is an umbrella term for all (ko-budō) schools of Japanese swordsmanship, in particular those that predate the Meiji Restoration. Kenjutsu is a martial art that puts more emphasis on various real-life sword combat scenarios, compared with its modern adaptation, kendo, which has evolved into a modern sport with fewer target areas and attack patterns and more rules. Some modern styles of kendo and iaido that were established in the 20th century also include modern forms of kenjutsu in their curriculum. Kenjutsu, which originated with the samurai class of feudal Japan, means "sword techniques", as opposed to kendo, which means "the way of the sword".

The exact activities and conventions undertaken when practicing kenjutsu vary from school to school, where the word school here refers to the practice, methods, ethics, and metaphysics of a given tradition, yet commonly include practice of battlefield techniques without an opponent, as well as techniques where two practitioners perform kata (featuring full contact strikes to the body in some styles, and no body contact strikes permitted in others). Contact striking during kata is used for example in Ono Ha Ittō-ryū.

Although kata training has always been the mainstay of kenjutsu, in later periods schools incorporated sparring under a variety of conditions, from using solid wooden bokutō to the use of a bamboo sword (shinai) and armor (bōgu). Although swords held significant cultural and religious importance in ancient Japan,

Edo period

During the Edo period (1603–1868), kenjutsu schools (ryū) proliferated, with more than 500 styles recorded. Prior to these innovations, kenjutsu training typically consisted of practicing fundamental techniques and paired kata using solid wooden swords (bokutō) or, in some cases, live blades. This process of standardization of martial training continued when, in 1895, a body for martial arts in Japan, the Dai Nippon Butoku Kai, was established. Work on standardizing kenjutsu kata continued for years, with several groups involved, This core curriculum and its ten kata is what then evolved into the modern martial art of kendo.

Notable historical Japanese practitioners

  • Sasaki Rui 佐々木累
  • Nakazawa Koto 中沢琴
  • Tatsumi Sankyo 立身三京
  • Tsuji Gettan Sukemochi 辻月丹資茂
  • Nen-ami Jion 念阿弥慈恩
  • Iizasa Choisai Ienao 飯篠長威斎家直
  • Aidu Ikousai Hisatada 愛洲移香斎久忠
  • Kamiizumi Nobutsuna 上泉信綱
  • Moro-oka Ippa 諸岡一波
  • Tsukahara Bokuden 塚原卜伝
  • Ashikaga Yoshiteru 足利義輝
  • Togo Chui 東郷重位
  • Hikita Bungoro Kagetomo 疋田豊五郎景兼
  • Marume Kurando-no-Suke Nagayoshi 丸目蔵人佐長恵
  • Yagyū Sekishusai Muneyoshi 柳生石舟斎宗厳
  • Yagyū Tajima-no-kami Munenori 柳生但馬守宗矩
  • Yagyū Jūbei Mitsuyoshi 柳生十兵衛三義
  • Harigaya Sekiun 針ヶ谷夕雲
  • Itori Koun Tamenobu 井鳥巨雲為信
  • Chujo Nagahide 中条長秀
  • Toda Gorouzaemon Nyudo Seigen 富田五郎左衛門入道勢源
  • Ito Ittosai Kagehisa 伊藤一刀斎景久
  • Ono Jiroemon Tadaaki (Mikogami Tenzen) 小野次郎衛門忠明
  • Ono Jiroemon Tadatsune 小野次郎衛門忠常
  • Mikogami Tenzen 御子神典膳
  • Miyamoto Musashi 宮本武蔵玄信
  • Aoki Johemon Kaneie (Tetsujin) 青木城衛門金家 (鉄人)
  • Sasaki Ganryu佐々木岩流 (In Kodan (old Japanese storytelling), well known as Sasaki Kojiro)
  • Chiba Shusaku Narimasa 千葉周作成政
  • Momoi Shunzo Naoyoshi 桃井春蔵直由
  • Togasaki Teruyoshi 戸ケ崎暉芳
  • Iba Hachiro Hidesato 伊庭八郎秀穎
  • Negishi Shingoro 根岸信五郎 (Last Edo period headmaster of Shinto Munen-ryu)
  • Kubota Suketaro Sugane 窪田助太郎清音
  • Ohishi Susumu Tanetsugu 大石進種次
  • Otani Seiichiro Nobutomo 男谷精一郎信友
  • Yamaoka Tesshu 山岡鉄舟
  • Okita Souji沖田総司
  • Shingai Tadaatsu真貝 忠篤
  • Sakakibara Kenkichi榊原 鍵吉
  • Nakayama Hakudo 中山博道
  • Kohno Sasaburou 高野佐三郎
  • Sasamori Junzo 笹森順造
  • Hayashizaki Jinsuke 林崎甚助

See also

  • Angampora
  • Banshay
  • Bataireacht
  • Bōjutsu
  • Gatka
  • Jūkendō
  • Kalaripayattu
  • Kendo
  • Kenjutsu
  • Krabi–krabong
  • Kuttu Varisai
  • Mardani khel
  • Silambam
  • Silambam Asia
  • Tahtib
  • Thang-ta
  • Varma kalai
  • World Silambam Association
  • Japanese martial arts
  • Battōjutsu
  • Hokushin Ittō-ryū
  • Hyoho Niten Ichi-ryū
  • Iaijutsu
  • Kashima Shinden Jikishinkage-ryū
  • Kashima Shin-ryū
  • Kashima Shinto-ryū
  • Mizoguchi-ha Ittō-ryū
  • Maniwa Nen-ryū
  • Muso Jikiden Eishin ryu
  • Suiō-ryū
  • Samurai
  • Shindo Munen-ryu
  • Tatsumi-ryū
  • Tennen Rishin Ryu
  • Tenshin Shōden Katori Shintō-ryū
  • Yagyū Shinkage-ryū

Sources

  • Diane Skoss. Classical Warrior Traditions of Japan. 3 vols. Berkeley Heights, N.J.: Koryu Books, 1997–2002:
  • vol. 1: Koryu Bujutsu: Classical Warrior Traditions of Japan. 1997.
  • vol. 2: Sword & Spirit: Classical Warrior Traditions of Japan. 1999.
  • vol. 3: Keiko Shokon: Classical Warrior Traditions of Japan. 2002.

References

  • Newbury Ninjutsu