The 8th All Japan 8-dan Kendo Tournament April 18, 2010

[Bushido01]

If you like Kendo, please enjoy these videos from yesterday's (4/18/2010) 8th Dan tournament at the Nakamura Sports Centre in Nagoya. Please note that all of the participants are in their fifties and sixties.

Best,

Rod

 

 

Video of the first semi finals between Higashi, 53, Aichi vs. Sato, 57, of Hyogo

 

Video of the second semi finals between Funatsu, 54, Osaka vs. Kamei, 55, of Kumamoto.

 

 

Video of the finals between Funatsu, 54, Osaka vs. Sato, 57, of Hyogo.

[Mark Green]

Thanks for posting Rod. That was great.

 

Man, it would be fun to play with these guys.!!

Mark G

[outlier48]

Rod - Thanks for posting the links. This was simply amazing. Even in slow motion I had difficulty clearly seeing at least two of the "points". Probably due to a complete lack on my part of any knowledge in the field

 

It sure looked to me like there were several "simultaneous" strikes in each match. I guess they off-set?

 

Again, thanks for the links.

 

Charlie Brashear

[loui]

Thanks for the post.

 

My Sensei told me that he finally really understood kendo when he turned 63 even though he had been training since he was very young, his last grading was at 7th dan in the 1970's when he was in his 50/60's. He returned to Japan and left our school when he was 82 years old, he could out pace, and out work everyone in the dojo up until the time he left. I have not heard from him in about 8 years. Incidently he was forced into the imperial army when his family returned to Japan in the 1930's for a visit from Canada - he was born here in Canada as well.

 

Regards,

 

Louis

[Clive Sinclaire]

Thanks for that Rod. I particularly enjoyed Higashi's morote-tsuki and isn't it good to see shimpan scoring such good Doh cuts for a change.

Clive Sinclaire

[jason_mazzy]

So very interesting. The strikes on points are beyond fast. and scarier is that almost every hit or chargewith a live blade would have likely killed both participants

[Mark Green]

Yup, that's what armor was for.

 

Funatsu-sensei takes great advantage of his hight, and reach. It was very one sided in my eyes.

 

At that level, don't the judges, judge you on mental control as much as fighting skills?

 

Mark G