Kendo World No-14_Vol.4-2

Recent Happenings In the days leading up to the publication It is a hectic time to travel as the entire population of Japan seems to be on the move at precisely the same time, making train stations, airports and highways places to avoid if at all possible. Kyoto is a magnet for domestic and international sightseers and finding accommodation can be next to impossible without reservations booked months in advance. However, those of us who live in Kyoto find ourselves positioned perfectly for the festivities. Multitudes of fellow budo enthusiasts converge on the city during Golden Week to enjoy the many annual budo events held here. If you are of the koryō persuasion you have the options of attending the magnificent classical bujutsu demonstrations at the Shimogamo and Shiramine Shrines. There are also…

Paul Martin is a Tokyo-based Japanese sword specialist. KW would like to thank Kendō Nippon for providing some of the photos used in this article. 4 Surrounded by 200-year-old cherry blossom trees behind the main Kōdansha building in Otowa, Bunkyō-ku, the old Noma Dōjō was a place of pilgrimage for the world’s kendo fencers. Founded in 1925 by the first president of Kōdansha Publishing Company, Noma Seiji, it had the spirit of generations of Japan’s finest kendo practitioners permeated into its vast pine wood floor. After the war, Noma Dōjō was referred to as one of the four great dōjō of the eastern capital (Tokyo), and until its recent destruction it was the only remaining one. The main structure of the building had been relocated from an older dōjō of the Edo…

The 22nd Eu rope a n Kendo Championships (EKC) were held March 21-23 at the Toolo Sports Hall in Helsinki City, Finland. The event was conducted under the auspices of the European Kendo Federation (EKF) and hosted by the Finnish Kendo Association (FKA). A record event in every aspect, this year’s championship surpassed all previous championships in total numbers of participants, representation of countries and organizing staff. In the three days, 419 participants and delegation members from 34 countries were administered by the officers of the European Kendo Federation, a Japanese delegation, referees, the FKA organizing committee, and over one hundred operations staff members. All counted, a total of 576 people were involved with the event. In addition to the support of the International Kendo Federation and the European Kendo Federation, the…

It is hard to believe that yet another year has passed since the last Hachidan Taikai. As always, four of Kendo World’s intrepid staff members converged on Nagoya’s Nakamura Sports Centre to document the goings-on. The usual splendid array of sensei turned out for the day; indeed it is easy to take for granted just how much superlative talent this shiai summons together at one time. As the tournament is by invitation only, it is fair to say that each competitor is there for a reason. There were many stern countenances at the opening ceremony, each sensei undoubtedly determined to wrest the title from last year’s champion, Funatsu Sensei. Our cameras began rol ling for the opening matches, which were somewhat subdued. The kendo was mostly orthodox – there were very few…

To mark the 120th anniversary of the death of Japanese statesman and master swordsman Yamaoka Tesshū (1836- 88), an exhibition of his Zen calligraphy and painting will be held at the Victoria and Albert Museum, London from September 3- December 14, 2008. Born in Edo (now Tokyo), Tesshū was a lay Zen master and he received his certificate of enlightenment from Tekisui Giboku of the Tenryu-ji temple. Tesshū served as a swordsman and retainer to the Tokugawa family and played an active role in the transfer of power from the Tokugawa Shogunate to the Meiji Emperor at the time of the Meiji Restoration in 1868. He was honoured by the Emperor four times, receiving the 4th Imperial Order at the age of 47. Tesshū studied swordsmanship intensively for many years, feeling…

Kyoto is full of surprises which is why it is such an exciting place to live. You never know what you will discover on a casual stroll through the centuries-old streets. However, there is a sad side to Kyoto epitomised by the unfortunate inclination to replace the old with the new. Quaint old buildings are mercilessly crushed under the weight of bulldozers to make way for large modern structures that spoil the ancient capital’s skyline. Sometimes historical buildings are levelled then unceremoniously tar-sealed to make way for car parks! My old temple house in downtown Kyoto met this rather ungracious end. There is a company in Kyoto that embraces the new, but fortunately, only on the basis of a profound respect for the old. TOZANDO will be familiar to many Kendōka…