Founding of the Butokuden in 1895 on the 1,100 year anniversary of the transferring of the Japanese capitol to Kyoto (Heian-kyo), and as part of the building of Heian-jingu, the Butokuden construction began. It was originally meant as a demonstration platform for the Butokukai. It was completed in 1899 on the north-west side of the …
Read more »This is the first in a series that looks at techniques done by those that are as acknowledged as the best executors of them. The individual final of the 1st world kendo championships (1970) was between Toda sensei, twice winner of the All Japan Kendo Championships (1962 and 64, using jodan), and Osaka police’s Kobayashi …
Read more »Editors note: this post is just for general informational purposes. The format of one of Japans premier kendo competition – the Todofuken Taiko Kendo Yusho Taikai (aka the Todofuken, or in English the “All Japan Team competition”) – has changed from this year, 2009. The main theme of the change was two-fold: to include high …
Read more »Every year the University of Valencia in Spain makes an effort to bring the head coach of the Waseda University in Tokyo (Yano-sensei) along with some members of the team. They all train with us during a long weekend and eventually join the 3-kenshi team competition on saturday. This time around Yano-sensei suffered a severe …
Read more »Discussions of pre-war kendo pop up from time to time with people proposing what it was like. It seems that those proposals are often supposition based on what someone wishes or imagines it was like instead of the sources that are available. To that end, I’m translating portions of Takano Sasaburo’s Kendo Kyohon into English. …
Read more »This weekend saw the biggest ever gathering of kendoka ever in Ireland 100 kendoka coming from clubs from Ireland, UK, Belgium, France, Poland, USA and Italy. The weekend began for almost everyone with a 7 hour seminar with Yanai Sensei 7th Dan on Friday morning. We began by going back to basics and learning how …
Read more »“The night bus to Tokyo: a nine hour hell ride in a muggy sardine can, with an interior that is all too reminiscent of a cheap airport hotel, and a smell to match. This is the chariot of thrifty foreign travelers, poor university students, and gassy old men who snore throughout the night. After an evening of …
Read more »