From: sed@skorpio.usask.ca (Neil_Gendzwill) Newsgroups: rec.martial-arts,rec.sport.fencing Subject: Japanese Sword Art FAQ (LONG; part 1 of 2) Date: 30 Dec 1993 02:17:34 GMT Organization: University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada JAPANESE SWORD ARTS FAQ VERSION 1.1 (Part 1) December 28, 1993 This FAQ is intended to cover all aspects of Japanese swordsmanship. However, my particular bent is towards kendo, so any flames about other arts are probably deserved. However, corrections or additions are welcome. Please *mail* comments to me (Neil Gendzwill) at gendzwill@SEDSystems.ca (you could reply to this post also, I prefer the address just given). This FAQ has all sorts of inherent copyright, but the only thing I really care about is that you distribute it as a complete work. If you wish to see a change, mail me and I'll either incorporate it or explain to you why I didn't. This FAQ has been cross-posted to rec.martial-arts and rec.sport.fencing. It is also available by anonymous FTP from cs.huji.ac.il (132.65.16.10) in the directory /pub/doc/faq/rec/martial-arts, file name sword.art.faq.gz. The file is g-zipped ASCII text. Thanks to Jens Nilsson for the WKC results and European federation addresses and Don Seto for most of the rest of the organization addresses. If your organization has been overlooked or has inaccuracies in its entry, let me know. Sorry, due to space considerations individual dojos can't be listed. Thanks to all who have written, your comments have been incorporated where possible. Table o' Contents Key to change index (with respect to version 1.0): n = new, r = minor revision, R = major rework In part 1 (this post): r 1. What is kendo? 1a. OK, then what is kenjutsu? 1b. Isn't bokken technique taught in aikido? 1c. What is kumdo? 2. What is iaido? 2a. OK, then what is iaijutsu? 3. What about batto-jutsu, tamashi-giri, shinkendo and others? 3a. OK, so if they're watered down, why study kendo or iaido? 4. How did kendo originate? r 5. How did iaido originate? 6. What are those funny clothes kendo and iaido players wear? r 6a. Why do they wear hakama? 7. How is a Japanese sword constructed? 7a. How many layers in a Japanese sword? 7b. What are the different types of Japanese swords? r 8. What sort of weapons are used for practise? 9. What is the armour for kendo? 9a. How much does kendo armour cost? In Part 2 (the other post): 10. How does the ranking work in kendo and iaido? r 11. Kendo competition 11a. World kendo championships results R 12. Bibliography 13. Organization Contacts 14. Equipment Suppliers 1. What is kendo? Kendo is the way of the sword, Japanese fencing. About 8 million people worldwide 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 practise sword, called a shinai, is wielded two-handed; the kendoka faces his opponent squarely. A small number of high-level practisioners utilize a shinai in each hand. Kendoka move using a peculiar gliding step refined for use on the smooth floors of the dojo. 1a. OK, then what is kenjutsu? *Generally* (but not always) 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. The art of winning real fights with real swords is kenjutsu. The goal of kenjutsu is victory over opponents; the 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. 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 practisioners 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. 1b. 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 practise 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. 1c. What is kumdo? Kumdo is the korean word for kendo. They wear different clothing and dispense with the Japanese terminology for reasons based on racial enmity, but the techniques are sufficiently similar for Korea to compete successfully in international tournaments. 