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Above all, I appreciate the love and support of my wife Kitty and my children Erin and Owen, to whom this book is dedicated.

INTRODUCTION

Kendo (literally the "Way of the Sword") seems to some observers to be the modern martial art that has the most overt links to traditional Japanese culture. Its etiquette, training methods, equipment, and techniques are the product of a long historical development. The philosophical concepts that have helped shape the art and that lie behind its practice are central to Japanese culture. The art of Kendo is not only an exciting and profound discipline on a personal level, it is also an opportunity to gain a great deal of insight into the Japanese character.

What is Kendo? Kendo is the modern, ritualized version of Japanese fencing. There are many Japanese sword arts in existence today. They span the range from true classically-oriented combat systems that attempt to train individuals in traditional Japanese military skills (often termed bujutsu) to more modern, specialized systems such as iaido, which focuses on the technique and esthetics of drawing the long sword. As a generic term, in fact, Kendo can refer to any system of Japanese swordsmanship. As I use it here, "Kendo" refers to the modern martial art referred to as Nippon Kendo. It can be considered a sport, as well as a physical and mental discipline. It is, in some sense, all of these things. When properly and conscientiously practiced, Kendo is a Do, a path or way that can lead the trainee to self-cultivation. It combines the stress and excitement of competition with the potentially profound insights that can be gained from the practice of the Japanese martial arts.