyways?

11.2.1 Futon 

The futon is the padding on the kote barrel, top of the men and tare which may be hand or machine-stitched. Machine-stitching is at the low end. Quality is largely determined by how far the rows are apart, the closer the better (and more expensive). 8mm is OK for little kids, 6 mm might work for older kids, 5 mm is bare minimum for adults, 4 mm is a decent adult set, 3 mm is a good adult set, 2.5 or 2 mm is the high end of machine stitching.

Hand-stitching is the next level. Hand stitching is measured in bu, 1 bu is about 3mm. 2.5 bu is the low end, and hardly worth it. 1.5 bu is the preferred choice for many people. Stitching as tight as 1 bu is available: some people like it, other people find it too hard and difficult to break in. The hand-stitching process allows the padding to be much harder than machine stitching, so a 1 bu hand-stitched is way harder than 3 mm machine.

There's varying qualities of hand-stitching, you can use a triangular needle or a round needle and there's a couple flavours of stitching patterns. The triangular needle makes the stitching process easier (thus faster and cheaper) but the edges of the needle cut and weaken the cloth. Round needles do a better job but are much harder to get through the cloth, therefore the cost is higher. You can also stitch using a triangular shape or a square shape like so:

__ __

/\ /\ | | | |
/ \/ \ VS | |__| |

The second style is called nagazashi and is a little more complex than the drawing above but you get the general idea. I'm not sure what the triangular style is called, but obviously it uses less thread and is quicker. The nagazashi style makes better little pads, makes the tension on the thread even and thus less likely to break, and does not unravel even if the thread breaks.

11.2.2 Quality of materials

You can use various grades of cotton and leather. At the low end, they use mostly cotton with a little leather and synthetic leather where they can get away with it. As they move up, they start to use better cotton and more leather. A cheap kote has cowskin palm, and the "head" or the part over the knuckles is part cotton, part leather. Better kote have a head completely covered in leather, better still have deerskin palm (more flexible, doesn't tend to get as stiff with use), top end use very high quality leather and reinforce high wear areas with more leather. Same for the men and tare. At the high end, you'll see leather at the top of the flaps of the tare and on top of the men, and of course the corner reinforcements will be high quality leather, not synthetic (or even non-existant on the low end).

11.2.3 Men-gane (mask)

As you move up the line, the men-gane gets of better quality. At the low end, it's steel and at the high end it's titanium, and in between there's several grades of alloy that are used.

11.2.4 Doh

At the low low end for kids, they're plastic. As you move up, they move into fibreglass and then eventually bamboo. You can get 43, 50 or 60 slat doh, the more slats the better. The quality of the construction varies a lot, and also the quality of the materials, including the bamboo, leather, laquer and stitching used.

11.2.5 Decoration

The quality of the decoration is usually built into the price structure. At the low end, there's not much for nice finishing details, and the choice of colours is limited to 1 or maybe 2. As you move up the ladder, they offer you more choices of stitching styles and colours, and also styles of mune (the top part of the doh). At the very high end, you can specify exactly what you want, send them a picture and they'll do it for you. The doh-dai (the contact area of the doh) finish is black by default, and at the high end the default is roiro, a super-high quality black laquer finish. You can also pay extra to get various laquer colours, textured finishes, wood finishes (cherry is very very nice) or sharkskin.

11.2.6 General comments

A 3 or 4 mm machine stitched bogu works just fine, there isn't any real need to go better than that, unless you want to. Problem being, after a while most people want to. The nice stuff is really nice, and it does work better, there's just a point of diminishing returns. After you get the 1.5 or 1.2 bu nagazashi-stitched with round needle with titanium men and 60 slat doh, you've pretty much hit the top as far as function goes, any more money to be spent goes on all-round quality or just making it prettier. Regarding the all-round quality: most bogu are assembled in Japan out of parts made elsewhere, and it shows. 10 years ago this wasn't the case and the quality was much higher. At the high end, you're still buying stuff entirely made in Japan, and that's part of why the price is so high.

