History

Kendo literally translates to the Way of the Sword. The Japanese sword (or katana) has a special place in Japanese history. Many people know the sword as a symbol of the samurai class, but it is also included as one of the Three Sacred Treasures of Japan - a mirror representing wisdom, a jewel representing benevolence and a sword representing valor.

Kendo is the oldest Japanese martial art, but “kendo” is a modern term. “Kenjutsu” is the term that refers to the techniques of swordsmanship that can be traced back to the middle of the 11th century during the Heian Period. The shift from combat on mounted horses to combat on foot and the development of the katana, a sword with a curved blade combining hard steel for a razor sharp cutting edge and durable soft steel for a strong spine made a weapon unmatched in the world and led to the emergence of a sword-wielding warrior class.

By the Muromachi Period (1392-1573) kenjutsu had split into two factions - battle kendo for professional warriors and school kendo (ryuha) for non-professionals to develop kenjutsu theories and techniques . At its height there were over 200 schools.

Hundreds of years of constant civil wars created a world in need of the samurai’s fighting skills, but two events changed this reality. First the introduction of firearms in 1543 reduced the need for sword fighting at close quarters. Second the unification of Japan under the Tokugawa Shogunate led to over 250 years of peace during the Edo Period (1603-1867) and obviated the need for a warrior class.

The Edo Period also saw social classes became fixed and swordsmanship became the exclusive realm of samurai who now were expected to nurture the spiritual aspects of life as well as skill brandishing a sword. The katana thus changed from a weapon of war to a symbol of the samurai’s status and authority and a method to refine both mind and body. Many books on the philosophy of kenjutsu were written during this era including the famous “Book of 5 Rings” by Miyamoto Musashi.

It was also during this time that bamboo swords (shinai) and lightweight armor (bogu) were developed to allow full contact fencing rather than the traditional practice of using only forms (kata) for training. This set the stage for the development of modern kendo.

At the end of the Edo Period, the samurai class was dissolved and the wearing of katana prohibited. Consequently interest in kenjutsu saw a dramatic decline. This trend was reversed when in 1879 with the Tokyo police began teaching kendo and with the rise in militarism caused by the outbreaks of the Sino-Japanese (1894-5) and Russo Japanese (1904-5) Wars.

In 1911 kendo was incorporated into the middle school curriculum and the following year, the different styles of the various ryuha (schools) were consolidated into 10 basic techniques known as Nippon Kendo Kata. These forms are still practiced today. And the term “kenjutsu” was replaced by “kendo” which signified the path for personal development in both the physical and spiritual sense.

Kendo continued to grow and was used to augment combat readiness for World War II. At the end of the war, the Allied occupation banned kendo due to its association with militarism. In 1952 the San Francisco Peace Treaty officially ended WW II and full sovereignty was returned to Japan. The same year kendo was reintroduced and the All Japan Kendo Federation was established.

In 1962 kendo became mandatory for middle and high school students and all Japanese police precincts continued to teach kendo. With growing global interest, in 1970 the International Kendo Federation was established and the first World Kendo Championships (WKC) were held in Tokyo with 17 countries participating. This tournament is held every 3 years. In 2018 the 17th WKC was held in Korea with 56 countries represented. The 18th WKC, postponed due to Covid, was held in Milan in 2024.

So kendo with its roots in the sword fighting techniques of kenjutsu is now a way of life to discipline both body and mind. Its participants are no longer Japanese samurai, but encompass men and women of all ages across the globe.