Competition

A kendo match is fought between two competitors in an individual match. In team competition there are three to five persons in each team. In the Continental Championships and the World Championships a team consists of five persons that fight five matches in each team match.  

The match time is five minutes for adults and three for juniors. A match is fought one of the kendokas has scored two points or until time runs out. The kendoka with most points at full time wins the match.  If there is a draw there will be a new (encho) round which ends when one opponent scores the first point.

In a team match the team with more wins on its side wins the whole match. If both teams have an equal amount of wins, then the team that has scored more points wins the team match.

There are four specified target areas in kendo, each worth one point in a match. They are strikes to the head (MEN), the body (DO), the wrist (KOTE), and a thrust to the throat (TSUKI).
The match is refereed by three referees.

 

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Kendo glossary
Japanese expressions used in kendo. 
Osame-to and read more
The legendary samurai
Musashi won over 60 duels - often by using his two swords, and a peculiar strategy of arriving late to the scene. Read more
World Championships
Results of the kendo competitions held every third year since 1970. Read more
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