Why is Kendo So Popular in Japan?

Hello everyone. Thank you for reading this article. I’m Shogo from Let’s ask Shogo, the interpreter of the online lessons and owner of this website.

Among the various Budo martial arts, Kendo is generally believed to have Japan’s largest population of trainees. People training Iaido are less than 1/10 of the population of people Kendo. But then the question is, “Why is Kendo so popular?” The following four things are some possibilities.

・It was popular among commoners during the Edo period

・Kendo trainees played an active role during the civil war in the 19th century

・The strong relationship between Kendo and the police

During the Edo period (1603~1868), the last era when the samurai existed, only samurai were allowed to own and carry katana. However, because Kendo uses bamboo swords, anyone could train it. Many peasants, merchants, etc., practiced it for fun or to train their body and mind.

Because there were so many people who trained Kendo during the Seinan civil war (1877) fighting over who would be the next leader to run Japan after Westernization, a group of policemen trained in Kendo played an active role in the new government, this helped the new Westernized government to realize the importance of teaching Kendo to their men. This is why there are still many Japanese policemen who train Kendo. There’s even a competition just for the policemen Kendo trainees. There are also many club teams in Japanese schools teaching Kendo, believing it is one of the best ways to raise a strong body and a kind heart.

Although we do not provide Kendo lessons, Seki Sensei, the instructor, has 40 years of experience and a 5th Dan. If you have any questions, please let us know anytime.