Why Kendo?

Kendo people

Oh, the dreaded question! How many times I did hear this, of course immediately after something like: “Is Kendo the thing with the sticks?”, in the best of cases.

My answer changed several times, along the years, not surprisingly. I still prefer not be asked, because most of the times I know that who`s asking is not really interested in hearing the reason of a lifelong engagement, but just in exploring a bit of folklore.

Of course, answering the question 30 years ago was even more difficult – thank God for the internet and for the deluge of information that comes across, even if not 100 % pertinent: it helps filling the gaps and makes the process of crafting a suitable answer less painful.

My answer to that question - today - is: Because I like the people who are in our world. It is small (it is very likely I met personally at least one person from every Kendo Federation on earth – at least the more consolidated ones), but it is the quality of the human beings that makes it special.

The span of the motivation to enter our world can be very wide: there are kenshi who live Kendo as a pastime, for the beer after keiko, and others who made Kendo their philosophy (and wrote books about it), all equally delightful to practice (and spend time) with.

I am no Alice in Wonderland, I met also the “villains” in this story: I have come across shady characters who still believe that Kendo could be a business and, although lacking any technical – and human – quality, are trying to pass as Kendo Masters, for a price… if only they knew how to dress properly! they do not even have to open their mouth or swing their shinai to give themselves away.

I met the ones who want to be samurai warriors and never crack a smile (and, gosh, how they make sure that no one else does!), because the Way of the Warrior is Death.

I met those who take off their Men during keiko every time they feel like resting, drinking, stretching and talking with the occasional member of the audience (given our average following, more likely it`s the janitor of the gym…).

I met a lady who always “injured” herself during warming up and never made it to put the Men on – although a lot of people would have loved to have a good fight with her…

I am sure everyone met someone who made him/her doubt if the dojo was really such a safe/hospitable/joyous place to be.

Nevertheless, the core is good. Most people wants genuinely BECOME BETTER KENSHI, and in doing so, BETTER HUMAN BEINGS. Not everyone has this aim spelled clearly in his/her mind, but it is the passion and the seriousness of their practice that makes it clear. These are the people I wish to associate with, that make me overcome the occasional pain-in-the-neck individual who tries to trash Kendo to his/her purposes.

We should defend our Kendo, through our honest and sincere practice. Through the respect for senpai and sensei. Through modesty and open-heartedness. Through the steely determination to practice (and to pass it on) in the correct way – both in terms of waza and kokoro. The responsibility of this development does not sit only on the knees of the Japanese: WE are Kendo and the task is for all of us to carry on.

As far I think, with all the glitches that are the burden of the human nature, it is the closest thing to an ideal world that I know of : and you can be bloody sure, I will fight till my last breath to keep it so.