Kendo Workshop

John Drakey

The art of Kendo derives from sword skills developed by the samurai of the 12th century called Kenjutsu. During the 14th to 16th centuries, accomplished swordsmen opened schools to teach the art of the sword. The more peaceful Edo period (1600-1868) saw the moral and spiritual elements of the practice come to the forefront, and the art of Kenjutsu continued.

Kendo practitioners train using a bamboo sword called a shinai. They wear a helmet and body armor called bogu that allows for full-contact sparring with low risk of injury and gives the practitioner the ability to dynamically adjust to real speed attacks to a limited number of targets in a competitive environment.

Kendoka (people that practice kendo) use spirit, sword, and body in unison to successfully complete an attack against the opponent under strict adherence to proper technique. This attention to detail in the technique accompanies the action of meeting the opponent at full intensity but striving to develop character at the same time.

The school participating in the kendo demonstration and workshop is the Kansas City Kendo Club, John Drakey.