Female Kendo?

**fanaa** · 21st April 2007, 08:23 AM

Hello everyone!

I have always wanted to do kendo and I was never allowed to (time constraints, etc) but about a couple of years ago, I finally was able to take classes for it..I was really excited and did my research until I found a place were I could go. When I called to come and see the place, the person who answered the phone totally burst my bubble by saying Kendo was not for females and they didn't teach woman at their place. So, naturally I stopped. But I am 18 and although it may be late to start, I still want to do it! Until I found this forum, I didn't even know females have their own kendo competitions and everything. I live in SoCal in Newport. Where is there a good place I can finally start learning?

**Magenta** · 21st April 2007, 09:06 AM

i don't know where you can start practising knedo, but I'm sorry that you got that sexist repsonse. Fair enought, as a female you're outnumbered in the dojo but you're not alone -and in Sweden some competions are exlusive for females but all are mixed so it's a sport for everybody!

**Anime12478** · 21st April 2007, 11:49 AM

If you got a response like that, then the place was most likely not legit. Sure the female population is small, but I find them just as capable as men.

I don't know California that much, but the link below has a list of dojos that are in CA

http://www.auskf.info/dojo/ca.htm

**mingshi** · 21st April 2007, 12:18 PM

Doesn't SoCal has the highest concentration of kendo clubs in the US?

If one doesn't let you in, just try another one.

**kendomusha** · 21st April 2007, 12:31 PM

Your best bet would probably be Costa Mesa Kendo Dojo or OCB kendo dojo. Their contact info are in the following link.

http://www.auskf.info/dojo/sckf.htm

**kendomusha** · 21st April 2007, 12:36 PM

Sorry, there is also another one in O. C.; Butokuden Martial Arts Training Center of Irvine. It's run by the owner of E-bogu, I believe... Anyway, you can find their contact info in the link below

http://www.auskf.info/dojo/scko.htm

**Masahiro** · 21st April 2007, 12:55 PM

Originally Posted by fanaa

....the person who answered the phone totally burst my bubble by saying Kendo was not for females and they didn't teach woman at their place. ...

did you happen to ask for the reasons? why isn't it for females? all the greatest kendoist are born out of female's womb, so what's their logic?

**xvikingx** · 21st April 2007, 12:59 PM

Originally Posted by fanaa

I live in SoCal in Newport. Where is there a good place I can finally start learning?

Go to the Costa Mesa dojo located at the Higashi Honganji temple. You can practice twice a week there and attend regular practice and their sister dojo in Norwalk if you want.
Take Harbor to Victoria, go right on Victoria (right if your coming from PCH; left if you got off the 405), it will be on the left hand side just before Victoria ends into the 55. When I was practicing there last there were a handful of females. Give them a call before hand and ask to watch one practice. They are kind and will answer whatever questions you may have after practice.
Good luck.

**XiaoPhoenixGrl** · 21st April 2007, 01:48 PM

What dojo was this?

Certainly, they can't be IKF approved! I didn't know that we had such people in the kendo community! >:O

**David** · 21st April 2007, 02:39 PM

Originally Posted by XiaoPhoenixGrl

What dojo was this?

Certainly, they can't be IKF approved! I didn't know that we had such people in the kendo community! >:O

It could be that they have a very, very old fashioned sensei, but even then, that's not really an excuse. It's not unheard of though. I believe we actually had another young lady in a similar situation. Though if I remember right, she was atleast allowed to train.

**Hisham** · 21st April 2007, 06:40 PM

Originally Posted by David

It could be that they have a very old fashioned sensei, but even then, that's not really an excuse.

You mean a very old fashioned sensei as in naginata is for women and kendo is for men kind of old fashioned?!

**Smakfull** · 21st April 2007, 07:34 PM

Originally Posted by fanaa

But I am 18 and although it may be late to start

I wouldn't consider that late; rather I'd consider it an insult

Jokes aside, you can start later than that and still reach far as well as in competition as in mind. "Still" is a bad phrasing...

to use a cliché: kendo is for all ages.

**nysamurai** · 22nd April 2007, 03:15 AM

Age 18 is certainky NOT late, by any stretch of the imagination. It all depends on what you wish to get out of it. I know a few people who didn't start until they were 50 or so, who are quite good, and who are very happy practicing, learning, socializing, evjoying the time they spend in the dojo and becoming better, more rounded people because of it.

As to the response you received initially, forget about it. There are a lot of reasons why you might receive such a response, none of them valid (in my opinion); just move past it until you find what you're looking for. Anyone who would take such a position in the 21st century is sadly uninformed.