‘Carving Out Their Own Space: The Women Aki Taikai Revolutionising Women’s Kendo’ by Kate Sylvester.  

Photo credit: Jihane Ben Aissa-Chartier

Carving Out Their Own Space: The Women Aki Taikai Revolutionising Women’s Kendo by Kate Sylvester. 

On social media late in 2022, attention was drawn to women’s ongoing exclusion from the 7 dan category at the France Kendo Open (Open de France). It was perplexing and equally disheartening that women were again to be refused the opportunity to compete in the 7 dan category and that a woman’s 7 dan category would not be formed, despite the demand. For some background, 7 dan men have long had their own category at the prestigious event, whilst women have been able to fight in a 4 and 7 dan female category. The reasons provided for the ongoing exclusion of women were biased and lacking in vision. Especially considering that there are now 21 seventh dan women in Europe and women’s kendo pressingly needs to be assigned higher status and more developmental opportunities. 

This situation is an example of how women’s kendo is diminished and denied opportunity to gain status. Reasons circulating as to why women were excluded were unconvincing. For example, a reason provided by one person within the federation was that women’s and men’s ki (or chi), the circulating life energy, is incompatible in the competitive arena. This was discussed in the article titled, Is Chi (Ki) Gendered in Kendo?

It was also stated that a new women’s event would not be added to the programme with a concern that not enough women would participate. Resistance towards making space for a women 7 dan at the event was conveyed in the Fine Ladies Kendo Worldwide Magazine article titled, The Current State and Future of Women’s Kendo in Europe as seen in the France Kendo Open. The dialogue on the issue continued on social media and in Johanna Nowak’s essay, Raising Your Voice: About the Open de France, and Beyond it.

When it became known that there would not be women’s 7 dan category at the France Kendo Open, before the competition and the controversies on the internet, a group of women had started to plan a special kendo event for women, the upcoming Women Aki Takai to be held in Nanterre, France (Sep 30-Oct 1, 2023). The format of the two-day event will consist of a seminar lead by 16, seventh dan women sensei followed by a day of competition that divides competition categories by grade. Approximately 158 women will attend the event, and this may be the biggest women event led by women yet. Notably, 7 dan women will finally have their own competition division. This is significant as, based on the author’s research, there are no other 7 dan individual competition events internationally, although 7 dan women often compete against each other in the fukutaisho and taisho positions of the All-Japan Interprefecture Ladies Kendo Championships. 

It can be assumed that the absence of a women’s 7 dan tournament in Japan is due to the image that 7 dan and 8 dan individual competitions are prestigious events and that status in kendo in Japan is reserved for men. This may be the case upon observing that as of March 2022, 772 women held the grade of 7 dan and there are several women in their 30s passing the 7 dan exam. A number of 7 dan women in Japan participate in competitions. There are currently no female 8 dan, but promisingly this year in Kyoto, Kanda Manami sensei passed the first round of the 8 dan exam. Furthermore, the highest level of women’s competitions in Japan are now refereed by women. It is undeniable that women’s kendo in Japan is progressing by leaps and bounds. As such, one can only assume that the void of women’s 7 dan competitions and absence as shimpan at the World Kendo Championships is an issue related to status and preserving male homosociality as the central operating system in kendo.  

This gender status issue and that international kendo is a status enhancing sphere, creates access barriers between women sensei based in Japan and kendo practitioners outside of Japan. This is a problem as male values and male privilege dominate in kendo and this system of power can have an unfavourable impact on women’s learning motivation, skill development and retention. In comparison to Japan, global women’s kendo is lagging and development strategies are non-existent or are yet to see tangible outcomes. There appears to be very little interest in implementing more urgent strategies for global women’s kendo to be on a similar trajectory to women’s kendo in Japan. Perhaps the misalignment between Japan and the rest of the world is connected to cultural difference, specifically the practice of gender segregation in Japan, and that perhaps gender lines are more blurred within some other cultures. 

It must be noted that women’s perceptions, experiences and motivations within kendo vary significantly. Some do not see the need for women-centred strategies, such as women-only seminars. Some women prefer to train with and learn from men. Others generalise men’s kendo to be of a higher quality. Despite these valid differences in opinions, if we look at the high abandonment rate of women in kendo and the lower skill level, which is more related to learning motivation than oversimplified and stereotyped biological difference, it is obvious that kendo needs to become a more inclusive and safer space for women and girls. 

