Welcome to the OSU Kendo Club Homepage! Here are the current announcements
Updated Times
For all details, please check our practice times under the Dojo tab
New Practice Times and Classes
Winter Term 2012 practice begins Wednesday 1/11. There has been a new intermediate class added, along with new practice times for both Beginner's and Advanced Kendo Classes for Winter term 2012. Also, there is no practice for Sunday, 1/15. For all details, please check our practice times under the Dojo tab
New Website
We have a new website! Please take a look around, most of the information has been reorganized. If you need to access the old webpage, please follow this link
Kendo and iaido for OSU.
Kendou wa ken no rihou no shuuren ni yoru
ningen keisei no michi de aru.
Kendo is a way to develop human character
by the application of the principles of the sword
About Kendo
Kendo is a Japanese martial art based on traditional swordsmanship. Practitioners face each other using flexible bamboo swords while wearing protective gear and try to strike specific locations on their opponents' bodies. Kendo is derived from traditional Japanese swordsmanship. Swordsmanship was usually practiced with wooden swords (bokuto), but this is because they are cheap and durable, not because they are safe. A solid blow with a bokuto can easily injure, maim, or even kill. Because of this, the main form of training was the repeated practice of prearranged patterns of attack and defense (kata). But even in kata practice, the participants must be careful not to strike each other in earnest, usually stopping short of the true target. In order to simulate the chaos of a real fight, less realistic but safer equipment was employed. The first development was the fukurojinai, a piece of bamboo with its end split into a number of pieces and covered in leather, hardened by a coating of lacquer. While not as dangerous as a bokuto, the fukurojinai is still a stout weapon, capable of inflicting serious injury. Hence an even safer version was developed, the modern shinai, which consists of four staves of bamboo joined together at the tip and handle. The shinai will flex when struck against a solid object, absorbing much of the power of a blow. However a blow from a shinai is still quite painful and can often leave a welt. So in conjunction with the shinai, protective gear (bogu) was also developed. The bogu of modern kendo protects the head, hands and wrists, chest and abdomen, and the thighs and groin. Prior to the Second World War, kendo was still strongly influenced by individual schools of traditional swordsmanship. Since the war, kendo has become homogenized, and the techniques optimized for competition with shinai, rather than battle with real swords.
When students start studying kendo, the first types of practice encountered are footwork drills and suburi (repeatedly striking an imaginary opponent). After basic footwork and striking comes uchikomigeiko, in which the student strikes an actual target, either someone else's shinai or a person in bogu. Then comes kirikaeshi, which is essentially a standardized form of continuous uchikomigeiko. After uchikomigeiko comes kakarigeiko, which while appearing similar is actually quite different. In uchikomigeiko, the student is either told or shown where to strike. In kakarigeiko, the student must choose where to strike, and attack continuously. Usually 15 to 30 seconds is enough to wind the practictioner. All of these kinds of practice can be done by a student without bogu. Once the student has become comfortable with these types of practice, he is ready to begin wearing bogu, allowing them to participate in other types of practice, such as wazageiko (practice of specific techniques of both attack and defense), more advanced kakarigeiko, in which their partner actively tries to thwart their attacks, and finally jigeiko (free sparring) and competitive matches. Along with the above types, kendo retains the practice of kata with bokuto. As there is some inherent danger using wooden swords in partnered practice, brand new students do not practice kata until they are at least comfortable with uchikomigeiko.
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Classes and Practice Times
Class Day Time Location Beginner's Kendo Sunday 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM Women's Building Gym Room 112 Beginner's Kendo Wednesday 8:00 PM - 9:00 PM Women's Building Gym Room 112 Intermediate Kendo Sunday 8:00 PM - 9:30 PM Women's Building Gym Room 112 Advanced Kendo Wednesday 9:00 PM - 10:30 PM Women's Building Gym Room 112 Iaido Practice TBD TBD TBD Club Dues/Federation Dues
Club dues for the OSU Kendo Club itself are $25 per term. Membership dues for the Pacific Northwest Kendo Federation (PNKF) and All United States Kendo Federation (AUSKF) are paid annually and due every January. The dues register one with the regional and national organizations, providing insurance and allowing one to hold rank, enter tournaments, etc. The total for both was $70 for 2010. It is not necessary to pay these dues to enroll in the beginner's class.
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Equipment
Kendo and iaido use a variety of equipment. Below you will find a description of each item, along with common price ranges.
Bogu: $300 and up
Bogu consists of men (helmet), kote (gloves), do (chestplate), and tare (hip and groin protector). Bogu is essential to practice kendo, but it is not required until the kendoka has become comfortable with the basic waza of kendo.
