Kendo is NOT the Skills of Samurai

I want to first make it clear that I think Kendo is a wonderful Budo, and their skills are amazing.

However, it is absolutely not “according to the principles of the katana,” it is only the technique to fight with a Shinai bamboo sword.
Skills of fighting with a real katana like Iai/Kenjutsu and Kendo have too many differences.

1.Katana are curved, Shinai are straight (functions very differently)
2.Katana are meant to cut, Shinai are meant to hit
3.Kendo attacks where you have armor, Iai/Kenjutsu aims for where you don’t
4.Kendo has rules for safety, Iai/Kenjutsu doesn’t (thrusts, leg attacks, etc.)
These are just some examples, and there are many many more.

*The content is based on personal studies and experience
There is no intention of denying other theories and cultural aspects

▼My New Channel: Let’s ask Seki Sensei | Kobudo Asayama Ichiden Ryu▼
Are you a Japanese budo martial art lover watching this video? I am now running the best channel for you to learn more about samurai, katana, and budo martial arts from a Kobudo master who is running a 400-year-old Ryuha. Our goal is to achieve 100,000 subscribers by 2023, so please check it out!

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▼Please support me through Ko-fi (a donation platform like Patreon)▼
The management (filming, editing, etc.) of the new Asayama Ichiden Ryu's English Channel "Let's ask Seki Sensei" is completely my voluntary work. If I am not able to pay for the expensive bullet train fare from Kyoto to Ibaraki Prefecture (where the main Dojo is located), and hotel/filming expenses, this activity will cease. Please help us spread and preserve this 400-year-old martial art. In return, I will try my best to create the most educational and exciting content about Japanese Kobudo.

▼Where you can meet me in Kyoto, Japan | Yushinkan Samurai Experience with Modern-day Musashi▼
A 90-minute experience in Japan where beginners can learn how to wield, draw, sheath, and swing the katana from the modern-day Musashi! I, Shogo, will be your interpreter to lead you into the wonderful world of samurai martial arts!

▼The BEST online katana shop for martial arts (Iaido, Kendo, etc.): Tozando▼
Everything I use for my katana training is bought at this shop! I still use the first training katana I bought in 2016, and it is still in good shape!

▼The recommended online katana shop for decorations and cosplay: Mini Katana▼
*Get 15% OFF off all their products by purchasing through my affiliate link

▼Let's ask Shogo Merchandise Shop▼
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“To make every Japan lovers’ dream come true, by making Japan a more secure, comfortable, and safer place for everyone to visit, study, and live in”

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♪Music♪
おとわび

♪Sound effects♪
効果音ラボ

♪Pictures♪
かわいいフリー素材屋 いらすとや

#kendo #iai #katana

[ShrkLife]

Never thought I'd see Heisenberg try to give a lesson on Japanese swordsmanship

[roycehuepers]

It's like comparing high school wrestling with Spartan Pankration.

[BU_IDo]

He should have said Kendo is a highly simpilfied dertivitive of Kenjustu tailored to meet the needs of the sport it represents. It doesn't fully mirrors the way of the sword.

[LetsaskShogo]

I want to first make it clear that I think Kendo is a wonderful Budo, and their skills are amazing.

However, it is absolutely not “according to the principles of the katana, ” it is only the technique to fight with a Shinai bamboo sword.
Skills of fighting with a real katana like Iai/Kenjutsu and Kendo have too many differences.

1.Katana are curved, Shinai are straight (functions very differently)
2.Katana are meant to cut, Shinai are meant to hit
3.Kendo attacks where you have armor, Iai/Kenjutsu aims for where you don’t
4.Kendo has rules for safety, Iai/Kenjutsu doesn’t (thrusts, leg attacks, etc.)
These are just some examples, and there are many many more.

[divine-wind]

From my experience with Kendo, Kendo taught me to react to gaps in my opponents mind.
Also the ability to break through my own perceived limitations.
I miss Kendo, although I still practice Kendo Kata as a meditation.

[LetsaskShogo]

*The content is based on personal studies and experience
There is no intention of denying other theories and cultural aspects

▼My New Channel: Let’s ask Seki Sensei | Kobudo Asayama Ichiden Ryu▼
Are you a Japanese budo martial art lover watching this video? I am now running the best channel for you to learn more about samurai, katana, and budo martial arts from a Kobudo master who is running a 400-year-old Ryuha. Our goal is to achieve 100, 000 subscribers by 2023, so please check it out!

