On Sunday 2nd March 2025, we had the lucky opportunity to participate in an internal club seminar about jodan no kamae, run by Matsumoto Daisuke Sensei (5th Dan) from Japan!
Thank you for the seminar!
The seminar focused on jodan no kamae, covering both how to use it, and strategies to counter jodan players. After a small opening ceremony and warmup, Matsumoto Sensei commenced with some fun activities to set the mood and practice some fundamentals like reverse footwork – with a tenugui-tugging balance game, and a thrilling game of Tip!
Everyone having fun balancing in the tenugui-tugging game!
Matsumoto Sensei then explained the basics of jodan no kamae, demonstrating with some powerful, lightning-fast strikes that impressed us all, then we were able to practice various techniques using the jodan stance. In the next section of the seminar, we learned how to counter a jodan player, including how to move and strike surreptitiously from hira-seigan no kamae, and how to predict and control the opponent’s openings. The final section offered a bit of sparring/keiko, where some of our keen members were able to put what they had learned from the day to the test. We then closed the seminar with a small Q&A session to ask our burning questions.
Watching in awe at Matsumoto-sensei’s shinai control!
Matsumoto Sensei’s academic background in kendo research offered valuable insights for all of our kendo players, both dan- and kyu-level. We covered a lot within the short four hour session, and all of our members learned a ton of interesting and useful information – we all had a lot of fun too!
We deeply thank Matsumoto Sensei for taking the time to share with the USYD Kendo Club his deep knowledge and passion of kendo. We hope to cross paths again soon!
~ Felicity
Matsumoto-sensei demonstrating a one-handed tsuki!
Listening keenly!
Our resident jodan player Jordan, super excited to spar with Matsumoto-sensei!
Our club members trying out jodan no kamae (most of us for the first time)!