The Online Dojo

Budo Category
  • Top
  • Kendo
  • Aikido
  • Iaido
  • KARATE WORLD TV PRIME
  • About the Online Dojo
  • User Guide
  • Q&A
  • 0 Points
REGISTER
LOGIN
0
MyPage
  • News
  • My Selection
  • Watch Later
  • History
  • My List
  • Use Points
  • Send & Receive Videos
  • Personal Settings
  • Membership
  • Logout
Language
MENU
  • 剣道TOP

    実技

    • ONLINE KENDO ACADEMY

      • 村上 雷多
      • 村瀬 諒
      • 古川 和男 範士×東 良美 範士
    • 日本剣道形大鑑
    • 奥義
  • 座学

    • 範士列伝

      • 林 邦夫 範士
      • 古川 和男 範士
      • 坂井 年夫 範士
    • 若武者たち
    • 範士が語る
    • 教士に訊く
    • 剣道大学

      • 剣道の段位と審査
  • 指導法

  • 試合ライブラリ

    • 少年・少女
      中高生
      大学生
      警察
      官公庁
      実業団
      教職員
      高段者
      Others
  • The Online Dojo SPECIAL

    • インタビュー
      ダイジェスト
  • 剣道基本情報

    • 歴史
      用語集
      防具
      ルール
  • KENDO TOP

    Application

    • ONLINE KENDO ACADEMY

      • Murakami Raita
      • Murase Ryo
      • Furukawa Kazuo Hanshi & Higashi Yoshimi Hanshi
    • Kendo Kata Encyclopedia
    • Ogi / Inner Teachings
  • Lectures

    • Hanshi Bibliography

      • Hayashi Kunio Hanshi
      • Furukawa Kazuo Hanshi
      • Sakai Toshio Hanshi
    • Young Masters
    • Hanshi - The path to 8th dan
    • Asking Kyoshi
    • Kendo University

      • Kendo Ranks and Exams
  • Instruction Methods

  • Match Library

    • Youth Boys/Girls
      Junior Hight/Hight School
      University
      Police Members
      Government Employees
      Private Business Teams
      Education Faculty
      Kodansha
      Others
  • The Online Dojo SPECIAL

    • Interviews
      Trailers
  • Kendo information

    • History
      Glossary
      Bogu
      Rules
  • 空手TOP

    無料 動画/記事

    HOW TO 組手

    • 実践教則

      • オンラインアカデミー
      • ベスト空手シリーズ
      • 競技の達人
    • 稽古潜入

      • 荒賀道場シリーズ
      • 浪速の空手シリーズ
      • 高松中央シリーズ
      • 和道会美濃シリーズ
    • セミナー

      • テクニックセミナーシリーズ
      • チャンピオン組手セミナーシリーズ
    • 大会ベストセレクション
  • HOW TO 形

    • 実践教則

      • オンラインアカデミー
      • 沖縄レジェンド
      • ベスト空手シリーズ
      • その他・古流・秘伝シリーズ
    • セミナー

      • トマリ手セミナーシリーズ
      • チャンピオン形セミナーシリーズ
    • 大会ベストセレクション
  • 流派別教範

    • 全空連
    • 剛柔流
    • 糸東流
    • 松涛館流(AJKS)
    • 和道流(和道会)
    • 日本空手協会 松濤館(JKA)
    • 劉衛流
    • 剛柔会(JKGA)
    • 剛柔流拳法
    • 沖縄拳法
    • 林派糸東流
    • 憲心流
    • 戸山流
  • 試合ライブラリ

    • 少年少女大会
    • 中学生大会
    • 高校生大会
    • 大学生大会
    • 全日本選手権
    • 国体 組手・総集編
    • 国体 形編
    • 世界
    • アジア
    • JKA大会
  • ストレッチ

  • 月刊マガジン JKFan

  • KARATE TOP

    KARATE FREE PREVIEW / ARTICLES

    HOW TO KUMITE

    • Practical Instruction

      • Online Academy
      • Best Karate Series
      • Expert of Match
    • Documentary of Training

      • Araga Dojo Series
      • Naniwa High School Karate Series
      • Takamatsu-chuo High School Karate Series
      • Wado-kai Mino-shibu Dojo Series
    • Seminars

      • Technique Seminar
      • Champion's Kumite Seminar
    • Best Selection of Match
  • HOW TO KATA

    • Practical Instruction

      • Online Academy
      • Legend of Okinawa
      • Best Karate Series
      • Other / Old style, Secrets Series
    • Seminars

