Kendo

(1467-1603) By the early stages of the Edo period (1603-1868) many schools of swordsmanship (kenjutsu) were established, and in the 18th century the protective training armor used in Kendo today was created. Through this, a new safe, full-contact methodology for Kenjutsu training using bamboo swords (shinai) took root. As a result, the competitive style of kenjutsu competition gained popularity and spread throughout the country in the late Edo period. In the 20th century, this type of swordsmanship training, called "gekiken" or "kenjutsu," was renamed "kendo," which literally means "way of the sword." in the spirit of the samurai.

The kendo we learn and enjoy today is the product of centuries of development in Japan, not in other countries.