Swordsmen in Japan established schools of kenjutsu (the ancestor of kendo) which continued for centuries and which form

the basis of kendo practice today. [2] The formal kendo exercises known as kata were developed several centuries ago as kenjutsu practice for warriors and are still studied today, albeit in a modified form. [3] The introduction of bamboo practice swords (shinai) and armour (bgu) to sword training is attributed to Naganuma Shirzaemon Kunisato during th e Shotoku Era (17111715). Naganuma developed the use of bgu and established a training method using the shinai.[4] In addition, the inscription on the gravestone of Yamada Heizaemon Mitsunori's (Ippsai) ( () , 16381718) third son Naganuma Shirzaemon Kunisato ( , 1688 ? ?

1767), the 8th headmaster of the Kashima Shinden Jikishinkage-ry Kenjutsu, states that his exploits included improving the bokuto and shinai, and refining the armour by adding a metal grille to the men (head piece) and thick cotton protective coverings to the kote (gauntlets). Kunisato inherited the tradition from his father Heizaemon in 1708, and the two of them worked hard together to improve the bogu until Heizaemon's death.[4][5]

Kendo at an agricultural school in Japan around 1920

Lee Teng-hui (born 1923-), Taiwanese junior high school student, wearing kendo protector in Taiwan under Japanese rule.

The Dai Nippon Butoku Kai (DNBK) was established in 1895 to solidify, promote the ideals of "bushido" and preserve traditional systems of "bujutsu". The DNBK changed the name of the sporting form of swordsmanship, called gekiken, (Kyjitai: ;Shinjitai: , "hitting sword") to kend in 1920.[2][6] Kendo (along with other martial arts) was banned in Japan in 1946 by the occupying powers. This was part of "the removal and exclusion from public life of militaristic and ultra nationalistic persons" in response to the wartime militarisation of martial arts instruction in Japan. The DNBK was also disbanded. Kendo was allowed to return to the curriculum in 1950 (first as "shinai competition" ( shinai kygi ) and then as kendo from 1952).[7] [8]
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The All Japan Kendo Federation (AJKF or ZNKR) was founded in 1952, immediately following the restoration of Japanese independence and the subsequent lift of the ban on martial arts in Japan. [9] It was formed on the principle of kendo not as amartial art but as educational sport, and it has continued to be practiced as such to this day.[10] The International Martial Arts Federation (IMAF), established in Kyoto 1952,