The Birthplace of modern Kendo – Nikko
As I mentioned a couple of days ago I recently drove up to Tochigi prefecture, or more specifically to Nikko for my second visit in as many years. Nikko is one of those “must see” places often touted in guide books and although absolutely a very nice place to visit the distance from Tokyo doesn’t really make it that much of a must. Still, I enjoyed it on both visits.
I haven’t had time to organize my photos so I’d just like to show these. I arrived early in the morning while walking up the stairs to the main temple area I could hear the distinctive sounds of battle! Somewhere up there a large group was practicing Kendo (Japanese fencing). I remembered having read that Nikko is the birthplace of modern Kendo, so I ran up the stairs, pulled out my camera, switched to my trusty Sigma 30mm lens and managed to get one shot of the martial artists as they parted from the last training clash of that morning. Lucky! I have never actually seen kendo being trained there before. Kendo is fought with bamboo swords called shinai, and the practicioners wear heavy protective armor: these fights are anything but gentle and loud shouts accompany clatter of bamboo on steel. Great fun to watch, and strangely similar to dancing.
I also had a chance to walk around the temple area and enter an ancient shrine where I saw the extraordinarily long sword (called Oodachi) once belonging to the shogun Tokugawa Ieasy. It is easily the longest sword I have ever seen, about as long as I am tall. I figured, that if you came upon this blog from Googling about Kendo you might appreciate this amazing sword.
Actually, I’ve been planning on going to Nikko sometime soon, but can’t make up my mind whether to go now, while it’s still not so crowded, and as an added bonus, mercifully cooler than Tokyo, or to wait until Autumn. Of course Autumn is when it’s at its most beautiful but obviously most popular and I’ve heard horror stories about the 10-hour bumper-to-bumper traffic jams, and having experienced similar situations in other parts of Japan, I’m not eager to repeat the experience.
Of course, the best would be to go twice, but unless I suddenly win the lottery, mah poor panda funds may not stretch to accommodate that plus all the other trips I’d like to take… sigh. decisions, decisions.
When you went before, did you go in the Autumn? And how were the crowds when you went (this last time, in the summer)?
I went in winter and in summer and it was moderately crowded but nothing really bad. If you go by car you’ll have to go very early in the morning to avoid getting stuck in traffic. We’re talking leaving Tokyo at 3 o’clock in the morning or something like that. Afternoons and early evening in Autumn is indeed horrific.
Right now they are renovating the whole complex step by step so that might keep a few casual visitors out. There’s nothing like having white plastic sheets spread over a national monuments to keep the Suzukis and Lis out of the place. Oh, and get the all inclusive ticket once you enter the temple compound, it’s worth it.
Also how lucky to have arrived just as they were getting their kendo on!
This .. the culture, …tradition, they way it appeared in the pictures above, is just so great, so beautiful I´m speechless.
Thanks for sharing these great things.
Thank you Celina! I just wish I could have gotten some time to prepare better pictures of the martial artists.
Beautiful pictures.
Thank you Don!
Oh my god enjoyed reading your article. I added your feed to my blogreader.