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Kenjutsu
KendoKendo is the Japanese style of fencing. Kendo was developed between 1868 and 1912 during the ..... Kenjutsu (fighting with the sword), along with Iaijutsu (the art of drawing the sword), is part of the fundamental principles of swordsmanship. Kenjutsu involves offensive and combative attacks using a sword while Iaijutsu involves defensive moves of using a sword.
From the 9th century until the 19th century, schools that taught Kenjutsu prospered. Hundreds of schools opened. Both Kenjutsu masters and students steadily and incessantly sought to refine their techniques. When the methods of other schools showed to be effective, they adapted and incorporated those into their own to further enhance their techniques. Teachers and students of various Kenjutsu schools fought against each other in an attempt to prove the superiority of the Kenjutsu techniques they have developed. However, in 1876 when the carrying of swords was forbidden, the practice of Kenjutsu, which is a predecessor of Kendo, was prohibited by law.
Among the various arts of sword fighting, Kenjutsu is closely similar to European fencing. Both focuses on cuts, thrusts and parries. Both Kenjutsu and European fencing have clear target areas. Wounding an opponent in a non-target area is determined to be without merit. As time passed, Kenjutsu evolve into Kendo, the Japanese fencing martial art that literally means "way of the sword."
Very few Kenjutsu schools remain today. A few of the more important schools of Kenjutsu include Emmei-ryu, Gan-ryu, Hasegawa, Hokushin Itto-ryu, Itto-ryu, Jigen-ryu, Jikishen Kage-ryu, Kage-ryu, Kanemake-ryu, Katori-ryu, Kumi-tachi, Muji Shinden, Muto-ryu, Nakanishi-ha?itto-ryu, Nikaido-ryu, Okuyama-ryu, Shingen-ryu, Taisharyu, Tomita-ryu, Yagyu-ryu and Yoshin-ryu.
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