It is not my intention to keep a listing or directory for kendo clubs, therefore I will not be adding clubs/associations URLs below. Instead, this page introduces you to my *exciting* bookmarks of martial arts/ Japanese culture related material. You can still enjoy the visuals even though some are in English and/or Japanese as indicated. Here we go:-
Kendo Sozai no Tombodo
[Jpn]
Really really reeee----ally cute kendo clip arts, illustrations, icons and
animations!!
Isenokami.com
- Abe Akihiro's Kendo Gifts Selection [Jpn / Eng]
From Abe-san whom I met at the 12th WKC, www.isenokami.com
is one of the very first kendo presence on the internet. Abe-san is the webmaster
for the AJKF site. His personal site has an English version and a bilingual
blog.
Tenugui
Monji / Calligraphy on Tenugui [Jpn]
As seen on Kendo Nippon, this page features 35 tenugui with the calligraphy
from famous (late) kendo sensei - many of them had been graded up to 9-10th
dan. Including meanings of the proverb, etc.
Rakuten
Market Search Result: Tenugui [Jpn]
In search of a perfect tenugui design, from the biggest online market site
of Japan. Updated very second!! Sadly, none of them seems to offer shipping
overseas...
Kamawaru.co.jp
[Jpn]
One of the best Tenugui specialty shops in Tokyo, selling traditional Edo-period
design + prints. Their website tells you which pattern belongs to which month
and the original meaning of the design.
Tsuba: Art of the
Japanese Sword [Eng]
Introduction of different styles and antique collection of Tsuba from Jim
Gilbert.
Muso Shinden Ryu Iai Movies [Eng/Jpn]
Full-length video clips of Nagae Matasaburo (7th dan Kendo, 8th dan Iaido)
performing Shoden, Chuden and Okuden sets of MSR Iaido. Great for reference.
BTW has anyone find out why their URL is at "whale eaters .org"??
Research
Journal of Budo (Search Result: Kendou) [Jpn]
I typed the kanji of kendo into the search box and came up with this looooong
list of titles of all kendo-related research journals from 1968-1997. From
the Kendo Archive section of the Japanese
Academy of Budo.
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Katori Jingu
[Jpn]
Shrine of the one of the oldest koryu - Tenshin Shoden Katori Shinto Ryu -
in Chiba Prefecture. Hosts Funo (offering) Embu on April 15th every year,
as well as various festival in the year.
Kashima Jingu
[Jpn]
Shrine of another oldest koryu - Kashima Shinto Ryu - in Ibaraki Prefecture.
Hosts Funo Embu every June on the birthday of Tsukahara Bokuden, a Yabusame
Shinji in May, and other matsuri during the rest of the year.
Bugei no Mourashu/
A Collection of Bugei Sites [Jpn]
Although no longer updated and contains many broken links, this is a MASSIVE
listing of a lot of Martial Arts related sites.
Ranging from the very academic university eletronic journals/ thesis, classical
Japanese text to commercial/ amateur sites, including information about koyu-ryuha,
weapons, fashion, seiza, seppuku, etc.
Bugei Iseki / Martial
Arts Ruins [Jpn]
Clickable map of Japan showing you where some koryu bugei originated from.
Don't miss the prigrimage opportunity next time you visit Japan!
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Juergen
Specht Photographs - Japanese Warning Signs [Eng]
Taken by German photographer Juergen Specht who lives in Tokyo, this is a
collection of information design with visual entertainment. Also check his
other photo "documentations" of daily lives in Japan.
Mainichi Photobank [Jpn]
Type the kanji of "kendou" (or Iaidou or Naginata, etc.) into the box and
you'll get press photos from pre-war to present. For kendo you'll see the
faces of recent kendo taikai champions, plus Hashimoto Ryutaro (Former Prime
Minister of Japan) and Mishima Yukio (famous Author) etc. in bogu. Mainichi
News is formerly known as "Tokyo Nichinichi Shimbun", first ever
daily newspaper in Tokyo.
Nihon no Dentou
Moyou/ Japanese Traditional Patterns [Jpn]
Ever wonder why your mune pattern is named that way?
Traditional Fashion
of Japan: Fundoshi [Jpn/Eng]
Everything you need to know about "Japanese loincloth" by Fumitoshi
Koshinaka.
Kamon World [Jpn]
Contains the best collection of Kamon (family crest) designs from different
regions and era, including explanation of their meanings and design evolutions.
Very clean graphics.
Canon
WebView World - Japan [Eng]
Big Brother of many great historical sites, sceneries and landscape of Japan,
with English descriptions of world-famous sites.
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