You are traveling in Japan with your children, or perhaps you are planning a family trip soon.
Since you’ve come all the way to Japan, you want to do something meaningful. Something your children will remember. Not just fun, but something that helps them feel and learn a little about Japanese culture.
If that sounds like what you’re looking for, a kendo experience may be worth considering.
What Is Kendo?
Kendo literally means “the way of the sword.” Practitioners wear protective armor and use bamboo swords to strike specific target areas.
It is one of Japan’s traditional martial arts, with roots in samurai culture going back over 1,000 years. Like Judo and Karate, Kendo belongs to Budo, the Japanese martial disciplines.
The purpose of Kendo is not about becoming stronger than others.
Instead, it focuses on training both mind and body, and developing into a respectful, thoughtful, and balanced human being.
For this reason, Kendo is still widely practiced in Japan and is often valued as part of children’s education.
What Can They Learn from Kendo?
The Spirit of Respect
Of course, we learn basic movements and techniques.
But more importantly, they learn something deeper.
They learn the spirit of respect, known in Japanese as rei.
Kendo practice cannot exist alone. You need a partner. You need equipment. You need a place to train.
Because of this, practitioners show respect not only to their partner, but also to their equipment and the dojo itself.
The true purpose of Kendo is not winning, but personal growth.
Your partner is not an enemy, but someone who helps you improve.
This way of thinking is not limited to Kendo. It becomes a way of approaching life.
A Hint to Understanding Japanese People
You may have heard people say that Japanese society is very polite or disciplined.
This behavior is deeply connected to Bushido, the ethical mindset developed by the samurai over many centuries.
Bushido values acting correctly even when it is difficult. Helping others. Not causing trouble. Thinking from another person’s perspective.
This idea of caring for others is deeply rooted in Japanese society today.
Through Kendo, they can experience these values not through lectures, but through action.
Is It Fun for Kids?
Japanese children do not understand these ideas from the beginning either.
In Kendo, practitioners bow before and after practice, before and after matches, and before using and putting away their bamboo sword.
Children may not understand the meaning at first.
What matters is the habit of showing respect. Understanding comes later, naturally.
First, they learn to respect others and bow. That is enough.
Is Kendo Dangerous?
At first glance, Kendo may look dangerous because people strike each other with sticks.
In reality, Kendo is a very safe activity.
Statistically, the injury rate in Kendo is lower than in many other sports.
Personally, I have rarely seen injuries in Kendo practice.
This is because practitioners wear well-designed protective armor, and bamboo swords are flexible and absorb impact.
Safety is always a priority.
What If I’m Not Athletic?
The final match is as active as you choose, and everything else is not physically tiring at all.
Previous participants have ranged in age from 7 years old to 70 years old.
If you can do light jogging, you will be perfectly fine.
And if you enjoy physical challenges, you also have the option to step forward and try facing the Kendo instructor yourself.
A Special Memory Your Family Can Share
Parents and children, siblings together, standing in the same dojo, sharing the same time, learning side by side.
Photos and videos are taken during the experience, so you can keep these memories forever.
This is not just another travel activity.
It becomes a shared experience that stays in your heart, long after your trip to Japan ends.
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