Kendo
剣道

What is Kendo?

Kendo is a modern Japanese martial art rooted in the sword traditions of the samurai, developed not only as a method of combat but as a discipline for cultivating character.

Practitioners wear protective armour (bogu) and use bamboo swords (shinai) to engage in dynamic, full-contact bouts governed by precise etiquette and rules in which they vie to land decisive blows to specific target areas (head, wrists, torso, and throat). Yet beyond the physical exchange, kendo is fundamentally concerned with refining the self through rigorous training, respect for others, and the pursuit of correct spirit, technique, and timing. Central to its practice are values such as sincerity, self-control, and perseverance, making kendo as much a path of personal development as it is a martial art.

A large indoor gymnasium with a high ceiling and multiple windows, filled with people practicing Kendo, a Japanese martial art, dressed in traditional armor and uniforms.
Group of children dressed in kendo armor, practicing kendo with shinai swords in a dojo.
People practicing kendo, a Japanese martial art, with protective gear and bamboo swords in a dojo.
Children dressed in traditional Japanese attire, practicing Kendo.
A person dressed in fencing gear, including a helmet and padded protective clothing, is holding a fencing sword in a fencing stance. The background shows several spectators watching in an indoor gym or sports hall.
A person wearing a kendo helmet and protective gear, holding a shinai, a bamboo sword used in kendo, in an indoor martial arts training space.
A group of people practicing Kendo, a traditional Japanese martial art, in a wooden-floored dojo. They are wearing protective gear and holding bamboo shinai swords.
A dojo or martial arts training hall with students dressed in traditional martial arts uniforms (karate or kendo) practicing or preparing for training, illuminated by ceiling lights.
A group of people practicing Kendo in a gymnasium with Japanese flags on the background. They are dressed in traditional Kendo armor and holding bamboo swords, engaging in a training exercise.
A group of people dressed in kendo gear, including helmets with face guards, gathered in a room with wooden walls and blue curtains, during a martial arts practice or event.
Two individuals practicing kendo or a similar martial art in a gymnasium with wooden wall panels.