11.3 What are the two methods used to tie the men-himo?

The most common style of tieing the men has the himo attaching to the fourth bar from the bottom, then looping around the back, through the top and back again. This is called the Kanto style after the region where it is popular. The second style sometimes seen has the himo attached to the top, looping around the back, wrapping around the nodo, then back and through the top again before finally coming back to be tied. This is called the Kansai style after the region where it is popular. Kanto is the eastern, Tokyo side and Kansai is the western side including Kyoto, Osaka and Kyushu. I’ve used both styles: Kansai is stronger but takes longer to tie. Either works well.


12.0 Are kendo and iaido dangerous?

Kendo and iaido probably have a lower rate of injury than most martial arts. Kendoka rarely incur injuries worse than a bruise, although there are exceptions of course. Iaidoka have to be extremely careful, especially with shinken (sharp swords), but in general don't get injured very often. Both kendo and iaido are subject to the usual range of strains and soreness to be expected in any sport.

12.1 What are the common injuries?

The common injuries in kendo are associated with the feet and ankles. The Achilles tendon can be torn, and it is also possible tear the Plantar Fasia muscle (the tensioning muscle on the bottom of the foot). Both injuries can be prevented with a proper stretching program. Less serious but more common is a bruised heel, caused by improper fumikomi-ashi (stamping attack step).

The most common injury in iaido is a cut or pierced left hand. A careless draw with a shinken is likely to severely cut the base of the left thumb. A careless noto (sheathing of the sword) can pierce the hand, even with an iaito.

Iaidoka and kendoka share the hazard of tripping over the hakama, which can cause the usual variety of injuries from falling on a hard surface. Some kendoka and iaidoka can incur chronic wrist injuries, such as carpal tunnel syndrome, from overuse. These are further aggravated if the practitioner also does some other wrist-aggravating activity, such as typing or playing the piano.

A common problem in Iaido is "tennis elbow". This is a pain on the outer side of the forearm muscles, just below or inside the elbow joint. A related problem is "carpal tunnel syndrome" where the other ends of these muscles go under a strap of tissue onto the back of the hand. By using your thumb you can usually find a couple of very painful spots on the elbow, press in and hold or press in and apply friction to all that you can find. Stretch this muscle group by putting your thumb (palm facing out) on your knee and roll your elbow inward with your arm straight. This technique works for both injuries. A pain in the wrist may sometimes be helped by icing the elbow since the pain of a swelled muscle here may be "referring" down into the wrist.

Author's note: I would like to expand this section. Contributions regarding common injuries and prevention schemes appreciated.

12.2 Does a shinai blow hurt?

A correct shinai blow which lands on target, i.e. on the armour, doesn't hurt. You know you've been hit, but there is no pain. A heavy handed cut driven by too much muscle, a typical beginner's stroke, can hurt a bit, more so if the armour is old and soft. The shinai itself is designed to flex and absorb the blow. A cut which misses the armour causes no worse than a bruise, although it certainly can hurt at the time.

13.0 How does the ranking work in kendo and iaido?

Kendo is strongly organised, with most kendo governed by a single federation in each country receiving direction from the International Kendo Federation (which grew from the Japanese organization, the Zen- Nippon Kendo Renmei, or ZNKR). Iaido is usually affiliated with either the IKF/ZNKR or the Zen-Nippon Iaido Renmei (ZNIR). 

Kendo and iaido have a pretty consistent nine dan system of ranking. Dojo-dan are not allowed - you must grade in front of a committee. A typical committee for first dan would be six or more people ranked fifth dan or higher. Often, bigger committees are used for higher ranks, if enough qualified people are available. For IKF-affiliated organizations, responsibility for conferring the ranks rests with each member country, but every other country is bound to recognise ranks awarded by member countries.

Kyu ("coloured belts") are given to children as incentives, but not usually adults. If kyu are given, they may start at tenth or more usually sixth and advance up to first. Dan then start at first and advance up to nine. No outward indication of rank is usually worn, although some federations give small coloured patches to sew on the shoulder for kids. Shodan can be accomplished in 2 or 3 years for a persistent and reasonably talented person. A dojo's head instructor in North America should be at least fourth dan; many are fifth or sixth dan.

Teaching certificates are awarded in addition to rank. Each certificate has a requirement that the recipient be of a minimum rank and age and are awarded for excellence in instruction and/or contribution to the art.