      • Tomari-te Seminar Series
      • Champion's Kata Seminar
  • INSTRUCTION BY RYUHA

    • JKF
    • Goju-ryu
    • Shito-ryu
    • Shotokan-ryu (AJKS)
    • Wado-ryu (Wado-kai)
    • JKA Shotokan
    • Ryuei-ryu
    • Goju-kai (JKGA)
    • Goju-ryu Kenpo
    • Okinawa Kenpo
    • Hayashi-ha Shito-ryu
    • Kenshin-ryu
    • Tomaya-ryu
  • MATCH LIBRARY

    • Boys and Girls
    • Junior High School
    • High School
    • University Students
    • All Japan Championships
    • National Sports Festival Kumite,Compilation
    • National Sports Festival Kata
    • WKF Championships
    • AKF Championships
    • JKA All Japan Championships
  • STRETCHING

  • Monthly Magazine JKFan

  • 居合道TOP

    審査

    • 居合道審査の要諦

    稽古法

    • 実戦居合道

    アーカイブ

    • 箱根大会
    • 全日本居合道大会
    • 冨ケ原冨義演武録

    古流の旅

    • 古流田宮神剣流
    • 古流夢想神伝重信流
    • 古流夢想神伝流
    • 古流無外流
    • 古流夢想直伝英信流
    • 古流新陰流
    • 古流伯耆流
    • 古流関口流

    居合道基本情報

    • 日本刀を知る
  • IAIDO TOP

    SHINSA

    • The Essentials Of Iaido Gradings

    TRAINING METHODS

    • Applied Iaido Practice

    ARCHIVES

    • 8th Dan Hakone Tournament
    • All Japan Prefectural Championship
    • Tomigahara Tomiyoshi Demonstrations

    KORYU QUEST

    • Koryu Tamiya Shinken-ryu
    • Koryu Muso Shinden Jushin-ryu
    • Koryu Muso Shinden-ryu
    • Koryu Mugai-ryu
    • Koryu Muso Jikiden Eishin-ryu
    • Koryu Shinkage-ryu
    • Koryu Hoki-ryu
    • Koryu Sekiguchi-ryu

    INFORMATION

    • Nihonto Knowledge
  • 合気道TOP

    使い方ガイド

    植芝充央
    合気道本部道場長監修

    • 植芝充央本部道場長演武
    • 植芝充央本部道場長インタビュー
    • ONLINE AIKIDO DOJO 植芝充央

    The Online Dojo SPECIAL

    • 合気道稽古法
    • 師範に訊く
    • 合気道インタビュー
    • 演武大会ライブラリー

    植芝盛平翁
    合気道開祖特集

    • 開祖ゆかりの地
    • 開祖の直弟子

    技の稽古

    • 投げ技
    • 投げ固め技
    • 固め技
    • 呼吸法
    • 武器取り
    • 多人数取り
  • AIKIDO TOP

    USER’S GUIDE

    Content made under the supervision of MITSUTERU UESHIBA, Aikido Hombu Dojo-cho

    • Embu by Mitsuteru Ueshiba
    • Interview with Mitsuteru Ueshiba
    • ONLINE AIKIDO DOJO by Mitsuteru Ueshiba

    The Online Dojo SPECIAL

    • The Way of Practice – Aikido
    • Asking Shihan
    • Aikido Interviews
    • Embukai Library

    Content about the Founder of Aikido MORIHEI UESHIBA

    • The World of the Founder
    • Students of the Founder

    WAZA PRACTICE

    • Nage-waza
    • Nage katame-waza
    • Katame-waza
    • Kokyu-ho
    • Buki-dori
    • Taninzu-dori
Budo Category
  • Top
  • Kendo
  • Aikido
  • Iaido
  • KARATE WORLD TV PRIME

The Online Dojo

  • Language
  • 0 Points
  • メニュー
REGISTER
LOGIN
MyPage
  • Personal Settings
  • Membership
Budo Category
  • Top
  • Kendo
  • Aikido
  • Iaido
  • KARATE WORLD TV PRIME
  • 実技

    • ONLINE KENDO ACADEMY

      • 村上 雷多
      • 村瀬 諒
      • 古川 和男 範士×東 良美 範士
    • 日本剣道形大鑑
    • 奥義
  • 座学

    • 範士列伝

      • 林 邦夫 範士
      • 古川 和男 範士
      • 坂井 年夫 範士
    • 若武者たち
    • 範士が語る
    • 教士に訊く
    • 剣道大学