Women-only events can create a unique opportunity for women and girls to build a community of support whilst improving their confidence and skill set as learners and as teachers. High grade competitions also provide additional opportunities for women to strive for improvement and polish their martial prowess through being matched with status and skill compatible opponents. These opportunities for women sensei are particularly important as fewer women sensei are invited to lead mix-gender seminars, and in general, teaching and refereeing capability remains judged by gender, not always by experience and ability.  

Male homosociality in kendo leadership is a dominant contributing factor. Most kendo seminars are organised and led by men. The Iadera kendo seminar held in Croatia is one example. The popular event in 2023 hosted a capable cluster of 11 instructors, all of which were men. It is likely that a single-sex sensei line up would not have gone unnoticed if the sensei were all female. Thus, revealing male leadership is viewed as the default setting or the “natural order.” Men are not by default better teachers, coaches, and referees, rather their sex and male bonds can produce more developmental opportunity and preferential treatment. Male homosociality in kendo leadership reveals itself in decision making processes and gender equality does not appear to be high on the agenda. Male superiority over women marks a gender hierarchy as the ideological backbone of kendo organisational systems. This framework legitimises biased decision-making processes that prevent women from acquiring status in kendo.

As such, the networking opportunities and role-model presence that women-only events provide can strengthen relationships that cultivate learning motivation and skill development that can benefit the retention of women in kendo. This last point is particularly relevant to kendo as the abandonment rate of women kendo practitioners is very high and few women are invited to teach at mix-gender seminars. Women sensei should not only be restricted to teaching at women-only events but the developmental opportunities that women-only events provide is a starting point that shifts perceptions about women’s capabilities. Teaching and competing is a status enhancing opportunity that can cultivate kendo development and confidence in one’s ability and potential.  

The creation of the Women Aki Takai is one example of how women choose not to resign to sexism and rather “carve out their own space” in male dominant environments. It demonstrates women’s power, courage, and creativity to act where there are no charters. The Women Aki Taikai is the first event in the world of its kind, not only due to its original seminar and competition format, but also how the event came about.  As such it holds powerful potential. 

The following passages will describe how the event unfolded and what it aims to achieve through the words of the woman who spearheaded the event, Aurélia Blanchard sensei of France. Thereafter, the 7 dan women sensei leading the seminar will be showcased. The article will conclude with some remarks regarding the potential of this significant event.    

Please share why you decided to create the Women Aki Taikai and how you gained support from the France Kendo Federation (CNKDR) and the European Kendo Federation (EKF). 

It all started in November 2022 when we learned that there would still be no women’s 7 dan category at the February 2023 French Kendo Open. We discussed this project at length with Sophie Kong, the head of the Women’s Commission within the CNDKR. It immediately seemed obvious to us that we had to reconcile the women’s 7 dan tournament with a course led by them so that all women could benefit from their teaching. We shared the tasks but we discussed each decision together in order to always be on the same wavelength.

While Sophie took care of finding a gym and convincing the Board of Directors, I took care of contacting each 7 dan and persuading them to participate at their own expense since we had no budget for this event. I say “persuade” but in reality, it was easy because they all responded favourably and enthusiastically (except those who already had something planned). 

Given the magnitude of the event, we thought that EKF should take part. So, I applied for financial help which was granted and which will be used to support the accommodation of the sensei. Donatella Castelli sensei will also be present, as secretary and representative of the EKF, but also as a 7 dan and a very active personality for the development of female kendo in Europe.

We then called on 3 practitioners specialising in communication and design to create a “promo” team because neither Sophie nor I know anything about it. There was a great teamwork between the five of us and the result was really successful because the places were taken by storm and it only took 2 weeks for there to be no more places. I would like to acknowledge for the great work that Jihane Chartier, Candice Allouche-Dufour and Alexiane René have contributed to this event. I already know that the event will be successful because it will bring together willing and passionate women.

What do you aim to achieve with the Women Aki Taikai?

One of the problems we encounter in France is the under-representation of women among kendo practitioners. Not only does kendo attract little women, but we also have trouble sustaining women’s participation for a long period. The goal of the Women’s Commission of the National Kendo Committee, within the CNKDR, is to respond to this problem. It leads a policy of making kendo more open and accessible to women, whilst working towards equality between women and men. This equality must be implemented as much in the conditions of access to the practice of kendo as in its promotion.

