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November the 3rd in Japan is a national holiday called Bunka-no-hi (文化の日), in English “Culture Day.” Kendo being an example of traditional Japanese culture, its fitting that the Zen Nippon Senshuken Taikai (All Japan Kendo Championships) are held on this day. 64 men from throughout Japan fight it out to find out who is the …

Of-course, everyone who does studies Japanese budo is familiar with the formal Japanese sitting posture SEIZA (正座). The more relaxed, crossed legged sitting posture is something that probably everyone does as well, though its name you might not know: ANZA (安座). However there is also a third seated term that we use in budo, and …

I’ve heard it said that people who practise budo with a poor attitude either quit or change. When I look back (just a few years ago!) on my first days of iaido in Japan, I wince. Initially, my attitude was terribly poor; although I performed no worse than most beginners, I didn’t have the willpower …

Inspired by George’s recent translations, I decided to be bold (and possibly foolish!) and offer up one of my own. As most of us know, kuzushi (崩し) is a very important concept in Japanese budo (武道). Kuzushi goes beyond merely unbalancing an opponent; it drives to the heart of destroying the opponent’s mental and physical …

Traditional Japanese swords are made from a material called tamahagane. The process of producing tamahagane is over a thousand years old. The technology of tamahagane production came to Japan via Korea and China. Since the earliest times, Oku-izumo in the San’in region has been the center of tamahagane manufacture in Japan. Before the 8th century, …

「其れ剣は心なり。心正しからざれば、剣又正しからず。すべからく剣を学ばんと欲する者は、まず心より学べ – 島田 虎之助 “The sword is (like) the heart (心). If the heart is not correct, then the sword is not correct. For anyone who wishes to study the (way of the) sword, you must first study your heart.” – Shimada Toranosuke Everyone who has ever studied a bit about kendo (or any sword …

As the summer slowly transitions into autumn the days get shorter and cooler. In Japan however Mother Nature saves the worst for last. 40 degree days with humidity at 60% and climbing; the kind of weather that would make you lethargic in beach wear let alone moving around in bogu. This is for certain not …

 What a weekend. What a seminar. What a line up of kendo royalty to teach the European masses. The seminar was led, as usual, by Sumi Sensei 8th Dan hanshi. It was assisted by Uegaki Sensei, Tashiro Sensei, Nagao Sensei and Mori sensei; all 8th dans. There were also about ten 7th and 6th dans …

Born in Saitama prefecture, 1901, Ogawa Chutaro rose to become hanshi 9 dan, and an extremely influential member of the Japanese kendo community. He graduated from the infamous Kokushikan university (which is still a kendo powerhouse in Japan today) and went on to become the kendo teacher in a number of educational institutions. In 1953 …

There’s a lot of talk in the media at the moment about gold medals. Olympic gold medals to be precise. The word ‘Olympic’ is something of a swear word in many kendo circles around the globe, and the concept of Kendo being involved in the Olympics is a much argued and rather controversial subject.  Either …