Bokuto: ~$25
Bokuto are wooden swords. They are used for kata practice in kendo, and by beginners in iaido. Two types are used in kendo: tachi, a long, two-handed sword, and kodachi, a short sword. The short sword is used by shidachi in the last three kendo kata, which are not required until testing for third dan.
Iaito/Mogito: $200 - $2000
Iaito (also called mogito) are aluminum alloy swords that became popular after the Second World War, when the US imposed strict limits on the number of real swords that could be produced by Japanese smiths. They are like a real sword in every way except that the blade is made of an aluminum alloy, creating a lighter and somewhat more flexible blade. While generally considered "unsharpened," they are often as sharp as a dull kitchen knife.
Keikogi and Hakama: $40 - $200
A keikogi is a cotton shirt worn during practice. A hakama is a pair of pleated pants. Kendo keikogi tend to be thick and heavy in order to provide some measure of protection against blows which miss bogu. Iaido keikogi tend to be of lighter construction, to be more comfortable during practice.
Obi: $25 - $100
The obi is a belt worn over the keikogi and under the hakama by practitioners of iaido. It is a critical piece of equipment, as it is what keeps the sword at ones hip.
Shinai: $25 - $100
A shinai is a bamboo practice sword. It is the most essential piece of equipment for a kendoka. They consist of four pieces of bamboo, a leather handle, a hand guard, and a string signifying the back of the blade.
Click here to read more
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Tournements
Competition is a large part of modern kendo, with tournaments ranging from small intra-club events to the World Kendo Championships and All Japan Kendo Championships. However, the action tends to move very quickly, making it difficult to follow, and the rules governing what constitutes a valid point are pretty specific, often leading spectators to wonder why a point was or was not awarded. So this page is an introduction to the standard rules of competition under the International Kendo Federation (IKF).
Shiaijo - the match court
A kendo match (shiai) is takes place in a court called a shiaijo. It is a rectangle from 9 to 11 meters (30 to 37 feet) on a side, marked by a wide white line. In the exact center of the court is an X 30 centimeters (one foot) across, again in thick white. One meter (three feet) on each side of the center is a 30 centimeter line, marking where each kendoka begins and ends the shiai.
Yukodatotsu - valid strike
In order to earn ippon (one point), a strike must meet several conditions.
- It must be made against a valid target. There are only eight places on the body which earn a point.
- It must be made with the correct portion of the shinai. The strike must be made with the monouchi, the last quarter or so of the blade. This corresponds to the "sweet spot" on a real sword. The strike must also be made with the habu, the edge which is opposite the string on the back of the shinai. As the shinai represents a real sword, striking with the flat or at an off-angle is an invalid strike.
- It must be made with correct hasuji. That is, the path of the blade and the direction of the edge must be in line. Simply making contact with the habu is not enough, the strike must be leading with the habu as well.
- It must be accompanied by proper kiai. The kendoka must shout loudly, calling out the name of his target: "Men!" "Kote!" "Do!" or "Tsuki!" This means that the kendoka must hit what he aims at, not accidentally get something.
The next two conditions are probably the most important but least obvious conditions.
- The kendoka must demonstrate ki-ken-tai-itchi. That is cooperation of spirit, sword, and body. All three elements of kiai, sword movement, and body movement must make a coordinated whole. Generally, the leading foot landing, the kiai, and the shinai contacting the opponent should all happen at the same time.
- The kendoka must also demonstrate strong zanshin, awareness of his opponent and surroundings, particularly after the strike. This is physically demonstrated by quickly moving to a proper distance, if possible. If not possible, the kendoka must keep his tip pointed at the center of his opponent, thwarting any attempt at a counterattack.
To read more about Kendo Tournements, please click on the button below
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Etiquette and Ranking
General Dojo Etiquette
- When entering or leaving the dojo, perform a standing bow towards the shomen (center of the front wall).
- When entering the dojo, greet the most senior person already present.
- Be ready to begin when it is time for practice to start: be dressed with appropriate equipment ready.
- Practice clothes should be neat and clean.
- Both finger and toe nails should be short and clean.
- Help with cleaning the dojo before and after practice.
- Never step over a sword (including shinai and bokuto) or other equipment lying on the ground.
- Do not use someone else's equipment without permission.
- Avoid unnecessary talking during practice.
- Be alert and attentive during practice.
- When it is necessary to move about the dojo, do so quickly.
- When it is necessary to pass in front of someone else, extend your right hand and bow slightly.
