Kenjutsu: Traditional Japanese art of swordsmanship

Kenjutsu, known as the "art of swordsmanship", is an ancient Japanese martial art known to many martial arts practitioners. It has a rich centuries-old deep philosophy and influence on many martial arts.

The Tachi or predecessor of the Katana saw more limited use in the years 900 to 1300. At that time there was an important role for other weapons such as bow and arrow and horse riding skills that Samurai had to master.

It is a very old martial art and the oldest kenjutsu schools that are still practiced today originated in the later Muromachi period (1336 to 1573). The most important schools that emerged here are Kage-ryū, Chūjō-ryū and of course Tenshin Shōden Katori Shintō-ryū.

Meaning Kenjutsu

Kenjutsu is a combination of ken (剣) meaning sword and jutsu (術) meaning art or technique. Kenjutsu is usually used as a term for all traditional or koryu schools of Japanese swordsmanship. These schools were created before the Meiji Restoration.

What exactly does Kenjutsu entail?

Its origins lie in feudal Japan, where the Samurai's lives revolved around learning and practicing martial arts. Here you can read more about who exactly the samurai warriors were. Apart from the way to fight or wage war, it was also about discipline, control and personal growth, this was the way of the warrior or the bushido code.

Around the 8th century AD, texts are known in which Kenjutsu techniques and principles were described. During this period there was great unrest in Japan and Kenjutsu was mainly a practical way of waging war on the battlefield. The Kenjutsu contributed to a victory for their Lord and increased the Samurai warriors' chances of survival. Various schools emerged, each with their own styles and techniques. These sword fighting styles evolved and were passed down from generation to generation.

The Samurai quickly discovered that by training with the bokken or bokuto (wooden swords), the techniques could be trained better and more safely. Due to this insight, handling the real Katana quickly reached a higher level. This grew enormously, especially in the Edo period.

The different Kenjutsu schools developed many techniques and styles that differed in the way of posture, cutting, thrusting and feints with the Samurai sword. These differences become clear in the kata or style forms. The schools usually also pay attention to sword maintenance, sword handling and safety.

In Kenjutsu you will not have contact with a training partner for a large part of the lesson and you will work individually on different Kata. A large part of the training is non-contact and consists of individual attacking, counter-attacking and practicing all other techniques without contact.

The training parts with a partner are often intended to bring the skills and techniques to a higher level in practice.

Initially you will mainly have to work on your posture. A bokken has an important place in all lessons and different schools prefer a bokuto in various forms. In katori shinden ryu they often use a special katori bokken. You will first learn how to hold it correctly and the standard postures (kamae). Then walking and moving with the sword in your hands is an important next step. All in all, these small, but very important lessons take a lot of time to learn. Kenjutsu is a complex discipline, with a lot of emphasis on timing and balance. By training the movements, you will eventually be able to make quick lunges and attacks with the sword. Defense techniques with the Katana are also extremely important.

In addition, kenjutsu also places a lot of emphasis on timing, distance and balance. The practitioner must be able to maintain the correct distance from his opponent in order to dodge attacks or perform counter-attacks. Balance is essential for stability during movements and quick reactions.

The techniques within kenjutsu vary from quick attacks (kirikaeshi) to defensive techniques (uke nagashi). Each requires precision, speed and body control. The goal is not only to defeat your opponent, but also to show self-control, respect and fairness during the fight.

What is important in kenjutsu?

First find a good teacher, a clear mind and desire to learn. Ultimately, keeping going is the most difficult task because life often tries to push you in a different direction, so this takes discipline and commitment. The emphasis is also on being respectful, self-controlled and honest in the path of mental growth. In modern times it is not just about beating your opponent.