Daily practice

Sometimes, Sensei, Ken-doh instructor gives hard training to trainee.

Is Ken-doh one of sports?
I don't think so.  Reasons will be written here someday.

As for me, I sometimes feel like to break his skull with Shinai, bamboo sward.
To whom I do it?  It's instructor.
Many times tried of course, but I've never been able to shot his Men with such evil thought.
We call it Zatsu-nen or Janen, idle thoughts.

Once began Ken-doh, it will take two or three years to handle Shinai, bamboo sward and to move smoothly with protectors.  






 

Foreign Ken-doh players

The instructor of Mumei-shi is foreigner and there are many foreign trainees in his Doh-joh.

For them, Ken-doh is so attractive that they can endure his hard training.

Actually, there are something attractive in Ken-doh.

Trainee will be requested to be honest and be polite with 100% obeying and 100% belief to instructor and himself.

Yes, it's very purified world, I think. 

Suburi, most basic stroke practice

Any person began Ken-doh do this basic swing training, Suburi.
Some person do this practice every morning, evening or every day.

They do this practice, Suburi with Shinai, bamboo sward.

They are practicing Suburi with a heavy wood sward in some University Ken-doh club.

Ken-doh, All Japan Championship Match, 2007 in high speed camera

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These are marvelous Ken-doh match.
In third feature, left person with red ribbon, Mr.Teramoto belongs Osaka Police. Right person with white ribbon, Mr. Takanabe belongs Kanagawa Police.          
   Top of tops of Ken-doh.  

Some actors play Ken-do

Mr. Ken-ichi Takitoh and  Masato Sakai (Right person) are popular actors for movies and TVs in Japan.
They had been featured in many Samurai movies around Edo era.
They say, though they had not had practiced Ken-do in his college days, they had Ken-doh hard training just before taking movie shot.

Kata, forming

In Forming demonstration, we use Bokutoh. Bokutoh is a sward-like wood.
Each player has its own role, left and right respectively.
In Ken-do grade test, there are three tests we have to take. Playing, forming and knowledge.

 

 There are seven forms with normal length swards, both side. They use true swards but they are protected on edges. Upper demonstration was given by high grade instructors.

 There are three forms with short length sward and normal length one. Upper demonstration was also given by high grade instructors as Japan Ken-doh association, Zen-Nihon-Ken-doh-Renmei.

Full shot

 Sensei, instructors in Dojo where I commute tell us "Uchikire !" (Get attack fully without looking back)
Any attack must be done in full throttle, with no regret.
I think this might be FULL SHOT.
It would be 100% concentrated attack with 100% aggressive spirit.
I could this FULL SHOT only a few times in practice.
That day, can do "Uchikiru" looks far now.    

Attacking range of Ken-doh

Instructor Yamamoto, he is Nana-dan(seventh grade),  said to me, "You have your attacking ranges in any situation. They must be at right timing, right attitude both in action and in spirit. Of course every person has his attacking range.
At the edge of sward, fighting has already started"

For the time being, I must keep attack attitude in mind and body, and must intrude/ invade opponent's territory just before my / his attacking.

For me, it's most attractive to have edge fighting, though I'm not so good at it.


  

It's hot in summer and chilly in Autumn

We call these Ken-do uniforms as Dohgi and Hakama for Kendo.
Dohgi means sometimes Ken-do uniform including lower Uniform Hakama.

There is no under wear or only one trunks for muscular Ken-do person.

 One university Ken-do club were conducting Natsu-Gasshuku, intensive summer practice.

There usually are no air conditioner in Dohjo, gymnasium.
Natsu-Gasshuku, intensive training in mid summer is held by many high schools and universities.
Also, we have Kangeiko, intensive training in mid winter.     

They were doing winter practice, Kan-Geiko in some Ken-do club. It was held on snow.

Kamon is family emblem

Upper emblems are described as most popular family emblems, best tens.
Every family has its own emblem.
In battle era of Japan, Samurai family, Clans had some emblems and they used it in some case.
For example, at the battle field, at the ceremony, in daily use, etc.

Sekigahara war held at about 1600 in Mino province.
I can see many flags installed on their squadrons.
Every worriers might keep watch their friendly force's emblem.
Every commander might see and decide their position according to enemy and friendly emblems where they were.
Kamon, family emblem must have made them taken pride.

Family emblem on Doh

There usually is an emblem right upper side on Doh, fuselage protector of Ken-do.
In Japan, every family have its emblem.

Opponent sometimes hit just beside of my Doh, body protector and give some bruise there.
Of course, I hit armpit to opponent without intention. It's quite natural in Ken-do training.

 
  Left person are hitting Doh.

Kote, gloves for Ken-do

Deer skin are used at the part of palm of these gloves, Kote.  
If he had not had them washed / cleaned, it is inevitable to be stinky.
Everyone rarely wash them, these gloves though there are some way how to wash Kendo Kote with warm water. I think it will take more than one week to be dried after desolted in water.

Short Kote, or Degote hit.
As for me, that is regrettable to be hit Kote when I intended to hit his Men.