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Anonymous07/24/24, 15:47No.204987/jsa/ Japanese sword arts general the importance of defeat edition
A thread to discuss Japanese weapon based martial arts and our own martial journey with like minded people, discussion of other Asian systems is welcomed too.
>what is kendo?
Kendo is a modern Japanese budō that uses shinai (bamboo sword) and armor for combat, in its modern purpose is a way to strengthen body and spirit and develop character.
>is kendo a martial art?
Kinda
>what do I need to start kendo?
A shirt and sweat pants your club will likely borrow you the rest when you start
>what is iaido?
Is a Japanese martial art, influenced by zen practices based on different kata (drills) and subdivided in different schools with solo drills based on drawing the sword from the scabbard to defend from an imaginary opponent.
>what is kenjutsu?
Is a old form of Japanese budō based on the use of various weapons as they were used back in the day by the samurai, depending on ryūha you can have various way of teaching, weapons, presence or lack of sparring and time/place of origin.
>what do I need to start kenjutsu/iaido?
Sweat pants and a shirt again, depending on club ryūha you may be required to buy additional equipment but at the very start you don’t need anything.
Recommended reads
The book of five rings
Kendo, culture of the sword
Kendo jidenroku (Hiroo Hanazawa)
Musashi’s ken, kendo nito ryū waza & the rationale
Kendo kyohon (Takano Sasaburo) (in general have a look at his works and publications related for a look at pre war kendo)
Kurikara: The Sword and the Serpent
Strategy and the art of peace
Unraveling the cords (Nakano Jinuemon Shumei)
Katori Shinto ryū (Otake Risuke) (hard to find, if someone has a pdf please link it)
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Replies
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Anon07/24/24, 19:17No.205004
To start off the thread I have a question for all kendoka.
Do you think that judges/point scoring is starting to be detrimental to kendo overall?
The reason why I ask this is because many times when talking to my sensei and other senior students the reason they give me to not pursue techniques/guards like nitō or the left kote strike is that many times the judges won’t give you a point because they don’t know how to judge it.
I also read that many waza aren’t used anymore because of this same reason.
Related to this.
To answer an anon from two threads ago, I did try to use hasso/inno no kamae in jigeiko, my conclusions so far is that its effective but restrictive, it’s a good gateway for unconventional attacks because many techniques can be done by advancing at a 45 degree angle instead of straight forward, katate men and do also come out very well but are more difficult to control than normal due to the increased force that the right arm can give.
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Anon07/26/24, 01:04No.205127
Currently doing old school Shotokan karate for empty hands and something else for weapons, but my kouhai is interested in Jap swordsmanship. Trying to help him out on it and possibly visit the dojos to see stuff. There's a Katori Shinto-ryu and a Shinkendo dojo here in our region (both dojos are in different cities). What do you recommend for a beginner in Jap swordsmanship? Already visited the Katori Shinto-ryu dojo and found it interesting, completely alien to our local swordsmanship. A bit expensive tho.
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Anon07/29/24, 20:57No.205588
>kicked from kendo after 3 weeks because I used to do fencing before, so thrusts are second nature to me but in Kendo it's a super risky ultra death move so I'm "disrespecting the sensei's form" every time I throw one
I caught one of the senior instructors with the thrust, shouted tsuki and everything, got a clean thrust and the flag raise, but he immediately ripped his mask off started chewing me and the flag guy out for allowing such blatant disrespect, before kicking me out in private talks an hour later. What the fuck man
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Anon07/31/24, 21:07No.205881
holy shit this is a real general?
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Anon08/12/24, 15:48No.207473
for archival purposes, the previous thread
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Anon08/13/24, 20:17No.207578
Due to a very unfortunate work schedule I can’t attend to keiko regularly, and won’t be able for a while.
As you can imagine my technique is degrading (doesn’t help that kenjutsu is slipping through, especially with how I cut and sometimes even in the footwork) what are some good exercises to do at home to better my kendo?
For conditioning I do at least 100 suburi plus all the standard warm up and on other days do weight training as well.
For precision I place my spare shinai on a stand and try to hit the tsuka.
My sensei told me a training technique that his sensei used to use but I think it’s too early for me to train for tsuki especially at the precision required for that type of training.
Mainly I would like some tips on ways to better my tenouchi and the explosiveness of my legs.
I’ve been also told by him that in his opinion I don’t believe enough in my kendo and that’s costing me a good bit of extra performance however I have no clue how to better this part apart from doing jigeiko and shiai more frequently.
>inb4 ask your sensei
I would if I could
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Anon08/22/24, 06:46No.208682
I'm here. I'm observing.
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Anon08/26/24, 14:04No.209110
Is kenjutsu fake?
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Anon09/04/24, 14:30No.209855
For my birthday, my father-in-law has gifted me a tantō. I will eventually get iaido lessons, but I wanted to ask: in the meantime, is it worth to practice with the tantō alone or is its worth tied to the use of the katana and wakizashi? Thanks in advance.Pic mostly unrelated.
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Anon09/16/24, 18:20No.211150
I have to use my boken as a cane because I did not warm up before training.Warm up.