2. What is iaido? Iaido is the art of drawing and attacking with a sword, although a more indepth reading of the Japanese characters for iaido results in (very roughly) "the way of harmonizing oneself in action". Iaidoka (and kendoka) wield a sword not to control their opponent, but to control themselves. Iaido is performed solo as a series of kata, executing varied techniques against single or multiple imaginary opponents. 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 practise kendo to preserve that fighting feel; it is common for high ranking kendoka to hold high rank in iaido and vice versa. 2a. OK, then what is iaijutsu? Iaijutsu is the art of killing on the draw. Iaijutsu teaches how to draw quickly and in such a fashion as to negate an opponents attack with finality. Seitei-gata iaido (that set of techniques recommended by the All-Japan Kendo Federation) is like a moving meditation - the draw and cut are very deliberate, formalized and beautiful. It is as far removed from iai-jutsu as kendo is from kenjutsu. Iaijutsu is more direct and forceful, less concerned with the state of the practisioner's mind and more with dispatching the opponent. Having said that, iaido schools are generally affiliated with a particular ryu of iaido. 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 described here as iaijutsu. It's not completely black and white. 3. What about batto-jutsu, tamashi-giri, shinkendo and others? Again, *generally*, batto-jutsu is another word for iaijutsu, tamashi-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. 3a. 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 practise, and they feel they improve themselves through their practise. 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 the US, none that I know of in Canada, and a whole passle of charlatans. 4. 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, the 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. Japanese sword technology began to outstrip the continental blades around 700 AD, with the advent of the first curved swords. Japanese historians refer to three stages of swordsmanship in ancient times - joko-ryu, chuko-ryu and shinto-ryu (ancient, middle and new styles). One of two people are credited with the founding of kenjutsu, the synthesis of the ancient styles. The Kojiki and the Nihon-shoki (the 2 main references for ancient Japanese history) refer to Choisai Iizasa. Other historians refer to Kumimatsu no Mahito, a famous swordsman whose style is fabled to be the Kashima no tachi or Kashima Shrine style, which continues to this day. 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. From this various ryus, or styles, developed. Once a fencing master became famous, he would form a ryu to give his name to the particular technique he had developed. Tachikaki developed into tachiuchi (match with swords) by the 8th century, after which there was slow development in kenjutsu. In the 14th century, kenjutsu became popular once more. Dojos began to be established to teach kenjutsu and perpetuate ryu. Around that time, Kagehisa Ittosai Ito 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 shinai (bamboo sword) and the kote (gloves). The do (chestplate) and men (helmet) followed, and by the end of the century, the practise 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 became known as kendo. In 1871 the Japanese government made kendo compulsary training in schools and emphasis was placed on the mental, moral and physical value of training in an ancient martial art. Kendo was slowly becoming a sport. When the government banned the public wearing of swords in 1878, kenjutsu was barely able to survive. The Japanese police are credited with much of the effort in keeping swordsmanship alive during this period. In 1909, the first college kendo federation was formed, followed by the All-Japan Kendo Federation in 1928. This federation, along with the All-Japan Iaido Federation, govern kendo and iaido today. 