The Northern Kentucky Kendo Club is a member of the International Kendo Federation (FIK), All United States Kendo Federation (AUSKF) and the East Central United States Kendo Federation (ECUSKF). We practice both Kendo and Muso-Shinden_Ryu Iaido. The goal of the club is to spread the knowledge of Japanese swordsmanship to the Tri-State area and beyond.
Kendo (剣道)
Kendo, which is literally translated into "the way of the sword," is a contact martial art that uses the shinai, or bamboo sword, as the primary weapon while protected by armor that protects the head, throat, wrists and torso. Kendo's roots can be found in the Japanese sword styles that prevailed throughout Japan's history, before it became more streamlined and safer for the general public to practice without getting hurt. It is a very fast-paced martial art that's designed to expand the physical and mental capabilities of the practitioner through paired practice.
For more detailed information about Kendo and what it's about, check out the YouTube video linked below:
Iaido (居合道)
Iaido is a martial art where the practitioner learns how to draw, cut and resheath a katana (sharpened and unsharpened) by learning various kata that walk you through specific situations and how to dispatch opponents. Because the art is practiced solo, the opponents are imaginary and requires deep concentration and accuracy in order to properly perform the techniques. Iaido is an umbrella term for all of the various styles of Japanese swordsmanship. The particular style we do is Muso Shinden Ryu (夢想神伝流).
For more detailed information about Iaido and how it's practiced, please look at the video linked below:
