Kendo: Culture of the Sword

by Alexander Bennett

Kendo is the first in-depth historical, cultural, and political account in English of the Japanese martial art of swordsmanship, from its beginnings in military training and arcane medieval schools to its widespread practice as a global sport today. Alexander Bennett shows how kendo evolved through a recurring process of “inventing tradition,” which served the changing ideologies and needs of Japanese warriors and governments over the course of history. Kendo follows the development of Japanese swordsmanship from the aristocratic-aesthetic pretensions of medieval warriors in the Muromachi period, to the samurai elitism of the Edo regime, and then to the nostalgic patriotism of the Meiji state. Kendo was later influenced in the 1930s and 1940s by ultranationalist militarists and ultimately by the postwar government, which sought a gentler form of nationalism to rekindle appreciation of traditional culture among Japan’s youth and to garner international prestige as an instrument of “soft power.” Today kendo is becoming increasingly popular internationally. But even as new organizations and clubs form around the world, cultural exclusiveness continues to play a role in kendo’s ongoing evolution, as the sport remains closely linked to Japan’s sense of collective identity.

Genres: Nonfiction, Martial Arts, Sports, History, Japan

328 pages, Hardcover

First published July 31, 2015

About the author

Alex Bennett was born in 1970 in Christchurch, New Zealand.

He graduated from the University of Canterbury in 1994. He received his Doctoral degree from Kyoto University in 2001, and another from the University of Canterbury in 2012.

After working at the International Research Center for Japanese Studies, and then Teikyo University's Department of Japanese Culture, he is currently employed as an Associate Professor at Kansai University's Division of International Affairs where he teaches Japanese history and society.
He lectures frequently on Japanese martial culture.

His recent publications include Naginata: the Definitive Guide, Budo Perspectives, and may other publications on Budo.

He’s also Editor-in-Chief of Kendo World, the world’s only English language journal dedicated to Kendo, the Vice President of the International Naginata Federation and Director of the Japanese Academy of Budo.

Reviews

[Nanseikan Kendo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kendo: Culture of the Sword is the new book by Alex Bennett, founder of Kendo World, NZ team coach and the go-to guy if you want to know anything about Budo culture but can't speak or read Japanese very well (just ask Anthony Bourdain and Terry Schappert), or even if you can but you need to have an expert on hand (ask Nicholas Pettas and even the national broadcaster NHK).

But Alex is much more than a TV tarento (celebrity), he is a bona fide academic in the area of Kendo and related martial arts. After doing a year as a high school exchange student in the late 80s, at some point he must have thought, "How do I stay in Japan to keep doing Kendo?" It's a question most kendo tragics ask themselves in their early 20s. In Alex's case he decided he wasn't just going to teach English at GEOS for 12 months and then go home. Like another well known Kendo über-tragic, George McCall, Alex dug deep and must have said to himself "Bugger it! I'm gonna stay here and do Kendo whatever it takes!" Fast forward twenty years and, hey presto, he's living the dream.

Kendo: Culture of the Sword is really the book he has been building up to writing for a long time. I've been aware of Alex and his work in this area since I first signed up to Kendo World forum in 2002. I think at that stage he had only just submitted his PhD thesis titled "Towards a Definition of Budo"; and in Japanese no less. Since then he has worked tirelessly in both academia and as a high-level translator. Along the way he has achieved his 7th dan in Kendo. He was even kind enough to help yours truly via email when I needed some inside info for a Masters' assignment on contemporary Japanese culture. Not that that last one was a life highlight for him, it just makes me slightly relevant.

Alex's academic background is strongly in evidence in this book. It is written as a reference work, containing scrupulous footnotes and referencing that acknowledges and builds on scholarship in the areas of Japanese history and cultural theory. In the internet age of bloggers, trolls and keyboard warriors, this kind of informed and disciplined writing is more valuable than ever. Not surprisingly it comes in a book. A hardcover one. Published by the University of California Press.