5. How did iaido originate? The above history of kendo/jutsu applies also to iaido/jutsu. In the latter half of the 15th century, Ienao Izasa (also known as Choisai Izasa) founded the Tenshin Shoden Katori Shinto Ryu. Together with his leading swordsman, he devised the art of attacking with the draw called iai-jutsu. In the early part of the 16th century, the Tatsumi Ryu and Takenouchi Ryu also practised iai-jutsu. 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. Popularily mis-identified 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), Kinrosai Nagano (Muraku Ryu) and Eishin Hasegawa (Muso Jikiden Eishin Ryu), who were the 1st, 3rd and 7th headmasters descending from Jinsuke. The 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 and last undisputed successor to the Jinsuke/Eishin line. 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. In 1967, the All-Japan Kendo Federation formed a committee to develop a standardized 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 All-Japan Iaido Federation 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. 6. What are those funny clothes kendo and iaido players wear? The top is called a keiko-gi (also kendo-gi or just gi). It is a heavy, quilted cotton shirt with three-quarter length sleeves. The kendogi 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 wear what kendoka and iaidoka wear, respectively. The bottom is called a hakama. It is a pleated, divided skirt (the modern term might be a culotte, 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, 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. 6a. Why do they wear hakama? Hakama and keigo-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 emphasizes 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. 7. 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). 7a. 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. 7b. 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. An o-dachi is a bigger tachi, with a very long handle, worn slung over the back for battlefield application. A ko-dachi is a different word for a wakizashi, or short sword. A chokuto, or ken, is a very old style straight sword. 8. What sort of weapons are used for practise? 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 regularily to avoid splinters, and oiled or waxed to help prevent drying out and subsequant 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. 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 practise 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 practise. 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 are required to take their 5th dan exam using a shinken; advanced kenjutsu practise uses them. 9. 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. It is made of horsehair covered in cotton 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 horsehair 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). Overlapping the tare is the chest protector, called the do. The do is constructed of from 48 to 64 bamboo staves, covered in leather (whale skin is traditional) and laquered. Cheap ones are fibreglas. 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 of horsehair and cloth. The palms are covered with a layer of leather. They look like boxing gloves crossed with medieval gauntlets. 