Kenshi’s Experiences of Kendo: A Phenomenological Investigation

The aim of this study was to extend existing literature on the martial arts by examining the experience of kendo (Japanese fencing) participants. In-depth, existential phenomenological interviews were conducted with nine (eight males and one female) currently competitive kendo practitioners (i.e., kenshi), ranging in age from 19 to 40 years. All participants were of Japanese descent but resided in the United States at the time of the interviews. Thematic analysis of the transcripts revealed several prominent aspects of the lives and performance experiences of kenshi. The most important finding was the relatively equal emphasis participants placed on the mastery of kendo technique, aesthetically elegant skill execution, and victory in competition. Other aspects of kenshi’s experience included the building of strong relationships with influential sensei (i.e., instructors), the display of proper manners and etiquette, and the learning of life lessons

KINEMATICS OF FOOT-SHANK COMPLEX IN “KENDO” AND ITS RELATIONSHIP WITH FOOT ARCH HEIGHT

The purpose of this study was to demonstrate 1）the joint couple of foot-shank complex in the kendo motion and 2）the relationship between the kinematic values and the foot arch height. Seventeen experienced kendo athletes volunteered to participate in the study. We instructed the participants to perform three sets of kendo strike-thrust motion with the distance of 2.2m to the target. We obtained joint kinematic data of the foot eversion-inversion and shank rotation angles to the foot during the single support phase of the kendo motion. Our result demonstrated that the foot inversion and shank external rotation movements occur during the single stance phase in experienced kendo athletes in good health. In addition, the foot arch height –length ratio was significantly related to the total range of shank rotation to the foot

Budo or sport?: competing conceptions of Kendo within the Japanese upper secondary physical education curriculum

Kendo is one of the Japanese martial arts (Budo). Kendo within the Physical Education( PE) curriculum at upper secondary schools is taught with the aim of learning the traditional etiquette of Budo, to learn skills and to lay the foundation for lifelong sports participation. The Japanese Ministry of Education, Science and Culture expects school Kendo teachers to achieve these aims within a child-centred approach, not in a traditional drill-type approach to teaching. This thesis aims to explore school Kendo teachers'views of Kendo within the PE curriculum as sport and / or as Budo, and the teaching of tactics and strategies in their Kendo lessons. It also attempts to develop and present a new approach to the teaching of Kendo making use of tactical and strategic ideas. The thesis IS multi-layered in methodological terms. The research was conducted by the use of two rounds of semi-structured interviews with seventeen and then fifty-three upper secondary school Kendo teachers respectively. The final phase of the research was a practical action research project carried out in a Japanese Secondary School. A range of methods was employed, comprising: participative observation, documentary analyses, a written test and a skill-related test. The data from the interviews revealed that school Kendo teachers wish to have their lessons aimed at character building such as learning the traditional etiquette by following the traditional approach to Kendo as Budo. The results of the interviews also revealed that most teachers were reluctant to teach sport tactics as it was counter to the dominant ideology of Budo as "real Kendo". These teachers believe that teaching tactics was inconsistent with the traditional etiquette of fighting fairly, and that would only help pupils to understand "Kendo as a competitive sport" as opposed to "real Kendo" as Budo. The results of the action research at an upper secondary school in Fukuoka Prefecture show that pupils developed their skills and understanding of competitive, cultural and attitudinal domains of Kendo as Budo through a tactical approach. They also expressed pleasure in this planning and execution of their own learning goals. I conclude, then, that the tactical approach to the teaching of Kendo can be incorporated into the PE curriculum without compromising the essential philosophy of Kendo as Budo

EFFECT OF HAND PLACEMENT POSITION ON PRESS-TO-HANDSTAND TECHNIQUES AND STABILITY

Considerable variations in hand placement positions are seen among gymnasts when executing a press-to-handstand. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of hand placement position on press-to-handstand techniques and stability. Three male gymnasts performed two press-to-handstands in different hand positions (fingers pointing forward and outward) on a force platform. Postural sway variables were measured to assess stability. Video recordings were taken to obtain temporal and kinematic measurements. Results showed pressing to handstand in fingers outward position was characterised by less postural sway, less extended body alignment and a more under-rotated handstand orientation. These can be seen strategies to adjust the centre of mass towards a more anterior position to avoid over-rotation

Editorial: New research on Japanese Martial Arts

This editorial introduces this guest-edited special themed issue, which focuses on new research on the Japanese martial arts. This collection has been assembled by Michael Molasky from Waseda University, Tokyo, who convened a research group of innovative Japanese scholars to investigate questions of the global spread of Japanese martial arts. In this editorial, we limit ourselves to saying a few words about each contribution, considering some of their connections, and concluding with a reflection on what this special issue suggests to us about the current and future development of martial arts studies in Japan

The historical creation of Kendo's self-image from 1895 to 1942: a critical analysis of an invented tradition

The self-image of kendo (Japanese swordsmanship) in modern times is a complicated historical fabrication and an ‘invented tradition’ [Hobsbawm and Ranger 1983] involving ‘ethno-symbolism’ [Smith 2009] relating to images and ideas of history, heritage and cultural identity in modern Japan. This means that, despite the high current value and status of Japanese swordsmanship, its cultural identity is shot through with paradoxes and contradictions. This article aims to examine the formation of this self-image through the invention of traditions, and how swordsmanship came to be bound by these inventions. There are numerous components to the invented traditions of Japanese swordsmanship, but this article will focus on three key dimensions: (1) how the tradition was reconstructed, accompanied by the name change from kenjutsu or gekiken/gekken to kendo; (2) the fabrication of historical facts around methods for swordsmanship competition; and (3) the recasting of ‘levels of mastery’ in supposedly traditional styles of teaching and learning swordsmanship. In conclusion, the article reflects on the possibility of freedom from such constraints in the future and explores the question of possible further changes in the future of kendo