Part of this discipline is starting from the beginning. Alex explains what Kendo is in basics and then goes all the way back to explain its history in detail. Maybe it was my own impatience, but I got the sense that it wasn't until about half way through that Alex finished with his set-up and started getting into the meat of his thesis, that is, with those parts which are his unique contribution to the area.

To my mind it is his examination of the role Kendo has played in Japanese identity from the Meiji era onwards that is the strength of this book. Very few scholars have had access to the sort of primary sources Alex has used. Hence he is able to shine new light on how Kendo has been continually 'repackaged' to suit the prevailing political needs of each era: Meiji, Taisho, Showa and Heisei.

Admirably, Alex keeps a sternly critical focus on these aspects, never letting his own love of Kendo, nor his 'insider' status lead him to making sweeping generalisations of difficult counter-arguments or gloss over legitimate criticisms of Kendo culture. For instance he questions the often nebulous and rarely (within Japan) criticised pronouncements on Kendo's 'character building' qualities. He also analyses the assumption held by most kenshi that Kendo is not a sport, and elaborates on the patently politico-cultural reasons for this belief. He also examines the notion of Kendo as a uniquely Japanese cultural product and the tension between Japanese desire for international promulgation of Kendo on the one hand and the fear of 'internationalisation' (read: dilution, misinterpretation) of Kendo on the other.

Indeed so new are these discussions, in both English and Japanese I would warrant, that many kenshi are bound to have difficulty accommodating them given the assumptions they have been taught about Kendo since day one of their beginners' courses. It is clear from the Epilogue that Alex has had trouble with this himself, and his answer is this book. For this reason alone I would recommend this book to anyone who loves Kendo.

Alex finishes with a wonderful observation from the late Yoshihiko Inoue sensei, a man for whom he has obvious respect. It is as if to calm the doubts that he must have been having about Kendo's legitimacy and purpose as a result of the long months of research and cogitation. I will leave to those who purchase the book to find out what that observation was. But as a result of some Google-jutsu after reading the book I came across a similar, very affirming observation of Inoue sensei's regarding the nature of Kendo:

The main objective of Kendo became (in the Taisho era) the development of the human character... meaning that through disciplined practice we develop the right mental attitude... one can contribute towards peace and prosperity for all humanity across the world, thus reflecting our own humanity. This is what it means to develop the human character in Kendo. Therefore something that cannot contribute towards peace and prosperity in the world cannot be called Kendo.

There are many reasons for enjoying this book: the clear and rigorous history that takes into account new ideas about 'invented tradition' and 'aestheticised swordsmanship'. There are many photos that I've never seen before, especially of shinai kyogi, the short-lived, post-War replacement for Kendo. As a school teacher, one of my favourites bits is Alex's translation of the Japanese Ministry of Education's Three Pillars of Kendo Education (2006), a curriculum framework document that simplifies Kendo's benefits into the kind of Powerpoint-friendly bullet points only an Education bureaucrat could love.

On a pedantic note, I was chuffed to read that Alex disagrees with the common English translation of the Concept of Kendo, which uses the term katana (刀). I have long felt that since the Japanese original uses the term ken/tsurugi (剣) it should be translated as: "...via the application of the principles of the Sword." Katana refers to a physical sword, whereas ken is the conceptual or metaphorical Sword. What English accomplishes with capitalisation and definite or indefinite articles, Japanese accomplishes with synonyms of approximate equivalence but quite different historical meaning. A minor quibble perhaps...

Alex is already the most lettered historian and theorist of Kendo in English. I think if and when he comes out with a Japanese-language version of this book, he will become one of the most important scholars of Budo in any language.

[Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

این هم به همان صورت.
یه زمان خیلی داشتم اصول و مدل های اینا رو‌ میخوندم ولی مدت زیادیه دیگه اونقدر علاقمند نیستم فعلا و نرفتم سراغشون که فکر کنم دیگه نمیرم ادامه اینو بخونم.