9a. How much does kendo armour cost? A decent used set (if you can find one) might cost $300. The minimum you could expect to pay for a set from Japan you would be happy with for some years would be $1000. Cheaper Taiwanese sets could be had for about $500, but the money would be better put towards a good Japanese set. At the high end, complete sets can be $10000 or more. Fortunately, many clubs have old sets of armour available to loan or rent. If they did not do so, they would have trouble attracting new students. Sooner or later you will be expected to shell out. X-Andrew-WideReply: netnews.rec.martial-arts,netnews.rec.sport.fencing X-Andrew-Authenticated-as: 0;andrew.cmu.edu;Network-Mail Received: via nntpserv with nntp; Wed, 29 Dec 1993 21:47:25 -0500 (EST) Path: andrew.cmu.edu!bb3.andrew.cmu.edu!news.sei.cmu.edu!cis.ohio-state.edu!math.ohio-state.edu!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!olivea!decwrl!decwrl!tribune.usask.ca!skorpio!sed From: sed@skorpio.usask.ca (Neil_Gendzwill) Newsgroups: rec.martial-arts,rec.sport.fencing Subject: Japanese Sword Arts FAQ (LONG: part 2 of 2) Date: 30 Dec 1993 02:18:36 GMT Organization: University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada Lines: 828 Distribution: world Message-ID: <2ftdps$fvt@tribune.usask.ca> References: <2ftdnu$fvs@tribune.usask.ca> NNTP-Posting-Host: skorpio.usask.ca Xref: bb3.andrew.cmu.edu rec.martial-arts:21166 rec.sport.fencing:3011 JAPANESE SWORD ARTS FAQ VERSION 1.1 (Part 2) December 28, 1993 This FAQ is intended to cover all aspects of Japanese swordsmanship. However, my particular bent is towards kendo, so any flames about other arts are probably deserved. However, corrections or additions are welcome. Please *mail* comments to me (Neil Gendzwill) at gendzwill@SEDSystems.ca (you could reply to this post also, I prefer the address just given). This FAQ has all sorts of inherent copyright, but the only thing I really care about is that you distribute it as a complete work. If you wish to see a change, mail me and I'll either incorporate it or explain to you why I didn't. This FAQ has been cross-posted to rec.martial-arts and rec.sport.fencing. It is also available by anonymous FTP from cs.huji.ac.il (132.65.16.10) in the directory /pub/doc/faq/rec/martial-arts, file name sword.art.faq.gz. The file is g-zipped ASCII text. Table o' Contents Key to change index (with respect to version 1.0): n = new, r = minor revision, R = major rework In part 1 (the other post) r 1. What is kendo? 1a. OK, then what is kenjutsu? 1b. Isn't bokken technique taught in aikido? 1c. What is kumdo? 2. What is iaido? 2a. OK, then what is iaijutsu? 3. What about batto-jutsu, tamashi-giri, shinkendo and others? 3a. OK, so if they're watered down, why study kendo or iaido? 4. How did kendo originate? r 5. How did iaido originate? 6. What are those funny clothes kendo and iaido players wear? r 6a. Why do they wear hakama? 7. How is a Japanese sword constructed? 7a. How many layers in a Japanese sword? 7b. What are the different types of Japanese swords? r 8. What sort of weapons are used for practise? 9. What is the armour for kendo? 9a. How much does kendo armour cost? In part 2 (this post): 10. How does the ranking work in kendo and iaido? r 11. Kendo competition 11a. World kendo championships results R 12. Bibliography 13. Organization Contacts 14. Equipment Suppliers 10. How does the ranking work in kendo and iaido? Kendo and iaido are strongly organized, with a single federation in each country receiving direction from the All-Japan Kendo Federation (also called the Zen-Nippon Kendo Renmei, or ZNKR). Kendo and iaido under the ZNKR has a pretty consistent nine dan system of ranking. Dojo-dan are not allowed - you must grade in front of a committee of at least six fifth or higher dans for first dan, and bigger committees for higher ranks. These ranks are then transferrable from country to country. Kyu ("coloured belts") are given to children as incentives, but not usually adults. If kyu are given, they may start at tenth (jukyu) or more usually sixth (rokyu) and advance up to first (ikkyu). Dan then start at first (shodan) and advance up to nine (kudan). No outward indication of rank is worn. 