The Women Aki Taikai aims to: 

• Highlight high-ranking women from all over Europe. Currently, each of them work in their dojo or occasionally during mixed or gendered separate seminars. But most practitioners are unaware of their existence and do not have a female role model in their dojo.

• To share the knowledge of these women through the seminar on Saturday.

• To encourage the practice of competition by lower-ranking female practitioners, who very often hesitate for fear of fighting against a man or in the same category as a member of the national team.

I am fortunate to have trained with very high level women kendo practitioners in Japan and Korea. But I have also, through my many trips to Europe, practiced with very strong women from Japan, who are now 7 dan and who will be with us at the Women Aki Taikai. They have always been sources of inspiration for me. I am also lucky to have practiced with the pioneers of kendo in France: 6 dan Marika Fournier sensei, and 6 dan Christiane David sensei. They were my first models and without them my story would be different.

I know that many women do not have the opportunity to travel, so throughout the Women Aki Taikai, I would like everyone to have the opportunity to find their role models. This year will be the first edition of the Women Aki Taikai. We plan to renew it each fall, if it goes well.

Women Aki Taikai Sensei Biography (in alphabetical order by first name)

This section introduces each of the women 7 dan sensei who will teach and also compete in the 7 dan category of the Women Aki Taikai. Their experiences and achievements in kendo are broad and inspirational.  The sensei have provided some information about themselves, as well as their kendo philosophy and/or something they appreciate about kendo. In addition to what they hope to contribute, achieve, or gain by attending the Women Aki Taikai.

Akemi van Acht-Kaneda – Kyoshi 7 dan. Years in Kendo: 50-years. Country of Residence: The Netherlands. Dojo: Renbukan, Eindhoven. Kendo Philosophy/Appreciation: I am striving for a lifelong pursuit of self-cultivation guided by the principles of kendo. Women Aki Taikai Aim: I hope to broaden my view of kendo and to interact with others.

Angela Papaccio – Kyoshi 7 dan. Years in Kendo: 30-years. Country of Residence: Italy. Dojo: Koshikan Kendo, Firenze. Kendo Philosophy/Appreciation: What I mostly love and value in kendo is the entanglement between keiko and life, how to progress and succeed with hard work and dedication, whether in competition, grading or simply for the pleasure of doing keiko until (possibly) our very old age. Women Aki Taikai Aim: I guess my first thought when I heard about the project was “finally recognition for every and all the numerous 7 dan ladies in Europe,” but I believe this is a great opportunity to forge a companionship and relation between teachers and students all exchanging teaching methods and local experiences.

Aurélia Blanchard (née Destobbeleer) Renshi 7 dan. Years in Kendo: 31-years. Country of Residence: France. Dojo: Le Puy Kendo, Le Puy-en-Velay. Kendo Philosophy/Appreciation: Training, improving, falling, getting up, restart, training, improving, falling, getting up, restart…Women Aki Taikai Aim: I hope that each participant will find her role model among the sensei of the Women Aki Taikai, a reason to train hard and make good friends.

Dance Yokoo – Renshi 7 dan. Years in Kendo: 33-years. Country of Residence: Germany. Dojo: Kendo München e.V. Kendo Philosophy/Appreciation: The sword is your mind/kokoro. If your mind/kokoro is not right, neither the sword. If you want to learn the sword, you must first learn your heart/kokoro. We practise for various purposes, but it is essential to determine whether it is the right path to achieve these purposes. Women Aki Taikai Aim: At this one of the most likely biggest women’s gathering event in Europe, I am looking forward to seeing many new and old faces, to sweat together and share our different experiences and also questions.

Donatella Castelli – Kyoshi 7 dan. Years in Kendo: 38-years. Country of Residence: The Netherlands. Dojo: Museido, Amsterdam. Kendo Philosophy/Appreciation: Hard work, courage, collaboration, generosity, and to achieve harmony. Women Aki Taikai Aim: Transfer the love for our way and our small kendo world, which is full of great people.

Izumiko Le Moign (née Shimada) Renshi 7 dan. Years in Kendo: 44-years. Country of Residence: France. Dojo: Kenyu, Paris. Kendo Philosophy/Appreciation: Koken-chiai. Women Aki Taikai Aim: I hope that participants could learn to enjoy Kendo by making use of women’s characteristics.

