Sensei (instructor) Paul Budden (6th dan renshi) is once again visiting Malta for the annual kendo seminar organised by the Knights of Malta Kendo Club.

The five day seminar at Ir-Razzett L-Antik in Qormi, which started last Wednesday, is covering fundamental kendo up to nidan level and will also be open for beginners and those interested to know more about the art of kendo.

Mr Budden has a level two award in Coaching Studies from the University of Gloucester and is a BKA senior coach/observer. He is also the author of Looking at a Far Mountain: A Study of Kendo Kata, was a member of the British team that won Bronze in Malmo in 1987 and trained in Japan. He is currently a Championship Coordinator for the European Kendo Federation and was the controller at the now acclaimed 12th World Championships in Glasgow 2003.

Assisting Sensei Budden is Sensei Kazuyo Matsuda 5th dan who is the highest graded lady kendoka in the UK, a national referee who competes regularly in various national and international competitions.

Sensei James Perry Zammit 1st dan is recognised by the British Kendo Association (BKA), and is the dojo leader of the Knights of Malta Kendo Club which is situated in Qormi at Ir-Razzett L-Antik. At Knights of Malta there is a kyu grade system at club level: beginners and intermediary, from 7th kyu to 2nd kyu, being the recommended structure used within the BKA. The national grading level applies from 1st kyu and above (dan grades). Practice is on Monday and Wednesday evenings and Saturday afternoon. Further details are obtainable on telephone 2147 0221 during office hours or through email [email protected]

It is never too late to begin Kendo

Kendo is derived from the Japanese samurai’s dedication to the Japanese art of swordsmanship (ken-jutsu). Training with a sword that has a live blade, as can be imagined, is very dangerous so various schools of swordsmanship in Japan’s past developed ways to lessen the danger. These methods are the origin of kendo. One weapon introduced as an alternative to the katana (the Japanese sword used by samurai) was the bokuto, a wooden sword used in kumitachi or seiho now known as kata (set forms).

This though did still not allow for fully unconstrained practice, as a bokuto was still dangerous if contact occurred, capable of breaking limbs or even killing.

For this, the second weapon used in kendo was developed – the bamboo foil or shinai. Gradually the armour for use with the shinai was refined, resulting in the equipment we use today.