A Brief History of Kendo - Kendo World

[@Peekingduck]

The only problem I have with this video is that I wish it was a an hour longer. Thanks for all the hard work that goes into making these. They are much appreciated and looked forward to.

[@KendoWorld]

Thank you!!

[@kristinaF54]

Those striped Kendo Hakama (shown in the art 6:37) look very flamboyant, definitely fancier fashion than the hakama worn today.

[@guillaumeerard]

Fantastic, thanks for taking the time to do this Alex.

[@KendoWorld]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@Tokon_karate]

I’m a Karate practitioner, have an interest in all martial arts. Alexander Bennett’s work is beneficial to all practitioners of the martial ways, his book in particular has many historical references. I personally can listen to his word over and over. Very informative and educational.

[@viral634]

Thank you Alex and Marko. You put lots of effort to make this video both funny and substantial. Besides, after watching this video my personal oppinion was only strenghened that everything in kendo ( or any other old traditon) was invented quite recently.

[@KendoWorld]

Thanks! 😃

[@RichardBejtlich]

This video is so amazing. It’s the standard that other arts should strive to meet. I commend your commitment to history.

[@KendoWorld]

Thank you for the kind words!

[@stephenschultze7870]

Auspicious timing on the release of this video, I finished your book a few days ago - this is a great way to recap! Thank you for putting this together.

[@KendoWorld]

Hope you enjoy it!

[@matrix12x]

great video!

[@KendoWorld]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@Dragonflytube]

Thank you for the video Sensei.

[@revolverkimblee]

amazing video, thanks you very much!

[@KendoWorld]

You are welcome!

[@rurounimaikeru]

Just finished reading your book Alex. Thoroughly enjoyed it and so many fascinating insights. Thanks too for this video, will be sharing widely here in Victoria, Australia.

[@KendoWorld]

Awesome, thank you!

[@jisoenman]

Very nice Alex. Thanks for that. Clearly defines gekiken and other factors such as unconventional Kendo that people get confused with.

[@KendoWorld]

Glad it was helpful!

[@erickendoka2953]

Amazing! Sharing

[@KendoWorld]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@daveseto3778]

Thank you Alex and Marko!! This was a lot of fun and of course, very informative. I have added Kendo Culture of The Sword to (the top of) my summer reading pile.

[@TheShogunate]

Excellent video! I love your work!

[@KendoWorld]

Thank you very much!

[@extremel.z.s3140]

Yo, the shogunate!

[@andreagiagheddu8754]

Bellissimo!

[@soonwookkwon2396]

Thanks for this explanation. It will be very helpful to deeply understand Kendo for intermediate and upper level Kendoists.

[@MartinJutras]

Wow! There is a tremendous amount of love that went into making that amazing video! Thanks a million!

[@neilgendzwill3260]

Well done, Alex!

[@ohmpoingpoing]

This is great summary of the book.

[@mikeZL3XD7029]

Nice work, Alex, great to hear a Kiwi explain this.

[@zacmercer7507]

Great work. Thanks to all who helped put it together!

[@KendoWorld]

Our pleasure!

[@berkgokmen9766]

Excellent video, educating and it's fun to watch. Thank you Bennett sensei! Only problem I have is with the FIK affiliated federations map shown towards the end. Turkiye is affiliated to FIK since 2014 and participated in 16th and 17th WKC.

[@Japanese-budo]

Yeah, the map is not entirely accurate. And it’ll keep changing anyway. Just an image thing.

[@berkgokmen9766]

@@Japanese-budo yea of course I figured that much. Still wanted to point out for people who might not know. Thanks again for wonderful video!

[@jpkiwi8744]

Great Video there .. Been a while .. hugs and kisses.. Deano.

[@RomanNumural9]

A beautiful mini documentary. Excellent work:)

[@이진광-l3s]

Thank you so much for your hard work and for explaining the history of kendo, which I was curious about, implicitly and very well.

[@airon3348]

Great video, very concise. It touches on the most important points in the development of Kendo in an austere and clear way. However, I still find the idea of _​​budo_ and _sport_ in Kendo somewhat vague. It doesn't seem definite whether it is a sport or Budo. I understand that the values ​​of virtue, honor and self-development are part of Budo, however, they also apply to sportsmanship in a certain way. Bennett Sensei, it would be wonderful to know your opinion about it, about what points in the discipline of Kendo define it as Budo from a more technical and practical sense. Thanks a lot. Cheers.

[@Japanese-budo]

Like I said in the introduction, the is a lot of detail about that sort of thing in my book :) Lots!

[@airon3348]

@@Japanese-budoThank you very much Sensei. Of course I will look for it. Cheers!