Jana Ziegelheimova (née Schambergerova) Renshi 7 dan. Years in Kendo: 27-years. Country of Residence: Czech Republic. Dojo: SanDoMon, Prague. Kendo Philosophy/Appreciation: I value the most that learning in kendo never ends, that it’s a lifelong pursuit of personal perfection through getting the perfect strike. Throughout kendo life people can practice, meditate, spar and compete—not to win, but to perfect oneself and strengthen self-discipline. Women Aki Taikai Aim: By attending the Women Aki Takai as a teacher, I hope to set an example to other women in kendo, that it is possible to keep practicing kendo after having family, job, and even after competing life is over to still enjoy daily kendo practice.

Katja Fleury (née Niklaus) Renshi 7 dan. Years in Kendo: 35-years. Country of Residence: Switzerland. Dojo: Kenseikai University Sports, University of Berne. Kendo Philosophy/Appreciation: Beauty and elegance of kendo and its movements. Women Aki Taikai Aim: To share: do what you love and love what you do. Find your own nice style to perform kendo, improve your kendo by dedicating yourself to keiko, for its own sake.

Kayoko Moutarde (née Nagano) Renshi 7 dan. Years in Kendo: 35-years. Country of Residence: France. Dojo: Annecy Kendo. Kendo Philosophy/Appreciation: I like to practice kendo because I have good feeling after I have finished. Women Aki Taikai Aim: I hope to show correct and strong kendo and also how to be elegant when hitting and being hit.

Kazue Daigo – Renshi 7 dan. Years in Kendo: 35-years. Country of Residence: United Kingdom. Dojo: Mumeishi Kendo Club, London. Kendo Philosophy/Appreciation: For my training: Kokkishin (the mindset of overcoming the self); for teaching: Sossensuihan (taking the initiative and setting an example worth following). Women Aki Taikai Aim: To win the 7 dan women competition and to learn the other sensei’s effective teaching methods.

Kazuyo Matsuda – Kyoshi 7 dan. Years in Kendo: 43-years. Country of Residence: United Kingdom. Dojo: Kodokan Kendo Club, Watford. Kendo Philosophy/Appreciation: Kendo is a physical activity but its true value is something about its ability to connect our emotion and the body so deeply through the activity. And the deeper you dig, the more it gives you as quality and sense of fulfilment, through the community it brings about as well as its technical aspect. Women Aki Taikai Aim: I would like to help where I can as a mean to return what I was given by other kendo teachers, as part of a group to promote women’s kendo in Europe. I would also like to study more about the current women’s kendo in Europe and learn from women kenshi in the country where the level is the top in Europe, which is a very special occasion.

Kumi Sato – Renshi 7 dan. Years in Kendo: 40-years. Country of Residence: Sweden. Dojo: FSKA (Föreningen Stockholms Kendo Allians), Stockholm. Kendo Philosophy/Appreciation: Keizoku wa chikara nari (“Continuity is the father of success” or “Practice makes perfect”). Women Aki Taikai Aim: Kendo is profound. In this seminar, as a teacher, I hope that participants can deepen their understanding of kendo philosophy and improve kendo technique. After the seminar, I would be happy if participants could take home a strong mind that makes them more confident than before. I want us all to enjoy training together.

Misako Aiba – Renshi 7 dan. Years in Kendo: 28-years. Country of Residence: France. Dojo: S.M.K (Saint-Mandé Kendo) / Saint-Mandé (île-de-France). Kendo Philosophy/Appreciation: Wa (harmony). Women Aki Taikai Aim: Koken-chiai or to achieve mutual understanding and betterment of humanity through kendo.

Naoko Hamada – Kyoshi 7 dan. Years in Kendo: 40-years. Country of Residence: Belgium
Dojo: Meibukan, Brussels. Kendo Philosophy/Appreciation: Honesty and Bravery. Women Aki Taikai Aim: It is a great opportunity to meet many kendo friends and especially all women together, learning kendo.

Olga Martin – Renshi 7 dan. Years in Kendo: 40-years. Country of Residence: Spain. Dojo: Kendo Euskadi, Bilbao. Kendo Philosophy/Appreciation: Through the practice of kendo, we can learn and enjoy different experiences with other kendoka. Especially respect for other people, physical skills that are acquired through practice, and maintaining physical activity for a healthy life. Women Aki Taikai Aim: I hope to be able to transmit to new practitioners the love for kendo for health and as sport practice. In addition to the interrelationship between practicing kendo with people from other countries that share the same passion for kendo.

