The Way of the Sword, in South Australia.
Kendo for all ages, practised at affiliated clubs across Adelaide. Newcomers are always welcome.
Kendo is the Japanese martial art of the sword — a discipline of focus, respect and spirit, practised with the bamboo shinai and protective armour.
A discipline of body and mind
Kendo trains posture, footwork and spirit together — a practice that carries well beyond the dojo.
A community of respect
Our member clubs across Adelaide are bound by courtesy and friendship; visitors and newcomers are always welcome.
The four targets
A point is awarded for a clean strike to one of the four targets shown — the head, wrist, body or throat — each struck with the correct part of the shinai.
Contact alone is not enough. Spirit, sword and body must arrive as one — ki-ken-tai-icchi — so a valid strike is judged as much on posture, footwork and intent as on where it lands. Tsuki is reserved for more experienced kenshi.
The uniform and armour
Kendo equipment falls into three groups: the uniform, the protective armour, and the sword. None of it is needed to begin.
Clothing
- Keikogi
- Kimono-style cotton training jacket.
- Hakama
- Wide pleated trousers.
- Tenugui
- Cotton towel worn under the men.
The armour · bogu
- Men
- Head, face and throat guard.
- Kote
- Padded gloves for hands and wrists.
- Do
- Lacquered chest and torso protector.
- Tare
- Waist and hip protector.
The sword
- Shinai
- Flexible bamboo sword for sparring.
- Bokuto
- Solid oak sword for forms (kata).
No equipment is needed to begin — clubs have training gear to lend to newcomers.
New to kendo?
Kendo is taught at our member clubs across Adelaide, each welcoming newcomers in its own way. Find a club, get in touch, and come along to watch a session to see whether it suits you.
Upcoming events
Explore our clubs
Affiliated clubs across Adelaide, each with its own character. Visitors and beginners are welcome at all of them.