13.1 What are the names of the ranks?

Kyu from 10 to 1: jukyu, kukyu, hachikyu, nanakyu, rokyu, gokyu, yonkyu, sankyu, nikkyu, ikkyu.

Dan from 1 to 9: shodan, nidan, sandan, yondan, godan, rokudan, nanadan, hachidan, kudan.

Teaching certificates from lowest to highest: renshi, kyoshi, hanshi.

13.2 What is the traditional system of ranking?

The older schools (koryu) did not have dan ranks - they are a modern invention. Instead, they used certificates of merit. There is virtually no standardization or commonality. Two common terms are menkyo-kaiden, referring to "graduates", and kirigami for a first rank. Many ryu consider the ranks as levels of initiation which have no parallel to dan and kyu. Still others broke the ranks down simply as student and teacher, of possibly various levels.

13.3 How are the ranks tested and what do they mean?

For now, this answer is restricted to kendo as adjudicated by the Canadian Kendo Federation. Iaido has different test requirements but the comments on experience and ability are still fair. Different countries have differing examination requirements but they are roughly similar.

For kendo, the rank test consists of 3 parts: kata (two-person forms), kiri-kaeshi (diagonal cutting exercise) and ji-geiko (free sparring). For ranks below ikkyu, the kata is dropped. Kids below ikkyu do kakari-geiko (controlled attacking practice) instead of ji-geiko.

Here's the kata requirements and minimum time/usual pass time between ranks:

Rank
Kata required
Min. time since last exam
Usual time since last exam

ikkyu
tachi 1-3
-
after 1 year of practice

shodan
tachi 1-5
3 months
1 year

nidan
tachi 1-7
1 years
2 years

sandan
all
2 years
2-3 years

yondan
all
3 years
3-5 years

godan
all
4 years
6-7 years

rokudan
all
5 years
Sometimes never...

I'm not sure of the time for nanadan and hachidan, but they still require an exam. Kudan is granted without examination. Tachi no kata is done with both people holding a long sword (tachi), kodachi no kata is with one holding a long sword and the other holding a short sword (kodachi). Aside from the number of kata changing, the exam is the same for all ranks. It takes less than half an hour. What changes is what the judges are looking for. There's a panel of judges. In Canada, we need at least 5 judges of godan or higher to award shodan, unless special dispensation is received.

Here's the rough ability levels associated with rank:

Rank
Rough ability

shodan
beginner with solid basics

nidan
starting to understand a little bit about kendo

sandan
intermediate, able to instruct beginners

yondan
junior instructor

godan
instructor

rokudan
senior instructor

nanadan
master instructor

hachidan
kendo god

Rokudan is the usual top rank for dedicated amateur players - I guess you could call it a master level, but we don't use that terminology. Nanadan is a very high level instructor, usually a professional (like a police instructor, high school or college coach in Japan). Hachidan is superhuman. Every year, about 1500 nanadan candidates try the hachidan exam in Japan. The pass rate is usually about 1%. These are all famous guys - tournament champions and so forth, but the hachidan exam is very rigorous.

14.0 Kendo competition

Competition is not the be-all and end-all of kendo. Many people practice kendo with little or no tournament experience. Many sensei discourage focusing on tournaments, and specifically discourage degrading technique to a tournament-oriented style.

Having said that, competition is a big part of kendo. Herein is a brief description of tournament rules.

A match is held in a square area from 9 to 11 metres a side. A match is adjudicated by a referee (shimpan) and two corner judges. Scoring is best two of three points, similar to traditional karate. Matches are usually 5 minutes long for men, 3 minutes for women and juniors. If the score is tied at the end of regulation time, sudden-death overtime periods (ensho) are held.

The four legal targets in kendo are the men (top of the head), do (abdomen), kote (wrist) and tsuki (throat). The official regulations contain pages of directives as to what comprises a point, but the two most important things are: ki-ken-tai-ichi and zanshin.

Ki-ken-tai-ichi means mind, sword and body as one. The cut is not only with the sword, but also with the body and the mind. In practical terms, the shinai must accurately strike the target at the same time as the body weight comes down onto the leading foot (accompanied by a loud stamping sound) and the targets name is yelled (kiai).

