Story by Kim Taylor
In what sport has Canada placed in the top three, 6 out of 9 times at the world championships? What martial art boasts a single international federation, a single organization in Canada, and 4 seven dans plus an 8 dan in Toronto alone?
If you said Kendo you would be correct, but chances are you would not
have guessed the answer yesterday. Canada has a very strong Kendo program
and an international reputation for excellence but the art has a low public
profile in its own country. This is partly due to the reluctance of the
top sensei to boast, and partly because Kendo is not one of the glamour
arts. Very few movies have featured more than a brief glimpse of this exciting
and physically challenging activity.
THE DEVELOPMENT OF KENDO
Modern Kendo developed from several of the old sword schools of Japan and it cannot be attributed to any one man or school. Two things which distinguish Kendo from the Kenjutsu schools were the emphasis on spiritual development and the use of the bamboo shinai and armour. The name Kendo was first used in the mid 1600s by Abe Gorodaiyu and Yamanouchi Renshinsai. If Kendo could be said to derive from one art, that art would be the Itto Ryu of Ito Ittosai Kagehisa (1560-1653). This school has survived to the present day, and the main idea of the Ryu was that "All sword techniques come from one, kiri otoshi (dropping cut)".
The rise of modern Kendo can be traced in the development of the equipment used. It was soon realized by most teachers that students needed a blade which was less dangerous than the bokuto (wooden sword) if they were to practice without restraints on their technique. The earliest form of the bamboo shinai was probably developed by Hikida Bungoro (approx. 1537-1606) of Hikida Ryu (Hikida-Kage Ryu). This weapon was almost like a bokuto in its weight and stiffness.
Kamiizumi Ise no Kami (1508-78) founder of the Shin-Kage Ryu and Yamada Heizaemon (d 1578) founder of Jikishin-Kage Ryu both used a form of shinai in their training. Even at this early date Yamada was experimenting with head and arm protection. The shinai was also used in the Maniwa Nen Ryu and in the Yagyu Shinkage Ryu.
In 1711 the Jikishin-Kage ryu was regularly using "shinai- geiko" or shinai practice to supplement the Kaho (kata) practice that is associated with bokuto training. Naganuma Shirozaemon introduced some armour to the regular practice in this same era. Nakanishi Chuta of Edo (about 1750), a follower of the Ono- ha Itto Ryu, was a student of Ono Chuichi and eventually founded the Nakanishi-ha Itto-ryu. Chuta improved the practice sword, and invented the kote to protect the wrists since his style emphasized strikes to this target. The new sword was a shinai of bamboo reeds, 16 to 32 strips, covered with cloth. It was roughly the same weight as the live sword.
By 1760 swordsmen had three training choices, the katana, the bokuto, and the shinai. In 1765-1770 Nakanishi invented the modern "do" chest protector and then the four piece shinai with leather tsuba. This is the contemporary form, and Kendo shinai have lengths of up to 3'8".
Later developments in protection were the "tare" or hip protector and the "men" or helmet. Soon some 300 positions were being taught in the new art. After 1780 these were reduced to about 100. In the 1800s there were more than 500 ryu practicing "shinai-geiko" as the art became popular with the non-samurai classes.
Modern Kendo was established in its present form shortly after the second world war. The system has six kyu and 10 dan grades and it takes from 2 to 6 years to reach the shodan level. All dan grades require a minimum age as well as minimum time from the last grading. After 5 dan a Kendoist may be awarded the title of Renshi, after 7 dan, Kyoshi and after 8, Hanshi. These are special titles called shogo and require minimum ages as well as minimum rank. Modern Kendo is approaching 10 million players today, over 200,000 of these outside Japan.
Like Judo but unlike western fencing, Kendo includes aspects that are not strictly sport. The governing bodies are very concerned that Kendo practice not lose the budo aspect to become strictly sport oriented. Competitions are organized into rank divisions but not weight or height classes. In addition there are provisions for training students in the manner of classical sword schools.
The Kendo-no-kata are a set of ten "forms" which teach the fundamentals of the sword in the same manner as the old schools. The kata are set partner practices and include long sword vs long sword as well as short sword against long. The kata teach timing, distance and especially blade control using either wooden or metal blades instead of the competition shinai. Since a point cannot be made in competition without proper hand, blade and edge control being apparent to the referees, this type of kata practice with "real" blades is necessary to all kendo competitors.
Kendo's "representative forms of Iaido" the Seitei Gata Iai are based largely on the Muso Jikiden Eishin Ryu and the Muso Shinden Ryu traditions. The ten forms are, however, distinctive to Kendo and are intended to reflect the movements of Kendo no Kata. Students study Iaido to gain experience in using the live blade, and they are also encouraged by the All Japan Kendo Federation (ZNKR) to study an old school of iai.
The short staff (about 4 feet long) is a weapon that has been closely
associated with the sword since the 1500s. The Kendo "representative forms"
or Seitei Gata Jo are based on the teachings of the Shindo Muso Ryu and
include basic exercises as well as two man forms of staff against sword.
Jodo is not as widely practiced in Kendo as is Iaido.
CANADA KENDO
In 1991 the 8th world championships were held in Toronto, and Canada placed third behind Japan and Korea. In 1994 the world championships were held in Paris, France with the same placings. There are world championships held each 3 years under the supervision of the International Kendo Federation.
In Canada, Kendo practice began in Vancouver over 75 years ago. In 1966 the Canada Kendo Federation was formed and Mr. Roy Asa is the current president. He continues to work hard at keeping Canadian Kendo a world power.
Kendo is, of course, played as a sport as are Judo or western Olympic style fencing. Players must make 2 out of three points in a 5 minute match to win. There can be extensions to the time if the players are tied at the end of the match. Points are given for good hits to certain targets.
There are 8 targets in Kendo. The top and two sides of the head just above the ears, the right forearm just above the wrist and the left forearm if the left hand is above the shoulder. The two sides of the chest may be struck for a point and the lone thrust permitted is to the throat.
A good hit for a point is made from full "maai" (starting distance) if it was not part of a compound attack. Proper posture and balance must be maintained. The player must call the name of the point as it is hit. The hit must be made with spirit and be clean. The blade must be controlled on and off of the target, and the player must hit with the proper sword angle and motion. The hit must be with the last 1/3 of the blade near the tip. When both players hit at once no points are given, otherwise the first hit counts.
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