      • 剣道の段位と審査
  • 指導法
  • 試合ライブラリ

    • 少年・少女
    • 中高生
    • 大学生
    • 警察
    • 官公庁
    • 実業団
    • 教職員
    • 高段者
    • Others
  • The Online Dojo SPECIAL

    • インタビュー
    • ダイジェスト
  • 剣道基本情報

    • 歴史
    • 用語集
    • 防具
    • ルール
  • Application

    • ONLINE KENDO ACADEMY

      • Murakami Raita
      • Murase Ryo
      • Furukawa Kazuo Hanshi & Higashi Yoshimi Hanshi
    • Kendo Kata Encyclopedia
    • Ogi / Inner Teachings
  • Lectures

    • Hanshi Bibliography

      • Hayashi Kunio Hanshi
      • Furukawa Kazuo Hanshi
      • Sakai Toshio Hanshi
    • Young Masters
    • Hanshi - The path to 8th dan
    • Asking Kyoshi
    • Kendo University

      • Kendo Ranks and Exams
  • Instruction Methods
  • Match Library

    • Youth Boys/Girls
    • Junior Hight/Hight School
    • University
    • Police Members
    • Government Employees
    • Private Business Teams
    • Education Faculty
    • Kodansha
    • Others
  • The Online Dojo SPECIAL

    • Interviews
    • Trailers
  • Kendo information

    • History
    • Glossary
    • Bogu
    • Rules
  • 無料 動画/記事
  • HOW TO 組手

    • 実践教則

      • オンラインアカデミー
      • ベスト空手シリーズ
      • 競技の達人
    • 稽古潜入

      • 荒賀道場シリーズ
      • 浪速の空手シリーズ
      • 高松中央シリーズ
      • 和道会美濃シリーズ
    • セミナー

      • テクニックセミナーシリーズ
      • チャンピオン組手セミナーシリーズ
    • 大会ベストセレクション
  • HOW TO 形

    • 実践教則

      • オンラインアカデミー
      • 沖縄レジェンド
      • ベスト空手シリーズ
      • その他・古流・秘伝シリーズ
    • セミナー

      • トマリ手セミナーシリーズ
      • チャンピオン形セミナーシリーズ
  • 流派別教範

    • 全空連
    • 剛柔流
    • 糸東流
    • 松涛館流(AJKS)
    • 和道流(和道会)
    • 日本空手協会 松濤館(JKA)
    • 劉衛流
    • 剛柔会(JKGA)
    • 剛柔流拳法
    • 沖縄拳法
    • 林派糸東流
    • 憲心流
    • 戸山流
  • 試合ライブラリ

    • 少年少女大会
    • 中学生大会
    • 高校生大会
    • 大学生大会
    • 全日本選手権
    • 国体 組手・総集編
    • 国体 形編
    • 世界
    • アジア
    • JKA大会
  • ストレッチ
  • 月刊マガジン JKFan
  • KARATE FREE PREVIEW / ARTICLES
  • HOW TO KUMITE

    • Practical Instruction

      • Online Academy
      • Best Karate Series
      • Expert of Match
    • Documentary of Training

      • Araga Dojo Series
      • Naniwa High School Karate Series
      • Takamatsu-chuo High School Karate Series
      • Wado-kai Mino-shibu Dojo Series
    • Seminars

      • Technique Seminar
      • Champion's Kumite Seminar
    • Best Selection of Match
  • HOW TO KATA

    • Practical Instruction

      • Online Academy
      • Legend of Okinawa
      • Best Karate Series
      • Other / Old style, Secrets Series
    • Seminars

      • Tomari-te Seminar Series
      • Champion's Kata Seminar
    • Best Selection of Match
  • INSTRUCTION BY RYUHA

    • JKF
    • Goju-ryu
    • Shito-ryu
    • Shotokan-ryu (AJKS)
    • Wado-ryu (Wado-kai)
    • JKA Shotokan
    • Ryuei-ryu
    • Goju-kai (JKGA)
    • Goju-ryu Kenpo
    • Okinawa Kenpo
    • Hayashi-ha Shito-ryu
    • Kenshin-ryu
    • Tomaya-ryu
  • MATCH LIBRARY

    • Boys and Girls
    • Junior High School
    • High School
    • University Students
    • All Japan Championships
    • National Sports Festival Kumite,Compilation
    • National Sports Festival Kata
    • WKF Championships
    • AKF Championships
    • JKA All Japan Championships
  • STRETCHING
  • Monthly Magazine JKFan
  • 審査

