I have a question.

[Kendo Newb]

Im new to the kendo world and i have a few questions and i was hoping if anyone could answer them for me.

.What are the different styles of kendo (pleas give a brief defenition of each)

.What does kendo generally teach.

.Are there different levels?(same)

.I dunno were i heard this from but when you graduate form kendo do you get a pair of samurai swords (katana/wakizashi)..Is this true?

Thank you for your time and thank you in advance to people who answer.

[mingshi]

.What are the different styles of kendo (pleas give a brief defenition of each)

For beginners you only need to know there is just ONE.


.What does kendo generally teach.

For beginners kendo teaches you to relax, learn and observe. Later on you need more accuracy, timing and distance.


.Are there different levels?(same)

There is student level and teacher level... but sometimes it becomes master and slave levels...


.I dunno were i heard this from but when you graduate form kendo do you get a pair of samurai swords (katana/wakizashi)..Is this true?

Wow!! Which dojo do you train?? And how long does it take to graduate???

(note: the above information is a hoax)

[Machismo111]

Hey Noob ;). Hehe, ima noob too, and in cali =D Where in Cali are ya from?

I think there's other levels than master and slave ;). Most importantly there are Dans, first through 10th (Generally spoken with japanese numbers tho, shodan (methinks), nidan?, sandan, yodan, godan, etc. Theres also Kyu grades? Not sure what those are, but the impression I get from folks is that they're not very important.

And as for the two swords thing...you don't ever graduate from Kendo =) Keep goin til ya keel over. Samurai traditionally carried two swords though. Course theres really not much use for Samurai any more...ANyways, sorry I couldnt help more, but Im still a noob too =)

[Kendo Newb]

Thank you guys for the replys. Also i like in Southern CA. About and hour South of L.A. You?

[Neil Gendzwill]

You'll find the answers to a few of your questions here (www.kendo-sask.com/swordfaq.htm). And nobody ever "graduates" - we just keep learning our whole life.

[Machismo111]

Thank you guys for the replys. Also i like in Southern CA. About and hour South of L.A. You?

Im in Sacramento :( Quite a distance. Are you thinking of starting, or just learning more about Kendo?

[aru-ma]

I know it's been said many times before, Kendo is a journey, you don't graduate from a journey, I asked a senior budoka (martial artist) about when do this journey ends, he told me for him his journey end when he draws his last breath. I thought it was rather extreme back then but now I think I understand why he said that.

[wonabe kenshi]

Im in Sacramento :( Quite a distance. Are you thinking of starting, or just learning more about Kendo?
Im a noob too but I havent even started kendo yet, but when I do it will be in sacramento. I live about 1hour and 20 minutes away. And the nearest dojo to me is at least that far away in any direction. :down:

[Machismo111]

Im a noob too but I havent even started kendo yet, but when I do it will be in sacramento. I live about 1hour and 20 minutes away. And the nearest dojo to me is at least that far away in any direction. :down:

Have you watched any classes yet? And will you be going twice a week or just once? =) Shirai sensei is in Japan til nov. 14th, so I cant start until he gets back =(((

[wonabe kenshi]

Have you watched any classes yet? And will you be going twice a week or just once? =) Shirai sensei is in Japan til nov. 14th, so I cant start until he gets back =(((I have not watched yet because I have trouble to make it there. If I did watch there would be no garuntee I could make it even 3 times a month. I probably won't be able to start untill I get my car fixed, or get a new car :(. Although once I do get either done I will try to go twice a week, as I almost never work on friday and somtimes tuesday.

[wonabe kenshi]

Have you watched any classes yet? And will you be going twice a week or just once? =) Shirai sensei is in Japan til nov. 14th, so I cant start until he gets back =(((
really? I was told I could start any time and was not told any thing about Shirai sensei being in Japan. In fact I'm pretty sure the e-mail I got was from him.

[Kendo Newb]

Umm I'm thinking of starting it. And yes sacramento is quite a ways away.

[wonabe kenshi]

Umm I'm thinking of starting it. And yes sacramento is quite a ways away.
How far do you live from Sac?

[wonabe kenshi]

How far do you live from Sac?
Oops I see my question was already answered.