Zanshin literally means the heart that remains. In practice, it means to be in a state of physical and mental readiness; to be in such a position to continue the attack; to be sufficiently alert so as to not be in danger of attack. In practical terms this means following through after the cut and ending up in the correct posture, obviously alert and ready to fight.

In addition to individual matches, team matches are held in which teams (usually 5, but sometimes 3 or 7) of opponents fight each other, one pair of opponents at a time. The team with the most wins, wins. If the number of wins is tied, then the contest goes to the team with the most points scored. If that is tied, a tie-breaker match is held between the team captains. For team of five, the names of the positions (from lead through captain) are: Sempo, Jiho, Chuken, Fukusho, Taisho.



14.1 World kendo championships results

The world championships are held every three years. Although not the premier event in kendo (it is roughly fourth behind the All-Japan Championships, the All-Japan Policeman's Championship and the All- Japan College Championships) it is the premier event for non-Japanese.

Note: Kendo tournaments are single knockout, therefore third place is always a tie.

15.0 I want to buy a Japanese sword. What do I do?

This section only briefly touches on the main issues involved in purchasing a nihon-To (Japanese-Sword). The topics of swordsmith, dating, value and type are too complex for inclusion here - books only give a generalisation in 100+ pages.

Your best weapon is information. Join the Japanese Sword Society of the United States (JSS/US). Take your time to find out who the reputable dealers are and deal with them only - the JSS/US can help you out here. Study and look at a lot of blades first, before buying. Find a trusted advisor/collector to assist you. Buy and read John Yumoto's Book: The Samurai Sword - A Handbook. You will find it invaluable. Read other Japanese sword books.

Note the following definitions:

Blade: the steel blade only - no fittings (handle/guard/scabbard/etc.). Sword: includes the blade & all fittings.

15.1 How much do they cost?

Note that all prices given are in US dollars, and are approximate. Your mileage may definitely vary.

If you are looking for an antique sword, the starting point is about $500 for a relatively new (20th century) blade, rising up to $5-50k for good swords by well-known smiths, and $100k+ for famous swords by famous smiths. For a decent working sword, expect to part with at least $1, 000.

If you buy an antique, it may need polishing. A reasonable minor touch-up polish may cost about $10 to $20 per inch of blade length from a US polisher. A major polish by a US polisher may run $30 to $50 per inch. Your prices may vary. Blade length is measured from the tip (kissaki) to the back notch (mune-machi) where the blade collar (habaki) stops against the blade.

If you want to buy a newly made Japanese sword, the starting point is about $2, 000 for an OK blade only, through about $10, 000 for a good blade to $50k+ for a blade by one of the top smiths. Note that these prices are just for the blade. If you are buying a new blade, you will need to buy fittings - the tsuka and all its pieces, the tsuba and a saya. Expect to pay about $700 minimum for everything, more if you want real artwork.

If you want a iaito, you can get a complete sword including fittings and saya for anywhere from $300 to $2000. Cheaper ones are available but are considered dangerous as the handle may break.

If you are buying an antique sword, you may get only the blade or you may need to repair/replace some of the fittings. Both antique and replica parts are available. Antique tsuba cost $75 to $300+; replica brass $30 to $50, and replica iron/silver tsuba $90 to $120+.

Antique grip aids (menuki) cost $50 to $150+; replicas $20 to $30 for brass, $50 for silver/gold plated silver. Antique handle front and butt piece (fuchi/kashira) cost $75 to $200+; replicas $50 to $100.

A beat up saya can be fixed. Horn pieces are about $15 each, metal parts are also available. A simple black water-based lacquer paint job is about $100. A new saya in simple black lacquer made for your blade costs about $150 to $300. Antique blades may need new silk or leather handle cord (tsuka-ito), costs about $120 for materials and labour for a good job.

15.2 Where can I find swords to purchase?

The availability of Japanese Swords in the US is due primarily to large numbers of swords brought back by GIs after W.W.II. As such, the quality varies all over the place - from excellent old Koto blades to late W.W.II machine made pieces of steel.

