why are you learning...?

[men's intruder]

hi mates!

this is a simple question from a japanese friend of mine:

why are you learning something that hopefully you are not going to use in your day a day life? :confused2 :ko:

[Lloromannic]

Because I like it.
I understand what he says though, I have said it many times to my History and geography teachers.

[kenshin13]

hi mates!

this is a simple question from a japanese friend of mine:

why are you learning something that hopefully you are not going to use in your day a day life? :confused2 :ko:

Actually it helps me in daily life. I keep my back straight alot ( I used to bend down really far when I was sitting) and I learn more ways to talk to the community through Obukan.

[kusunoki1209]

lots of reasons. my father for instance is was a us national team member so I grew up with it. I'm japanese so it was sort of natural for me. it's fun. Peopel are great. etc...I don't know if there's one reason that anyone can give. IF you mean motivation for starting that's diff.

[Reina]

Actually it helps me in daily life. I keep my back straight alot ( I used to bend down really far when I was sitting) and I learn more ways to talk to the community through Obukan.
Yeah. Same. I used to slouch reeeeeally bad. ><;; But kendo helps me in the oddest ways. Nothing I could decribe as nessesarily useful for everyone, but to me it is. ^^ I make no sense. I'm sorry. :ko:

[DArbycrash]

Well i dont know about you guys but i think it helps me to blow off steam adn its pretty good exercise itself .

[Reina]

Well i dont know about you guys but i think it helps me to blow off steam adn its pretty good exercise itself .
lol, well yeah. Thats a given. You get to yell at people as loud as possible and whack the crap outta them. What more could you want? (J/K) :wink: Oh, good luck if you're gonna be in the taikai tomorrow! ^^

[Andoru]

I read somewhere on this forum along the this line: "one of the purpose of kendo is to become a better person, not necessarily a better fighter". I agree with that entirely. The common theme of budo is self-development after all, and not "practicality" as such.

[DArbycrash]

I read somewhere on this forum along the this line: "one of the purpose of kendo is to become a better person, not necessarily a better fighter". I agree with that entirely. The common theme of budo is self-development after all, and not "practicality" as such.yes i too try to better myself and my soul every time i go to practice

[Anime12478]

Some people first start off thinking it would be cool to learn how to use a sword after seeing anime like Rurouni Kenshin. Then, they get to the class and realize how hard it is. Some leave, others stay. Those that stay live through the hard work and leave the dojo feeling better than when you left, although you complain each time with how sore you are or how many blisters or callouses you got that day. Instead of being something that was cool because of that movie or anime you saw, it becomes an activity which is fun (yet expensive) and tough. It becomes sort of an obsession where you go as often as you can only to come out of it enjoying it more and more. You gain friends as you all go through the same hardships which only increases the bond, especially when you get to the point where you hit each other.

In case you didn't know, that is me and why I decided to stay.

[Meyaleleth]

eeeer...well first of all it is a 'pause' from the every day life .It relaxes me cause if im stressed I go and hit people in armour lol. It also keeps me fit cause im working loads of muscles while practicing. :D

[(' ')< QUACK]

hi mates!

this is a simple question from a japanese friend of mine:

why are you learning something that hopefully you are not going to use in your day a day life? :confused2 :ko:
I do kendo to

A. Learn discipline
B. Take part in a great and unique experience
C. Keep fit

[Sandokan]

Hi all!

I agree with Kenshin 13 and Reina. I slouch a lot all day at work and used to get chronic low back pain as a result. Kendo was the magic cure. All the traction (pull) that we impart on our spine whilst doing Suburi may be the factor involved in relieving the back pain as it "opens up the back" colloquially speaking. The maintainence of posture then filters through in our day to day life.
One more thing that has helped me is "Mokso". Whenever I am stressed out or angry now I tell myself 'Mokso............'. Then everything is blank in my mind, my eyes half open, my breathing gets calmer, my heart slows down and I am ready to go again.
OF COURSE!!!! screaming as loud as you can, charging at someone and hitting them squarely on their head does help relieve stress a lot. All our stress along with our evil thoughts.....washed away and we are left smiling at the end of the class. We are indeed a lucky bunch of people.

[Hisham]

In general learning kendo or any other martial art for that matter would have to do with maintaining a healthy body and spirit, knowing oneself better by exploring our actions and reactions for instance in keiko or shiai situations ,enriching our general knowledge base ....etc
All of those benefits would probably not be reachable without a wise sensei s guidance and of course regular training.

