What is kendo? The Definition of kendo

Kendo is simple. It is Japanese fencing or sword fighting. It can be viewed as a sport, an art, and a way of life. The literal translation is sword (ken) way (do) or the “way of the sword”.

The martial art of kendo is relatively modern, finding popularity only within the last hundred years or so. The predecessor of kendo, kenjutsu, or the “art (jutsu) of the sword (ken)”, is ancient dating back over a thousand years.

Modern kendo differs from the ancient kenjutsu in many ways. To start with, modern kendo has only 8 target areas called datotsu-bui (target points):

(1) men straight attack to the forehead

(2) migi men literally right men or right forehead

(3) hidari men literally left men or left forehead

(4) tsuki or throat

(5) migi kote or right forearm

(6) hidari kote or left forearm

(7) migi do or right torso

(8) hidari do or left torso

Ancient kenjustu had no such distinctions. The basic target areas were the same, but there were also fewer rules on how one went about hitting those target areas. Leg sweeps, elbow thrusts, and kicking were allowed and considered common techniques in those days.

Unlike European fencing, kendo does not score based off of a touch system. A strike in kendo, to be counted as a point, must be accurate, must be fully committed with loud kiai or yell, and must be done with correct form and shisei which means posture. Kendo matches last anywhere from 2-10 minutes making it a very effective form of aerobic exercise.