Japanese swords can be found at major gun shows. There are also annual Japanese Sword Shows in San Francisco, Chicago, Dallas and Florida, among other places. Major auction houses often have auctions featuring Japanese blades.

At auctions, sometime good buys can be found on the last day, or in "off/odd" lots - not featured in the catalogue. Inspect every blade at the preview. Learn what is good, and also the actual "hammer price" the blade sold for.

Sword clubs, especially the Japanese Sword Society of the US (JSS/US) can help put you in touch with sellers. The JSS/US newsletter has advertisements from various dealers and polishers. Addresses for sword clubs are found elsewhere in this FAQ.

Nosyuiaido is a firm that specializes in matching customers with newly-made Japanese swords. Try www.nosyuiaido.com.

15.3 How can I tell if it's a good sword?

Learn, learn, learn. Join the JSS/US. Read Yumoto. Read him again. Read him a third time. Read other sources of information. As in any other consumer exchange, it's possible/likely for you to get burned. Find a knowledgeable mentor you can trust to help you.

Curved Japanese blades were made from the 900s to today. Age of blade by itself is not indicative of quality - there are many periods in Japan when swords were cranked out in high volume to meet war-time conditions. Don't buy a crummy blade because the polish job looks good or the fittings/wrap looks good. Focus on the blade itself first. Know the age of the blade - a lot of recent (19th/20th century) blades are passed off as old blades. Learn the terminology of eras of swordmaking (Koto, Shinto, Shin-Shinto, Showa-to, Gendai-to, Gunto, etc. ).

The order of consideration is #1 blade, #2 polish, #3 fittings, #4 scabbard and #5 handle. In addition to all this, if the blade is to be a working blade for iaido, tameshigiri or whatever, it must fit you and be suited to the purpose.

When examining blades, ask first! Don't touch the blade with your fingers, the salts & moisture on your hands can cause fingerprint rust marks on the blade - major faux pas! Don't touch the edge to see if it's sharp. Again, you may rust the blade and you may also severely cut yourself (much less important than damaging a valuable blade). Don't breath on the blade either! Treat every blade with respect - for the maker, the present owner and the blade itself. The Japanese sword was often called "the Soul of a Samurai".

Inspecting the sword - always hold the sword by both the tsuka and saya when picking it up for the first time. Hold it horizontally, as the saya/habaki fit may be very loose or the wood/bamboo handle pin (mekugi) may be loose or missing; check first. Inspect all exterior fittings first, do they match in design/ age? To remove the blade from the saya, hold the sword by the tsuka with one hand, cutting edge up, either horizontally or vertically, and separate the blade and saya - sliding on the mune only. This minimises/eliminates putting scratches on the sides of the blade. Examine the blade (length, curve, style, hamon, defects, feel, etc.). If you are still interested in the blade, have the owner remove the tsuka - handles can often be ill-fitting, or in the case of Gunto (W.W.II) mounts, have a lot of spacers (seppa) and miscellaneous hardware.

Many of the W.W.II blades are machine made single bars of steel. Some Navy blades are stainless steel with faked (via polishing) temper lines. A few blades will have engraving (horimono) - it was often done by machine to primarily W.W.II blades after the war for GIs, a dragon chasing a flaming pearl being a popular example. Engraving can also be used to hide flaws in the blade. Many of the W.W.II blades were crudely made, using machines and non-swordsmith workers. Are the lines straight on the blade? Does the main line (shinogi) waver about?

For terminology of age and features, be sure and read Yumoto. Look for defects, chips, fissures, etc. Check the temper/hardening line (hamon) on both sides and in the tip area carefully. The hamon tells a lot about the blade, study Yumoto and others to understand what it is saying. The steels used in the 20th century for mass production of Japanese blades are such that flashy looking hamons can be made on poor quality blades. Check the grain of the blade - again, some very flashy, large grain (contrasting layers) blades are sometimes of poor quality. Hamon questionable or no grain visible? Hold your breath and your wallet!