Ranking/Ranking Requirements
In the Zen Nihon Kendo Renmei (All Japan Kendo Federation), ranking for both kendo and iaido has the same structure. Obviously, the specific requirements will be different, but similar ranks require similar skill in the two arts. The first level of ranking are kyu ranks. As they are mainly children's ranks, at OSUKC and our parent club, Obukan, adults and teenagers do not test in kendo until they are ready for sankyu, or in iaido until ready for ikkyu. The kyu ranks from lowest to highest are:
- Rokkyu (kendo only)
- Gokyu (kendo only)
- Yonkyu (kendo only)
- Sankyu
- Nikyu
- Ikkyu
After kyu ranks come the dan ranks. These are the "black belt" ranks despite the fact that kendoka usually do not wear belts, and iaidoka can wear what ever color they would like. The minimum requirement to operate a recognized independent dojo is godan. From lowest to highest, they are:
- Shodan
- Nidan
- Sandan
- Yondan
- Godan
- Rokudan
- Nanadan
- Hachidan
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Glossary
Pronunciation Guide
The rules are for approximations only, and are only for the romanization system used on this website. The most notable differences between the pronunciation rules given here and proper Japanese pronunciation are the r, f, and h.
- In general, single vowels are pronounced as follows: a is "ah" (like the o in not); e is like as in get; i is like the y in party, o is as in hope, and u is as in blue. However, Japanese vowels tend to be shorter than their English counterparts.
- Ô and û represent what would be two vowels in Japanese (ou and uu) and are hence long.
- Y is always consonantal like in yes, not vocular like in day.
- Syllables are always divided after the vowel and before the consonant. The only exception to this is n, which can be a syllable by itself in Japanese. If n precedes a consonant, the Anglicized pronunciation is to end the syllable on the n. E.g., Kendô would be ken-dô in English. (It would be ke-n-do-u in Japanese.) In the case that n ends a syllable and precedes a vowel, a dash will separate them (e.g., men-uchi).
- Short u (not û) and i between unvoiced consonants (ch, f, h, k, s, sh, t, and ts) or following an unvoiced consonant at the end of a phrase are usually "swallowed" and not pronounced. E.g. "shitachi" is pronounced "sh-ta-ch" or "shtach" rather than "shee-tah-chee."
Numbers
- Ichi
- Ni
- San
- Shi or yon
- Go
- Roku
- Shichi or nana
- Hachi
- Kyû
- Jû
Gallery 1
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Gallery 3
OSUKC has its origins in an Experimental College class offered by Hideyuki Naya. In the 1998-99 school year, Naya sensei was a visiting student from Japan, where he studied kendo. In the spring of '99, he offered an introductory kendo class through the experimental college. Among the students were Kevin Harris, Doug Price, Fabio Hirata, and Josh Mater. At the beginning of fall term '99, Naya sensei had returned to Japan, and Josh and Fabio were in Tokyo as exchange students, where they both studied kendo, though at different dojo. Kevin Harris wished to continue practicing kendo, but was now without an instructor. In winter term '00, he gathered a few others who were interested in kendo and began to practice and teach the little that he knew. In February, the OSU Kendo Club was officially formed and recognized by Student Involvement. The five charter club members were Kevin Harris (president), Kent Enfield (vice-president), Doug Price (treasurer), Katie Cunnion (secretary), and Gina Koerner. Practices that year were held in the racquetball courts in Dixon, which were cramped, hot, and very noisy, and occasionally elicited yells of, "Shut up!" from people outside, sometimes decorated with obscenities. In addition to regular practice at Dixon, practice was supplemented by trips to Obukan Kendo Club in Tigard, where the new OSUKC was well supported by the dojo as a whole, and by then head instructor, Robert Stroud, in particular. Beginning in fall term '00, OSUKC was able to rent practice space in the gym of the Women's Building, where it continues to hold practice. Also that term, Fabio Hirata and Josh Mater had returned from Japan where they had attained the ranks of ikkyu and shodan, respectively. Their joining of practice and continued support from Obukan helped OSUKC become a self sustaining kendo club. For the first four-and-a-half years of its existence, OSUKC was considered a branch campus of Obukan. On September 25th, 2004, it was accepted by the Pacific Northwest Kendo Federation as a probationary status dojo, with Kent Enfield as head instructor and John Hancock, head instructor of Obukan, as advisor. Through Spring term, 2005, OSUKC was organized through Student Involvement, which allowed community members to participate. However, starting in Fall term 2005, OSUKC has been moved to Recreational Sports, which does not. Now, the only community members allowed to participate are those who are allowed to and have purchased membership in Dixon Rec Center. Essentially, only students, faculty, and staff of OSU and their immediate family members can participate. OSUKC regrets this situation, but is unable to change it. Regular members of OSUKC pay $25 per term as club dues, which go towards purchasing and maintaining club equipment, club promotion, special events, and the like. Beginners taking the introductory class only pay $25 for the term. Club members are allowed and encouraged to also practice at Obukan, particularly during school breaks.
