It's a really May!! Time goes too fast!
Before the world
championship that will be held at the end of this month, I wanted to send one newsletter sharing my thoughts.
Before move on to my article, I would like to share a sad news. Last month, one of the greatest sensei in Japan passed away. His name is Yoshihiko Inoue.
That was very unexpected. But as if he knew how long he had left, he mentioned at one seminar he went to show kata held on April 13, 2014, "I am planning to put a period to my kendo life after this year because my whole body is not in good condition now". (quote from p. 47, Kendo Nippon, November 2014 Issue No.
463)
His views on kendo influenced a lot of kenshi not only in Japan but also outside of Japan and hopefully his thoughts will live in those kenshi and be passed onto the next generations.
The meanings of Kendo Kata introduced on Kendo-Guide.Com are what I learned Alex Bennett sensei who learned them from Inoue sensei.
He was a prison guard and many times he had to end the lives of prisoners. He said in the article of Kendo Nippon that he asked himself if there would be a way to let them live. And he continues, "I proceeded thinking 'if you can get a
chance to be born again, do not commit a crime that would cost your life'. This is the action I took when I gave them death".
Through this experience of his, he emphasize on life rather than death. Kendo is not to kill others but to let them
live.
This is called Katsujin-Ken, the sword that let people live. We should learn that. Not Setsunin-To, the sword that take away lives.
That is why he emphasizes on Kata No. 3, in which Shitachi does not get killed or hurt.
I am planning to make a kata video set so I will make sure to include his concepts and those things I learned from his
articles in the video set as well.
Below I attached a video of kata done by his students. Very intense. Worth watching, of course.
Hope you like it!!