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. 11 Kendo competition Competition is not the be-all and end-all of kendo. Many people practise kendo with little or no tournament experience. Many sensei discourage focussing 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 square. 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 no-ichi and zanshin. Ki-ken-tai no-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 tiebreaker match is held between the team captains. 11a 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. PLACE TEAM (1,2,3,3) INDIVIDUAL(1,2,3,3) 1WKC Japan M. Kobayashi (Japan) Japan, Republic Of China T. Toda (Japan) Tokyo Brazil Y. Taniguchi (Japan) 1970 Okinawa T. Ohta (Japan) 2WKC Japan T. Sakuragi (Japan) U.S.A. Canada H. Yano (Japan) San Francisco U.S.A. J.R. Rhee (Korea) 1973 Hawaii T. Fujita (Japan) 3WKC Japan E. Yokoo (Japan) England Canada K. Ono (Japan) Milton Keynes U.S.A C-T. Wu (Republic Of China) 1976 Republic Of China R. Hosoda (Japan) 4WKC Japan H. Yamada (Japan) Japan Korea K. Furukawa (Japan) Sapporo U.S.A. H. Aikawa (Japan) 1979 Hawaii K. Terada (Japan) 5WKC Japan M. Makita (Japan) Brazil Brazil T. Kosaka (Japan) Sao Paulo U.S.A. H. Yasugahira (Japan) 1982 Korea T. Okajiwa (Japan) 6WKC Japan K. Koda (Japan) France Brazil H. Ogawa (Japan) Paris Korea K.N. Kim (Korea) 1985 Canada J.C. Park (Korea) 7WKC Japan I. Okido (Japan) Korea Korea A. Hayashi (Japan) Seoul Canada H. Sakata (Japan) 1988 Brazil R. Bremauntz (??) (Unconfirmed) 8WKC Japan ?? (Japan) (Awaiting research on Canada Korea ?? (Japan) my part or some kind Toronto Republic Of China ?? (Japan) soul's help) 1991 Canada ?? (Japan) 12. Bibliography KENDO This is Kendo Junzo Sasamori & Gordon Warner Publisher: Charles E. Tuttle Company ISBN 0-8048-0574 Summary: The standard english language text. Covers history, basic technique and terminology. Kata are not covered. Pretty much the only choice in english, but very good even so. Sasmori was judan (yup, that's pretty good). Looking At A Far Mountain: A Study of Kendo Kata Paul Budden Publisher: Ward Lock ISBN 0-7063-7031-7 Summary: Good comprehensive overview of ZNKR kendo kata. KENJUTSU Shinkage-ryu Sword Techniques, Traditional Japanese Martial Arts Vol. 1 Tadashige Watanabe (trans. Balsom, Ronald) February 1993: Sugawara Martial Arts Institute, Inc. 20-13 Tadao 3 chome, Machida-shi, Tokyo, 194 Japan Distributor: Kodansha America, Inc., ISBN: 0-87040-887-9 Summary: Covers posture, bowing and kata for beginning and intermediate students, mostly through sequential photographs. Unfortunately, the sequences often devote many pictures to something simple like retreating or advancing and miss key points of the actual technique. Interesting nonetheless but pricy. The Sword and the Mind Hiroaki Sato Publisher: The Overlook Press ISBN: 0-87951-256-3 Summary: Translation of three documents pertaining to Yagyu family kenjutsu (shinkage-ryu), the Heiho Kaden Sho, Fudochi Shinmyo Roku and Taia Ki. Includes reproductions of the pages of the Heiho. Could just as well be in the philosphy section, but there is a lot of technique described. Fascinating. Bokken: Art of the Japanese Sword Dave Lowry Publisher: Ohara ISBN: 0-89750-104-7 Summary: Another shinkage-ryu book, no further info beyond that. Japan's Complete Fighting System - Shin Kage Ryu Robin L. Reilly Publisher: Charles Tuttle ISBN: 0-8048-1536-4 Summary: Yet another shinkage-ryu book. Yagyu, yagyu everywhere. The Deity and the Sword Risuke Otake Publisher: Minato Research & Trading Co. 2 0-13 Tadao 3-Chome, Machida-shi, Tokyo 194-02 Japan Distributor: Japan Publications Trading Company 200 Clearbrook Rd Elmsford, NY 10523 USA (914) 592-2077 ISBNs 0-87040-378-8 (vol 1), 0-87040-405-9(vol 2), 0-87040-406-7 (vol 3) Summary: Technique and philosophy of