[senki-kendo-jos]

Hmmm... why am I learning? Hard question. I love Japanese history and traditional dress and, at first kendo was a way to combine the two but now it's much more than that, I eat, drink, sleep and live kendo! I am, as my host parents in Japan say, Kendo-baka (crazy).... plus, it's something a bit more unusual than the usual girlie keep fit stuff, you know, dance, aerobics etc, and it's a hell of a lot less boring than doing circuits at the gym.

Unfortunately, our house is full of sportsmen and women so you can't walk down the hall without tripping over something, rugby boots, cricket pads, tennis racquet, golf clubs or my bogu, hee hee hee!

[emitbrownne]

why are you learning something that hopefully you are not going to use in your day a day life? :confused2 :ko:
I know lots of people who apply what they have learned... (aside from the "kendo making you a better person" bit)

They enter competitions.

Its a bit like saying.. why learn archery?... you are never going to shoot anyone?!?

cheers

Paulo

[Neil Gendzwill]

Personally, I'm learning so that when the nuclear apocalypse come and everyone else runs out of bullets, I can be the badass wandering the ruins of the planet, conquering all with my sword. Hopefully, we will have regressed to the point where chain mail bikinis are a possibility.

[Lloromannic]

Just wondering, are the teachers at the police academies payed well?.
If so then that would be my dream job.

[Paikea]

Personally, I'm learning so that when the nuclear apocalypse come and everyone else runs out of bullets, I can be the badass wandering the ruins of the planet, conquering all with my sword. Hopefully, we will have regressed to the point where chain mail bikinis are a possibility.Another couple of weeks and that chainmail bikini is going to become a might uncomfortable in Saskatoon. But yeah, Tina looked pretty good in those days.

[Lloromannic]

I remember the days when chainmail bikini used to be the most stupid thing someone would wear in times of danger. Alas those days are gone, the new champion is wearing boob-tubes and miniskirts to kill zombies.

[otousan]

Most of the things we are taught we do not use in life. But learning which we seek is somehow subconsciously applied. Hopefully this is what you and I get from Kendo.

[Mike]

For two reasons, it's fun, and it's good exercise, so why not combine the two? :)

[nalogg]

I disagree, you do use it in your day to day life.

maybe not on the broad sense of fighting someone in the street, but kendo improves a lot of things about your body AND your mind....

i'm not sure about that friend of yours, but I use my body and mind every day.

so it IS useful.

by your friend's reasoning there are a lot of things we as humans do that are unnecessary... but we keep doing them because everything can apply to your daily life in SOME way

[nalogg]

Personally, I'm learning so that when the nuclear apocalypse come and everyone else runs out of bullets, I can be the badass wandering the ruins of the planet, conquering all with my sword. Hopefully, we will have regressed to the point where chain mail bikinis are a possibility.
Are you thinking about tina turner in beyond thunderdome!
i like your train of thought...

[asian_knight]

I agree w/ you Neil, except for the chain mail bkini. :laugh:

[Munnin]

I would turn this question back on him. Has he asked the same question of golfers, of softball players? Ask him what he does when he is not doing that which must be done. Does he watch television, does that develop anything but a wider ass?

[Rurouni_Kiyoshi]

MAin reasons why i want to learn kendo.
1. To be stronger
2. To do some thin with my life
3. Eventually to learn some of the possible moves of Hiten Mitsiguri ryu.
I know the last one is like a childish dream but i have to scrape what little i can learn in the country.

[Kaoru]

MAin reasons why i want to learn kendo.
1. To be stronger
2. To do some thin with my life
3. Eventually to learn some of the possible moves of Hiten Mitsiguri ryu.
I know the last one is like a childish dream but i have to scrape what little i can learn in the country. Hi there,

Welcome to the forum!

Ok... 1 and 2 on your list are ok. :) But the 3rd, it is not. Did you know that anime is not real life? It does depict aspects OF real life things and situations, but it is largely made up. :)

Rurouni Kenshin is historical fiction. That means that the story is based upon historical facts, but the facts have often been embellished upon.

Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu is a fictional sword art made up by the Manga/Anime creator Nobuhiro Watsuki. If you look in the American publication by Viz of the manga, Book 1 I think it is, that is stated quite clearly. Not the back of the book but in the first half where he writes about the characters. So, you will never learn it.

In Kendo we use bamboo shinai for sparring and then bokken for our kata. We don't use swords. Iaido and Kenjutsu use bokken(when you are a beginner) and later, swords.