[@zaneb8310]

Great video love your work Alex such an inspiration I'm hoping to start kendo soon but it's gonna be a 88mile round trip will all be worth it 👌

[@KendoSwordsman]

Got the book. Haven't finished it yet though. 😂 Started it on my honeymoon and then we had two kids...

[@KendoWorld]

That's a hell of a review!!

[@mikaelbauer3818]

Great overview. I teach Japanese history at the university level, and practice Iaido. I was wondering: you did not include Iai in this overview? (Although Nakayama Hakudo does appear in a picture you show)

[@Japanese-budo]

Hi, I didn’t include Iaido specifically as it is a video about kendo. I could have added bits on Iaido, Jodo and lots of other arts as well, but there would be no end to it.

[@Msgoddessk]

I will be getting that book

[@revolverkimblee]

thanks you very much

[@andrewharris7517]

I just got the book and it is Electric!

[@CanAydogdu]

The affiliated countries map is a bit outdated. Turkiye has been affiliated almost a decade ago.

[@KendoWorld]

We are sorry about that, the map shown in the video was taken from the IKF Website.

[@usodayo3935]

Would be interested to know the current scientific consensus on kendo causing brain damage and also hearing loss

[@Japanese-budo]

Me too!

[@Jhonny33993]

Can kendo be useful for self-defense?

[@SaschaCharlieDjuderija]

Well, sadly Mr. Bennett forgot (either by accident or willingly) to mention the deep influence of Chiba Shūsaku (Hokushin Itto Ryu) to modern kendo since most techniques in simplified way are based on his teachings. Mr. Bennett showed a old photography of the committee responsible for the Dai Nippon Teikoku Kendo Kata, but didn't mentioned their corresponding ryuha's. These are the members of following ryuha's: Takano Sasaburo (Ono Ha Itto Ryu/Nakanishi Ha Itto Ryu), Mona Tadashi (Hokushin Itto Ryu), Naito Takaharu (Hokushin Itto Ryu), Tsuji Shinpei (Shingyoto Ryu), Negishi Shingoro (Kanto Ha Shindo Munen Ryu).

[@Japanese-budo]

Read the book brother. ;)

[@Valscorn01]

This was a super interesting video. My iai sensei in Chiba told my teacher the “nice and character building” of Japanese martial arts was……… both true, and also bullshit. He said they invented that concept so that after WWII, they could practice martial arts again. Which according to this video is true….. but also not true.

[@RebelReign]

Make cake not war!

[@Janisurai]

🎉

[@LT-th9xf]

Sounds like in 1911 they were training the military

[@jileel]

Shinai kyogi looked horrible! I couldnt imagine kendo without kiai

[@dwightlooi]

Kendo should be "Kondo" (棍道) instead. Seriously, there is no Ken anywhere, just bamboo sticks. More importantly, it is a hitting sport not a fencing or slashing spot. If you are actually using a sword of any kind, you will not try to hit the opponent with the tip of the sword the way Kendo practitioners do. They tap you on the head or poke you in the chest because that is how hits are scored and slashes are SLOW compared to quick taps and pokes. However, when using a real sword you'll want to slash and cut to do the most damage. Yes, it's a sport and not really a fighting art. I know that. But the name really should reflect what it actually is!

[@DistributistHound]

I Wonder the same thing although I would have to risk loosing an arm to see if an experienced kendoka can cut, on the other hand they are able to cause pain with the bamboo stick even when wearing protection so I give the benefit of the doubt to kendo masters in regards to been able to cut. There is also chambara that is actually more similar to taping and poking

[@dwightlooi]

@@DistributistHound Well, Kendo is a relatively "new" thing; new as in early 20th century. The original name was Kiken "撃剣" or Hitting Sword. Anyway, the idea that the kind of bamboo bundle sword used, and scoring based on head tapping or chest poking, are necessary for safety or sustainable practice is nonsense. Going back over a thousand years, the Japanese have practiced "real" swordsmanship with wooden swords (with and without protective implements). Kendo is purely a sport, it is NOT really a martial art -- you won;t fight using it's techniques just like you won't fight by tapping your opponent on the top of the head with your fingers.

[@DistributistHound]

@@dwightlooi it is similar to Olympic fencing getting backlashed by HEMA, so in a sword combat there is more than just cutting for instance timing and fighting distance are a couple of things that can be practiced and tested very well in kendo. We can leave aside the cuts but the tsuki thrust does leave bruises and can be very dangerous when done to the throat, very often kendo players try to moderate their strength when doing tsuki. I see no difference on the use of the shinai and real sword when doing tsuki and the result would be dependent only on the shape and material of the weapon used.