Shinai vs Bokken – Why I Chose Shinkendo

Almost 3 years ago, my wife (then fiancee), and I decided we would like to learn Japanese sword.  This desire stemmed from our frequent renting of anime from the local video store.  We became enamored with the stories of feudal Japan, the brave Samurai who fought for honor and their daimyo, and the cool sword moves that are often shown in the movies, such as Kill Bill.  We realized that movies and anime tend to over exaggerate sword technique, but nonetheless we were still interested in learning.  We were feeling that we needed something active to do together, and I, being a former student of Tae Kwon Do, thought martial arts would be the best way to go.  Not only would we be exercising, but we would be learning something new, and learning it together.

We started our search with Google, knowing the most famous Japanese sword art was Kendo.  We found a dojo near us and I wrote the Sensei a few e-mails questioning him about the art, what we would need to purchase, and pricing and times of his classes.  We quickly found out that Kendo is a competitive sport where you wear bogu (armor) and use shinai (bamboo swords) to learn to strike your opponent in the weak areas of the armor.  He invited us to participate in a class and see if we like it.  It sounded cool, so we decided to do some more research.

We quickly discovered that a good set of Bogu can run you from $250 to $1000 per set.  While the sensei had said we wouldn’t need the armor right away, he had said we would eventually need it for competitions.  My wife and I didn’t want to join an art where we would be competing.  We were more interested in the art of the sword.  We decided to pass and I began searching to see what other Japanese arts were out there.  Nearly a year passed.

Finally, I came across the website of a local instructor teaching Aikido and Shinkendo.  I e-mailed the sensei and asked him about the art and what equipment was needed.  I specifically asked if armor was required.  The sensei replied to me and told me that Shinkendo does not use armor.  To begin we would only need to buy a bokken (runs about $15).  We would need a gi and hakama (training clothes) only when we decided to test.  He also explained that Shinkendo is not a competitive sport, like Kendo.  It is about the art of the sword, and realistic 16th century battle tactics.  He invited us to watch a practice, and this time we decided to go check it out.

I still remember that first practice.  The first student there was the sempai.  He was very friendly and as he got his gear on talked to us about the art.  At the time he had been practicing about a year and a half and was Shiho (4th rank)  Sensei arrived and introduced himself to us, and two other students, both children about 8 or 9, arrived.  Sensei began class and had the 2 students do some basic kata just to give us an idea of the art.  Then, he asked the senior student to show us some more advanced techniques.  We started attending immediately.

It has been almost 2 years now that we have been practicing.  I still find as much enjoyment in the art as when we first started.  The last 2 years have taught me a lot about the sword, and why I chose the art that was best for me.  By nature I am not a competitive person.  It is partially why I chose to quit Tae Kwon Do.  The thought of sparring against someone else and emerging either the winner or loser didn’t appeal to me, especially since I wanted to participate in the art with my wife.  Shinkendo is about competing with yourself, not about competing with others.  We decided this was better because we could practice with eachother instead of practicing against one another.  Testing for your next rank involves demonstrating your skill with the sword, not your skill against others.   There is no armor, meaning you have to learn greater control over the blade to keep it from hitting opponents, and the fact that as the defender you must practice 2 fundamentals.

1. Never be there.  We always try to avoid the attack by moving ourselves out of the path of attack.
2. Block.  In case we are unable to escape the attack, always up up a block.

I have not practiced Kendo, so my experience is only what I have seen. I am not an expert in Kendo, so if you disagree with anything I say about Kendo, please enlighten me. I feel, from my observations, that Kendo removes your “fear” of the blade, and you condition yourself to take the hit. Also, from watching Sensei re-teach students who are cross-training from Kendo, their stance is less rooted than what Shinkendo teaches, which is a deep stance that lowers the center of gravity and improves balance. This “Kendo stance” as we call it, offers less balance in practical application.

I am not trying to say Shinkendo is better than Kendo. That would be, as the cliche goes, “comparing apples to oranges.” In my case, Shinkendo is simply the more fitting art. Some martial artists enjoy the thrill of battling an opponent, and for them Kendo might be the better art. Because you are in a battle, Kendo forces you to think outside of the standard kata and it teaches you to read your opponent. In Shinkendo, we move in prearranged patterns so that the attacker and defender know the next move they must make, and the next move their opponent will make. Kendo teaches you to watch your opponent and react to their movements, exploit their weaknesses, and teaches you what your own weaknesses are so you can better defend yourself. Because we use bokken, freestyle sparring is dangerous and typically reserved for upper level students. With no armor to block a missed attack, a Shinkendo student must have complete control of their bokken or serious injury can occur. Shinkendo dojos often do not allow any freestyle sparring, simply because it is not part of the official curriculum. I think sometimes we lack in the ability to react to an opponent, where Kendo is all about reading your opponent.

The part of Shinkendo I enjoy the most are the kata, or sword forms. Memorizing these forms and putting them into one fluid motion are what I focus on the most. While many of the kata aren’t exactly the best to use in battle, they do serve their purpose to teach different movements and fluid motion. We will often learn a kata the way it is supposed to be performed, and then pick it apart for its practicality. The sempai student, who is now a sensei, enjoys the more practical side of the art. He focuses on using what we learn in real-world situations and will often demonstrate how a kata could be adapted to battle an opponent who is chasing your, or defense against multiple opponents. I enjoy applying what we learn to realistic situations.

When I think of Shinkendo, I think of 16th century battlefield tactics. When I think of Kendo, I think of competitive sword fighting. Both have their merits and their place. It is about picking the art that suits you best, not picking the “better” art.