Pop Japan

Tankendo means "way of the sword," which is based on the traditional Japanese kodachi (short sword).

The sport is similar to kendo with a few differences. One of them is that practitioners use a 52cm short shinai or bamboo sword. Practitioners also wear the same armor in kendo, but only wearing the right kote (glove) and the urabuton under the right armpit.

Targets in tankendo are the same in Kendo as well, with the addition of a thrust to the torso (do-tsuki) and a close quarter thrust to the torso after arm-locking the opponent (seitai-zuki).

Tankendo is practised in Japan by men and women, both young and old. 

Tags: sports, tankendo, kodachi, way of the sword, traditional japanese, similar to kendo, shinai bamboo sword, kote, urabuton, do tsuki, seitai zuki