Strange kendo pic from First WKC 1970

[bobdonny]

Hey,

Just looking through some of the kendo pics from the first WKC (on the current wkc site - thumbs up Brazil :) ) and I noticed a strange one of a kendoka wearing like a karate uniform.

Its the 16th photo anyone got any background at all? Looks cool enough and they are a great set of pics BTW,

http://www.14wkc.com.br/site/2009/02/1%C2%BA-wkc/

[bobdonny]

http://www.14wkc.com.br/site/wp-content/gallery/1-wkc/30.jpg
http://www.14wkc.com.br/site/wp-content/gallery/historicas/27.jpg
http://www.14wkc.com.br/site/wp-content/gallery/historicas/23.jpg
http://www.14wkc.com.br/site/wp-content/gallery/historicas/29.jpg

Seems it Was ROC... cool.

[mugen no junin]

it looks like he had no idea about how to hold a shinai...it's a very odd picture...

[DCPan]

http://www.14wkc.com.br/site/wp-content/gallery/historicas/29.jpg

Seems it Was ROC... cool.

Yeah...looks like Team Taiwan.

[Darknails]

That's the Taiwanese team indeed. The reason for the karate uniform was due to political reasons. From 1895 until the end of WWII, Taiwan was under the colonial rule of Japan. Afterwards it was returned to China (Republic of China aka ROC, as opposed to the China as we know aka People's Republic of China, which is the communist regime). When ROC lost the battle on the mainland against PROC, it retreated to Taiwan and has resided ever after. The new government in Taiwan tried to suppress all things Japanese including forbidding wearing Hakama in kendo practices and changing the name of baseball (brought to Taiwan by the Japanese) from 野球 (pronounced Ye-Chiu) to 棒球 (Bang-Chiu), etc, in an attempt to make the local people recognise the new authority and forget the last, despite the fact that many at that time had nostalgic feelings towards Japan.

The karate uniforms you saw in those pictures were the products of the unsettled time in modern Asian history. It looks now rather amusing, but in fact some Taiwanese 7th and 8th Dan Senseis told me the frustration they had in the old days due to not having enough recourses and support (sometimes banning) for doing kendo. Many had to practise on concrete floor, and wearing sports shoes and practise on rough surfaces was common.

However, the roots left by Japanese Senseis during the colonial period were strong. The kendoka receiving the 2nd place in the 1st WKC were the 1st/2nd generation Taiwanese kendoka, who all became 8th Dan in the end. Some passed away while some are still teaching.
For example,
http://www.princetonkendo.com/photo/Photo.htm


For more info, I wrote some stories of my kendo practices in Taiwan here:
http://shinai.blogspot.com/search/label/Taiwan


I hope this helps to explain the origin of the odd uniform, and some more background about Asian history :) I hope I didn't bore you too much.

[Alex]

I don't think it is the 1st WKC, but the first international friendship tournament that was held when the IKF (FIK) was formed, or just before. I think... Still, great historical photos.

[Hisham]

@Darknails
Thanks for sharing the info.

[bobdonny]

Not boring at all darknails, quite the opposite...

Great post and thanks for the background... fascinating stuff.

I was at the last WKC and it sure adds a nice background to it.

[Abramo]

The first WKC in 1970 was in Tokyo, no? The one in Brazil was in 1982, some of the pics in that album are indeed of that competition i think.

[amatsuda]

I'm taking a guess here but based on my understanding from talks with people who shared their experience with me aren't those the uniforms that were used as part of 'Shinai Kyogi'?

amatsuda

[Alex]

The first WKC in 1970 was in Tokyo, no? The one in Brazil was in 1982, some of the pics in that album are indeed of that competition i think.

In October 1967, before the IKF was fromed, the AJKF sponsored an international goodwill competition which was watched by the emperor, empress, and the crown prince and princess. The countries and territories that competed were the United States, Canada, Brazil, United Kingdom, West Germany, Switzerland, Australia, Korea, Taiwan, South Vietnam and Japan. Hawaii and Okinawa were also represented at the competition. If you look at one of the photos it shows the Japanese emperor, and also a banner saying 親善大会　which means 'goodwill tournament'. I guess there are a mixture of photos there, but it is really good to see some from the first international competition.

I agree, they do look like shinai kyogi uniforms.