Tenshin Shoden Katori Shinto Ryu Kenjutsu, in both Japanese and English. The Art of Japanese Swordsmanship Charles Daniel Publisher: Unique Publications ISBN 0-86568-148-1 Summary: Unreviewed Classical Bujutsu Donn F. Draeger Publisher: Weatherhill ISBN 0-8348-0233 Summary: Not much technique, interesting history, covers a number of bujutsu styles. Would be better with more detail on the ryu, but still recommended. Samurai Swordsmanship - Vol 1 Dale S. Kirby National Paperback Book ISBN: ? Summary: Unreviewed Naked Blade: A Manual of Samurai Swordsmanship Toshihiro Obata Dragon Books ISBN: ? Summary: Unreviewed, but Obata-sensei is a love-him or hate-him kind of guy. In short articles I've read from him he's been interesting, although the endless posturing and kendo-bashing is tiresome. IAIDO Japanese Swordsmanship Gordon Warner & Donn F. Draeger Publisher: Weatherhill ISBN 0-8348-0146-9 Summary: The standard English text for ZNKR iaido. Lots of interesting history. Iaido techniques described in detail, many of those details having changed since publication, but still useful. The Way of the Sword Michael Finn Publisher: Paladin Press ISBN 0-9017-6458-2 Summary: Soft cover oversize book, thin, with photographs of the 10 techniques of Seitei-Gata ...its a good companion to Warner/Draeger book in that in all techniques show the "attackers" in the proper positions in the photos, so it helps to better visualize the actions required. Slim on background & philosophy. The Art of Drawing the Sword Darrell Craig Publisher: Charles E. Tuttle Company, Inc. ISBN 0-8048-7023-2 Summary: Covers Seitei-gata (only 7 - does not include Gammen-ate, Soete-tsuki or Shiho-giri, along with Mu-Gai-Ryu's eight kata. Many Drawings - very few photos. Choose Warner/Draeger first. PHILOSOPHY Go Rin No Sho - Miyamoto Musashi Hardcover translation by Victor Harris Publisher: Overlook Press ISBN 0-87951-018-8 Softcover translation by Brown, Kashigawa, Barrett and Sasagawa Publisher: Bantam Books ISBN 0-553-22509-X Summary: Philosophy and general combat technique of Musashi, Japan's most famous swordsman. Not much technical detail, more from a generalist viewpoint. Better understood after a few years of practise. Mandatory for any martial artist's library. The Zen Way to the Martial Arts Taisen Deshimaru Publisher: Arkana (The Penguin Group) ISBN 0-14-019344-8 Summary: Zen as it relates to the martial arts, often specifically kendo. Deshimaru is a zen master, content is often question and answer with questions from Yuno-sensei, kendo hachidan. Some sections are a little too "zen will fix your mama's corns" for my tastes but overall, excellent. Zen and Confucius in the art of swordsmanship : The Tengu-geijutsu-ron of Chozan Shissai Kammer, Reinhard; translated by Betty J. Fitzgerald Publisher: Routledge & K. Paul Summary: Unreviewed Zen & The Way of the Sword (Arming the Samurai Psyche) Winston L. King - 265 pages, hardback, publ. 1993 Oxford University Press ISBN 0-19-506810-6 Summary: Run, don't walk, *away* from this book. A mismash compliation of some Zen, some history (1100-1980s), some parts of how Japanese sword mfg'd. Author surveyed a wide variety of texts & patched together a book. HISTORY Hagakure - Yamamoto Tsunetomo Publisher: Kodansha ISBN 4-7700-1106-7 Summary: The author was a minor samurai after the time of Musashi. The book is a collection of sayings and stories about his clan & times along with some thoughts about what it means to be a samurai. More a strong taste of the times than deep philosophy. Lives of the Master Swordsmen Sugawara, Makoto; edited by Burritt Sabin. Publisher: The East Publications, Inc. Summary: Includes excellent bibliography on Musashi, plus Ittosai's life and the transition of Itto-ryu in the first generation. There is also material on Yagyu Munenori. SWORDS