Episode 29: The Evolution of Kendo

This episode offers an extensive overview of the history of Kendo, beginning with its origins in the development of Japanese fencing schools around the 14th century. The text explains the evolution of Kenjutsu—the art of the sword—through the Tokugawa period, noting its transformation from a combat technique to a spiritual discipline and, at times, a sport. The introduction of full-contact training with the shinai (bamboo sword) and protective equipment (bogu) is described as a precursor to modern Kendo. Finally, the source traces the decline of martial arts after the Meiji Restoration, their subsequent use in the police and educational system, and their postwar readmission as a sport, culminating in the official definition of Kendo in 1975 and its international diffusion.