Anyway good luck Kendo Newb and Machismo111.I wish I could start as soon as you two. I'll see you when I get there Machismo111.

[srt]

Im a noob too but I havent even started kendo yet, but when I do it will be in sacramento. I live about 1hour and 20 minutes away. And the nearest dojo to me is at least that far away in any direction. :down:

I'm not trying to discourage you from going to Sacramento, and feel free to disregard this message if your mind is already made up. However, if you live in Manteca you actually may be a bit closer, distance-wise, to either San Jose or Alameda/Oakland dojos. Time wise it probably is faster to get to Sacramento due to the traffic in the Bay Area (it's been a long time since I lived there). Note, if you have trouble making it up to Sacramento, I believe Alameda has Saturday morning practices.

Wherever you end up, good luck,

srt

[wonabe kenshi]

I'm not trying to discourage you from going to Sacramento, and feel free to disregard this message if your mind is already made up. However, if you live in Manteca you actually may be a bit closer, distance-wise, to either San Jose or Alameda/Oakland dojos. Time wise it probably is faster to get to Sacramento due to the traffic in the Bay Area (it's been a long time since I lived there). Note, if you have trouble making it up to Sacramento, I believe Alameda has Saturday morning practices.

Wherever you end up, good luck,

srt
Yeah I'd rather not go to the bay area. Like you said too much traffic, I used to live in San Jose myself but like you as well its been a while. I still have my mind set on Sacramento, but I just might look into Alameda. Thanks srt.

[Machismo111]

Sorry for taking so long to reply ^_^ Moving pains, ugh. Anyway, Martinez Sensei, I suppose Shirai Sensei's right hand man, answers most of Shirai Sensei's E-mails, or at least all of the mails I've sent =). How long is your drive anyway? Time wise? I drive 2 hours every other week to visit my dad for a couple days, and after a while you sort of get used to it. I watched 3 practices and a tournament before they gave me the paperwork to fill out. Btw, Kendo tournaments take a LONG time! =O. I chewed the same piece of gum for 10 hours =\.

[wonabe kenshi]

Sorry for taking so long to reply ^_^ Moving pains, ugh. Anyway, Martinez Sensei, I suppose Shirai Sensei's right hand man, answers most of Shirai Sensei's E-mails, or at least all of the mails I've sent =). How long is your drive anyway? Time wise? I drive 2 hours every other week to visit my dad for a couple days, and after a while you sort of get used to it. I watched 3 practices and a tournament before they gave me the paperwork to fill out. Btw, Kendo tournaments take a LONG time! =O. I chewed the same piece of gum for 10 hours =\.

LOL about the gum. My drive accrding to yahoo maps is 1hr 12min. Do they ussualy make you watch that much before you get to join? Although I don't think I'd mind watching a tournament even if it was 10 hours long.

[Kendo Newb]

Ugh i just found out how much all the gear was. It may be only $10 a motnh but they get the money form the gear being that the gear is $300 dollars. Way out of my price range at the moment being that I am only 14.

[Fantasia]

Ugh i just found out how much all the gear was. It may be only $10 a motnh but they get the money form the gear being that the gear is $300 dollars. Way out of my price range at the moment being that I am only 14.

You shouldn't have to buy the gear right away. You probably can try it out and if you convince your folks you're serious about it, they might be willing to pay for it :) And then tell them that you can always resell them if you do quit hehe

[m_french]

really? I was told I could start any time and was not told any thing about Shirai sensei being in Japan. In fact I'm pretty sure the e-mail I got was from him.
wow- apparently they have email in japan now too.....the world is so .....global.

[wonabe kenshi]

wow- apparently they have email in japan now too.....the world is so .....global.
Why wouldn't they have email in Japan? I wasnt saying that Shirai sensei wasn't in Japan, I was just saying I thought the email I recived was from him. I really hope your not trying to be a smart arse, because then I'll be sad :(.

[Kendo Newb]

You shouldn't have to buy the gear right away. You probably can try it out and if you convince your folks you're serious about it, they might be willing to pay for it :) And then tell them that you can always resell them if you do quit hehe

Good idea. I could pay for a third of it though.