Here’s a compilation of books, articles (with links for most of them) and sites on various aspects of kendo. Those for beginners are listed in Resources for Beginners.
- Books
- Available Openly On-line
- For Purchase
- Articles
- General
- Mechanics (tenouchi, sae, kinesiology)
- Tactics (Strategy, seme, Fighting an Opponent in Jodan)
- Mind Training (Mushin)
- Shiai (Competing, Refereeing)
- Shinsa (Experiences, Criteria, Kata)
- Body Maintenance
- Equipment Manual
- Etiquette
- Terminology
- Websites
Books
Available Openly On-line
- Noma Hisashi (1910-1939), The Kendo Reader (PDF, 55 pages)
- Matt Jackson Sensei, Kendo Training Handbook (PDF, 84 pages)
- Kendo Curriculum – Techniques (PDF, 88 pages)
- Cary Yoshio Mizobe, Introduction to Kendo, Westside Kendo Dojo (PDF, 108 pages)
- Coaching Children – Guidelines for children’s practice in Kendo including competition (article).
- Yamamoto Tsunetomo, Hagakure: Book of the Samurai (translated by Lapo Mori).
- Booklets:
Additional Books (For Purchase)
A partial list. There’s many more.
- Noma Hisashi, Kendo Tokuhon – The Kendo Reader, edited by George McCall.
- Ogawa Kinnosuke, Teikoku Kendo Kyohon (The Kendo Textbook of Imperial Japan, 1932), edited by George McCall.
- Hiroshi Ozawa, Kendo – The definitive guide, Kodansha Int’l, 1991.
Articles
General
Mechanics
- Tenouchi
- Sae (snap)
- Kinesiology
Tactics
- Strategy
- Seme
- This section has been moved to a separate resource page on seme.
- Fighting an Opponent in Jodan
Mind Training
- Attitudes:
- Mushin
- Meditation, Breathing
Shiai
- Competing
- Refereeing
- Terry Holt Sensei, The First Steps to Becoming a Referee – Basic Rules of Kendo Tournaments and Refereeing, Update, Jan 2013 (PDF, 32 pages)
- Gotha Kendo Club, Sweden, “The Guidelines – For Shiai (competitions) and Shinpan (referees),” 2001 (PDF, 20 pages).
- Gotha Kendo Club, Swden, “The Regulations of Kendo – For Shiai (competitions) and Shinpan (referees), 2001.
- AUSKF Referee Seminar Presentation (pptx)
Shinsa
- In the Pursuit of Kendo – A Guide to the requirements for passing grades up to and including 5th DAN, compiled and translated by Jeff Humm, 7th Dan Renshi (PDF, 19 pages)
- Personal Experiences:
- Yano Nobuhiro “My route to hachidan 八段への道筋,” (translated by George McCall), Jan 11, 2018, Kenshi247.net. (includes excellent tips)
- “Interview with Yukuo Iwao sensei on Passing 8th Dan,” (translated by Kazuyo Matsuda), Kendojidai 3.2010.
- Boris Jansen, “Embrace the Failing”, Kendo-World.com, v7.2, 2014 (6th Dan shinsa experience).
- Promotional Exam/Grading Requirements/Criteria:
- Kata
- Stephen D. Quinlan, “Nihon Kendo no Kata & Kihon Bokuto Waza,” Kingston Kendo Club, May 19, 2014 (PDF, 85 pages).
- Kata Observations – Nihon Kendo Gata (Kata) Supplied by Jumpei Matsumoto former BKA Chief National Kendo Coach From the original writing of Noboru Shigeoka Hanshi 9th Dan.
- “Detailed Kendo Kata Notes,” Norwalk Kendo Dojo. (Includes notes and links to videos of each kata – explained in Japanese.)
- “Japan Kendo Kata, Meaning of,” by はくどー/佐々木博嗣, Hakudoh.com, Translated by Ted Imoto sensei (PDF, 6 pages).
Body Maintenance
- Ren Ma, “Warm Up and Suburi – Training for Basic Kendo Skills,” Sept 14, 2004, (PDF, 1 page)
- “Nutrition,” Maltese Kendo Federation, Mar 18, 2012.
Equipment Manual
- Kendo Equipment Manual (PDF, 51 pages) (mirror site)
- S. Quinlan, Shinai Maintenance, Oct 31, 2006 (PDF, 40 pages).
Etiquette
Terminology
- Dictionary for Japanese-English Kendo Terms (PDF, 50 pages)
- Glossary of Kendo Terminology, Rembuden Kendo Club (PDF, 5 pages)
- Glossary – Terms Used in Japanese Swordsmanship, Mizukan Dojo, 2005 (PDF, 12 pages)
- Stephen D. Quinlan, Kingston Kendo, “Counting, Commands, & Glossary of Common Terms in Kendo,”, Apr 3, 2012 (14 pages, PDF).
- The language of Kendo, Maltese Kendo Federation, Mar 18, 2012.
Websites
- kenshi24/7.net – Kendo all day, everyday
- kendoinfo.net – Kendo information from Geoff Salmon Sensei
- kendo-world.com – Crossing Swords & Borders
- Kendo-Guide.com – Instructions on Kendo
- Kendopark.net – News and Topics
- Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) Kendo Club – Resources Page
- Kenshi Journal – Kendo Musings
- Maltese Kendo Federation – Articles
- Shugo-Nanseikan
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