    • 居合道審査の要諦
  • 稽古法

    • 実戦居合道
  • アーカイブ

    • 箱根大会
    • 全日本居合道大会
    • 冨ケ原冨義演武録
  • 古流の旅

    • 古流田宮神剣流
    • 古流夢想神伝重信流
    • 古流夢想神伝流
    • 古流無外流
    • 古流夢想直伝英信流
    • 古流新陰流
    • 古流伯耆流
    • 古流関口流
  • 居合道基本情報

    • 日本刀を知る
  • SHINSA

    • The Essentials Of Iaido Gradings
  • TRAINING METHODS

    • Applied Iaido Practice
  • ARCHIVES

    • 8th Dan Hakone Tournament
    • All Japan Prefectural Championship
    • Tomigahara Tomiyoshi Demonstrations
  • KORYU QUEST

    • Koryu Tamiya Shinken-ryu
    • Koryu Muso Shinden Jushin-ryu
    • Koryu Muso Shinden-ryu
    • Koryu Mugai-ryu
    • Koryu Muso Jikiden Eishin-ryu
    • Koryu Shinkage-ryu
    • Koryu Hoki-ryu
    • Koryu Sekiguchi-ryu
  • INFORMATION

    • Nihonto Knowledge
  • 植芝充央
    合気道本部道場長監修

    • 植芝充央本部道場長演武
    • 植芝充央本部道場長インタビュー
    • ONLINE AIKIDO DOJO 植芝充央
  • The Online Dojo SPECIAL

    • 合気道稽古法
    • 師範に訊く
    • 合気道インタビュー
    • 演武大会ライブラリー
  • 植芝盛平翁
    合気道開祖特集

    • 開祖ゆかりの地
    • 開祖の直弟子
  • 技の稽古

    • 投げ技
    • 投げ固め技
    • 固め技
    • 呼吸法
    • 武器取り
    • 多人数取り
  • 使い方ガイド
  • Content made under the supervision of MITSUTERU UESHIBA, Aikido Hombu Dojo-cho

    • Embu by Mitsuteru Ueshiba
    • Interview with Mitsuteru Ueshiba
    • ONLINE AIKIDO DOJO by Mitsuteru Ueshiba
  • The Online Dojo SPECIAL

    • The Way of Practice – Aikido
    • Asking Shihan
    • Aikido Interviews
    • Embukai Library
  • Content about the Founder of Aikido MORIHEI UESHIBA

    • The World of the Founder
    • Students of the Founder
  • WAZA PRACTICE

    • Nage-waza
    • Nage katame-waza
    • Katame-waza
    • Kokyu-ho
    • Buki-dori
    • Taninzu-dori
  • USER’S GUIDE
  • About the Online Dojo
  • User Guide
  • Q&A
Logout

Advanced Search

Budo Category
Category
  • All

No data

Subcategory
  • All

No data

Series
  • All

No data

Tags

    More

    1. TOP
    2. Article List
    3. Basic Kendo information
    4. Rules
    5. Let’s Learn about the Rule of the Match Simply!

    Let’s Learn about the Rule of the Match Simply!

    Match, GameTechniqueTraining/PracticeTeam match/Team eventIndividual match/Individual eventIntroductionYukodatotsuHansokuBeginnersgrade school student/Boys and Girls/Elementary school studentsElementary school studentsMiddle school students/Junior High School StudentsHigh school student

    11 30, 2020

    main-image

    The rules that you need to know to face the match.

    A match is a place where you show the result of your training.

    You need to participate in the match, understanding the rules so that you can definitely show everything that you had been training zealously to date.  

    I’m going to write about the rules, including time, win or loss, and things you can’t do.

     

    Table of Contents

    • 1.The Flow of the Match
    • 2.The Match Time
    • 3.Win or Loss in the Match
    • 4.Judging Method
    • 5.Foul Play & Prohibited Act
    • 6.Things You Can’t Do Apart from Above
    • 7.Finally

    1.The Flow of the Match

     

    The match happens inside the white line called "The playing field" which is made according to Kendo match rules.

    It obviously has the standard for the shape, and it also has the standard for the margin and width of the white line. 

    It’s normal to have "Three game match."

    The player winning two games first within the match time will win. Also, according to the match, there is an 「Ippon match」 where win or loss will be decided if one player wins an Ippon first rather than a three games match. 

    It’s a one on one battle on one playing field, whether it’s the individual or group match.