Sabine Péré (née Loustalé) Renshi 7 dan. Years in Kendo: 33-years. Country of Residence: France. Dojo: Section Paloise Kendo, Pau. Kendo Philosophy/Appreciation: I love kendo for its values ​​of commitment, sincerity and respect. I believe, through kendo, we can continually evolve to become stronger in our practice and personally. Women Aki Taikai Aim: To meet people and to share and transmit kendo progress together.

Mirial Lilvolsi sensei and Yunsook Ma sensei, both of Italy, have just passed 7 dan on September 17, 2023. Therefore, a new total of 18 seventh dan women will now attend the Women Aki Taikai.

To Act Where There are no Charters

For women, the need and desire to nurture each other is not pathological but redemptive, and it is within that knowledge that our real power is rediscovered. It is this real connection which is so feared by a patriarchal world…Interdependency between women is the way to a freedom… (Lorde, 2020, p. 40).

For change to occur in global kendo it is critically important to speak up about gender-based issues and make space for women through inclusionary practices and events that support and promote women’s development, social connections, personal safety, and motivation to learn. The networking opportunities and role-model presence that women-only events provide can strengthen relationships that cultivate learning and create new kendo landscapes for women and girls. These opportunities can also support higher retention rates of women in kendo. This last point is particularly relevant to kendo as the abandonment rate of women kendo practitioners is very high. 

It is important to acknowledge that the 7 dan women sensei partaking in the Women Aki Taikai have multiple social/cultural identities, diverse kendo trajectories and perspectives on gender-related issues in kendo. What is impressive about this event is that a diverse group of talented 7 dan women sensei have made themselves available and agreed to collaboratively work together to improve the level and status of women’s kendo simply through their attendance.

Upon considering the great potential this event holds, the remarkable work of literary great Audre Lorde comes to mind, specifically her powerful essay titled, The Master’s Tools Will Never Dismantle the Master’s House. The essay is powerful and attests to the importance of using our differences to spark a creativity that examines and discusses opposing ideas in order to use them as forces of change. Lorde quotes “Without community there is no liberation, only the most vulnerable and temporary armistice between an individual and her oppression. Community must not mean the shedding of our differences, nor the pathetic pretence that these differences do not exist” (2020, p.41). This quote is contextualised in this article to mean that only minimal and temporal change is possible when women work alone and neglect to acknowledge and work with each other’s differences. 

How women experience their lives, and kendo, depends on diverse identity intersections of race, class, gender, sexual orientation, ableness, physical attractiveness, fatness, and age. Hence, we must not pretend that differences do not exist between women or think that a line of feminism where women try to act like men, one that ignores difference, will ameliorate the status and opportunities for all women in kendo. It is important to take into account the many different ways that every woman and girl experience kendo based on these differences.

Gender inequality in kendo cannot be transcended by women trying to behave like men by colluding with a system that awards adherence to the dominant form of kendo masculinity and a strategic playing of power games that opens opportunity and access to status. Through attempts to collude in this game, women do not destabilise the system that discriminates and harms, and it is a perilous use of energy to fight for entrance into a structure that only reconstructs walls to backlash against women’s self-actualisation and social progress. Playing a game that women are excluded from lacks self-confidence and creativity and only empowers those (men) who make decisions and provide condition laden access to women. 

Rather, a path to gender equality in kendo may be through creative imaginings of new possibilities that can empower women to connect with and share the bountiful and enriching benefits interlaced throughout kendo. Through creativity, women, with the cooperation and support of men, can incrementally transform the presence and perceptions of women within the culture of kendo and this can increase women’s learning engagement, skill, and make kendo a safer and more inclusive space for all participants. This quote of Lorde’s is empowering and relevant to women’s progress within kendo, “Only within that interdependency of different strengths, acknowledged and equal, can the power to seek new ways of being in the [kendo] world generate, as well as the courage and sustenance to act where there are no charters” (2020, p. 41). 

Infographic: Jihane Ben Aissa-Chartier

Link to Women Aki Taikai

References 

Lorde, A. (2020). The selected works of Audre Lorde. (R. Gay, Ed.). W.W. Norton & Company. 

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