Does the line in the tip area (ko-shinogi) match the tip cutting edge (fukura) in shape? If not, this is a clue that the point was reshaped after a chip or break. Look down the mune from the tsuba. Bent blades may have been straightened, you may see zigzags (major or minor) or "stretch marks" on the sides of the blade. If the blade looks questionable, don't buy it.

Look at the tang (nakago). Signature(s) may mean everything or nothing. A famous name signature may turn out to be the 7th generation son of the famous maker or a forgery. Go to a trusted expert to understand the signature (or lack of it) and its meaning.

The polish job on the blade is the second consideration. A good polish job will show the grain of the blade without being bright shiny. If the whole blade is like a mirror, chances are someone has been using Semi-Chrome(tm) polish on the blade to make it look good. If you can't see the grain or the hamon or the hamon fades in and out it, it may be a good blade with a bad polish. Or it may be a "tired" blade - polished out with the core steel showing. Or it may be just a bad blade (poor workmanship/materials) with a bad polish.

The mountings on the blade are the third consideration. Be aware that replica tsuba, menuki, fuchi/kashira, etc. can be treated to look antique. This is OK as long as you are aware of what you are getting. The saya is the fourth. A beat-up saya can be repaired or replaced fairly cheaply, unless it is very fancy. Last is the handle. Again, a poor handle can be re-wrapped or remade.

15.4 How can I tell if the sword is right for me?

Quality of the blade aside, you must find one that fits you. Many katana for sale in the US are relatively short, (around 24-26 in. - measured along the top from the kissaki to mune-machi) as the longer katanas are often valued by collectors/users.

If you are of typical non-Asian height (5'10"-6'), look for a 26" to 29" blade length. Hold the handle with right hand at front next to the tsuba, and carefully let the blade hang down at your side, arm relaxed. Don't let the tip hit the floor or you've just bought a blade with a bent or broken tip! A correct length blade should come close to, but not touch the floor.

Hold the sword with both hands, without saya (scabbard). It should feel good to you, live and natural, not dead, like you're holding just a bar of steel. This is a very subjective feeling. If you are going to do any tameshi-giri (test cutting), you should be buying a heavier blade. Also, a fine polish job is probably not your greatest concern for tameshigiri. If the blade is to be used primarily for iaido, it should be light, yet not too light. You're not swinging a bokuto, a sword has some substance to it!

15.5 Are there special concerns for iaido?

Yes. A moderate curvature seems best in that it is easier to draw and sheath. An extremely straight sword forces the iaido practitioner to over stretch when drawing the blade. A sword with extreme curvature (mostly older tachi blades in katana mounts) is likewise awkward to draw. A medium point (chu-kissaki) is easier to sheath; less likely to cause cuts to either the practitioner or the saya. Blades with long points (o-kissaki) are more likely to cut the user when being drawn or sheathed and may also cut and damage the saya mouth. The ultra small point (ko-kissaki) is normally associated with the tachi blade. A katana blade with a ko-kissaki may very well have had its point broken and reshaped.

The design of the temperline is not critical to the function of the sword.

A moderate to long tsuka is easier to control and offers much better leverage for cutting. However, be sure the tang of the blade runs practically the full length of the tsuka. Long tsuka hiding short tangs are dangerous in that the strain on the tsuka without the underlying tang is extreme as it leads to broken handles (tsuka).

The twisted style ito (handle wrapping) is less likely to loosen and slip with prolonged use than other styles. It is critical that the tsuka be properly fitted, tight on the tang, with tight ito. If the tang rattles in the tsuka it is the incorrect tsuka for that blade. This makes it impossible to properly fit the mekugi (peg) which secures the blade. The mekugi is more likely to break in a poorly fitted tsuka, which is very dangerous to the practitioner, his fellows and the blade.

A properly fitted wooden saya is easier to draw from and much easier to sheath the blade into. Poorly fitting saya are noisy, rattle and more easily trap dirt which may damage the blade. Also the blade may just plain fall out of a poorly fitted saya. The metal gunto saya of the Russo-Japanese War period or WW II period nearly always have brass or other metal throats - these will damage the blade as sooner or later most everyone "drags" the edge on the saya mouth. It the saya mouth is metal, the edge will be damaged or ruined.

