Anthony Bourdain learns Kendo in Tokyo

[tommyt1971]

"And... I can't touch him. Not at all."

[tommyt1971]

I'll just bet that Master Todo knows every martial art there is in addition to kendo.

[tommyt1971]

3 people need to match with Master Todo... so he can kick their asses...

[sorenlorenson1000]

No no no! That's not an Aussie student! He's a kiwi. Tsk tsk.

[jeroeniskoning]

I love kendo.

[megalon73]

This is my favorite episode of all of them.

[aussiedownunder09]

The Australian at this place is an New Zealander, not and Aussie

[sorenlorenson1000]

Yes, I purposely searched the internet for this episode, just to make that same comment.

It's a small life I lead.

[tommyt1971]

Liked this episode (the whole 60 mins) a lot but it gets really annoying the way Bourdain keeps asking about "perfection"...

[JohnLennon100]

Probably what I dislike of Kendo it's not that some people have turned it into a sport, but the politics involved in it. Also, the asskissing. I try to stay away from that as much as I can but sometimes you have to simply comply.

[melonbarmonster]

You don't like asskissing??? Confucism rules East Asian philosophy including ALL martial arts and it is the most refined asskissing you can get. How much of this you want to embue into your construct of kendo is your(ind, school, culture) perogative but the kendo itself is not art nor is it philosophy. It's sword exercise, sport done by people who couldn't do it on live people.

[melonbarmonster]

Kendo is a sport. It has always been a sport. Practitioners can embue whatever mystical, philosophical BS they want but that doesn't change the fact that it was practiced as a sport since its creation.

[MrSnowf0x]

@melonbarmonster Wrong, although it has sport-like elements to it, you can not categorize it as a sport. The objective of a sport is to beat your opponent and by doing that, win. In kendo, the objective is to overcome your own physical and mental weaknesses through rigorous training, by doing that you can achieve a state of inner peace. You see the vast difference ? I personally hope, that kendo will never become an olympic event.

[melonbarmonster]

Anyone from a master or school from 400 years ago to some mcdojo can categorize it however they want and embue whatever mysticism or philosophy they want around it. In the end it's a subjective construct and people will judge quality accordingly. But to get all caught up with inner peace and quasi zen buddhist BS is very whapanese last samurai. The boken and kendo was created so samurai didn't have to kill each other and practice for real thing. You wan to call it sport or not, who cares

[melonbarmonster]

As I said you can apply whatever philosophical construct to the exercise, mock sword fighting or what I call sport but that doesn't change the core of the activity. Japan was always considered by China, Korea and itself(ref Genji Monogatari 1st ch.) as being the least sophisticated in philosophy. All East Asian philosophers, teachers and masters would laugh at modern Japanese mumbo inner peace BS they've pasted onto what is practice sword fighting by people who cut human beings for a living.

[JohnLennon100]

Actually you can apply philosopht to any sport and make it sound!The only thing is that in kendo and other martial arts that philosophical backgorund already exists! You don't have that in soccer or baseball however you could make one out of it,the difference lies in how you want to approach the subject as a sport? as an art?as a hobbie?as something totally banal and intrascendental?Sure! What you do is a reflection of who you are! See yourself in that mirror

[melonbarmonster]

@JohnLennon100 As I've stated you can certainly embue whatever mysticism you want(subject to criticism of course). I'm just pointing out the fact that for those who actually live and exist in the world of East Asian confucism and philosophy Japanese, Chinese, Korean teaching behind their perspective MA's are not sacred nor static. Someone came up with it as their thought and contribution to varying degrees of quality and they were never meant to remain static or taken as authoritative.

[melonbarmonster]

@JohnLennon100 It doesn't already exist. Japanese masters and schools have been adding, revamping their own versions ever since their perspective creations to this very day.

[JohnLennon100]

Do you practice any martial art?

[melonbarmonster]

@JohnLennon100 of course

[JohnLennon100]

What martial art? Now, what you're saying ... Because Genji Monogatari, a Japanese Fiction Writer wrote some information in who knows which context then you understimate japanese spirituality? Have you been to Japan? Have you been to the monasteries in Okayama? Kyoto? Nara? Haven't you heard the big impact that Zen have had in the world? Or you think millions of religious people have turned into Zen just because is a second class system?

[melonbarmonster]

LOL. Genji Monogatari is the world's first novel. Don't mock it just because you're ignorant about it. I've been to Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka on different trips as well having traveled in China, Hong Kong and Korea. I also studied eastern philosophy as part of my undergrad studies. Zen Buddhism is entirely different from MA mumbo jumbo. Please don't make me laugh. I think you've watched Last Samurai too many times.

