Kendo Dojo

Kendo practice procedures

This document describes the practice rituals in use at the University of Pittsburgh Kendo Club. It describes the course of a typical practice from beginning to end. Everyone is encouraged to memorize the content of this document.

The document is structured as follows:

• (actions taken by members in parenthesis.)
• words/phrases spoken by sempai (most senior member) in bold italic.
• words/phrases spoken by members in bold. 
  

(Members line up facing sensei, with highest ranked closest to Kamiza. Sempai (usually a low-ranked dan or high ranked mudansha) brings members to attention.)
Ki o tsukete

(Sempai gives command to assume seiza position.)
Chakusa

(Sempai brings members to meditation pose.)
Mokuso

(After an appropriate amount of time has passed, sempai halts meditation pose.)
Yame

(Sempai recites Kendo no rinen. Members repeat after every line.)
Kendo no rinen
Kendo no rinen
Kendo wa
Kendo wa
Ken no rihou no
Ken no rihou no
Shu-ren ni yoru
Shu-ren ni yoru
Ningen keisei no
Ningen keisei no
Michi de aru
Michi de aru*

(Sempai prepares members to bow to kamiza.)
Shomen ni or kamiza ni

(Sempai waits for sensei to turn to face kamiza, then initiates bow.)
rei

(Sempai waits for sensei to turn and face members again, then initiates bow to sensei.)
Sensei ni rei

(As they bow, members ask sensei to teach them)
Oneigaishimasu (spoken Onei-gaishi-masu)

(Usually a practice with bokuto (solid wooden swords) and without bogu (armor) follows. Then, sensei will call everyone into line and allow them to take a short break.)

(Next step in practice is with shinai (four-piece bamboo swords), often though not always with bogu. If bogu is worn, members with armor put on everything except for men (helmet) and kote (gloves). They line up according to rank, standing with shinai in the right hand. Please make sure you are lined up before sensei finishes putting his armor on.)

(Sempai initiates seiza position.)
Chakuza

(Members transfer shinai to their left as they go into seiza; those with armor line up their kote with their sempai, and point the head part of the kote in the same direction as sensei's, in front of the right knee. They put men on top of the kote.)

(Sempai initiates bow; note that, at times, there may be a mokuso as well.)
Rei

(As they bow, members ask sensei to teach them.)
Oneigaishimasu (spoken Onei-gaishi-masu)

(Sempai tells members to put on men and kote, left hand first.)
Men o tsuke

(Members stand as they get their armor on, and wait for sensei to initiate practice. Shinai and bogu practice occurs. At the end of practice, sensei tells members to line up.)

(Sempai initiates seiza.)
Chakuza

(Sempai tells members to take off kote, right hand first, then left and men.)
Men o tore

(Sempai recites Dojo kun (dojo motto). Members repeat after every line.)
Dojo kun
Dojo kun
Utasete itadaki arrigato
Utasete itadaki arrigato
Ute itadaki arrigato
Ute itadaki arrigato
Yukkuri ayumo ken no michi
Yukkuri ayumo ken no michi*

(Sempai initiates bow.)
Rei

(Sempai prepares members to bow to kamiza.)
Shomen ni or kamiza ni

(Sempai waits for sensei to turn to face kamiza, then initiates bow.)
rei

(Sempai waits for sensei to turn and face members again, then initiates bow to sensei.)
Sensei ni rei

(As they bow, members thank sensei.)
Domo arigato gozaimashita

(Keeping swords and armor in place, students stand and make a circle, bowing to each other, standing behind the shinai and bogu if the circle would be large enough to encroach on sensei's space.)
Domo arigato gozaimashita

(If necessary, students take turns bowing to ask sensei any questions, thanking him again.)

* Translations of Kendo no rinen and Dojo kun are in the vocabulary packet members are given after their first practice. Translations of Kendo no rinen can also be found on the internet.