The Art and Attack of Kendo

Beginning when he was six years old, Alex Eitoku took his bamboo shinai sword in hand, donned a traditional uniform (gi and hakama), body armor and head protection (do and men), and practiced kendo after school.

Eitoku (CAS12), captain of Boston Universitys Kendo Association, felt forced into his familys martial art tradition. Rather than playing with friends, he spent hours a day practicing at his fathers dojo in their hometown of Salinas, Calif.

His father was nine years old when the dojo opened in 1970; he was its first student, and after years of competing nationally and internationally, he wanted to instill the art form in his sons.

Eitoku no longer feels trapped in tradition. As Ive grown older, I appreciate kendo, he says, because it has made me stronger and more disciplined.

Translated, kendo means the way of the sword. It looks and sounds different from other martial arts, with its ear-piercing kiai (yells) and a men (mask) with a metal face shield. Derived from feudal Japanese samurai, who developed the martial art as a form of combat, it might be difficult to imagine why this highly stylized ancient tradition is still practiced. Yet according to Eitoku, kendo is once again on the rise in Japan. Now its practiced almost compulsorily, because many Japanese realize its important contribution to physical and mental well-being as well as to the countrys culture and history, he says.

Businesses, including police departments, hold kendo in high regard and including kendo on your résumé could give you a better chance at landing a job, he says. Some employers view kendo practitioners, kendoka, as better prospective employees because of their discipline. Others might be looking for a ringer for the companys kendo team.

Millions of kendoka practice the art worldwide. Some of my BU teammates have practiced in Korea, Taiwan, and Italy, says Eitoku. It brings up everyones level of performance to learn from different traditions.

Eugenia Yang (SAR07, SDM11) represented Taiwan in the 13th World Kendo Championships in Taipei in 2006. Ive been practicing since I was eight years old, says Yang, whose family reveres kendo. She admits to a fierce competitive spirit — It feels like life or death every time I compete. But she also finds fun in the practice, and that, more than competition, motivated her to revive kendo here.

A year after competing in Taipei, Yang cofounded the BU club, which had disbanded in 1997. She says it wasnt easy proving that even though kendo involves combat, it is safe. To verify, John Battaglino, executive director of the Student Activities Office, actually suited up in a kendo uniform, and took hits, she says. He was instrumental in getting us started up again.

The kendo club, rounding out its second year, competes in three tournaments annually. Most competitions are not in Boston, Yang says, and theres not enough money to travel more. Recently, the club competed at Rutgers and at Cornell, where it placed 3rd out of 16. In the spring, the club will compete against 20 schools in Shoryuhai, a national intercollegiate kendo tournament at Harvard University.

The club isnt traditional, says Yang. We add a lot of elements to practice to make it fun. She wants others to share her deep, broad appreciation of the discipline and what it offers beyond structure and exercise.

Everything in life seems easier when I excel at Kendo, she says.

For more Boston University news and videos, check out http://today.bu.edu

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• Boston University
• BU Today
• Kendo

[nasurdan]

is it me or does she have a sexy war cry?

[metalanguie]

>//< im happy because im studyng Kendo, I only have a month training, and is the best martial art that i´ve practiced

[iamnalad]

I go to salinas dojo

[naufragoenlatierra]

@nasurdan eee yes man...i thought too the chinese girl is very sexy!

and really i don't know why

[DEKA1]

@soyellowsoviolent well u have to think Japanese Culture is a Cross between Chinese & Korean since the only people that lived on the islands before the Asian appeared around 3rd Century AD(around that time there were still useing Shields), were the Indigenous Ainu People ! the Ainu are the First & true Native people to Japan so the first kinda Japanese warrior would be from them ! the asian japanese got there combat from mainland influences the Samurai like warrior was invited around 1200AD !

[DEKA1]

Its just like Zen u discover yourself, your weakness, u have to fight with a Strong Spirit, relax your Shoulders, Open your Chest, & Throw your body & if u see a open space go for it & Strike a Point ! because in Kendo u have to use your mind, & the more u dont hit the other person, the more he will hit u, & the more u get hurt ! Act Fast in a fight, but have open mind & follow the rules too ! everyone one has the fear to get stabbed in the Throat, but u have to have Faith that it wont happen !

[katheryncruz24]

Ouch!!

[poke9520]

@soyellowsoviolent

I'm sorry.Because I am weak in English, I do not understand what you say well.Do you say that 剣道 is not origin in Japan?

すみません。私は英語が苦手なので、あなたの言いたいことが良く­わかりません。もしかすると「剣道は日本発祥ではない」とおっし­ゃっているのですか？

[unit666industries]

AAAAAAAAAAouuch!

[soyellowsoviolent]

@poke9520 son. you got it all wrong. only the most brainless Korean will spread that Kendo is originated from Korea. But if you really think about it, Kendo didn't even start in Japan. But if you wanna be a Japanophile and wish not to think further, then it's a loss on your part.

[poke9520]

@soyellowsoviolent

I understand Bushido.

About pronunciation, you may be right.

It is what a Korean is spreading in the world when kendo is it in the origin in Korea that I worry.

[soyellowsoviolent]

@poke9520 they are actually the same thing.  they are both spelled 剣道 but pronounced differently. and do you know what Bushido really is?