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If you don't want to use your email client to contact us here are the emails of all the officers
Matt Yasui: President, yasuim@onid.orst.edu
Lars Bowlin: Vice President, bowlinl@onid.orst.edu
Sam Lui: Treasurer, luit@onid.orst.edu
Will Yee: Secretary, yeey@onid.orst.edu
Ian Burns: Head Instructor, burnsi@onid.orst.edu
You can also contact us via US Postal Services
OSU Kendo Club
204 Dixon Recreation
Oregon State University
Corvallis, OR 97331
About Iaido
Iaido (ee-eye-doh) is a type of Japanese swordsmanship centered around drawing a sword (katana), quickly dispatching one or more adversaries, and returning the sword to its scabbard. While the name iaido is a twentieth century invention, the art itself has been around for some 400 years. Though older schools of martial arts did (and still do) contain sword drawing techniques as part of their curriculum, it is a swordsman named Jinsuke Shigenobu who is generally credited as the founder of what became modern iaido. In the second half of the sixteenth century, he founded the Shimmei Muso Ryu school of battojutsu (sword-drawing technique). Since that time, there have been various branchings and renamings of his school and its descendants. In 1932, Nakayama Hakudo renamed his branch of the art Muso Shinden Ryu Iaido. Eventually, people began to use iaido as the term to describe other battojutsu schools. Today, the two most common iaido schools, both in the USA and Japan, are Muso Shinden Ryu and Muso Jikiden Eishin Ryu. Though these two schools separated in the early 18th century, the curriculum and techniques are nearly identical, with the differences being mostly in minor details. In addition to the various traditional schools, many people also practice the Zen Nihon Kendo Renmei (ZNKR) Seitei Gata (All Japan Kendo Federation Example Forms). As modern kendo is practiced mainly with a flexible bamboo sword (shinai), practitioners of kendo ("The way of the sword") were becoming less and less swordsmen and more and more "shinai-men." In order to rectify this, in 1967 the ZNKR introduced seven "example forms" based on traditional schools, but not strictly the forms of any one school. In 1980, three more forms were introduced, and in 2001, another two forms were added, bringing the total number of seitei gata to 12. Iaido is usually studied by practicing single person forms (kata). Iaido kata typically consist of four parts: nukitsuke, the drawing of the sword and performing of another action (usually a cut) in order to gain an advantageous position; kiritsuke, a cut (or series of cuts, if facing multiple opponents) intended to finish of the enemy (or enemies); chiburi, a formalized cleaning of the sword blade; and noto, the returning of the sword to its scabbard.
In addition to a training uniform, the main piece of equipment used in iaido is a sword, which can be one of three types: a bokuto, a wooden sword; iaito (or mogito), an unsharpened sword typically made of a zinc-aluminum alloy; or a shinken, a real sword. Beginners typically start with a bokuto, because they are inexpensive, usually costing only around $25. However bokuto are considerably lighter than shinken and lack scabbards (saya). Proper saya manipulation is essential to correct drawing and sheathing of the sword. Most intermediate and advanced practitioners of iaido train with an iaito, a type of unsharpened training sword. Iaito were introduced after the Second World War when the US military placed severe restrictions on the production of real swords. Iaito, though much heavier than bokuto, are still not as heavy as shinken and are not as stiff as a steel blade either. However, they are significantly cheaper than shinken, typically ranging from $200 on upwards. Shinken are the final type of sword used in iaido practice. Because of their price, typically only advanced practitioners use them. Newly made shinken cost upwards of $5000, and even "cheap" blades made in China cost around $2000. In recent years, a number of companies have introduced swords with sharp steel blades that cost less than $500. In general, these swords are poorly balanced, have extremely cheap fittings, and are available in only a few set lengths, making them unsuitable for practice of iaido. The typical training uniform of iaido is very much like that of kendo, consisting of a jacket and hakama (wide legged, pleated pants). However, there are a few differences. The jacket for iaido is not the thick, quilted material used in kendo, as there is no need to provide padding against actual blows. Also an obi (belt) is worn in order to secure the sword at the hip. The obi used in iaido is not the same as the obi worn in karate, aikido, judo, and other martial arts. It is wider and longer (wrapping around the wearer at least three times, instead of two, in order to properly hold the weight of a sword. Under the supervision of our parent club Obukan (located in Tigard), the styles practiced at OSUKC are the ZNKR seitei gata and for intermediate and advanced practitioners, Muso Shinden Ryu.
Registration
Registration for the club is REQUIRED in order to practice. The absolute latest you can register is by the 3rd practice. To register, please click the button to go to the sports club registration page.