KENDO IN CANADA
FIK America Zone Referee Seminar
Registration is now open for Kendo practitioners 5 Dan and above, to register for the FIK America Zone Referee Seminar to be held on January 31 & February 1, 2026 in Vancouver, BC.
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LATEST NEWS & STORIES
Senior Jodo Seminar
Jodo seminars will be held on April 22 and 23 for people sandan and above as follows: Location: CMAC Hasu Dojo 1431 Yonge St, Upper Level Toronto Times: Saturday, April 22 4 pm - 9 pm Sunday, April 23 12 pm - 5 pm
19th Canadian Kendo Championships
Official Invitation ----------------------------------- Dear Kendoka from across Canada, The Canadian Kendo Federation (CKF) invites you to join us this August for the 19th Canadian National Kendo Championships to be held at the Pan Am Centre in Markham, Ontario. The...
Guelph Seminar 2017
The CKF International Spring Jodo and Iaido Seminar will be held over the May long weekend in Guelph. There will be a jodo grading for ikkyu through rokudan inclusive in conjunction with this seminar on May 21. See here for further details. The grading is now open for...
Grading Results 2016
The grading results for all disciplines from 2016 are now publically available. In this PDF spreadsheet you will find all 340 CKF members who passed a grade in iaido, jodo or kendo anywhere in Canada in 2016. Congratulations to everyone for all your accomplishments!
Foreign Kendo Leaders’ Seminar 2017
If you are interested in attending the Foreign Kendo Leaders' Seminar, to be held July 21-28 2017 in Kitamoto, please apply directly to CKF President Christian D'Orangeville no later than January 31. Please include a short CV and letter of intent. The details of the...
2017 FIK Referee Seminar
The FIK America Zone Kendo Referee Seminar 2017 will be hosted by AUSKF in Chicago, IL, USA. Registration is now closed. Place: Feldman Recreation Center, Niles, IL, USA Dates: January 21-22, 2016 Fees: bento $US10, banquet $US40 (paid on day of seminar, no fees for...
What is Kendo?
Kendo is a Japanese martial art originating from the training of samurai in the art of swordsmanship. Modern Kendo training involves practitioners using a bamboo sword (shinai) and wearing protective armour (bogu).
The Japanese characters for Kendo (剣道) are translated as The Way of the Sword and characterized through the discipline of the human character through training and the application of the sword (katana). Through training, students strengthen body and mind, while learning many of the core teachings of the samurai: to treat people with respect, to strive for self-development, and to contribute to the peace and prosperity of humanity.
Photo courtesy of Kendo Photography
Kendo Training in Canada
Kendo was brought to Canada by Japanese immigrants in the early 1900’s in British Columbia. Today, there are nearly sixty dojo all across Canada registered with the Canadian Kendo Federation. If you are interested in starting Kendo, please visit our directory to find a Kendo dojo near you.
Kendo is widely regarded as a life-long endeavour and most dojo will accept students from seven or eight years of age. Through the various stages of life and development, students can continue to practice throughout their lives. In Canada, many dojo include a mix of students young and old.
Although the schedule and style of training differ from dojo to dojo, typically a new practitioner will initially learn proper etiquette, handling of the shinai, body movement, footwork, and striking techniques. Once a practitioner is able to perform these basic fundamentals properly, the instructor will graduate the student to wear armour and begin sparring (keiko) with opponents.
In terms of equipment, you will initially only need a shinai (bamboo sword), and they can often be purchased through the dojo or local vendors. Next you will need kendo-gi and hakama, and finally the entire Kendo-gu (armour) set. In Canada, there are a few on-line Kendo shops including: Aoi Budogu and Bogushop.
Kendo Team Canada competes internationally in the World Kendo Championships, held every three years. Canada has had a long history of success at the World Kendo Championships, historically placing silver and bronze in both the men’s and women’s team competitions.
Photo Courtesy of Kendo Photography
History of Kendo in Canada
Kendo Canada can be traced back to the early 1900’s, brought from Japan by immigrants to Canada. In 1914, Yokikan Dojo in Steveston, BC was established, followed by three other dojos in British Columbia. At that time, there were around 290 Kendo players in the Vancouver and surrounding areas.
In 1939, the first Canadian National Kendo Tournament was held in BC.
During the Second World War, Kendo was practiced in some of the internment camps. After the war, four dojos opened up; two in Vancouver and two in Toronto.
Canada has participated in every World Kendo Championships (WKC) its start in 1970.
Now, there are over 55 Kendo dojo spread across Canada.
Reference- (Okusa, H., Kendo Boryu, Kendo Nippon, April 2016-March 2017)
Photo courtesy of Steveston Kendo Club