[LeRon Harrison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alex Benett explains in the epilogue of Kendo that "writing this book was a convoluted way of getting my own thoughts in order--reassessing why I had embarked on this kendo journey in the first place and why I persist in trekking down this intangible, eternal path to self-perfection." But what he produced in trying to get his thought about the martial art he has committed himself to is an amazing history of the martial art. He traces the changes that occurred from swordsmanship (kenjutsu in the Muromachi period through the schools of swordsmanship in the Edo period, the transformation kendo underwent in the Meiji period, the ways in which kendo became marshalled by the interwar government into the wartime, Imperial project, how kendo had to redeem itself in the eyes of the SCAP overseers, and the dynamics of kendo in the present day as a martial art that promotes something uniquely Japanese and yet has an international body of practitioners. Over the course of the book, Benett draws upon his position as translator of kendo material, member of the All Japan Kendo Federation, and scholar to produce a scholarly yet engaging work, one that blends scholarly rigor, accessible language, and personal anecdotes all together. The work is very informative with kendo practitioners and non-practitioners able to get something out of Bennett's work.

I would give this book 4.5 out of 5 stars. The aspect of the book that I must fault is the first chapter and its cultural history of swordsmanship in the Muromachi Period. The problem with Benett's scholarship on this matter is the limited number of historians he draws upon to lay the cultural history. He draws heavily upon Karl Friday, the premier historian working on warrior culture in this period; however, he does not rely upon other works in English on the Muromachi period. A prime point where this becomes problematic is his discussion of the Noh playwright Zeami Motokiyo (1363-1443) and the term geido. Zeami himself is a figure who has been studied; Tom Hare has written several books and articles on Zeami as well as translated his treatises; Eric Rath's The Ethos of Noh provides a history akin to Bennett's for noh that demonstrates the ways in which noh changes in relation to the politics of the time. And yet Bennett completely ignores these texts to state that Zeami "considered Noh and the other arts to be 'ways' for seeking perfection." The concept of arts as michi, ways, and possessing hiden, secret transmissions, were far more commonplace than Bennett depicts them to be; if he attempted to look at the works in the English language that document these facts, his work would have benefited from it. This is the major failing of Bennett and prevents it from getting a full five-star rating.

Nevertheless, it is an enlightening work on the martial art of kendo, and anyone who reads it will come away with a greater understanding and appreciation for both kendo and Bennett's pursuit of mastery of kendo.

[Tellus · Rating 4 out of 5]

Los que estéis acostumbrados a leer libros sobre artes marciales notáreis enseguida que esta obra es diferente al resto.

Lejos del planteamiento típico en que el autor, normalmente una autoridad reconocida en tal o cual estilo o disciplina marcial, va exponiendo todas las virtudes y bondades que la hacen superior (o al menos diferente) al resto de manera un tanto idealizada. Alexander Bennett, por el contrario, nos ofrece un riguroso y exhaustivo estudio sobre la historia del kendo, desde sus orígenes como técnica de combate para la batalla, pasando por su transformación en un arte que aspira al crecimiento personal a partir de la Era Tokugawa (s. XVII), para finalmente acabar convirtiéndose en el arte marcial deportivo de carácter universal que es hoy en día.

Lo que más me maravilla del libro es la seriedad y rigurosidad con la que el autor analiza todas estas etapas históricas por las que ha pasado el kendo, haciendo siempre hincapié en la importancia que el contexto histórico y social ha tenido para ir modificando el kendo según las ideas en boga en cada período histórico y todo ello con un manejo de las fuentes y una objetividad que ya quisieran para sí muchos historiadores profesionales o investigadores académicos.

Se nota que el autor, además de ser un experto en kendo (no en vano posee el 7º dan) es un gran conocedor de la historia y cultura japonesas.

Además de su erudición, también debo destacar la objetividad del autor que, en un encomiable ejercicio de honestidad, no duda en mostrarse crítico con algunas de las ideas o afirmaciones que habitualmente se han venido haciendo sobre el kendo a la vez que pone de relieve algunas de sus contradicciones como el deseo de la AJKF (La federación japonesa de kendo) de extender el deporte por todo el mundo al mismo tiempo que teme que esto diluya su "japoneidad" y los valores tradicionales a los que va unido. Tampoco le tiembla el pulso a la hora de denunciar cómo las autoridades japonesas utilizaron el kendo como herramienta para promover el militarismo y el culto imperial que en los años 30-40 del siglo XX.