▼Interested in learning Iai/Kenjutsu skills online?▼

▼Please support me through Ko-fi (a donation platform like Patreon)▼
The management (filming, editing, etc.) of the new Asayama Ichiden Ryu's English Channel "Let's ask Seki Sensei" is completely my voluntary work. If I am not able to pay for the expensive bullet train fare from Kyoto to Ibaraki Prefecture (where the main Dojo is located), and hotel/filming expenses, this activity will cease. Please help us spread and preserve this 400-year-old martial art. In return, I will try my best to create the most educational and exciting content about Japanese Kobudo.

▼Where you can meet me in Kyoto, Japan | Yushinkan Samurai Experience with Modern-day Musashi▼
A 90-minute experience in Japan where beginners can learn how to wield, draw, sheath, and swing the katana from the modern-day Musashi! I, Shogo, will be your interpreter to lead you into the wonderful world of samurai martial arts!

▼The BEST online katana shop for martial arts (Iaido, Kendo, etc.): Tozando▼
Everything I use for my katana training is bought at this shop! I still use the first training katana I bought in 2016, and it is still in good shape!

▼The recommended online katana shop for decorations and cosplay: Mini Katana▼
*Get 15% OFF off all their products by purchasing through my affiliate link

▼Let's ask Shogo Merchandise Shop▼
Where you can buy t-shirts, hoodies, mugs, stickers, etc. of cute Ukiyoe animal characters and logos of Let’s ask Shogo:

▼Who is Shogo? What is this channel about?▼

▼MY DREAM▼
“To make every Japan lovers’ dream come true, by making Japan a more secure, comfortable, and safer place for everyone to visit, study, and live in”

▼Join our Membership▼
The ticket to the front row seats to Shogo's rapid adventure to make his dream come true! Through the limited videos and live streams, your ideas and opinions will be adopted for Shogo to make the right decisions for his challenges!

▼Instagram▼
*Please ask me questions through the DM here!（⚠️I do not use e-mail）

[halajko]

Totally respect your opinion here shogo. The only counter I would propose is that kendo is the only widely available and safe method to do full contact sparring. So the flaws of kendo that make it less like kenjutsu in my opinion are made up in the fact that you can pressure test every technique in kendo, unlike in older legacies

[Sam-tyyt]

I think he was referring to "the concept of kendo" as formulated by the All Japan Kendo Federation. There "the principles of the katana" are mentioned.

[raymondsosnowski]

Just saw a video on Kendo-ka trying tameshigiri. They do not have the waza. I left a comment there on my experience with Kendo-ka cutting. Kendo-ka cannot cut as their waza is NOT uchi-waza. Kendo is fencing - without being paired with Iaido or Batto-do, they are not trained in cutting movements. I have done Kendo too, but along with Iaido, so I do have some experience in these arts (Batto-do too).

[SkyFrameCreations-pk]

I would love to see you trying kendo! Love your videos!

[Aikiross]

Same problem for all combat sports: they are designed to be safe. The cannot represent a true fight.

[bigbrowntau]

Yep, I kind of felt flat when I noticed one way to prevent a point in kendo was to tilt your head just before your opponent's men cut arrived. Just felt like it wasn't true to the spirit. These days I'm a lot older, and naginata is all I'm up to, but I'm loving it.

[YashaIndigo]

I've been playing kendo for a number of years now, I love it, but I can also assure you that it is nothing like using a katana.

Apart from the weight and shape of the sword itself, Kendo is a martial "sport", it's aim is to score points by hitting very specific points on the body, while calling out the name of the body part and meeting a number of criteria, thus the sport evolved techniques designed for efficiently meeting those criteria, deviating drastically from how katana's were used in actual combat.

TLDR; samurai did not do the vast majority of what kendo players do today, and vice-versa.

[harrynewsome]

No way the British kendo association got a cameo there. I was at that event! 😂

[fabriziolottici]

Nevertheless looking at the videos on weaponism YT Channel (and many others) it seems that a skilled kendoka can easily keep up with fencers, escrimadores, kenjutsu practicioners and even hema fighters. I don't know if a better way (and safe) to train katana fighting exists.

[sideswipe]

Thank you SO MUCH for getting this one right.

[addictedtoblades]

Thanks for sharing your knowledge brother ❤

[derpasaurus]

I love your deep knowledge of japanese culturr and history and how easily you explain complex nuissances.

[milevapuentedura]

I didn't know Walter White knew kendo

[smellybearc]

Well, I think kenjutsu and even Iai are more “ceremonial” while kendo is more combat oriented. That bamboo stick is still capable of dealing some serious damage. If you’ve ever crossed bamboo sticks with some high level practitioner, you’d know. A strike against your sword from a high level practitioner is powerful enough that it would numb your hands so much (while you have your armor on) that you’d drop your weapon. Also, kendo training includes kendo kata which kinda teaches you how to slash(though it’s also somewhat ceremonial).