We Are Tomodachi Spring／Summer 2014

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Kendo：DeveloplngOn（ヂsSpiritualArmor ProftssorAlexBennettfirstcanetOJapanfromNewZealandasahigh－SChooIstudentin 19870ntheJapanRotaryExchangeProgram．Heencounteredkendo，aJapanesemartial art，duringthattime，anditchangedhisli鹿forever」AftercompletinghisPh．D．at呵OtO Umiversity，hespentfouryearsattheIntemationalResearchCenterforJapaneSeStudies （Nichibunken）andisnowanaSSOCiatepro氏ssoratKansaiUniversity． Pro氏ssorBennett relates，“WhenIfirst encounteredkendo，the helmetandbanboo SWOrdremindedmeofSiarTnl”andIthoughtofLnYteaCherasbeingakintoDarthⅦder」 Thatwasappealingtomeasateenager；butatthebeginningkendowasverytough．It WaSCertainlYabaptismby丘托．ThetrainingwashighlYrigorous，tOughbothmentallYand Physical吋Ybuarepushedtoyourmentallimits，butthisisanimportantPartOfthe PrOCeSS．AnditisonlYthenthatyoureachapartofyourselfyoudidn’tknowexisted．” Kendoisawayofliftthatiswrittenwiththecharacterd6．TheworddわmeanSaWayOr Path（micbi）tq）OnOnWhichonebasesone’sli鹿；thesamecharacterisusedincbad5Ohe WaYOfTヒa）．ProLtssorBennettcontinues，“Idiscoveredagreatspiritualstrengthinmyself throughkendo；Iceasedto鹿arthings，andvariousproblemsnolongerbotheredmethe WaytheYOnCehad．IwasabletolearntheimportanCeOflettinggoofmYegOandbecame COn丘dentand，atthesametime，humble．Thisissomethingonehastoexperiencethrough longandconsistenttraining．Itisanongoingprocess．” AccordingtoProLtssorBennett，OneOfthegreatthingsaboutkendoandotherJapaneSe martialartsisthattheyarenotmerelYCOmpetitivesports．Inkendo，itismoreabout developingspiritualthanphYSicalarmOr」Kendoisbasedonthenotionofadouble－edged SWOrd（ねurugi），One Sidethatisdirectedattheopponent，andthe otheratoneself． Oneaimstode飴atoneselfasmuchasone’sopponentinanever｛ndingprocessofself・ Per鮎ction．Oneofthemainconceptsofkendoiszansbin，WhichliteralbmeanS“1ingering heart，”anditreftrstotheiLnPOrtanCeOfdevelopingaspiritofconstantvigilanCeand reSpeCt・ The山timateaimofthismartialartformistoincorporateitselementsintoone’severydaY WaYOfliving．BythismeanS，OneisalwaYSlookingdeepinsideoneself，bothone’sthoughts andactions．OneisalwaYS丘Iledwith飴elingsofgratitudetoopponentsbecause isimpossibleinkendowithoutthem．BecauseOfthis，OneneVerShowsexcessivejoyin Victory；Oneisalwayshumbleandthankfu1totheopponents．Inaddition，unlikeWtstern SPOrtS，thereisnoretirementfromkendo．Asoneagesphysical桓kendobecomesmore SPiritual．Insteadofrelying onphYSicalstrength，One丘）CuSeS Onthepsychological OPenlngSinthe othercausedbyftar；doubt，andhesitation，While seeking topurge One’sownWeaknesses．Kendobecomesarealbarometerforone’slevelofmaturitYand PSyChologicalstrength． Pro鹿ssorBennettconcludes，“ProudofmyidentitYaSaNewZealander；Ihaveadeeplove andrespectfortheJapanesemartialartS，Whichtransformedmyli飴andgavemeapathto SearChthingsverydeeply．Iamnotreligiousinaconventionalsense，butIsupposeIcould SaYkendoⅢlsthisrole，aSitisawaYOfliltforme．OvertheyearS，Ihavebecomeabona 丘deKiwiJapaneSe，andholdanintense飴elingofgratitudetogenerationsofpeoplewho Createdthemartialartsandtheirlessonsandteachingsthatstillsurviveinthecultureof kendo．Soforme，Ithinkitisquitenaturaltovisitthegravesofthegreatwarriorsofthe PaSt．IntheclassicalsdlOOlofkendothatIbelongto，Whidliscal1edtheKashimaShinden JikishinKagerryu，thefounderandheadsoftheschoolfromcenturiesagoareenShrined intheKashimaregion，andIoftenvisittheretoexpressmygratitudefortheirteachings andwisdom．ItisimportanttOtheJapaneSetOvisitthegravesofanCeStOrStOeXPreSStheir respeCttOa皿thedeceased，nOmatterWhotheyare．Contemplatingtheirwaysanddeeds helpstoilluminatethepresent：’ 43

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