Please don't use a high quality old blade - accidents may happen, and damage to ha (cutting edge) is not repairable - only more material can removed to smooth out the chip contour.

A wide-groove (bo-hi) in the flat sides of blade (shinogi-ji) is not a blood groove. It serves to lighten the blade, providing a more lively feel. It also has the side effect of making a loud "hiss" when the sword is swung straight (back of blade (mune) in line with the ha). If the sword is swung tilted, it will not "hiss". A blade with bo-hi is often desirable for this reason - you and everyone else will know if the sword was swung true.

Swords for iaido (iai-to) are modern day replica swords, the blade is made of soft metal that cannot be sharpened. These are recommended for beginning iaidoka.

15.6 What About Having a Sword Made?

If you’re looking for a blade to actually use, you can try to find a suitable old blade, or have a new one made. Advantages of a new blade are getting what you want when you want it, and not having to fear commiting a mortal sin if you ding it. Advantages of an older blade are possibly lower cost (compared to a folded new blade) and perhaps higher and easier cost recovery on resale. Finding the right older blade at a good price is difficult and tricky. It is unlikely you’ll find an older blade over 27" without paying a hefty premium. And then you have to decide whether you want to have it remounted, particularly if it's in gunto garb (not exactly cheap, even with reproduction pieces). If there is any danger of you damaging the blade, then go with a new blade, or with a bar stock WWII gunto. If there is very little chance of damage, then consider looking for a (shin) shinto blade that might fit you, one in low end, but traditional samurai mounts.

If you get a blade made, you can choose from having one smithed traditionally in Japan (gendaito), or having one made by a smith working outside of Japan. Estimates are that actual Japanese new gendaito runs $US5000 from a "C" grade smith, $15000 from a "B" grade smith, and $30000+ from an "A" grade smith (like Yoshihara). This is for the polished, unmounted blade. Cutting Edge Technologies (www.nosyuiaido.com) is a reputable firm that can help put a gendaito in your hands, starting at about $US6000 complete.

A popular choice is to use one of Bob Engnath’s blades, which are available in rough shaped form fairly inexpensively. One can polish an Engnath blade and mount it in the traditional appearing (but cast) koshirae from Fred Lohman (fuchi-kashira, tsuba, seppa and menuki would run about $200, plus $125 for a handle wrap). Habaki are available from a few people at about $175 a pop for a plain copper single, and saya for another $200 or so. Throw in another $100 for odds and ends, and be prepared for a lot of work for the polish. If you want a traditional Japanese polish kit, Lohman has them for $500. Failing this, you can probably get away with hard block and sandpaper up to about 1000 grit, then switch to hazuya and jizuya finger stones ($35 each from Lohman - you need to prepare the stones for polishing). If you can't sight down swords and tell a good polished shape from a poor one, then don't even think about trying to polish one yourself.
Another choice is to buy a finished and mounted sword.

9. How is a Japanese sword constructed? 

Very carefully. Seriously, there are as many as a half-dozen people involved in the construction of a sword. The swordsmith forges the actual blade. He starts usually with a special kind of traditional Japanese steel called tamahagane, and works with hammer and forge to fold it a number of times. There are two processes in general, one to make core steel (shinganae) and the other to make jacket steel (kawagane). Kawagane is folded more times and ends up being harder and less ductile than shinganae. In the most simple construction, a piece of kawagane is folded around a piece of shinganae to form a jacketed core. Thus the shinganae allows the sword to flex instead of breaking on impact, and the kawagane allows it to take the famous razor edge. More complicated construction methods can produce swords made of as many of 5 pieces of steel, all forged differently. 

The folding process is used to closely control the uniformity and carbon content of the steel. An accomplished smith can tell by eye to within a tenth of a percent the carbon content of a piece of steel. 

When the basic blank has been constructed, the smith will continue to work what is essentially a metal bar into the shape of the sword. When the forging is done, the blade is the correct length, curvature and general shape, but lacks a finish and certain of the various edges and features. The smith will then use coarse polishing stones to further define the blade before passing it onto the polisher. The polisher uses successive grades of stone to finish the blade. The polisher is responsible for the famous edge, but that is only one part of his job. His real job is to bring out the beauty of the smiths art. Properly polished, the complexity of the construction is revealed. Improperly polished, the blade is ruined. A woodcarver makes a saya (scabbard) for the sword. Each saya is custom carved out of wood from the ho tree. The actual blade is required, as the carver will use it as a template to make a properly fitting saya. 

