Читать книгу Kendo. A Comprehensive Guide to Japanese Swordsmanship онлайн

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Second is the premise that the dojo itself is a sacred place. In the past, a dojo may have been attached to a daimyos’ castle or a religious shrine; in some cases they were extensions to the home of the head of the fencing school. In Japan, many of these traditional dojo still exist, although some have been replaced by halls in sports-centers or floors of high rise buildings. In all cases they retain the spirit and the trappings of a traditional dojo. Most have a small kamidana (Shinto shrine) and many have a taiko drum to signal the beginning and end of practice. For western kendoka, it is sometimes difficult to treat an unadorned school or civic hall with the same level of respect, but floors should be swept and ideally washed before each practice session.

Dojo layout

Dojo layout and the positions where people sit in the dojo can be quite complex. While kendo is practiced around the world in a variety of sports or civic halls, layout is based on traditional Japanese dojo rules where Kamiza faces south and is often located at the furthest point from the door. Members line up in level of seniority on the shimoza side, with the most senior students closest to joseki at the eastern end of the dojo. If there is more than one instructor present, they will also line up in the same pattern on the kamiza side or in some cases with the most senior person in the center and the next highest grade to his right and the next to his left and so on.