I started kendo seven years ago. It all began when I read a historical novel about the Shinsengumi. The noble bearing of the samurai depicted in that novel possessed a beauty that seems to be fading among modern Japanese people. By the time I finished reading that novel, I was completely captivated by the samurai way of life, and the desire to “become that kind of cool person (a samurai) myself!” welled up inside me. So, how could I get closer to being a samurai? I realized I had to learn the sword—the very soul of the warrior! That is, what we now call “ken”do. Before I knew it, I was knocking on the door of the Shikukai dojo.

At first, I stood out a bit within the group. After all, it was rare for an adult woman to start kendo at my age. But driven solely by the desire to become skilled in the way of the sword, I happily began training alongside the dad kendoists and children, starting with sliding steps and practice swings.

But as with anything, after practicing kendo for a while, I hit the unpleasant reality that improvement wasn't happening as quickly as I'd hoped. I failed promotion exams multiple times, and I often felt discouraged, thinking, “I'm not getting any better no matter how much I practice.” However, as I continued for a long time, I gradually understood that the “way of the sword” is about persistently reflecting on why things aren't working, trying to figure things out for myself, and improving through that process.

Over those seven years, I lost count of how many times I felt like giving up on kendo, despite starting with such passion. Yet, I believe it was largely thanks to Sensei Iwanami that I didn't quit and kept going.

(I only know this dojo, but) if asked what sets it apart from others, I think it's undoubtedly Sensei Iwanami's unmatched passion for kendo and his strong desire to pass on the true way of the sword for future generations.

As I continued learning kendo at the Shikukai I came to understand that kendo isn't just about learning techniques with a sword. Sensei Iwanami deeply understands the samurai spirit. During practice, he doesn't just teach sword techniques; he clearly explains the reasoning behind them – why things are done a certain way, the principles of the sword (katana), the samurai spirit, and the historical context. Certainly, physical training is important, but alongside that, learning the samurai spirit has become equally vital—so much so that I feel these two aspects cannot be considered separately.

Furthermore, as Sensei Iwanami says, unless you can immediately apply these teachings to your daily life, you haven't truly learned kendo. This is something I strive to keep in mind every day.

Perhaps it was precisely because I wanted to hear such a teacher's words—words that would bring me closer to the samurai I admired—that I never gave up, even in the midst of setbacks.

And I believe that what I've learned over these past seven years, even if only little by little, has helped me grow as a person. I don't think this is something easily gained through other hobbies.

Honestly, even now I often catch myself thinking, “When should I quit?” because of my own inadequacy. Yet, even as I say that, I suspect I'll keep coming to this Shikukai dojo until my back is bent, aiming for the day I can become a proper samurai... (laugh)

Yoshiko Tsuchikata (pseudonym)・2nd Dan (as of November 2010)