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Anon09/18/24, 12:53No.211255
Is modern kendo becoming too “sporty”?
I recently finished reading sensei Bennet book kendo culture of the sword and I found myself agreeing with what a lot of elder practitioners say.
I can see it in my dojo too, despite having both high dan teachers and a high level of technical skills I can see that there is a blatant disregard in the ways of self cultivation in this discipline despite itself having personal growth as one of its foremost objectives.
What is your take anon and how would you guys address this “problem in modern kendo?
Shiai is important because it’s both a check of skills and a test of mental fortitude however I don’t think this should be the sole purpose of a discipline that is literally called the way of the sword.
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Anon10/07/24, 03:11No.212874
I practiced. The first week of spring ends today. My body has recovered. I was able to do kirikaeshi with another person.
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Anon10/28/24, 19:30No.214695
Every day I train a little.>eat
>sleep
>fight another day>eat
>sleep
>fight another day>get a little better
>have fun>eat
>sleep
>fight another day
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Anon10/29/24, 06:00No.214753
You should try this see how it goes.
https://youtu.be/Sn9uXABq2t4
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Anon11/07/24, 15:49No.215458
I don't get the picture. Why is he wearing scuba gear? Are they about to do that Samurai swimming thing?
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Anon11/14/24, 15:55No.215860
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnjNOIoFj2U
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Anon02/07/25, 06:10No.222910
After consulting AI I have decided to choose the kendo pill. It's networking and socializing opportunities appear to be unmatched
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Anon02/07/25, 14:41No.222928
Any thoughts on Tankendo? Saw it lately and thought it was cool. But why are they using kodachi bokuto for kata practice instead of something that resembles a Type 30 bayonet? I thought Tankendo was born out of bayonet fencing?
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Anon02/08/25, 20:36No.223118
sometimes I do suburi with a shovel.
If someday I have to fight, is the first thing I have close.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1_AUeCPrM9gI hope to reach a point where I can strike the hostile element with no doubt or fear.
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Anon02/18/25, 12:13No.224025
tan-kendo looks comfy. Also, is it true old kendo was mixed with aiki-jujutsu\ some forms of judo?
There's old footage of kendo including grappling to remove the opponent's protector
>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O41cqvNGeU8
>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=28MwRsfJpuc
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Anon03/16/25, 02:22No.225981
I've heard aikido is more performative than practical, more traditional than useful in a modern context.Is kendo like this too? Or does it actually teach "effective" swordsmanship above all else?
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Anon03/25/25, 11:44No.226637
bump for posterity
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Anon04/06/25, 05:46No.227877
My dojo is cutting goza again in a week!!
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Anon04/12/25, 21:10No.228360
What do I do if there is no local club and I want to start this stuff
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Anon05/12/25, 18:39No.230450
I am doing suburi with a metal rod because the flag pole broke a couple of months ago. The rod weights ten of fifteen kilograms. Is more like a spear if you think about it.My technique is deficient. The great weight of the rod prevents me from keeping my body in an acceptable Kamae position. I am only able to do a maximum of three or five repetitions and I have to be careful with the descent so that I don't crash violently against the floor, for which I have to use the strength of both arms because it is impossible to keep control of the weight with only one.My body feels different and I see it differently in the mirror. I am leaner and the exercise has given my muscles more shape.My ultimate goal is to achieve absolute control and power. In an ideal world, I should be able to blow someone's head off and be able to maintain control of the metal rod at all times.My objective is to become a mass monster. The ultimate life form.
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Anon05/14/25, 06:37No.230516
What are you anons thoughts on buying a Japanese swords? Nihonto or go for Cold Steel? I think buying an actual nihonto is too expensive and paganic. The shinto shamanic elements of traditional sword making is a bit of a turn off for me, although the artistry is beautiful. While Cold Steel makes their swords with modern steel in a factory.
>inb4 that sounds soulless
Exactly and that may be perfect.
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Anon05/17/25, 11:24No.230676
Boys I’ve got a big problem
When doing shiai I don’t believe in my abilities and consequently in my kendo
Despite putting in the extra effort I don’t see improvement rather I see only defeat and in turn this decreased my confidence more and more
Maybe it’s just a slump and I’ll come out better from it but at the moment I have no idea what to do
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Anon05/19/25, 07:49No.230762
I just found out Kendo has katas. That's pretty fuckin cool. It seems like they tried to preserve the old kenjutsu stuff in the system. I especially like the kodachi katas.
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Anon05/26/25, 09:22No.231164
A HEMA practitioner would absolutely destroy any Kendo fag in a real sword fight
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Anon06/24/25, 07:17No.235284
Winter.I cannot risk to get sick. But there is tension in my body. Energy I need to release.
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Anon07/25/25, 17:57No.238529
So what's the opinions on Jodo? I'm going to be aiming to do join both a Jodo and a Kendo club for the Uni this fall. Any tips?
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Anon08/22/25, 03:01No.240786
>Went to a nearby kendo dojo
>Found out they don't do foot sweeps and heavy clashing/shoving in sparring like in Police Kendo and old school stuff
>Found out the whole set of equipment is fucking expensive
I'm starting to wonder if I can just home build some of the equipment like the shinai and the breastplate.