Kendo, Iaido and Kenjutsu are not anything like what you see in the anime. In ANY sword art as well as in Kendo, you will not learn to jump 9 feet in the air, you will not learn to fly into the air, you will not learn to throw rocks with a sword just by hitting the ground, and you will not learn to jump on walls or ceilings or whatever else like you see in the animated show Rurouni Kenshin. All that is fake. Please understand that Anime is fantasy, ok? It is made up.

There certainly is nothing wrong with wishing it was real and thinking it is really neat. That's ok. Dreaming is something that should always be allowed. So, it is ok to dream about doing Hiten Mitsurugi. BUT: You should NEVER attempt to act out any of Kenshin's techniques with a real sword EVER. That is not what the anime was intended for. So, as long as you are not playing with real swords, you are ok.

If you have a sword...

Swords aren't toys and are VERY dangerous, especially, if you are using a sword not meant for use, which unfortunately, untrained people always manage to buy such swords.

Why are swords dangerous? Well, the untrained person has a very high risk of either cutting themselves very badly, losing a finger or two, or a limb. Yes, this can happen. Trust me, a sword is a big 3 foot razor blade and not meant for waving around without proper instruction.

Why are cheap swords(Anything under about 400 dollars, maybe a bit less depending.) dangerous? Well, the tang is often just glued in and the blade is nearly always made of 440 stainless steel. As a result, the blade can wiggle loose if you use it, and can end up flying out and maim or kill either you or the person around you. The steel used is also very brittle and is easily broken. Those are known as "wallhangers" and are for display only.

To sum it all up, an untrained person should not be using a sword. A person should always look for qualified instruction and never attempt to teach themselves.
That is for your safety and prevents you from serious injury. :)

So...

NEVER buy a sword for use without a sensei's permission! You will wait an awful long time before you are even allowed to use a real sword anyway. When sensei gives permission, that is when you can use what he tells you to.

Learning Kendo or any other sword art is a serious business not to be taken lightly. You will work very hard, and drill the same techniques over and over for months. Sometimes, all you will do is suburi and footwork for class, if it Kendo you train in. In Kendo you will work on one technique all class at times, too. It's a slow process to learn and become good.

I have heard that in a sword art like Iaido(The art of drawing and cutting in one smooth motion. Often referred to as Battojutsu. They are the same.), a sensei might have you stand or kneel(In Iaido, a lot of kneeling called seiza, is done when drawing a sword.) in one position and hold the sword(In a beginner's case, a bokken.) while the sensei takes time and corrects your form until your arm feels as if it will fall off. It's a lot of serious work. It is rewarding though, from what I understand.

To train in either Kendo, Iaido or the rarest to be found, Kenjutsu, you need to be very mature and have loads of patience. The reason is because you are dealing with a weapon that can inflict serious damage should you goof around and accidentally hit someone. In Kendo, we get to wear bogu(armor) roughly 4-6 months into training, so it isn't as dangerous as the other sword arts are, except when we do Kata, where we do wear the bogu. Kata Kendo is danerous if your attention wanders. Bokken can kill.

The other sword arts? They do not wear armor, and they do not spar in the way Kendo does, with full contact. Iaido is solo kata with paired kata learned later. Some Kenjutsu ryuha does have a form of sparring, but not like Kendo, as it is controlled, not full contact.(That I am aware of in authentic Ken anyhow.) So in those arts, you must be very mature and have patience and control.

Well, that is sort of an overview of the Japanese sword arts, and I would like it if some of the sword guys here could embellish upon what I said and add to it or change stuff if I happen to have got any facts about Iaido and Kenjutsu wrong, since I do not practice anything but Kendo.

Kendo is great fun, and it is well worth the time and hard work. I love it! I think you will too if you stick around and try hard. Or, it my not be for you. The only way to find out is attend a practice and watch(What you will be expected to do the first day.) and see if it is to your liking. The same goes for the other sword arts.

And please guys, about him wanting to learn HMR? Please educate or say nothing. Thank you! :)

I hope that helps you a little. :)

Kaoru

[joekc6nlx]

I want to be good with edged weapons, just like the chefs in Japanese steakhouses. Chop things up as they fall back to the grill, make people "ooh and ahh" at my fancy bladework. :rolleyes:

Oh, kendo! Sorry....got ahead of myself there.....

I want to see how far I can push myself, find what my limits are, and see if I can go beyond them. This is more than just a physical exercise, since I don't view kendo as a sport. Kendo is an art, and as with any art, you don't start out great at it, you have to work hard. But once you gain the recognition of those guiding you, then you know you are on the right path. I'm just at the bottom of the mountain.

