2021.7 KENDOJIDAI
Trends and strategies are essential to pass any examination. This is also required for Kendo Dan examinations, and Kamei Toru Hanshi is offering a course for common Kendo practitioners.
Kamei Toru, 8th Dan Hanshi
Born in Kumamoto Prefecture in 1954. After graduating from Kyushu Gakuin High School and Meiji University, he joined the Kumamoto Prefectural Police. His major achievements include: 2nd place in the All Japan Kendo Championship, participation in the World Kendo Championship, participation in the All Japan Prefectural Kendo Championship, participation in the All Japan East West Tournament, 1st place in the first division of the National Police Tournament, 1st place in the National Athletic Meet, 2nd and 3rd place in the All Japan invitational 8th Dan Championship, 2nd and 3rd place in the All Japan Invitational 7th Dan Kendo Championship in honor of Marume Nagayoshi and 3 titles in the Iwate Prefecture 7th Dan Governor’s Cup. He is a standing director in charge of strengthening programs by the All Japan Kendo Federation.
An examination may not be passed even if you can hit your opponent
Even when I was a member of the Kumamoto Prefectural Police, I had opportunities to practise with general Kendo enthusiasts, but after I retired, I had more opportunities to do so. Some of them are challenging for Shiai, and some of them continue to do Keiko looking forward to a drink after practice, but I think the majority of them have Dan examinations as their main goal.
The All Japan Kendo Federation (AJKF) stipulates the criteria for granting titles and Dan grades in Article 15 of the “Rules for Examination of Titles and Dan Grades” as follows:
Granting Criteria
- 1st Dan is for those who are studying the basics of Kendo and have a decent skill level.
- 2nd Dan is for those who are in the process of mastering the basics of Kendo and have a good skill level.
- 3rd Dan is for those who have learned the basics of Kendo and have a very good skill level.
- 4th Dan is for those who are in the process of mastering the basics and application of Kendo and have a great skill level.
- 5th Dan is for those who have mastered the basics and application of Kendo and have superb skill level.
- 6th Dan is for those who are in the process of attaining the true meaning of Kendo and have outstanding skill level.
- 7th Dan is for those who have mastered the true meaning of Kendo and have excellent skill level.
- 8th Dan is for those who are well versed and matured in the innermost principles of Kendo, and have exemplary skill level.
The table shows the criteria from 1st to 3rd Dan to be “basics”, for 4th and 5th Dan to be basics and application, for 6th and 7th Dan to be “true meaning” and for 8th Dan to be “innermost principles”. It is important to read the criteria and think about the direction you should aim for.
“I performed many strikes in my Tachiai, yet I failed”
“I wasn’t struck yet my opponent passed”
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