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The History of Kendo
Kenjyutsu
Machidojo in Japan at the beginning of Meiji period
(1870-1900)
The History of Kendo
When looking back into the History of Kendo, there are several fundamental
points that cannot be overlooked.
The first point is the advent of the Japanese sword.
The Japanese sword that emerged in the middle of the 11
th
Century (middle of the
Heian
Era
?k
794-1185
?l
) had a slightly arched blade with raised ridges (called
Shinogi
).
Its original model was presumably handled by a tribe that specialized in
cavalry battles in northern Japan during the 9
th
century.
Since then, this sword was used by the
Samurai
and production technology advanced rapidly during the period of early
Samurai
-government reign (end of the
Kamakura
Era in the 13
th
Century).
In this manner, it is not an exaggeration to say that both its wielding
techniques using
Shinogi
which produced the expression of
Shinogi-wo-kezuru
, engaging in fierce competition and the Japanese sword were Japanese born
products.
After the
Onin
War occurred in the latter half of the
Muromachi
Era (1392-1573), Japan experienced anarchy for a hundred years.
During this time, many schools of
Kenjutsu
were established. In 1543, firearms were brought to
Tanegashima
(Island located off the southern tip of Japan).
The Japanese sword was made using the
Tatarafuki
casting method with high quality iron sand obtained from the riverbed.
However, it did not take long before large quantities of firearms were
made successfully using this high quality iron sand and the same casting
method to produce swords.
As a result, the heavy-armored battling style that prevailed up to then
changed dramatically to a lighter hand-to-hand battling style.
Actual battling experiences resulted in advanced development and specialization
of sword-smithing as well as the establishment of more refined sword-handling
techniques and skills that have been handed down to the present through
the various schools such as the
Shinkage-ryu
and
Itto-ryu
.
Japan began to experience a relatively peaceful period from the beginning
of the
Edo
Era (1603-1867).
During this time, techniques of the
Ken
(the Japanese sword) were converted from techniques of killing people to
one of developing the person through concepts such as the
Katsunin-ken
which included not only theories on strong swordsmanship, but also concepts
of a disciplinary life-style of the
Samurai
.
These ideas were compiled in books elaborating on the art of warfare in
the early
Edo
Era.
Examples of these include:
?g
Heiho Kadensho
(The Life-giving Sword)?h by
Yagyu Munenori
; ?g
Fudochi Shinmyoroku
(The Unfettered Mind )?h by Priest
Takuan
which was a written interpretation of
Yagyu Munenori?fs
?g
Ken to Zen
(Sword and
Zen)?h
written for
Tokugawa Iemitsu,
Third Shogunate for the
Tokugawa
Government; and ?g
Gorin-no-sho
(The Book of Five Rings)?h by
MiyamotoMusashi
.
Many other books on theories of swordsmanship were published during the
middle and latter half of the
Edo
Era.
Many of these writings have become classics and influence many Kendo practitioners
today.
What these publications tried to convey to the
Samurai
was how to live beyond death.
These teachings were to be used for everyday life.
The
Samurai
studied these books and teachings daily, lived an austere life, cultivated
their minds, and devoted themselves to the refinement of
Bujutsu
, learned to differentiate between good and evil, and learned that in times
of emergency they were ready to sacrifice their lives for their
Han
(clan) and feudal lord.
In present day terms, they worked as bureaucrats and soldiers.
The
Bushido
spirit that evolved during this time, developed during a peaceful 246
years of the
Tokugawa
period.
Even after the collapse of the feudal system, this
Bushido
spirit lives on in the minds of the Japanese.
On the other hand, as peaceful times continued, while
Kenjutsu
developed new graceful techniques of the
Ken
created from actual sword battling skills,
NaganumaShirozaemon-Kunisato
of the
Jiki-shinkage-ryu
school developed a new foundation in techniques of the
Ken
.
During the
Shotoku
Era (1711-1715)
Naganuma
developed the of
Kendo-gu
(protective equipment) and established a training method using the
Shinai
(bamboo-sword).
