If one were to walk past Unity Hall on a weekday evening, they would be likely to hear bamboo poles clashing and people shouting. After a peep inside, though, any concerns would abate with the sight of students in Japanese armor practicing kendo. This is the College of William and Mary’s Kendo Club in action.
Kendo, a martial art that translates from Japanese as “way of the sword,” finds its home at the College with the small, yet enthusiastic, Kendo Club. The organization focuses on improving the physical skills of kendoaka, or the practitioners of kendo, while also emphasizing a philosophy of self-improvement and discipline.
A given practice session will often start with the entire club stretching in a circle together and counting to eight loudly in Japanese to show its fighting spirit. Then members will do drills, practicing both footwork and swinging the shinai, a bamboo sword used for sparring. This takes up much of the practice, since kendo is a detail-oriented discipline that focuses on a precise set of moves. After that, members put on sparring gear and do partner drills that involve hitting each other with shinai. At the end, more advanced members will spar for two to five minutes at a time before switching partners. Club meetings often conclude with taking off armor together and a brief breathing meditation called Mokuso.
Kendo Club works to maintain a welcoming atmosphere for all students at the College interested in joining at any point in their martial arts journey. In fact, member Alexander Raffetto ’25 noted how a growth mindset is essential to mastering kendo.
“There’s beginners and complete beginners, and then there’s also people who have been practicing for eight years,” Raffetto said. “We try to make it so that everybody can have a good practice.”
Many members join out of an appreciation for the more theatrical aspects of sword-fighting. However, while kendo certainly can have a very exciting outward appearance with the shouting and quick movements, what goes on inside the heads of kendoaka is often very quiet and strategic.
“Honestly, I think that Kendo Club tends to attract a lot of people who watch anime and manga and see very cool, very flashy swordsmen. But kendo is not about that at all,” Kendo Club President Alex Nguyen ’27 said. “Kendo requires people who are very patient and willing to put in time and dedication to it. But I think that anyone who has a suitable enough reason or likes kendo, whether it be the history or the idea of competing tournaments, will enjoy participating in the club.”
For practitioners like Raffetto, kendo’s need for a calm focus acts as a quiet part of their otherwise busy days.
“You have to clear your mind and focus on the small parts of your body,” he said. “It’s very meditative. Like focus on all of your movements, really be in tune with your spirit, your thoughts and then also your body. So it’s very refreshing. After practice, I’ll feel very relaxed and clear [and] focused.”
In addition to being calming, kendo is a great way to maintain physical fitness. After all, the main focus of the sport is making quick movements with bamboo sticks.
“It got me into sports because I didn’t really do sports in high school, as well as giving me a small community of people who are interested in improving and learning how to do different strikes and all that,” Kendo Club secretary Deeka Abdi ’27 said.
While Japanese swordsmanship has a long history, the practice of kendo itself is relatively modern. After the Japanese government abolished the samurai class in 1871, Japanese swordsmanship, then known as kenjutsu, began to see a decline. However, a school that combined elements from various kenjutsu styles was founded in 1895, sparking a resurgence in interest. In 1912, the new martial art was codified and dubbed “kendo.”
Following Japan’s occupation by the Allies in 1945 during World War II, kendo was temporarily outlawed. However, when Japan regained sovereignty in 1952, kendo quickly revived and began to evolve into its modern form. The College’s club was eventually established in 1998, and it has been running ever since. At a historic location like the College, some club members cite being drawn to kendo for its past.
“I also practice one of the older forms of kenjutsu,” Nguyen said. “And seeing the ways that both the really very combative ancient style works, as well as the very modern fencing style, sort of leaves me in gratitude for how much has stayed, how much has changed and how much more there is to learn, essentially.”
For the future, the club also plans to participate in intercollegiate competitions with larger Virginia colleges such as University of Virginia and Virginia Tech. But like many clubs at the College, Kendo Club is more than just a serious place to practice martial arts, learn from history and strengthen one’s mind. Whatever the reason for any member’s initial interest in the sport, the organization additionally serves as a way for students to connect with each other.
“I think we’re just a very close community,” Raffetto said. “It’s really enjoyable to practice with everybody and it’s very tight knit. I think if you have any interest, we’re a very friendly club. Just come and enjoy kendo.”
Kendo Club meets Mondays and Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m. and Fridays at 6:00 p.m. in Unity Hall.