THE 1981 KENDO CHAMPIONSHIP IN TOKYO, 1981

The film takes us to the Nippon Budokan Stadium, built in 1964 to host the judo Olympic games. First we watch the greeting and then the attacks and repulsions of the warriors that are taking part in the battles, while we’re listening, at the same time, a brief narration of the Shogun domination during the Edo period and the isolation of Japan from foreign influences, their gradual enfeeblement till their fall. Κendo comes from Japanese word for fencing and is consisted of two synthetics, the "Ken" which means sword and the "Do" which means road. Together it is rendered as a road, or a sword's path. Kendo makes its first appearance in about 1800 and served the Samurai's need to practice with safety. In Kendo is used a protective equipment named "bogu" that provides safety and the sword (Shinai) is made out of bamboo. It is flexible and does not injure during attack.