Directory of
Traditional Kendo / Classical Kendo

Kendō (剣道), means 'the Way of the Sword', is Japanese swordsmanship with its origin based on ko-budō (古武道) in the Tokugawa period (1603-1868). This Kendo is closest to the Japanese samurai traditions concerning theory, method and symbol.

Ko-budo, the  classical martial way which represents the oldest traditions of budō. Ko-budo is in contrast to shin-budō (after 1868), which has become competitive.

Today, it is still possible to practice Kendo based on the classical budo traditions.

As a development of an art there is found a reference to the use of the bokutō (hardwood sword) as a weapon about A.D. 400. In middle of the Heian period (794-1185) the katana (samurai sword) was used as weapon, and the sword fighting art (kenjutsu, later became one of the main battle disciplines together with horse riding (bajutsu), archery (kyūjutsu) and use of the spear (sōjutsu). Even though the sword was the symbol of the samurai, the sword was never the weapon of choice on the battlefield. As mentioned the bokuto is a weapon and some warriors preferred the bokuto instead of katana in the period of 1584-1645.

Bokuto and katana were supplemented with a bamboo sword in 1563, called fukuro-shinai. This bamboo sword was used for training to prevent injuries. At the beginning of the 1700s Nakanishi Chuta from the sword fighting school, Ono-ha Itto-ryū improved fukuro-shinai to the type of shinai as we know today.

About 1716 Naganuma Shirōzaemon Kunisato of the Jikishin-kage ryū developed men (helmet) and kote (protects the hand and forearm). Subsequently followed the development of dō (chest plate) and tare (hip and groin protector).

Also, during the same period, Kendo was practiced with katana and bokuto in the form of kata (formalized techniques). Furthermore was shinai used in connection with contact practice where the armor was worn.

In this period this form of swordsmanship was called Kendō. The word ken (剣) means sword and the word dō (道) means way or path. Historically Kendo was taught by Abe Gorodaiyu, the founder of the sword fighting school Abe Ryu around the year 1673. At approximate the same time, the Heijo Muteki Ryu, founded by Yamanouchi Renshinsai, also used the term 'Kendo' to describe its teachings. This Kendo was by no means common or standard in the Tokugawa period.

Later during the Meiji Restoration in 1867-1869 the Japanese government took the initiative to modernize the Japanese society. Thus, the Japanese authorities began abolishing the feudal society.

After the Meiji Restoration the Japanese culture of war was continued under a modified modern form. Parts of fencing skills and spiritual values from the various swordsmanship schools were transformed into a modern form of exercises known as shin-budo. In this way the modern kendo was created by the Dai Nippon Butokukai in 1912 and became the majority group in Japan.

Outside Japan the modern kendo is typical organized in national federations which can be members of international kendo federations.

However, outside Japan there exists few Kendo groups which are interested in preserving the ko-budo. These groups are typical organized in organizations which purpose is preservation of the old traditions within budo; or organized in autonomous local social units.

Refer to the list of literature for details.