Members of the Wyoming Kendo Club practice Kendo, or Japanese fencing. The club practices from 6:30 to 8:30 on Monday and Wednesday at the Slade elementary school gym.
It blows my mind to see how many different kinds of sports are available to the public in Laramie. There are the usual sports like basketball, football and soccer, but who would have thought that Japanese fencing, known as Kendo, would be a choice?
It seems to me that Laramie provides us with many different activities, and Kendo is definitely one I would recommend to others.
Kendo is the martial art of sword fighting and uses a bamboo sword called “shinai.” The armor that is worn is called “bogu,” and it has certain names for its targets. The head target is called “men,” the wrist is called “kote” and the abdominal target is called “do.”
Through the use of a unique Kendo footwork and the concept of “ki, ken, tai, ichi,” meaning “spirit, sword, body, as one,” the Laramie Kendo Club brings to the public a new kind of sport that is both mentally and physically challenging.
I have known about Kendo for a long time, as I am from Japan. My uncle used to be in the Kendo Club in high school, but I never imagined myself practicing it. I have always thought that I am too small, too weak or that I am a girl and cannot do scary sword fighting.
In short, Kendo seemed scary and was not right for me. When I was invited to come from a friend of mine, I thought, “Why not just give it a try?” When I got there, the group members did not make me feel small, did not make me feel weak, and what the heck? There were both girls and guys in the club that were great at Kendo. They made me feel welcome and so I decided to stay.
My favorite part about being a part of the Laramie Kendo Club is the bond we have with each other. When new people come in, they become family. We work together, encourage one another and we all have fun. On top of that, we get to swing swords and hit people. What better way to relieve stress?
This is a great sport as well as a great cultural experience, and I recommend all of you to come give it a try. It is always fun to learn new things and this is an experience that will create a fun memory in your life.
