Japanese Traditional Arts Issue 5 Home Page

The Challenge of Kendo Mariko Yamaguchi from Japan tells how both the mind and the body must be disciplined to perfect the skills of Japanese fencing. Photo: Thomas Peters Japanese high school students practice Kendo, Japanese swordsmanship. I've been practicing kendo, Japanese swordmanship, for 11 years. The practices are very hard. We have to attack in a spirited manner and from a good position. In summer time, we are soaked with sweat; in winter time, numb with cold. After falling down and staggering back to my feet again and again every day, I thought I would never make any progress, and I wanted to give up many times. One day, I beat an opponent at last. I was so happy that I forgot all the hard practice, and I realized that effort is very important. Photo: Thomas Peters A fencer peers out of her mask. We practice kendo 365 days a year, but the time limit of a match is only four minutes. We have to concentrate and fight alone because during a match, no one is allowed to say a word. Even a coach must not give any advice. In order to win, one has to gaze into the opponent's eyes and read her mind. It is said that an accomplished kendo player can feel the opponent's breath just by looking at her. It's still difficult for me. I just try to hit without hesitating as soon as I get a chance. I'm very good at hitting an opponent the moment she begins to attack me, but I am too easily tempted when my opponent changes me by beckoning with her "shinai." I don't want to play my opponent's game. I need to play my own game. We don't boast when we get a point. We don't express our feelings whether we win or not. We keep them in check and just bow to each other before and after matches. I watched many players vaunting their victories in the Olympic games this summer. I thought it was cool, honest and impressive. And I became afraid kendo was too serious and cold. I thought good manners are too important in kendo to be accepted by the rest of the world. I asked one of my American friends what he thought of it. He said not all Americans accepted such showing off, that some Americans think this is inappropriate. I began to think better of kendo. Now I think the way of the sword or kendo is much more important than the individual player. It's more like an art than like a competitive sport. We don't play to win but to discipline the mind and the spirit. I shall do kendo all my life because I've learn by doing it. And someday I would like to talk about all types of swordsmanship with foreigners. More traditional Japanese arts: Koto, a Traditional Musical Instrument | How the Koto Became Popular Chado, the Way of Tea | Ikebana, Japanese Flower Arranging Hyaku-Nin-Isshu, a Card Game | Kyudo, The Way of the Bow Return to: Traditional Japanese Arts | Issue 5 | Home Page  TOPICS Online Magazine - ©1997-2007- Sandy and Thomas Peters - topics.mag@gmail.com