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Anon10/01/25, 00:56No.243757
>ctrl-f entirety of 4chan
>no mention of "bujinkan"
Thoughts on Bujinkan? Anyone even heard of it?
Seems like the idea is a modern recreation of real samurai training, basically. My local dojo doesnt even let people under 18 join, which is based.Anyone have experience or knowledge about bujinkan?
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Anon10/01/25, 03:00No.243773
I just started Kendo back in June, I'm enjoying it and my bogu should be delivered this Friday :)
That being said, I feel pretty sluggish with my footwork, would conditioning through regular running & swimming improve the speed alongside practicing the actual footwork?
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Anon10/12/25, 10:19No.244719
https://youtu.be/GNdgf0qnhgc?si=nwGZG1Utq7LV8mGEI just saw this entre tournament(this vid Is just one part) and i'm actually in shock, there was a ton of integender matches, and in each and everyone of them the girls won against the guys, and in all of them theguys were a Lot bigger!
I can understand that a female could win one or two matches, but the fact that the males didn't win a single match Is crazy! Stadistically at least one dude should be able to beat a woman, but in this case the female superioriry was evident, and this was a televised kendo tournament in japan, not a local thing in some country were Kendo isn't even popular, this dudes should be the elite of the sport, but the women just destroy them all
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Anon11/09/25, 13:47No.247640
>koryu: no, we don’t spar because it’s against the spirit of our art, we don’t do tameshigiri because of the atrocities committed against the Chinese, and we won’t actually teach you anything for years to test your loyalty
>Toyama Ryu:
Why should I do the old shit again?
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Anon11/09/25, 19:09No.247664
I'd really love to do kendo, but I have an implantable cardiac defibrillator. I have a plastic cover for it that can fit under most clothing, which can take an impact. Obviously I'll be talking to my doctor/the club, but does anyone know of anyone who does kendo with a similar implant like a pacemaker?
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Anon11/14/25, 02:09No.247917
Has anyone ever tried Ryushin Shouchi Ryu? A study group opened up in my area. I have no previous experience with sword arts.
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Anon11/17/25, 10:27No.248072
Dead hobby, I figured Japanese swordsmanship would be more popular on a weeb image board.
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Anon11/19/25, 03:19No.248176
Is there any sense to the last part or is it just random flailing?
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Anon11/20/25, 04:31No.248239
I just had my first Iaijutsu trail class, it was really cool. For the other inflexible anons, how long did it take for you to sit in seiza comfortably?
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Anon11/24/25, 02:21No.248465
I used to do seiza without issue until I read that proper form is with your big toes crossed, which makes it insanely uncomfortable for the foot on top.
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Anon11/26/25, 12:16No.248837
https://www.ebay.com/itm/135065418521?
Can anyone here tell if this is legitimate?
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Anon11/27/25, 15:32No.248953
Do homeowners in Japan train and use swords for home defense? Is that common? They can’t have guns, correct?
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Anon12/05/25, 23:11No.249850
>got accepted into a Koryu school
Feels good bros
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Anon12/12/25, 12:04No.250400
This is a fascinating niche "exhibition art" Koryu (traditional\ old Budo):Shojitsu Kenrikata Ichi Ryu Katchu Batto-jutsu >https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lvPUEfir5oc
>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3hK7ZP2-x8M
the movements look so clean and precise, but at the same time no a mere choreography
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Anon12/17/25, 05:37No.250811
I'm noticing a bit of pain when I receive men strike. From one dojo-mate in particular, he is taller than me and so tends to strike a bit flat on the top of the men.That got me wondering about the chances of concussion and long-term effects on brain health, like CTE, etc. There doesn't seem to be a lot of discussion about this in kendo. I guess anecdotally you look at most older kendoka and sensei and they seem fine despite decades of men strikes but who knows.I hate the idea of wearing a pad underneath the men, but I don't really know what other preventative measures are available. I want to do Kendo for many more years, but would rather not develop Alzheimers if I can help it
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Anon12/19/25, 13:49No.250967
r8 this anime girl's form ken-bros
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Anon12/26/25, 18:24No.251698
Why is kendo so different from kenjutsu, obviously, kendo is going to be simpler in terms of how many techniques it uses but I noticed kendo is basically just smacks to the upper body and doesn't attack the legs (as fas as i know), it doesn't take as many angles as in kenjutsu and there's no sword grappling (for lack of a better term, what i mean by that is when they are pushing swords and move it to the side and the favorable angle allows the sword to reach the opponent)
That said i still think kendo is better than kenjutsu because of the speed and that they actually fight but i do think there's a lot of stuff in Kenjutsu that would be great in kendo.
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Anon12/27/25, 00:56No.251749
Tozando or E-Bogu?
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Anon01/11/26, 03:49No.253437
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Anon01/29/26, 06:49No.254296
>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3R3M4UoSusE
>Back in the day, school children were required to learn either kendo or judo
>They even had pitch battles
Why did life became so lame and gay?