POWERFUL shouts of ‘kiai’ will reverberate across the Gameville Ball Park in Mandaluyong City on October 25 and 26 as shinai-wielding kendo practitioners vie for honors and rank upgrade in the Seventh Philippine National Kendo Tournament (PNKT).
Kristopher Inting, president of the United Kendo Federation of the Philippines (UKFP) which organized the event, said 145 kendokas from across the country will compete in ‘shiai’ matches for individual and team awards, while 110 candidates will try for higher ranking through the ‘shinsa’ official grading.
This will be the UKFP’s largest shinsa since the first one in 2022 and participants will contend to earn points for kyu (beginners) and dan (advanced) rankings.
Inting said competitors will come from the Cebu Kendo Club; Davao Kendo Club, Davao Kenyukai, and Davao Yushinkai in Davao City; IGA Kendo Club in Quezon City; Metro Kendo Club in Manila; Negros Shiseikan Kendo Club; and Tiger Kendo Club in Angeles City.
The event will also feature guest referees from Japan, Korea, Australia, the United States, and other ASEAN countries, underscoring the Philippines’ commitment to maintaining international standards of practice.
Kendo, known as the ‘way of the sword,’ is a modern Japanese martial art famous for its use of shinai (bamboo swords) and bogu (protective armor). Kendo practitioners score points by using the sword to strike designated areas on an opponent’s armor.
Last September, the UKFP team made its mark at the three-day 13th ASEAN Kendo Tournament in Singapore, bagging silver for the men’s team, as well as the Fighting Spirit Award for both team and individual competitors.
Inting said beyond the matches, PNKT highlights the spirit of ‘keiko’-continuous learning and self-improvement, as it provides a venue for practitioners in all levels to test their skills, share experiences, and uphold the values of respect, perseverance, and integrity that define the martial art.
UKFP is the official Philippine affiliate of the International Kendo Federation (FIK) and is dedicated to spreading awareness of and promoting the development of kendo in the Philippines.