Is there anything more impressive than sword fighting? We’ve seen it in films like The Last Samurai and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, and tried our hand (more or less) in games like Elden Ring and The Witcher. Yet through kendo, the ancient practice dubbed “the way of the sword”, you can have the chance to do it for real. Despite its exhilarating premise on paper, though, it is the martial art’s values of respect, decency and self-improvement that are most important…
Channelling the truly edgy philosophy that has made LeftLion such a beloved, cherished magazine over the years (don’t laugh), we didn’t want to just showcase your ‘mainstream’ sports in this issue. Of course, we wanted to chat about football, and wrestling, and more football. But we also wanted to shine a light on something a little different, a little niche, a little bit adventurous and out there. So you can imagine this writer’s delight at discovering the art of kendo, “the way of the sword” that combines intense discipline with battling opponents using actual (bamboo) weapons.
Yet as I sit down to dive into this intriguing activity with Phillip Whitfield, sensei at the Kashi No Ki Kenyu Kai dojo, he threatens to crush my spirits from the get-go. “It’s not a sport,” he says with a wry smile, as I begin to sweat with worry, knowing I’ll have to return, humbled and hat-in-hand, to my editorial team to let them know this great idea to explore a unique, crazy-sounding practice was a grade A beans. But just as I’m about to give up hope, he continues on and drags me back in. “It’s a budō - which means ‘the way of the warrior’.” A wave of relief washes over me - this is going to be cool, after all.
Like my own not-quite-fully-grown-up-yet self, a lot of people are attracted to kendo precisely because it sounds badass. Fighting with swords and donning mediaeval-looking headgear - it’s basically like being in an action film or taking on a bad guy in Elden Ring, right? Well, that’s certainly what people believe before entering the dojo, according to Robert Wix, instructor at the Eishin Juku Kendo Club in Wollaton. “Sword fighting is still popular in films and TV, and people spend large amounts of time pretending to swing swords when they play video games,” he says. “But if someone wants to learn to sword fight in real life, their options are limited. Even though kendo is a very specialised form of sword fighting, it is exciting for most people to move from fantasy into reality.”
Kendo is all about the respect agenda
Although many who look into the martial art - including myself - go in hoping to kick ass and take names, kendo is far more nuanced, holistic and spiritual than simply beating the living daylights out of someone. Sure, you get your own sword - called a shinai - and engage in intense practice runs (known as kata) or dynamic contests against other kendōka (practitioners), sporting an intimidatingly serious metal-grilled head protector and lacquered breastplate. Yet, despite connotations of warriors and battles, the art is more about decency and self-improvement than violence and conflict.
“Kendo is all about the respect agenda,” Phillip explains. “It’s quite ritualised. We have a banner at one end of the dojo, called the high end banner, and we pay respect to that, as well as each other through a brief period of meditation and by bowing very low.” While plenty have been inspired to take up the activity by action stars like Tom Cruise (“My phone was ringing non-stop when The Last Samurai came out,” Phillip says), there’s no room to be a hero here - if you want to succeed, you have to leave your arrogance at the door: “There’s no ego allowed. There’s no bullying. Everything has to be in good form and good taste, and we emphasise that with every session.”
And if you make the mistake of having an ego when you first walk in, that will be taken away from you very quickly. You see, unlike with wrestling or boxing, Ultimate Fighting or simply having a scrap outside Spoons on a Thursday night, strength and size don’t matter - you can easily be humbled by someone half your size or triple your age. “Those taking up kendo have to prepare themselves, because they may find that a teenage kid can give them a thrashing, or an old man - like me - could beat them,” Phillip warns.
There are no symbols of rank and no badges. People can fail gradings if they don’t meet a standard and there are no guarantees. There are many milestones to pass
While size, strength and arrogance may not be the key to mastering kendo, though, you do need one thing to succeed - commitment. For all the talk of respect and honour, and while it may not be strictly classed as a sport, “It can be very physical,” as Phillip explains. “When we’re striking each other, it’s a full-contact martial art. We use a bamboo sword and try to hit specific targets that give you points - including the head, the wrist, the abdomen and the throat. But we wear heavy-duty armour when we do this - for the amount of effort you have to put into it, the injury levels are very low.”
As much as there are physical demands, the mental demands are even tougher. Everyone taking part must follow fairly strict rules - including cutting all non-kendo chat once practice begins - and there are, as Robert admits, “few external signs of success”. “There are no symbols of rank and no badges,” he continues. “People can fail gradings if they don’t meet a standard and there are no guarantees. There are many milestones to pass.”
Yet if you can power through, not only can your fitness improve, but you can become “part of a community where you are valued” - one built on principles of mutual respect and humility, no less. As civilisation continues to flirt with the idea of self-imploding, and intolerance and hostility feel like a permanent fixture of humanity, these values seem more important than ever. Sure, taking down enemies with cool sword swipes and battling to victory in the way of the warrior is cool as hell - but showing kindness, consideration and tolerance is far more impressive.
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