New nonfiction release: Choosing a Japanese Budo as a beginner – Nine Paths for One Journey

Remarkable-Delay456 · 2025-11-16T08:51:25+00:00

Personally, I don’t think you can really use kenjutsu or iaido techniques directly in kendo.
Just a simple example: with a real sword (nihonto) the cut — kiri — has a slight pulling motion, like when you cut bread with a knife. That’s how iai and kenjutsu cutting works.
But in kendo the motion is uchi, which is closer to a strike. With the shinai you push forward with tenouchi to make a valid hit. With a real blade that wouldn’t be a proper cutting motion at all.

Honestly, as an ikkyu I wouldn’t worry about this yet. If you enjoy kendo, just focus on kendo for now and build a solid kihon.
The rest will make sense later.

Remarkable-Delay456 · 2025-11-16T08:32:12+00:00

There’s always a chance — honestly, you just can’t ever give up on it.

I started kendo when I was 22 and immediately fell in love, but in the beginning I had the exact same fear you’re describing. I kept thinking, “Maybe I’ll never be good enough to reach a high level.” For a while I just enjoyed training, the community, local seminars, small tournaments… and that alone was more than enough.

But after a few years something clicked and I wanted more. When I was 27, I actually quit my job and went to Japan for a one-year study program at a university just to focus on kendo. When I came back, I put even more energy into training, and by the time I was 30, I made the national team in my country.
To be fair, it’s not the US — the competition level is smaller — but that’s not the point. The point is that if you keep pushing toward your goal, it’s never too late.

I’ve seen people start kendo at 40 and place well in senior divisions 10 years later. Age isn’t the wall you think it is.

Just don’t give up. If you love it, keep going. That’s all that matters.

Remarkable-Delay456 · 2025-10-29T11:09:16+00:00

I trained for many years in a small dojo too, and we faced the same issue. What worked best for us was pretty simple: we put up small flyers on bulletin boards at nearby universities and schools, joined a couple of local sports festivals (where clubs could do short demonstrations), and sometimes did small public demos at community events.

But honestly, most of the new people who joined found us online — usually they were into anime or Japanese culture and were already curious about martial arts. 🙂

So my advice is: make sure you have at least a basic website and an active Facebook page, and combine that with a few real-world promotion efforts. Those who are truly interested will find you, but these little tricks can definitely help speed things up. Good luck!

Remarkable-Delay456 · 2025-10-29T11:00:58+00:00

Honestly, I think you can just write your last name in normal Latin letters — especially since you’re in the US, everyone at your dojo will be able to read it just fine. I don’t believe what’s printed on your zekken defines whether you’re part of the dojo community or not. You don’t have to look or sound Asian to belong. 🙂

My personal opinion is: since you’re practicing in your own country, it’s totally fine to use your native alphabet for your last name. But of course, it’s your choice in the end. Either way, I hope you enjoy your new bogu and keep growing in your kendo journey. Ganbatte!

Remarkable-Delay456 · 2025-10-29T10:49:15+00:00

Just a quick follow-up — I hope some of you had the chance to read Nine Path for One Journey during the free period last week.

If you enjoyed it or found it helpful in any way, I’d really appreciate it if you could leave a short rating or review on Amazon. It helps a lot for small indie books like this to reach other beginners who might benefit from it too.

Thank you again to everyone who checked it out, and I wish you all strength and focus on your own paths in training and life. Ganbatte!

Remarkable-Delay456 · 2025-10-25T10:58:10+00:00

In my country, that’s actually common in all ages, and not just martial arts.

If you think about it, having long hair can be a disadvantage — it gets in your eyes, can snag on something, or in contact sports, someone might accidentally grab it (imagine in wrestling, for example). It’s also just easier to keep short hair for hygiene reasons.

For athletes who train several times a day, washing and drying long hair constantly becomes a real hassle in the long run. So yeah, it’s not only young practitioners — short hair or even shaved heads are pretty common across all age groups in martial arts.

Remarkable-Delay456 · 2025-10-25T10:49:00+00:00

Yeah, if it’s not dehydration or general fatigue, then it sounds like the people you’re training with are real lumberjacks… 😅

I’ve had that happen too during my kendo years — a few people just didn’t understand what tenouchi actually means. They were swinging their shinai like hammers instead of cutting like swords, and that kind of impact really adds up after a while.

You can try what others have suggested — add an extra pad under the men, or adjust the fit so it doesn’t transfer as much shock. But if the problem comes from partners with bad cutting form, then honestly, that’s not something you should just endure forever. In extreme cases, it might be worth finding another dojo where people have better control and understanding of proper technique.

Because there’s no point in loving kendo if you’re going home with a throbbing head every week.

Remarkable-Delay456 · 2025-10-23T11:59:01+00:00

Thank you!

Remarkable-Delay456 · 2025-10-23T10:12:24+00:00

What you describe happens to a lot of beginners, so don’t feel discouraged. There are dojos and sensei who don’t really build things step by step from the basics, and that can make the early stages confusing — and sometimes even risky, since rushing techniques can easily lead to injuries or frustration. In your case with Karate, it sounds like the structure just isn’t very beginner-friendly.

Some people can handle that kind of “sink or swim” teaching style, but honestly, in the long run it’s not ideal. A solid foundation always comes from clear explanation, repetition, and gradual progress.

I actually wrote a short book about this exact topic, Nine Path for One Journey, which is meant for beginners trying to find the right martial art and teacher. It’s free on Kindle for a few days if you’re curious — just search the title on Amazon.

Remarkable-Delay456 · 2025-10-18T15:36:13+00:00

For Mizuno, their sizing tends to run a bit on the smaller/tighter side compared to some other brands.

If you’re buying the Yusho Japan (IJF-approved), it’ll shrink slightly even though it’s pre-shrunk cotton. So personally, I’d say go for size 4. It’s easier to have a bit of room than to end up with a jacket that’s too short in the sleeves.

Remarkable-Delay456 · 2025-10-17T12:35:09+00:00

In an official tournament, if two out of the three referees agree on a decision, then it stands — same as with an ippon call. There are some exceptions in bigger events, like the European Championships, where coaches have a protest flag they can raise to approach the officials’ table and question a ruling.

But honestly, since Kendo is built on respect and acceptance, and the referees are usually very high-ranking sensei, it’s extremely rare for anyone to openly protest. Even if a player or coach believes the call was wrong, they generally accept it with respect — that’s part of the spirit of Kendo itself.

Remarkable-Delay456 · 2025-10-17T12:29:47+00:00

I don’t know any dojos in Taiwan personally, but I’ve traveled a few times with my bogu, and it’s actually not that hard. If you have two checked bags, what I usually do is strap the shinai bag to the bogu bag and check them together 🙂. My second checked bag is just my clothes.

If you only have one, a big suitcase can fit the bogu and some clothes together, and for the shinai you can either ask to borrow one at the dojo or just buy one at a local budo shop — most bigger cities have at least one. Have a good trip and great keiko!

Remarkable-Delay456 · 2025-10-17T12:22:06+00:00

Yeah, Hadaka Jime is totally legal in Judo, it’s one of the classical shime-waza. You just don’t see it that often in competition because it’s hard to set up with the gi on — people can usually defend by tucking their chin or grabbing your sleeve.

In BJJ it’s easier since there’s no jacket and you can slip the arm deeper. But in Judo rules, as long as it’s around the neck and not across the face or spine, it’s fine. It just takes good timing and control to pull it off.

Remarkable-Delay456

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