The Samurai Sword A Handbook John M. Yumoto Publisher: Charles E. Tuttle Company Inc. ISBN 0-8048-0509-1 Summary: The standard text for collectors of antique nihon-to. A little history, discussion on the features and appraisal, short section on construction, list of smiths. The Craft of the Japanese Sword Leon and Hiroko Kapp, Yoshido Yoshihara Publisher: Kodansha International ISBN: 0-87011-798-X (US) 4-7700-1298-5 (Japan) Summary: Discussion of the techniques currently used to construct swords. Step by step through the smithing of the blade, the polishing, the scabbard construction and the making of the habaki. Highly recommended. The Japanese Sword Kanzan Sato Publisher: Kodansha ISBN: 4-7700-1055-9 Summary: Unreviewed. 13. Organization Contacts ARGENTINA Argentine Kendo Federation Moreno 428, 10 Floor, Apt "I" Buenos Aires, Argentina AUSTRALIA Australian Kendo Renmei c/o Mr. I. Robotham 77, Greenhill Road, Greensborough Victoria 3088, Australia AUSTRIA Austrian Kendo Association Postfach 75 A-1033 Wein Austria BELGIUM All Belgium Kendo Federation Mr. Daniel Labas, President Residence Le Loiret; Rue Mignolet 19 Bt 7 B-6080 MONTIGIES-SUR-SAMBRE Tel +32-71-32 19 25 BRAZIL All Brazil Kendo Federation Rua Valerio De Carvalho 63-Pinheiros Cep 05422 Sao Paula, Brazil Tel 211-1083-1109 BRITAIN British Kendo Federation 31 Woodstock Rise Sutton, Surrey GB SM3 9JE Tel 44-1-644-1369 (John Howell, Chairman) 44-1-608-3502 (Charles Weaton, Secretary) Fax 44-1-644-6150 CANADA B.C. Kendo Federation 4111 Moncton Street Richmond, B.C. Canada V7E 3A8 Fax (604) 275-9866 Canadian Kendo Federation 150 Lesmill Road Don Mills, Ontario Canada M3B 2T5 Tel (416) 445-1481 Fax (416) 445-0519 Ontario Kendo Federation c/o Mr. Paul Morgan 175 Catharine St. S. Suite #41 Hamilton, Ontario Canada L8N 2K2 Tel (416) 525-6562 (home) (416) 545-1121 ext 379 (work) Fax (416) 548-5205 CZECHOSLOVAKIA Prague Kendo Club ZA Sokolovnou 440 CS-16500 Praha 6 Suchdol Czechoslovakia (Not IKF affiliated) DENMARK Danish Kendo Federation Holmbladsgade 113.3 DK-2300 Copenhagen S., Denmark (45) 32-96-17-40 EUROPE European Kendo Federation (EKF) Mr. Alain Ducarme, President 4, Rue du Busard B-1170 BRUSSELS, BELGIUM Tel +32-2-672 83 42 Mr. Raf Bernaers, Secretary-General Konig Albertstraat 113 B-2548 LINT, BELGIUM Tel +32-3-771 40 98 Fax +32-3-771 42 01 Mr. Jean-Pierre Raick, Technical Director 11, Place Simon Vollant F-59000 LILLE, FRANCE Tel +33-20 52 84 79 FINLAND The Finnish Kendo Federation c/o The Finnish Judo Association Radiokatu 20 SF-00240 Jelsinki, Finland Tel (358-0) 158-2316 FRANCE Comite National Du Kendo / F.F.J.D.A 43, Rue des Plantes F-75680 PARIS CEDEX 14 Tel +33-1-45 42 80 90 GERMANY Deutscher Judobund, sektion Kendo Mr. Wolfgang Demski, President Heidenheimer Strasse 24 D-1000 BERLIN 28 <-- These postal codes are wrong. Corrections, anyone? Tel +49-30-404 66 07 Fax 06131-638522 HONG KONG Hong Kong Kendo Federation Hing Fat Street Causeway Bay P.O. Box 38014 Hong Kong Fax 852-5-8068449 HUNGARY Hungarion Kendo Union Magyar Kendo Eqyesules H-1116 Budapest XI, BP Fehevari UT 120 Hungary (Not IKF affiliated) ICELAND Icelandic Kendo Federation Laugateigur 35 IS-105 Reykhavik, Iceland (Not IKF affiliated) ITALY Confederzione Italiana Kendo c/o Mr. R.D. Miglio Via Trenno 18 I-20151 Milano, Italy JAPAN International Kendo federation (IKF) Mr. I. Sato, Secretary-General c/o Nippon Budokan 2-3, Kitanomaru-Koen Chiyoda-Ku, J-102 TOKYO-TO Tel +81-3-3211 5804 Fax +81-3-3211 5807 Zen Nippon Kendo Renmei (ZNKR) (aka All-Japan Kendo Federation) Mr. T. Oshima, President c/o Nippon Budokan 2-3, Kitanomaru-Koen Chiyoda-Ku, J-102 TOKYO-TO KOREA Korea Kumdo Association Room #505 88 Olympic Centre Oryun-Dong, Songpa-Gu Seoul, Korea Tel 02-420-4258-9 MALAYSIA Malaysia Kendo Federation 22 Jalan Setiajaya Damansara