This is the direct origin of present day Kendo discipline.
Thereafter, during the
Horeki
Era (1751-1764),
NakanishiChuzo-kotake
of
Itto-ryu
started a new training method using an iron
Men
(headgear) and
Kendo-gu
made of bamboo, which became prevalent among many schools in a short period
of time. In the
Kansei
Era (1789-1801), inter-school competition became popular and
Samurai
traveled beyond their province in search of stronger opponents to improve
their skills.
In the latter half of the
Edo
Era (beginning of the 19
th
Century), new types of equipment were produced such as the
Yotsuwari Shinai
(bamboo swords united by tetramerous bamboo). This new
Shinai
was more elastic and durable than the
Fukuro Shinai
(literally, bag-covered bamboo sword) which it replaced.
Also, a
Do
(body armor) that was reinforced by leather and coated with lacquer was
introduced. During this time, three
Dojo
s that gained great popularity became to be known as the ?gThree Great
Dojo
s of
Edo
.?h
They were:
Genbukan
led by
Chiba Shusaku
;
Renpeikan
led by
Saito Yakuro
; and
Shigakkan
led by
Momoi
Shunzo
.
Chiba
attempted to systematize the
Waza
(techniques) of bamboo sword training by establishing the ?gSixty-eight
Techniques of
Kenjutsu
?h which were classified in accordance with striking points. Techniques
such as the
Oikomi-men
and
Suriage-men
and other techniques that were named by
Chiba
are still used today.
After the
Meiji
Restoration in 1868, the
Samurai
class was dissolved and the wearing of swords was prohibited.
As a result, many
Samurai
lost their jobs and
Kenjutsu
declined dramatically. Thereafter, the
Seinan
Conflict which occurred in the 10
th
Year of the
Meiji
Era (1877) was an unsuccessful resistance movement of
Samurai
against the Central Government that seemed to give an indication of
Kenjutsu
?fs recovery mainly among the Tokyo Metropolitan Police.
In the 28
th
Year of the
Meiji
Era (1829), the
Dai-Nippon Butoku-Kai
was established as the national organization to promote
Bujutsu
including
Kenjutsu
.
?@
At around the same time in 1899, ?g
Bushido
?h was published in English which was considered a compilation of
Samu
rai?fs thoughts and philosophy.
It was influential internationally.
In the First Year of
Taisho
(1912), the
Dai-Nippon Teikoku Kendo Kata
(later renamed to
Nippon Kendo Kata
) was established using the word Kendo. The establishment of the
Kendo Kata
provided for the unification of many schools to enable them to pass on
to later generations the techniques and spirit of the Japanese sword, and
to remedy improper use of hands which had been caused by bamboo sword training
and to correct inaccurate strikes which were not at the right angle to
the opponent. It was thought that the
Shinai
(bamboo sword) was to be treated as an alternative of the Japanese sword.
And, in the Eighth Year of
Taisho
(1919),
Nishikubo
Hiromichi
consolidated the original objectives of
Bu
(or in other words
Samurai
) under the names of
Budo
and
Kendo
since they conformed to them.
After the Second World War, Kendo was suspended for a while under the Occupation
of the Allied Forces.
In 1952, however, when the All Japan Kendo Federation was established,
Kendo was revived.
Kendo presently plays an important role in school education and is also
popular among the young and old, men and women alike. Several million Kendo
practitioners of all ages enjoy participating in regular sessions of
Keiko (
Kendo training
)
.
Furthermore, Kendo is gaining interest all around the world, and more and
more international practitioners are joining the Kendo world. The International
Kendo Federation (FIK) was established in 1970 and the first triennial
World Kendo Championships (WKC) was held in
the
Nippon
Budokan
in the same year. In July 2009, the 14
th
WKC was held in
Sao Paulo
,
Brazil
.
Kendo practitioners from 38 different countries and regions participated.
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