Yosho
23rd January 2004, 11:33 AM
Hello everyone,
About a week ago, I noticed an ad in the newspaper for a sword shop in my town. Curious, as I had seen the ad many times before, I finally checked it out with my friend online. I was intrigued to see many nice swords, especially the oriental ones, like the katana, which I didn't know they still made for commercial sale. Increasingly curious, my friend and I checked out more sword sites, and I started to get an urge for a sword. Looking at the prices though, turned us off, so I started looking at practice swords. I sent a link of one site to my friend, and we were discussing its contents on MSN, when he remarked, "whoah, they sell shinai! lets buy one of those!". Puzzled, as I didn't know what a shinai was, I scrolled down to where he indicated, and discovered it was a Kendo sword. Kendo. I had heard of the sport before, but had never known much about it. Intrigued, I did some research. I discovered a sport that incorporated the zen that is Japanese culture with the beauty that is sword fighting. More intrigued, I came to these forums, read many a website, and watched many an online movie. I realized that this sport was something that I was interested in. I read many of the beginner threads on this forum and realized I myself could be a possible kendoka. I have always had an urbane fascination with Japanese culture and often wished I could travel there and discover it more fully. With Kendo, I realize this could be my chance to explore deeper, not only into myself, but into the culture and sport of Japan. I am definitely interested in Kendo, but there is one nagging doubt at the back of my mind I would like settled first. Seeing as how Kendo is a Japanese sport, obviously, it is predominantly populated by those of the Asian nationality. This I have no trouble with, but I worry that when I go to a Dojo, I may not be accepted or have trouble fitting in (me being a skinny white boy). I notice many threads on this forum which seem to hold much resentment for westerners in general, and I worry that this may come in place when and if I go to take up the sport. I am normally the reserved, quiet type around people I don't know, but coupled with the fact that I will be around not only totally new people, but also totally new people who probably enjoy conversing in their native language arises doubts in my mind ("What are they saying? Man, that guy's looking at me funny, what did I do? Are they gossiping about me? Man, I should never have come") and so on. I feel I would like very much to take up Kendo, but if I am to be treated with a distantness or slight hostility like one may treat a new student in school, my enthusiasm for the sport is going to decrease obviously. If I had a friend to go with, obviously this issue would never arise, but seeing as how none of my friends want to take it up w/ me, I am forced to be concerned. I hope I don't sound like some racist nutball, I'm just concerned about fitting into a sport that has a deep and long history and culture and respect. Thank-you for your time, your responses are appreciated.
About a week ago, I noticed an ad in the newspaper for a sword shop in my town. Curious, as I had seen the ad many times before, I finally checked it out with my friend online. I was intrigued to see many nice swords, especially the oriental ones, like the katana, which I didn't know they still made for commercial sale. Increasingly curious, my friend and I checked out more sword sites, and I started to get an urge for a sword. Looking at the prices though, turned us off, so I started looking at practice swords. I sent a link of one site to my friend, and we were discussing its contents on MSN, when he remarked, "whoah, they sell shinai! lets buy one of those!". Puzzled, as I didn't know what a shinai was, I scrolled down to where he indicated, and discovered it was a Kendo sword. Kendo. I had heard of the sport before, but had never known much about it. Intrigued, I did some research. I discovered a sport that incorporated the zen that is Japanese culture with the beauty that is sword fighting. More intrigued, I came to these forums, read many a website, and watched many an online movie. I realized that this sport was something that I was interested in. I read many of the beginner threads on this forum and realized I myself could be a possible kendoka. I have always had an urbane fascination with Japanese culture and often wished I could travel there and discover it more fully. With Kendo, I realize this could be my chance to explore deeper, not only into myself, but into the culture and sport of Japan. I am definitely interested in Kendo, but there is one nagging doubt at the back of my mind I would like settled first. Seeing as how Kendo is a Japanese sport, obviously, it is predominantly populated by those of the Asian nationality. This I have no trouble with, but I worry that when I go to a Dojo, I may not be accepted or have trouble fitting in (me being a skinny white boy). I notice many threads on this forum which seem to hold much resentment for westerners in general, and I worry that this may come in place when and if I go to take up the sport. I am normally the reserved, quiet type around people I don't know, but coupled with the fact that I will be around not only totally new people, but also totally new people who probably enjoy conversing in their native language arises doubts in my mind ("What are they saying? Man, that guy's looking at me funny, what did I do? Are they gossiping about me? Man, I should never have come") and so on. I feel I would like very much to take up Kendo, but if I am to be treated with a distantness or slight hostility like one may treat a new student in school, my enthusiasm for the sport is going to decrease obviously. If I had a friend to go with, obviously this issue would never arise, but seeing as how none of my friends want to take it up w/ me, I am forced to be concerned. I hope I don't sound like some racist nutball, I'm just concerned about fitting into a sport that has a deep and long history and culture and respect. Thank-you for your time, your responses are appreciated.