[Random]

It's just like a sport. I find it fun and it also keeps me healthy. ^_^ (don't really care abou thee health though). It's something I can do for the rest of my life if I want.

[Kirsty]

I love kendo! My whole life I've never really done anything like this. I wanted to find something that I'd like. Kendo is what I chose out of everything out there. Its fun and unique. It helps me to be stronger and more outgoing (I'm kinda shy. ^^; ). How does it make me more outgoing? Well, every time I go I have to yell really loud (kiai) which is something I wouldn't normally do. I also need enough courage to go in there with a bunch of people and practice which isn't always easy. I also met friends at the dojo (everybody that goes there) and even in these kendo forums. But yeah. Its great! Thats why I'm learning it.

[AkuSokuZan]

Hi there,

Welcome to the forum!

Ok... 1 and 2 on your list are ok. :) But the 3rd, it is not. Did you know that anime is not real life? It does depict aspects OF real life things and situations, but it is largely made up. :)
KaoruUm... Kaoru, I think he was joking... (We all after all know that that stuff is impossible, but there are some iai masters that move their swords at what you call "godspeed" in japanese(as in faster than the eye can see, but not as fast as in RK))

[AkuSokuZan]

To mold the mind and body,

To cultivate a vigorous spirit,

And through correct and rigid training,

To strive for improvement in the art of Kendo,

To hold in esteem human courtesy and honor,

To associate with others with sincerity,

And to forever pursue the cultivation of oneself.

This will make one be able:

To love his/her country and society,

To contribute to the development of culture

And to promote peace and prosperity among all peoples.


As the AJKF says. I also agree with almost everything mentioned above.

[CryingFreeman]

to improve posture and concentration
develop strength of will and control over mind and body
to improve awareness and attention
to develop character through seeking improvement

[Wout]

well I started learning kendo, sooo that's why I'm learning it now, I guess.


And ehm Kaoru, limiting posts to what you have to might not be such a bad thing, I mean such a long thing to say that 1. anime isn't reality
2. Sharps swords are dangerous things and it might be wiser to get some education as how to wield them before swinging them around.
3. Sharp and shinies are dangerous but even more dangerous is low quality, so be carefull what you buy. :D

[CryingFreeman]

well I started learning kendo, sooo that's why I'm learning it now, I guess.


And ehm Kaoru, limiting posts to what you have to might not be such a bad thing, I mean such a long thing to say that 1. anime isn't reality
2. Sharps swords are dangerous things and it might be wiser to get some education as how to wield them before swinging them around.
3. Sharp and shinies are dangerous but even more dangerous is low quality, so be carefull what you buy. :D
True but the more concise method doesnt always get the point across.
It also lacks the conviction provided by a post explaining the details of what your saying and why

[DCPan]

Ok... 1 and 2 on your list are ok. :) But the 3rd, it is not. Did you know that anime is not real life? It does depict aspects OF real life things and situations, but it is largely made up. :)

It is not until years later that I realize the wisdom in what Neil said about how the most important thing in Kendo is "showing up to class".

Back in 1987, I saw in the movie credits for "Conan the Barbarian" that the choreographer for the movie was a Japanese gentleman. That motivated me to look into Japanese martial arts, which lead me to Kendo, Aikido, and Iaido.

Fast forward to 2005, I'm still here.

What motivated you to get into it isn't as important as whether or not you've stuck with it.

If you have to start kendo for the "right" reasons, you'll have a fairly small class, if at all. Better reasons to stick around will emerge, when you learn from a good sensei and stick with it.

FWIW.

P.S. Just to piss off the "don't do the moves in anime folks", I can do gatotsu and kogetsu zan as well as Conan's web of death (Daisha Mawashi)...so there.

[Kaoru]

well I started learning kendo, sooo that's why I'm learning it now, I guess.


And ehm Kaoru, limiting posts to what you have to might not be such a bad thing, I mean such a long thing to say that 1. anime isn't reality
2. Sharps swords are dangerous things and it might be wiser to get some education as how to wield them before swinging them around.
3. Sharp and shinies are dangerous but even more dangerous is low quality, so be carefull what you buy. :D
Ahahaha! :) I try, I try... I just can't seem to be so concise! But, as Freeman-san said, the short version doesn't get the point across half the time! I just wanted to make it quite clear so he doesn't hurt himself. :)

Kaoru

[Kaoru]

It is not until years later that I realize the wisdom in what Neil said about how the most important thing in Kendo is "showing up to class".
Oooo I agree!!!


