Kendo Equipment Care
A major part of kendo is in the care of the equipment, uniform, and shinai. In tandem with the adage “Kendo begins and ends with rei”, respect must be given and shown to everyone and everything. Caring for your gear not only makes your equipment smell and feel better, but it also helps lengthen its lifetime. Logically, the longer your gear lasts, the less money you have to spend on replacing and repairing it. Unlike most other martial arts, kendo requires its practitioners to upkeep their equipment. Shinai should undergo maintenance, ideally, every week or at least every other week. Bogu doesn’t require as much maintenance but must be taken care of nonetheless. Caring for your gear is also an exercise of respect. Your bogu protects you in practice—for that reason alone, why not care for it and upkeep it? When in a match or in practice, your shinai becomes a part of you, part of your body—and part of kendo is taking care of your body. Being a good kendoist is not merely having good kendo. Chakuso, or appearances, are all a part of the package deal. Chakuso is also a factor in grading examinations for a reason: If one cannot show respect towards their gear, how can they respect themselves or others? Here is an overview of basic equipment care: 1. Basic shinai maintenance 2. Putting together the shinai
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