ANA Global Channel
KENDO - Yukiko Takami／Interview - IS JAPAN COOL? DOU（剣道 - 鷹見 由紀子）
IS JAPAN COOL? DOU
https://www.ana-cooljapan.com/contents/dou/
One of Japan’s traditional martial arts, kendo is practiced and prized by a wide range of enthusiasts in Japan, from children to adults. Kendo practitioners wear four types of protective gear — men (face guard), kote (gauntlets), doh (breastplate), and tare (flap/throat protector) — in one-on-one matches.
DOU is the way of life that comes close to reaching the essence of existence in pursuit of one’s own field.
The ultimate goal of Japanese martial arts (budo) such as judo, kyudo, kendo, karatedo, iaido, etc. is not only to acquire the techniques (waza) of these martial skills, but also adhere to the way of life that constantly trains the body and the spirit in building character.
The ultimate purpose of Japanese traditional performing/fine arts (geido) such as shodo, nihon-buyo, sado, noh (nogaku), etc. is not simply to acquire the kata (forms), actions, and manners of these artistic skills, but also bring devotion to ceaseless pursuit of perfect beauty without end.
This time, we at ANA focus on introducing the ways of Japanese traditional martial arts and performing/fine arts — legacies accumulated over long eras
and inherited by many artists from ancient times to the present.We want to help pass along these intangible cultural assets to new generations in a “tangible” manner.