Back in 1987, I saw in the movie credits for "Conan the Barbarian" that the choreographer for the movie was a Japanese gentleman. That motivated me to look into Japanese martial arts, which lead me to Kendo, Aikido, and Iaido.

Fast forward to 2005, I'm still here.

What motivated you to get into it isn't as important as whether or not you've stuck with it. Exactly. And, I have several reasons why I got into Kendo.

Long ago(about 15 yrs), I saw Shogun on TV. I have been interested in swords and the Samurai ever since. But, I did not know it ws possible to train in those arts, because the internet not exist so I never knew to look it up. And, how could I have known? Fast forward to a couple years ago when I first saw Rurouni Kenshin. I saw Kaoru practicing a sword art, and also, she's a girl(The main thing that prompted me to actually pursue this.), so I figured I could do that too. So, I looked in the phone book for Kendo after I read more on the internet. I ended up finding Kumdo in a dojang in my own town but then, 5 months later found out the guy was not the real deal, and that was a mess that got solved peacefully.(I made a thread here asking what to do in Sept. 2003, that you haven't likely seen yet. You never posted in it.) I was given information on real Kendo dojos a little over 2 hours from here, and managed to talk my Mom into letting me do Kendo instead. So, here I am almost two years later. I began that Kumdo in April 2003, started Kendo in Oct. 2003, and never stopped.

So, because of RK, I began Kendo. My point was to make sure he realised that HMR isn't a real sword art. I don't want him to get hurt.

But, you are quite right otherwise. :)


If you have to start kendo for the "right" reasons, you'll have a fairly small class, if at all.

What? Can you rephrase that please? What does starting Kendo for the right reasons have to do with a small class?
I don't get it...


Better reasons to stick around will emerge, when you learn from a good sensei and stick with it. Yup! Exactly true.


FWIW.

P.S. Just to piss off the "don't do the moves in anime folks", I can do gatotsu and kogetsu zan as well as Conan's web of death (Daisha Mawashi)...so there. *wags finger* You shouldn't be attempting those techniques because they are fake, ok? It's for your own safety. :) And, you don't want to loose a finger or worse do you? Swords are very sharp and dangerous.

:D :D

Sorry, but you set yourself up, and I could not help myself! hahaha! :D (You know what I always tell people. I'm poking fun! hehe!) You're funny.

Kaoru

[Rurouni Kenshin]

You get to wear a skirt being a male and no1 starts laughing ;)

j/k
It opens mind and spirit, its a unique experience, it fittens the body and unlike other dojos teaching martial arts, you dont have to deal with wannabee tuffguys that only practise to show off how strong they are; at least in the Netherlands it is that way...........sadly

[Ninjujinkaku]

If someone breaks into my house and I hear it I can grab my katana and tsuki them to the chest or cut off one of thier arms. But mostly i do iaido for the focus. I do judo right after iaido on wednesday and im usually more focused after doing iaido, sometimes though iaido makes me tense like when i learn a new kata.

[delphideo]

Since I was a kid I always wanted to fence, the equipment and the classes were too expensive so I never had the chance. I heard of kendo, but never really thought about taking it until one while I was walking I saw a bunch of kendoka in bogu going at it. I simply loved it and embraced.

I love the discipline it teaches me and has made me apply the same discipline in my daily chores (I used to be such a sloucher). It has helped me meet different people and become more outgoing. But I mostly like the respect everyone has of each other no matter how intense the ji-geiko we're all trying to improve and not the beat the crap out of everyone just because we want to win.

[Neil Gendzwill]

What motivated you to get into it isn't as important as whether or not you've stuck with it.
True dat. Dogged persistence beats out high motives every time. The guys getting into it because they study zen quit about as fast as those who saw Kill Bill and thought it was cool.

[DCPan]

What? Can you rephrase that please? What does starting Kendo for the right reasons have to do with a small class? I don't get it...

Start paying attention to why people do what they do, and you will.

How many of those business executives play golf because they love golf?


*wags finger* You shouldn't be attempting those techniques because they are fake, ok? It's for your own safety. :) And, you don't want to loose a finger or worse do you? Swords are very sharp and dangerous.

Sorry, but you set yourself up, and I could not help myself! hahaha! :D (You know what I always tell people. I'm poking fun! hehe!) You're funny.

LOL...I set you up and you walked into it like before.

