About this blog..

This is a blog that I started in April 2006, just after I first put on my bogu (kendo armour). It collects the advices given by more experienced kendo practitioners as well as those from my own experiences. Both technical and the mental aspects of kendo are written in the blog. I hope someone will find them useful or interesting at least!

Saturday, January 24, 2009

Taiwan 6: Videos

Here are some nice and fun videos recorded when I was in Taiwan, to show you what an interesting country it is. Please click the clip to link to Youtube for more descriptions!

Long-Shan Temple, Taipei






Fish Market in Tao-Yuan County




Eating a Palm-sized Oyster



Local Tea House in Hsin-Chu City with Ozawa Sensei and Hara Sensei
Look towards the end to see how to drink with the tall (for smelling) and small cups!




Natural Hot Spring Water in Taiwan



Thursday, January 01, 2009

Taiwan 5: Striking with Kihon

The famous Long-Shan Temple in Taipei


I had a couple of very helpful practices at the Taipei Kendokan and I-Shin Kendokan. I practised with Mr. Liao at the Taipei Kendokan who commented that I should not forget my kihon when practising in jigeiko, and that I should not leave my hips behind. Indeed, when I look at his men-strikes, the fact that he maintained his body-posture straight throughout the motion made the attack look so aesthetically pleasing. When I asked, he told me that he played kendo for 10 years. "I hope I strike men as beautiful as that after I've done kendo for 10 years!" I thought. So far I have done kendo for 3 years. Sometimes I feel that my kihon is still shaky. There's no way I can make further progress if I don't work on this. And I have to bring that into my jigeiko instead of just doing a bashing-up.

In my last training at the I-Shin Kendokan Tsai Sensei commented that the pushing from my leg is strong enough but I didn't extend my wrist fully to strike.