[JohnLennon100]

Do you know how important is Kendo for the Chinese, the Korean, and so other eastern cultures? Do you know how many people practice kendo in the World being probably one of the most abstract and romantic martial art in the world? Do you know how serious is for China and Taiwan and Korea to pratice Kendo? Is it because it a mock swordfighting and spitituality mumboi jumbo? Which martial art do you practice? Only if you're objective and answer these questions you'll have a clearer view of Kendo

[melonbarmonster]

There's nothing bad about "mock fighting". It's practical and every single sword fighting culture has done it. Your childish defensiveness and ignorance is downright hilarious. If you think kendo and other MA's has existed in static perfection for thousands of years you are Mcdojo whapanese. Grow up and join in the discussion when you've ready to move on from your ignorance.

[JohnLennon100]

You have mock fighting in your dirty ass, you inferior POS. You're just a resented idiot so why don't you .....SHUT THE FUCK UP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! DOn't watch Kendo if you dont like it and do yourself a favor and ....SHUT THE FUCK UP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[JohnLennon100]

I suggest this: just express yourself freely saying that you don't like Kendo ....and stop humiliating yourself attacking so baseless to a discipline so admired and respected in the world. To understand Kendo you can't only watch it, you have to join a dojo and get an armour on and go to the whole process to get an idea of waht it means. By doing this you only embarass yourself.

[melonbarmonster]

Calm down Last Samurai. Learn to read and respect differing opinions instead of being insecure, ignorant and defensive. You should practice Zen Buddhism instead of Kendo.

[JohnLennon100]

If you know anything about spirituality and Zen you wouldnt have posted these idiotic comments about Kendo, and wouldn't be struggling so much to show how superior you are and how knowledgeable. I never disrespeted your opinion before you disrespected Kendo and its Japanese tradition. You still keep ranting and making yourself superior and still I don't know if you practice any martial arts. You keep writing these stupidity and keep making an ass of yourself. You POS.

[melonbarmonster]

Thank you for your suggestion but I've expressed my opinion based on fact and evidence. Your bumblings about 'spirituality' are a product of ignorance and your whapanese fantasies and have NOTHING to do with real Zen Buddhism nor Kendo. Your hyperdefensiveness and aggressive intolerance speaks volumes.

[JohnLennon100]

With a knife ...you can eat, you can cut, you can kill, you can survive, you can defend yourself ... you can make of kendo whatever you like, take it as a sport, go to tournaments, brag about it. For me and for a lot of teachers/senseis I've known it's a discipline, a way of life, a way of knowing yourself and a way to improve your character and your comunity. For me me also it's a complement for my meditation, aikido, iaido and personal development. For you..still a sport. No offense taken.

[cobwebpulsarnet]

whats the music that was featured in this episode?!?!?!!!????

a mix of japanese samples and sort off funky beats and basslines

can anyone help???

[tommyt1971]

I like how Bennett described his r/ship with Todo aft 20 yrs of being his student: "I can't touch him."

[omegamike17411]

haha that was such a bad men he did

[Ryokushindo]

Then start, dont wait. I've wanted to start kendo for years, and I finally started last january. Take the first step, you'll feel good!

[eggrollman24]

i always watch kendo well lil but i always wanted to try it!!!

[Chownz]

The difference is that: they are an Olympic 'sport'. And Kendo will never be in the Olympics!!

[KageZero]

that's true. If kendo did become an olympic sport it would be too much about winning rather than what it's supposed to be for.

[radiowave433]

They do not want people to play for point and win. Judo become what it not suppose to be after becoming Olympic sports. Kendo organization will stay away from that.

[tommyt1971]

Yeah, it's better NOT as a competitive world sport.

[TomValedro]

@KageZero obviously

[KYPCKDIVER]

its been a sport for YEARS!!

:o)

( a way of life)

[ronin2584]

"a way of life" so true

[Chownz]

Its not a sport, and never will be!! Its a way of life or discovering perfect harmony of ones self and nature!! if you want a sport take up Karate or Judo!!

[RCMproductions]

Someone could say the same about Karate and Judo, too. Kendo is a martial sport.

[eselous]

Judo is also a 'do'. People practice it as a sport, sure, but there is far more to it than that.

[jskione]

i know this is kinda out there but...there's a segment where chef morimoto is preparing lungfish for mr. bourdain...now does anyone have any idea what the song is after the "kentucky fried lungfish" is? real funky with japanese flair to it...

[Eszra]

I've been looking forward to this for days!

Travel channel more Japan shows please!

[ToListen]

What does the teacher say at 2:35? "Just like a _____?"

[Gessho]

I think he says, "Just like a rich man."