Personally, I like to see you tell that to Kiyoshi Yamazaki (chreographer for Conan). I've met his students...I know people who CAN cut back-handed like that across straw targets. As usual, you are making advice about things that you have no personal experience with without the credentials to back up your statements.

There are ANIMEs out there with stuff based on REAL technique. As for RK, that's another matter entirely.

FWIW.

[Richiro]

I started kendo because i thought it was just really really cool. Now that i understand it and the hard work involved (and how many people quit) it makes me want to help preseve it. I love kendo so even if every one stopped practicing now i'd still want to do it.

Yeah, I'm not one of the guys that does stuff because of there friends do it. I'm the opposite, I do every thing my friends dont. Like i still haven't told my friends (in my neighborhood) that i even do kendo or iai.

[Twobitmage]

I want to become the best swordsman in all the world!!!11one

naw I just like kendo. What more can I say?

Every practice is hard and I feel like passing out but at the same time I cant think of a more satisfying feeling then getting a decent cut in. Sort of like what they said in tin cup

"You hit one good (golf) shot, you'll be hooked for life"

[Rurouni_Kiyoshi]

Everything you have stated karou i have acknowledged already, but there are a few moves that you could use in real-life.

[Ninjujinkaku]

You could use anime techs in a sword fight, It probly works as well as useing hong kong gun fight techniques in a real shoot out.

[zsmbr]

hi mates!

this is a simple question from a japanese friend of mine:

why are you learning something that hopefully you are not going to use in your day a day life? :confused2 :ko:
This is an interesting question, just because our club has got two japanese kendoka, and after the training around a table they asked me the same thing. Beside so many things I choose kendo because I want a strong backbone for myself.. it means I would like to be stronger physically, spiritually, mentally. And it's working for me. ...i would say:)

[Wout]

This is an interesting question, just because our club has got two japanese kendoka, and after the training around a table they asked me the same thing. Beside so many things I choose kendo because I want a strong backbone for myself.. it means I would like to be stronger physically, spiritually, mentally. And it's working for me. ...i would say:)No, actually I think it's a stupid question if it were asked to me, because all I can answer is because I like to do it, every other rationalisation I make would be, well, bluntly put: a lie. Noone asks me why I play soccer, I don't have any good reason to play soccer, it's time-consuming, costs money, I get exhausted by it etcetera etcetera.... but I like it.
My goal in kendo is to do kendo as well as I can, not much else actually.

[senki-kendo-jos]

Hmm, why did I start kendo.... Difficult and L O N G... but i'll attempt to simplify!! :)

I went out to live in Japan on a YFU scholarship paid for by the Japanese govt... I lived as a Japanese teenager for a year, with a Japanese family and going to a Japanese high school and DOING ALL THE CRAZY AFTER SCHOOL CLUBS THAT THEY ALL DO... I started doing tea ceremony, poetry and calligraphy clubs, but I had a problem in that I was getting NO excercise whatsoever (Japanese PE lessons are basically a walk in the park and the only way you break a sweat is if it's a hot day) and putting on weight left right and centre because I was eating loads at meals(homesickness) and snacking on snickers bars (the only western choccies I could find at the local 7-11!!). Then I split up with my boyfriend at the time (i'd gotten together with him about a week before i left and it was just NOT a good idea!) and because i'd fancied him for AGES I got quite upset. I was sitting on the steps of the school talking to the Engliah language assistant, the only non japanese perspon i had to talk to when Sakai sensei, the kendo coach for the school, came up and asked me if I wanted to try kendo. I agreed, once a week. That ended up at six days a week for three or four hours (more at weekends) and the rest is history!!

I lost all the weight by the way... I went from an English size 16 (ish) to a size 10.... unfortunatley it's now piling back on again.... the only problem with having a boyfreind who loves cooking!!!

[Katonk]

I was inspired by Tom Crooz from the Last (white) Samurai movie.

Heehee.. Seriously, kendo is a great sport (and I emphasize sport) and allows me the opportunity to stay in touch with my Japanese culture.

[men's intruder]

No, actually I think it's a stupid question if it were asked to me, because all I can answer is because I like to do it, every other rationalisation I make would be, well, bluntly put: a lie. Noone asks me why I play soccer, I don't have any good reason to play soccer, it's time-consuming, costs money, I get exhausted by it etcetera etcetera.... but I like it.
My goal in kendo is to do kendo as well as I can, not much else actually. i don't think it is stupid question, it is just a question from someone who wanted to know, nothing wrong. now there are many anwser around, he'll get what he wants, may be he even comes for a practice one day.........or play tennis.