A jeweller makes the habaki, the small but critical metal piece which is constructed to fit exactly on the blade next to the tang, and provide the snug friction fit which keeps the blade from rattling in the saya. 

Further craftsmen make the finishings. There can be separate craftsmen for the tsuka (handle), tsuba (handguard) and menuki (hilt ornaments). 

9.1 How many layers in a Japanese sword? 

It depends on the smith. Shinganae is generally folded about 10 times, resulting in about a 1000 layers. Kawagane is folded anywhere from 12 to 16 times, depending on the smith and the metal he is working with, and so could have from 4000 to 65000 layers. 

9.2 What are the different types of Japanese swords? 

Generally, the swords are classified by length. A daito is a sword with a blade longer than two shaku ( shaku = 11.9 inches ). A wakizashi is between one and two shaku in length, and a tanto is less than one shaku. 

There are lots of other names. The most common one, katana, refers to the style most people have seen, a daito which is worn stuck through the obi (belt) with the edge up. A tachi is an older style, slightly longer and more curved, worn slung on cords with the edge down, usually used in a calvary style. A nodachi is a bigger tachi, with a very long handle, worn slung over the back for battlefield application. A kodachi is a smaller tachi. A wakizashi is also a short sword, although of a newer style (kodachi is often used as a generic term for short sword, and so may also be used to refer to a wakizashi). A chokuto, or ken, is a very old style straight sword. 

9.3 How is a Japanese sword measured? 

The length of a Nihon-To is measured from the back of the tip in a straight line to the mune-machi (which is where the back of the blade fits into the habaki). Since some blades have more or less sori (curve) than others, the measurement is done in a straight line for simplicity and commonality. A sword with a lot of sori would be actually longer if you followed the shinogi, for example, than a sword without much sori. But in the final result, they both reach the same distance away from the swordsman. The handle is not included because it doesn't matter how long the handle is. 

For record keeping purposes there are several different measurements made on the blade to give a more complete description. Besides the length of the blade, the length of the tang is measured, the width of the blade at the machi (where the blade meets the tang), the width at the yokote (defining line between tip and blade), the thickness at the mune machi and the yokote, and the length of the kissaki (tip). 

3. What about batto-jutsu, tameshi-giri, shinkendo and others? 

Again, *generally*, batto-jutsu is another word for iaijutsu, tameshi-giri is the art of physically cutting with the sword and shinkendo is fencing from a real sword perspective. However, hundreds of years ago, the various sword teachers called their arts by various names which all designated more or less complete curricula of sword technique. In other words, what one ryu called kendo (or iaijutsu, or kenjutsu, or batto-jutsu) in the 15th century is not the same as what we call kendo today - it would have incorporated techniques of fencing, drawing and cutting, as no swordsman would be sufficiently trained without all three skills. 

Shinkendo today generally refers to Obata Toshishiro’s system of swordsmanship. 

3.1 OK, so if they're watered down, why study kendo or iaido? 

Studying swordsmanship in the late 20th century is not a practical matter. Unlike the various empty-handed arts, there is no direct application for self-defence. You are unlikely to whip out a katana or bokken when accosted in a dark alley. People start the study of swordsmanship for a variety of reasons. Those who study for a long time end up staying for two reasons: they enjoy the practice, and they feel they improve themselves through their practice. These things can be accomplished through kendo and iaido, in fact some might say they are more readily accomplished through the do forms, as that is their intent. Note that just because an art is labelled jutsu does not mean that there is no spiritual side to the training; that is a distinction that separates the most extreme sides to each style. If your interest is in accurate and realistic sword technique applications, then you may not be satisfied with kendo or iaido. Be aware that *qualified* instructors of kenjutsu or iaijutsu are extremely difficult to find. There are only a handful in North America, and a whole passle of charlatans. Even the handful that are generally considered legitimate, including Lovret and Obata, have their detractors. 

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