The samurai sword used in kendo, has been modified for modern situations. The blade that is used is called a shinai and is made of four strips of bamboo. It is a thrusting blade as well as a cutting blade. The target area is the forward wrist, the throat, the sides of the belly and the forehead The protective bogu, or armor, that is used is based on the original armor that the samurai warriors used in combat.
Kendo concentrates on the concept that you want to spend as little time with your opponent in the battle field as possible. This concept results in bouts of slightly shorter duration than fencing and lasts for two points. Most other rules deal with safety issues and an effort to maintain the concept of the perfect strike to finish off battle field opponents quickly.
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