Kendo is a dynamic, physical discipline derived from the art of the Japanese sword.  Practising kendo is exhilarating and challenging requiring a strong  mental aptitude and physical stamina.  The rewards for hard and dedicated training are physical fitness, improved levels of stamina and an interesting pastime. 

The Concept of Kendo

The following is an extract from the ZNKR:

The concept of Kendo is to discipline the human character through the application of the principles of the Katana (sword).

The Purpose of Practicing Kendo

The purpose of practicing Kendo is:

To mould the mind and body,

To cultivate a vigorous spirit,

And through correct and rigid training,

To strive for improvement in the art of Kendo,

To hold in esteem human courtesy and honor,

To associate with others with sincerity,

And to forever pursue the cultivation of oneself.

This will make one be able:

To love his/her country and society,

To contribute to the development of culture

And to promote peace and prosperity among all peoples.
(The Concept of Kendo was established by All Japan Kendo Federation in 1975.)

The above may seem hypocritical to the uninitiated but the following may give some understanding to the logic that was behind the development of this concept.

Brief History of Kendo

The sword has existed in Japan in one form or another for over a thousand years.  It gradually evolved as a symbolic representation of the samurai and of the code and ethic that developed with the samurai’s way of life (and death).  

Japan went through centuries of countless wars and battles that pushed the country into a state of anarchy and near civil war.  During this time the sword became more important and the pursuit of the use of the sword more relevant to everyday life.  During this period numerous schools of kenjutsu emerged all over Japan developing a large number of styles and techniques in swordsmanship.   This, in turn, fed the growing appetite for the use of the sword.  The introduction of firearms and the following large-scale production did not mark the demise of the sword, instead techniques were modified and adapted to suit more specialised and formal method of fighting.

The beginning of the edo period (1603-1837) marked the dawn of a relative peaceful period in Japanese history, which left a void in the life and culture of the use of the sword across the nation.  The changes that were developed to accommodate the introduction of firearms had already put into place a more sophisticated element to fencing that lent itself towards a more sophisticated concept.  New concepts were introduced that helped turn kenjutsu from an art devoted to killing into a way of life that developed virtues such as honour, self respect and self discipline.  This would go some way to explaining the concepts that were established by the ZNKR in 1978.

After the meiji restoration (1868) the samurai class was abolished and the wearing of swords made illegal.  Despite an attempt by the samurai to resist the movement against the sword, kenjutsu went into decline.  There was however a hardcore that kept up the resistance and prevented the techniques that had been developed over many generations from disappearing into the history books.  The protective equipment and shinai that had been developed during the 18^th century and refined during the 19^th century meant that the techniques could be practiced and passed on to others and kenjutsu was kept alive. 

Using the shinai in place of a live blade enabled realistic battle conditions to be simulated but was not a complete substitute for the ‘real thing’.  The correct use of the hands and correct cutting  could not be entirely simulated with a bamboo shinai and in 1912 the Dai-Nippon Teikoku Kendo Kata was introduced.  This has similarities to seitei iai in as much as it was a combination of techniques from a number of schools and enabled the correct use of technique to be studied and taught.