Kendo

Japanese high school kendo coach caught forcing students to pay birthday-tribute money

Typically, students are encouraged to report bullying to the adults, but what do you do when the adult is the bully?

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Japanese convenience store clerk stops robbery with wooden kendo sword and fighting pose

“I should tell you that I’m first dan,” he informs would-be thief.

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Hilariously intense kendo match shows off the psychological side of the samurai sport 【Video】

If patience is a virtue, then these two elderly kendo enthusiasts are extremely virtuous.

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Kendo mask chopstick rests bring samurai spirit to any meal

Now you can practice your master swordsmanship skills with chopsticks and a miniature ceramic opponent.

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“The Evolution of the Lightsaber Duel” reveals true extent of kendo’s influence on Star Wars movies

From the action scenes to the dialogue and spirit of the characters, this new short documentary hosted by Mark Hamill confirms the heavy influence of kendo on the entire Star Wars franchise.

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World’s oldest kendo video is part martial arts, part Buster Keaton, all amazing

Kendo is a uniquely Japanese martial art. Like judo, karate, and aikido, this modernized version of a traditional art has numerous practitioners both in Japan around the world. And while some may approach it with more, um, zeal that others, it’s generally viewed as being more like chess than raw fighting.

But if you ever thought that kendo lacked in brutality or purely comedic tomfoolery, this 117-year-old video of a kendo practice session in Kyoto will put you in your place. And then smack you across the head with a big bamboo stick!

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While kendo is an inherently violent sport–after all it’s basically the Japanese version of fencing–the general perception is that it’s more about calm, carefully-coordinated attacks than all-out aggression. In fact, kendo very strictly adheres to etiquette and respect, with competitors generally expected to act with the utmost sportsmanship.

Unless you happen to be a cop.

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