This book is a groundbreaking, comprehensive study of kendo as experienced and practised by women. It examines how women engage with kendo, how femininity intersects with martial practice, and how training methods can be adapted to the different stages of women's lives. Through detailed sociological and historical analysis, it situates women kenshi within broader social contexts, covering themes such as personal life histories, the role of housewives in kendo, and how shifting social conditions influence identity and gender roles.
Beyond its social insights, the book offers practical guidance for sustaining long-term kendo practice, outlines the skills and responsibilities of effective instructors, and engages with contemporary gender-related debates in the kendo community. It also investigates health and injury issues faced by elite athletes and explores the spiritual and cultural principles underlying kendo. A particularly notable contribution is the author's original research on menstruation and training, a rarely discussed subject in budo studies, presented with clarity and depth.
The author, Shinko Maeda, is an accomplished senior kendo instructor who competed nationally during high school, university and as a graduate, and later served as a professor and council member of the Japanese Academy of Budo. Originally published in Japanese in 2012, this expanded English edition provides additional notes and updates to support an international readership.
Overall, the book is widely considered an essential resource for understanding women's kendo. It offers both theoretical and practical guidance that respects women's physiological and psychological characteristics, supporting a rapidly growing global community of women kenshi.
