剣道 Kendo

It is the perfect time to try something that will completely turn our world upside down. For our most recent venture we have decided to get whacked on top of our heads by bamboo wielding students for two hours a day. Aside from the blisters on my feet from prancing across the gym in a style reminiscent of Monty Python's knights with imaginary horses, it is most enjoyable. Oh, and there is also the helmet that is somethingbetween the Flying Nun and the Man in the Iron Mask that seems to amplify your screams of terror. Yes, we have begun to practice withthe Kendo club.

For those who don't know, Kendo is the Japanese art of sword fighting. Like all traditions here Kendo is taken very seriously. The kids have all been doing it since they were much younger, and from what Ican tell many are quite adept at the art. Like most things Japanese there are an infinite number of ways to do it wrong and maybe one way to do it right, so I'll give you an infinite number of guesses as to how Beth and I are doing. It is strange for the kids to have us in the club because we are sensei during the day and by night we bumble around with our blatant clumsiness glowing under florescent lights. They are inclined to respect us as teachers, but we are certainly of a lower rank than them in the kendo room. Despite this confusion we all get by and are usually too tired and sweaty to think much anyway.

Today was the first day I got to don the helmet. It has funny wings that cover your shoulders and jugular and it has a cage that sticks out in front to give the full effect of tunnel vision. Needless to say it is quite uncomfortable and today was the first day I really felt pain, and without even getting hit. . . After about 100 whacks I'll bet the old noggin won't be any better off. What I am really afraid of is the summer time. The uniforms are really thick and I already sweat buckets in the "cold" season. Come 95 degrees with all the humidity here and, well, I don't even want to think of it. Maybe non-thinking of this sort is a key element to training.

You can see the Sensei in one picture wearing blue and sitting in the background near a drum and in front of what seems to be some kind of altar. He always sits there and I wonder if he is sitting in as a representative sent from the kendo ancestors. He and the other Sensei have been so patient with me and I am very thankful for the opportunity to practice. It is funny to see them laugh at how clumsy I am under these circumstances, and I am so glad they have a good sense of humor.

Here is a video of part of a Kendo match at a high school tournament we went to.