This is not restricted to country, dojo, or teachings..
2007-06-07 03:31:40 · 7 answers · asked by Maowei C 2 in Sports ➔ Martial Arts
Kendo is a Japanese style of fencing derived during the Meiji period in Japan (1868-1912), from the two-handed sword fighting techniques of the samurai. Today kendo, which means "way of the sword", is practiced with shinai (bamboo swords), and fighters wear protective equipment covering the target areas: the head, wrists, and abdomen. The bogu (protective gear) consists of a men (face mask), a do (breastplate), kote (fencing gloves), and the tare, a kind of apron to protect the stomach and hips. Under the protective gear, kendoka (students of kendo) wear a hakama, or wide split skirt, reaching the ankles.
The weapon used in Kendo is the shinai, or bamboo sword. A cord runs along the length of the shinai. The shinai is approximately four feet in length and is made of four carefully formed bamboo slats bound together to form hollow cylinder. To make a valid cut a player must strike his opponent with the side opposite the cord. In addition the point must be struck with the top third of the shinai.
Kumdo is the Korean pronounciation of kendo. Kendo was introduced to Korea by the Japanese during the occupation. After the Japanese left, the Koreans continued practicing using slightly different gear and new terminology. A considerable amount of revisionist history can be found regarding Kumdo which can be attributed to a strong nationalistic attitude, not to mention bitterness towards the Japanese.
Kumdo comes from the military system
of Kokurye dating back 1,500 year in Korea.
According to some sources, Korea does have its own style of swordsmanship but it is little practiced and mostly lost. The older style seems quite circular and often incorporates kicks and punches into the forms: it seems related to Kumdo only in that a sword is used. During the 15th century Japanese swords were imported in significant numbers; previously Korean swords had been straight and mostly double-edged. Most of the older texts which survive label the weapons used as "Japanese swords" but may have been showing older forms incorporating the more modern weapon.
2007-06-07 04:18:44 · answer #1 · answered by Mushin 6 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Kendo is Japanese while Kumdo is the Korean form of Kendo. If it exists from another country the Korean's must form there version of it, and give it a slightly varied spelling. (Kinda like the two guys I train with in Aikido. They just change a letter or two and claim it as their own creation. Change a S to Z , Bam their creation. Add a K to another word Bam their creation.)
2007-06-07 03:42:29 · answer #2 · answered by Zenshin Academy 3 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Same thing, different language. Ken in japanese means "sword" and Do means "The way" so Kendo means "The way of the sword". I'd assume it's the same with Kumdo. As for technique wise, I'd have to say Kendo is more rigid in terms of application and puts more emphasis on proper execution of technique and tradition.
2007-06-07 04:04:00 · answer #3 · answered by Shienaran 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Pretty much nothing, except kendo is Japanese and kumdo is the Korean version of it :P
2016-05-18 23:44:13 · answer #4 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
same difference as "kellog's rice krispies" and "post's little krispy rice" or something like that.
just a name meaning the same thing coming from different countries.
one is japanese name (kendo) the other is korean (kumdo).
2007-06-07 03:53:05 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
kendo is a japanese sword art and kumdo is korean sword art
2007-06-07 05:05:38 · answer #6 · answered by sweetnsexydancer421 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I think the main difference is spelling.
2007-06-07 03:35:24 · answer #7 · answered by Ray H 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