Heights 50490 Kuala Lampur, Malaysia Fax 3-717-7354 MEXICO Mexican Kendo Federation Xicotencatl No. 243 Col. Del Carmen-Coyoacan 02200 Mexico, D.F. THE NETHERLANDS Nederlandse Kendo Renmei Mr. Hein Odinot, President Goudestein 14 NL-3085 DB, ROTTERDAM Tel +31-10-480 87 95 NEW ZEALAND All New Zealand Kendo Federation c/o Mr. A. Stephenson P.O. Box 22-767 Otahuhu, Auckland New Zealand Tel 09-592-495 Fax 09-607-599 NORWAY Norges Kendoforbund Postboks 2044, Nordnes N-5024 BERGEN, Norway PERU Comision Deportiva Nacional de Kendo Calle 15 No. 210 Dp. 201 Urb. Corpac. San Isidro, Lima 27 Peru (Not IKF affiliated) POLAND Polish Kendo Committee c/o Andrzej Kustosz Ul. Deotymy 5 M.4 Pl-93-267 Lodz Poland (Not IKF affiliated) PORTUGAL Kendo Clube Portugal Rua Coelha Da Rocha 66 r/c esq P-1300 Lisboa Portugal Tel 351-1-67-48-38 Fax 01-674-838 RUSSIA Moscow Kendo Federation c/o Mr. V. Yanushevsky KV.92 KOR.2 Dom, 91 Prospekt Vernadskogo 11 7526 Moscow (Not IKF affiliated) ROMANIA Romanian Kendo Federation Calea Plevnei 54 Bucuresti-1, Romania (Not IKF affiliated) SINGAPORE Singapore Kendo Club 163-D Upper East Coast Road Singapore 1545 Tel 241-7488 Fax 733-7626 SOUTH AFRICA Kendo Federation of Southern Africa 38 Knox St., Waverly Johannesburg, South Africa (Not IKF affiliated) SPAIN Associacion Espanola De Kendo P.O. Box 1991 E-08080 Barcelona, Spain Fax 34-3-202-2712 SWEDEN Swedish Budo Federation, Kendosection Idrottens Hus, Offical Address S-123 87 FARSTA Tel. +46-8-605 60 00 Fax. +46-8-604 00 10 SWITZERLAND Kendosection Swiss Judo Federation Mr. Erwin Manser Am Tych 4 C CH-4665 OFTRINGEN Tel +41-62-97 60 40 TAIWAN Republic of China Kendo Association No. 5, Alley 16, Chi-Chen St. Taipei, Taiwan R.O.C. Tel 02-715-1166 Fax 2-715-5779 THAILAND Kendo Association of Thailand Department of Physical Education Ministry of Education National Stadium Pratumwan Bangkok, Thailand (Not IKF affiliated) UNITED STATES Central California Kendo Federation c/o Mr. Norman Otani 2656 N. Seiland Ave. Fresno, CA USA 93722 Tel (209) 275-4222 Eastern Kendo Federation c/o Mr. Mozart H. Ishizuka 445 Fifth Ave., Suite 21E New York, NY USA 10016 Tel (212) 679-1230 Fax (212) 679-1236 Eastern Kendo Organization c/o Mr. Jeffrey Wortman 401 West End Ave. New York, NY USA 10024 Tel (212) 595-706 Great Lakes Kendo Federation c/o Dr. Tsuyoshi Inoshita 2423 Fenwick Rd. University Heights, OH USA 44118 Tel (216) 321-1187 Hawaii Kendo Federation 1293 Aia Aloalo Street Honolulu, Hawaii USA 98818 Midwest Kendo Federation c/o Mr. Tom Akawara 1517 Kirk Street Evanston, Illinois USA 60622 Northern California Kendo Federation c/o Dr. Benjamin Hazard 1523 Altamount Ave. San Jose, CA USA 95125 Tel (409) 267-2379 Pacific Northwest Kendo Federation c/o Mr. Jeffrey Marsten 616 S.W. 135th St. Seattle, WA USA 98146 Tel (206) 246-2239 Rocky Mountain Kendo Federation c/o Mr. Dennis King 4127 Umeila St. Denver, CO USA 80211 Tel (303) 781-5334 South East Kendo Federation c/o Mr. Haruhide Watanabe 2830 Carolyn Drive Smyrna, GA USA 30080 Tel (404) 434-7166 Southwest Kendo Federation c/o Mr. Charles Riddle 12101 Randy Lane Burleson, TX USA 76208 Southern California Kendo Federation c/o Mr. Arthur Muakami 4305 Mountain Shadow Dr. Whittier, CA USA Tel (213) 692-4943 All U.S. Kendo Federation (Zen Beikoku Kendo Renmei) 3427 Casco Court Hacienda Heights, CA USA 91745 YUGOSLAVIA Kendo Federation of Belgrade Bircaninova 48 Yu-11000 Belgrado, Yugoslavia (Not IKF affiliated) 14. Equipment Suppliers Jukado 10126, Saint-Laurent Bou. Montreal, Quebec, Canada H3L 2N7 Tel 514-387-6978 (800-363-2992) Mikado Enterprises Ltd. 701 East Hastings Street Vancouver, B.C. V6A 1R3 Tel 604-253-7168 Kyoto Tozando Mukomachi P.O. Box 27 Kyoto 617 Japan Tel (81) 75-951-5375 Fax (81) 75-951-5376 Bujin Designs 640 Dewey Ave. Boulder CO USA Tel (303) 444-7663