Bunkasha International

R.A. Lidstone's story is as unique in its own way as that of "Master Spy" Charles Boxer in that it catalogues an unrivaled study of the sword and the weaponry associated with it. From military...

Professional soldier, spy, linguist, traveller, international lover, prisoner of war and prolific chronicler of history: Much was written about Charles Boxer following his death in 2000. However,...

Budō is one of Japan's most significant contributions to the world's athletic heritage. In fact, I consider budō to be Japan's most successful cultural export. Wherever you go in the world,...

Yamaoka Tesshu (1836-1888) was a Japanese master of the sword, Zen and calligraphy. A full-color book on the Zen art of Tesshu features his calligraphic pieces, essays about the relationship between...

Dr. Sotaro Honda (R7-dan), student of H8-dan Masatake Sumi-sensei, has been a longtime contributor to Kendo World, and has spent much of his kendo career helping international kenshi. His latest book...

Dr. Sotaro Honda (R7-dan), student of H8-dan Masatake Sumi-sensei, has been a longtime contributor to Kendo World, and has spent much of his kendo career helping international kenshi. His latest book...

Kendo World is devoted to the art of Japanese sword fencing (kendo), and the dissemination of its vast practical, philosophical and historical aspects to the non-Japanese speaking kendo community...

Kendo World is devoted to the art of Japanese sword fencing (kendo), and the dissemination of its vast practical, philosophical and historical aspects to the non-Japanese speaking kendo community...

Kendo World is devoted to the art of Japanese sword fencing (kendo), and the dissemination of its vast practical, philosophical and historical aspects to the non-Japanese speaking kendo community...

Content in this issue: Editorial By Michael Ishimatsu-Prime In the editorial, Michael Ishimatsu-Prime reflects on visiting the 109th Kyoto Embu Taikai in May and discusses some of the highlights,...

Editorial By Alex Bennett Alex Bennett reminisces on the Kendo World's journey from its first to this, its 25th edition. He then goes on to discuss recent changes to attitudes in Japan in budo and...

Editorial By Alex Bennett Kendo World's Alex Bennett has recently finished a translation of the bushido classic Hagakure. In his editorial he discusses the relevance of Hagakure to kendo and the...

Editorial By Alex Bennett With the 16th WKC only a few months away, Alex Bennett ruminates on the behaviour of onlookers at large sporting events both in and out of the budo world-something that was...

CONTENTS Editorial By Alex Bennett Kendo World's Editor-in-Chief reflects on three big days in May 2015, namely the 16th World Kendo Championships. "The 16WKC finished with a bang. In the end, Japan...

Editorial By Michael Ishimatsu-Prime In the Editorial, Michael discusses the recent ESPN documentary Evolution of the Lightsaber Duel and kendo's relationship with the Star Wars franchise, and looks...

Editorial By Alex Bennett In the Editorial, Alex joyfully describes his brand new set of premium handmade bogu that took several years to make and cost the same as a medium-sized car, but he also...

Editorial: Letting Go... By Alex Bennett In this editorial, Alex describes the importance of "letting go" in keiko. In Japanese this is described by the word "sutemi", which literally means...

- Judging the Judges and "Gross Spectators" - Whence art we? - The Kendo World (Far Too Brief)Guide to Tokyo - The Not-So-Well-Known History of International Kendo Competitions - History of the WKC...

Le tournant du XVIIe si?cle: l'?ge des provinces en guerre touche ? sa fin et les derniers puissants da?mios luttent pour l'unification du Japon. Sous leurs ordres, les samoura?s, d?termin?s ? mourir...

New updated edition of the now out-of-print "Naginata: The Definitive Guide". Alex Bennett goes into the history and practice of Naginata, using original source materials, and technical photos taken...

Un travail de cette nature ne vaut, en somme, que par le nombre et l'exactitude des dessins qui en ?clairent le texte. Toute description est impuissante ? ?voquer dans l'esprit le mieux dou? l'id?e...

Serving as an instructor at the elite Japanese Naval Academy in Etajima in the late 1800s, Francis James Norman was one of the first Westerners to take up the study of the two "noble sciences" of...

Serving as an instructor at the elite Japanese Naval Academy in Etajima in the late 1800s, Francis James Norman was one of the first Westerners to take up the study of the two "noble sciences" of...

Those who study kendo regard promotion examinations and matches as vehicles for cultivating self-discipline. Preparing to take a grading is especially motivating compared to regular training. It is,...

The Ōshū Kendo Renmei documents kendo's beginnings and establishment in the UK, its spread into Europe, and the formation of the Ōshū Kendo Renmei, forerunner to the European...

Nombreux sont les pratiquants d'arts martiaux qui ont parcouru le Gorin no sho (?crit sur les cinq ?l?ments), l'oeuvre majeure de Miyamoto Musashi (1582-1645). Malheureusement, ce texte est aussi...

Nombreux sont les pratiquants d'arts martiaux qui ont parcouru le Gorin no sho (?crit sur les cinq ?l?ments), l'oeuvre majeure de Miyamoto Musashi (1582-1645). Malheureusement, ce texte est aussi...