On Wednesday, August 5, 2026, we held an international Kendo exchange event at Yokohama Budokan, welcoming junior Kendoka and coach from Hungary. We would like to thank everyone who joined us.
Session 1: 18:00–20:00 (Elementary and Junior High School Students)
The event was divided into two sessions, with the first session designed for elementary and junior high school students.
After opening remarks and a brief introduction to Hungary, the participants warmed up under the direction of a Hungarian high school Kendoka, followed by basic Keiko and Jigeiko.
For the Keiko in Bogu, Kendoka from Hungary and Spain, as well Japanese university students and sensei, served as Motodachi. The session was conducted with instructions given in English.
Purpose of Session 1
The purpose of this event was to interact with Kendoka from other countries through Kendo, learn about their countries, and experience other languages.
When children have actually practiced Kendo with someone from another country, we believe their curiosity about that country’s culture and history may develop in a different and more personal way. With this in mind, we began the session with brief introductions and a short quiz about Hungary.
Many European Kendoka also speak two or three languages in addition to their native language, and most can communicate in at least English. Like Japanese people, English is not their native language, but they use it as a means of communicating with people from different countries.
We wanted the children to see firsthand how people who are not native English speakers use English to communicate with one another. We also hoped they would discover, through meeting these Kendoka in person, that learning and using other languages—not only English—is something that is genuinely possible.
Session 2: 20:30–21:30 (Adults)
The second session was for adults and consisted of open Jigeiko. Children who had participated in the first session were also welcome to stay and join if they wished.
Participants came not only from Yokohama and the surrounding area, but also from various parts of Kanagawa, Saitama, and Tokyo, bringing together Kendoka from a wide range of areas for an evening of Keiko and international exchange.
Group photos were taken at the end of both sessions. We would like to extend our sincere thanks to everyone who participated!
In addition to our guests from Hungary, Kendoka from Spain and Germany who were visiting Japan during their summer holidays also joined the Keiko.
Some of the participants are athletes who compete at the international level. We hope that when the next World Kendo Championships are held in Japan, you will remember the Kendoka you practiced with here and cheer them on!
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