En definitiva si esperáis un libro que os hable del kendo como disciplina, su práctica, sus técnicas, metodología, consejos, etc... vais a encontrar muy poco de eso aquí, pero si buscáis un libro que os ayude a entender la evolución de de un arte centenario y exclusivo de los samurai, al deporte democratizado y globalizado que es ahora, este es vuestro libro.

Muy recomendable para todos los interesados en las artes marciales japonesas y por supuesto si practicas kendo, este libro debe ser lectura imprescindible.

[Fernando Pachón Cárdeno · Rating 5 out of 5]

No es complicado que cualquier aficionado, profesional o estudioso de artes marciales se haya encontrado en su vida con diversos textos sobre el tema que tratan estos deportes/filosofías/herramientas/etc desde perspectivas muy cómodas donde se leen estas prácticas como tradiciones ancestrales, totales, casi místicas y mágicas, como objetos abstractos y perfectos que solo cambian por dialécticas internas y ajenas a cualquier cambio propiciado desde el exterior (o al menos así se pretendiera).

Este libro bien puede servir para abrir una brecha en estas perspectivas elaborando un sencillo pero completo análisis de un arte marcial, el kendo, como "tradición inventada" y fenómeno encastrado en la cultura, que afecta y se ve afectado por la siempre cambiante realidad. Si bien se centra en el kendo sus análisis son aplicables a la mayoría de artes marciales japonesas. En este texto no solo se traza una historia de cambios y evolución sino que se explican las tensiones y contradicciones del arte marcial y su funcionamiento como distintas herramientas a lo largo del tiempo: como entrenamiento, como marcador de clase, como patrimonio cultural al estilo volkisch, como definitorio de una esencia de japoneidad, como entrenamiento militar y modo de adecuación a la ideología estatal y como estrategia de soft power en el mundo global.

Quien espera una narración guiada por grandes y legendarios maestros o por elevados e insondables conceptos filosóficos se sorprenderá. Este libro es una oportunidad perfecta para adentrarse en el aspecto social e histórico de las artes marciales desde una perspectiva científica que no se ve lastrada por el rigorismo textual que a veces es tan común observar en publicaciones científicas. Es una suerte que el autor se haya decidido por un formato más ágil y convencional.

[Jordan Bone · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an excellent resource for anyone looking to know more about the history and development of kendo. It can be a bit of a dry read at times, but this is in keeping with the academic tone and somewhat inevitable given the detailed research shared in some sections. I wouldn't recommend this for a casual reader looking for a basic understanding of kendo, but it is well worth the time to someone invested in its practice.

[Nicolas Mendiberri · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn't read all existing books of Kendo, but I can confirm that this is the best book of Kendo ever written. Alex Bennett is one of the most non Japanese respected Kendo practitioner around the world. He also studies and knows very deeply the Japanese culture and its implications on martial arts.

[Dave Y · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very informative book, but also a relatively easy read and interesting throughout. The author goes into the history of Japanese swordfighting from the samurai days right through to modern-day kendo, to fully explain the cultural and historical context of the art and why it is how it is. Recommended for anyone who's interested in the history of kendo.

[Maxine · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was great because it combined the history of kendo with aspects of cultural Japan through history. I liked the copious and useful notes, as well as the diagrams.

The index wasn't as great as I initially thought. That's the only problem I have with the book.

[(DixiewinxEqandMore) · Rating 2 out of 5]

dnf. While the historical aspects were nice & informative, there was less discussion about female practitioners of the sport & that was disappointing to me because we are the fastest growing demographic in the sport.

[Tom Menke · Rating 5 out of 5]

excellent data

[Hans Van Der Linden]

great book

[Corinne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Note: I received a free copy of this book through the GoodReads First-Reads program.

