A Kendo journey
Speaking with high school junior Yoshi
Words: Katelin, Los Angeles
In this story, Yoshi, a junior at high school in Los Angeles shares his experiences with Kendo, a Japanese martial art based on sword fighting. It is also known as “the way of the sword.” Yoshi has been doing Kendo for 11 years.
YOSHI’s JOURNEY
How did you get started with your sport and what interested you about it?
“I started because of my Dad. He was interested in Japanese martial arts and encouraged me to start Kendo.”
What does Kendo mean to you?
“Kendo to me is not a sport. It is a martial art. You are not allowed to celebrate after a point or victory and must have a certain mentality where everyone must have respect for one another.
On the other hand, sports in the Olympics are very lively, where one is allowed to celebrate every point. I hope that Kendo will not become an Olympic sport.
The best part of this martial art is the matches. It is both exciting to do and to watch, where each player exchanges blows with the other.”
CHALLENGES AND GOALS
What are some challenges you face in doing this sport?
“The hardest thing about this sport is the endurance, both physically and mentally. It is a tough sport that forces its practitioners to have a strong body and a tough mind. The challenges of doing Kendo in the US, where it is not as common, is that I face difficulties in opportunities to practice and participate in tournaments. In Japan, where it is very popular, players have more places to practice.”
How would you like to continue with this hobby?
“I would like to keep bettering myself and my Kendo so that I can eventually compete at a much higher level.”
Katelin is is a Los Angeles-based participant in Youth Media Forward: meet the Los Angeles participants here