Hi guys,

Following up from my previous "Beginning Kendo" blog, I thought I'd do a few different blogs outlining what you may face when starting Kendo.

The first thing I'd like to talk about is the language and terminology that is used. Unless you can speak Japanese, you may initially have some difficulty understanding the different terms used, but please don't worry about that. You will learn in time. I am still learning and will definitely continue learning for years to come.

Some important things to know early on are:

Counting form one to ten in Japanese:
One - Ichi
Two - Ni
Three - San
Four - Shi
Five - Go
Six - Roku
Seven - Shichi
Eight - Hachi
Nine - Kyuu
Ten - Juu

General Kendo terms:
Seiretsu - Line up
Sensei ni rei - Bow to Sensei
Shomen ni rei - Bow to the Shomen
Otaga ni rei - Bow to each other
Onegai shimasu - Please train with me
Arigatou gozaimashita - Thank you for training
Hajime - Start
Yame - Stop

I hope this helps you for your first few lessons.

​Az

Hi guys. My name is Aaron (Az) and I have recently started doing Kendo at Cairns Kendo Club. 

I know what it is like trying something new and I thought I'd share some experiences and what you should expect when starting Kendo. These are just my experiences and are by no means to be considered gospel, but please feel free to comment or come in and have a chat with any questions you may have.

If you are considering starting Kendo, Cairns Kendo Club is a great place to start. The dojo is quite large and you will have plenty of space to train. You will have plenty of support from the following senior members:

Kuramochi Sensei is a 7th Dan Kendoka and is well respected in the Kendo community. He is a great Sensei and has plenty of time for any questions you may have,

Dale Padoin is a 4th Dan Kendoka and she started training in Japan 12 years ago, before returning to a dojo in Brisbane. She moved here 3 years ago and has been training under Kuramochi Sensei since.

Alex Paukovits is a 3rd Dan and has been training at Cairns Kendo Club since she was 16. In 2015, she had the honour of representing Australia at the World Kendo Championships in Tokyo and didn't lose a match in the team event.

These 3 high level Kendoka, as well as other senior members, will always assist you as much as they can. They will make you feel welcome and give you the best opportunity to learn Kendo at a pace that suits you. 

So, come and give it a try!

Az