In Kendo, Alexander Bennett follows the technical and cultural evolution of Japanese swordfighting from the days of the samurai warrior class to its current status as one of the “sportified” martial arts (budo). In detailing this history, Bennett also gives an overview of the basics of performing kendo; however, this is not an instruction manual, and the descriptions of the moves, rules, and equipment are very basic and are used mostly to provide the reader with some grounding for the substance of the book.

First off, I must admit that, unlike what I assume is target audience of this book, I am not a kendo enthusiast. And by that, I mean that I knew that kendo was a martial art and...that was pretty much it. Because I knew so little about the topic beforehand, this is one of those reviews where I have to fight the urge to just list off all the fascinating things I learned. I will say, however, that, no matter your initial knowledge-level, you will come away from this book with firm footing in the history of kendo as well as the history of bushido (the way of the warrior), and the way it has influenced and continues to influence so much of Japanese culture and identity.

The interesting thing about Bennett is that, while he is a very high ranking kendoka, he is not Japanese. Because budo, and kendo in particular, is so intricately tied to Japanese culture, Bennett’s status as a bit of an outsider allows him to approach the often-mythologized history of kendo with a great deal of respect, but also with an analytical eye that comes from that cultural distance. For example, Bennett is able to take a hard look at the role budo played during WWII, which is often downplayed by practitioners ashamed that kendo (which is not supposed about violence or beating your opponent) had been co-opted by a militaristic government. He also looks at the way kendo went from an art specifically symbolic of the samurai class to an art symbolic of Japan as a whole. Bennett points out the parallel between the derision for non-warriors who dared to take up kendo in the past, to the exclusion that he has personally experienced as a non-Japanese practitioner. The idea that only a certain group of people can really “understand” kendo is intriguing, and Bennett does a great job in showing how the members allowed in that group have evolved and how that evolution created an “invented tradition” of what it means to be Japanese and to understand Japanese culture.

Overall, this book delivers exactly what it promises. Whether you are a kendoka looking for a deeper understanding of your sport, or you are just interested martial history, this is a great book to have in your arsenal. I would also particularly recommend it for the Western beginner. Bennett does an admirable job explaining the spiritual side of kendo and how it differentiates from the competition-based sports of Western society, despite how necessarily esoteric such a discussion can be.

[VJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Prof. Bennett's historical retracing of kendo's beginnings is both educational and eye-opening for me, in that it broke the recurring misconceptions or romanticized ideals I keep hearing or reading about with regards to how kendo is a centuries-old, samurai practice of honor, discipline, and an all-out commitment to face death in battle, when it is in fact an invented 'modern' tradition utilized during the World War as a militaristic propaganda to instill "Japanese-ness" and die hard patriotism/nationalism. Although it is not the author's intent for me to come to this conclusion, but my main take-away from this book is that kendo as a "budo" is very young compared to all other martial arts, and Prof. Bennett's thoroughly-researched and informative book lays out all the socio-historical facts that made kendo the way we know it today, and how it was able to remarkably preserve its 'traditions' throughout modern times.

This book makes me appreciate kendo more as a practitioner, and I would recommend it to everyone who is interested to deepen their understanding of the art and educate themselves in the underpinnings of what made kendo the way it is.

[Alexa · Rating 4 out of 5]

A pragmatic and unromantic historical trajectory through Japanese Budo and Kendo. Also on imperialism nationalism but not only. Kendo, a martial sport. The book might also be good for those with an interest in Japanese history. As a western Kendo practitioner I have my own reasons for reading it. The only constructive criticism I have is that I would have like to have seen more on the Chinese and Korean contributions on the moulding of the craft. In part of the book Bennett says that he believes that Kendo doesn't make you a better person. Well it should. So the spirit of Kendo is slowly dying out.

[Jonas · Rating 5 out of 5]

An account of the development and history of kendo. Well written, informative and analytic. It might become a must-read for kendokas.