     

    2.The Match Time

     

    The match time for Kendo differs according to the competition’s rules or the grade (age), but, in many cases, it is typically two minutes for elementary school students, three minutes for middle school students, and four minutes for high school students. It’s five minutes for adults, but it could be ten minutes for high-grade players.

    There is a case of the match going into overtime if the match doesn’t get decided within the time for individual matches that don’t have a draw.

     

    When time stops

    There is a case when time stops due to particular acts, even if it’s in the middle of the match. For example, it’s when you win an Ippon. The time stops for the time being when the referee says "Menari." Then, the time starts again when the referee says "start." Also, there are times when the referee says "stop" if the string on the armor gets undone or shinai gets split in the middle of the match. Time stops in those cases. Then, the match resumes when the referee says "start" again.

     

    When the time doesn’t stop

    There is a time when the referee says "separate" if the shinai guard competition goes for a long time in the middle of the match, but the time doesn’t stop in this case. It may sound short when it’s two or three minutes, but you will have a strange sense of time feeling long and short when you are actually watching the match. However, it seems players in the match feel three minutes is quite long. If a player loses a point first in the second half, it is difficult to come back as the player is worried about the time left. 

     

    How to spend time could be one of the strategies. 

     

    3.Win or Loss in the Match

     

    It’s important to get an Ippon, a valid strike, in winning a Kendo match, but it’s not always good to simply strike. Also, how the win or loss is determined in the individual match and team match is a bit different. I’m going to explain in detail.

    Winning an Ippon in Kendo, a valid strike means "striking the strike area with shinai’s striking tip while holding the shinai blade properly with a faithful spirit and proper posture and being in the attacking position after striking."

    To put it simply, you can win an Ippon when you shout out loud when attacking, strike with proper positioning of the shinai and posture, and do an attacking stance for the next fight straight away without relaxing after striking.

    Therefore, you may not win an Ippon depending on the condition, even if you strike the strike area with a shinai.

     

    Win or loss in the team match

    Each individual’s win or loss will be accumulated, and the team who has the most wins in the end "wins: in the team match. There is a "draw" in the case of a team match. Also, if both teams have the same amount of wins, how many games the team has won (or lost) in the entire match becomes important.

    You need to avoid losing two games because it significantly influences the win or loss later in the team match. Also, if the number of wins of matches and games is exactly the same, the winning team gets decided by the "battle of representatives" where each team sends their representative.

    You have a sense of unity as each player’s win or loss can determine the team’s victory in the team match, and it’s especially the beauty of Kendo from elementary school students to university students.

     

    4.Judging Method

     

    There is basically no "draw" in the individual match. Therefore, if the match ends with a tie, the winner gets determined by going into overtime until the winner gets decided or by the referee’s judgment. The judgment is based on whether your strokes are close to a valid strike, Ippon, etc. 

    The referee consists of one chief referee and two assistant referees, and those three are in the court in a triangular shape. If two or three of them raise a flag acknowledging the valid strike, it’s an Ippon. If only one of them raises the flag, that strike is not valid.

    There are cases where Ippon doesn’t get counted even if you had hit the opponent’s strike area when you don’t have "Zanshin," a posture and mind of not being inattentive after striking.


    It will be judged as a "draw" in the case where both players weren’t able to do the valid strike and become 「zero」 within the match time, or both players each had an Ippon. 

    The match goes into "overtime" if the winner is not decided. Basically, there are many cases where the match continues until one of the players does the valid strike in the individual match, but it is also possible for a team match to go into overtime.

    Also, there is a case where the winner gets decided by a "judgment" of the referee based on a standard of whose stroke was closer to the valid strike by setting aside time when the winner must be decided.

     

    5.Foul Play & Prohibited Act

     

    The main foul plays in the match are as below. If you do these fouls twice, the opponent gets an Ippon. There are mainly two foul plays that are "ones that are obvious" which is easy to understand, and "technical ones."

     

    Ones that are obvious

    • Fouls that are easy to recognize by the appearance
    • Intentionally pushing the opponent outside of the court
    • Your foot goes outside of the court during the match
    • You trip the opponent on foot
    • Going outside of the court without the referee’s permission.
    • Dropping your shinai
    • Asking for the match to be stopped meaninglessly
    • Being impolite to the opponent or the referee

     

    Technical ones

    • Not doing a proper shinai guard competition
    • Doing a defensive position in an extreme manner such as raising the arm, etc
    • Intentionally dropping the opponent's shinai by hitting
    • The foul that is especially easy to happen is "going outside of the court" among them

     

    It’s common to go outside of the court inadvertently while stepping back when you have a match inside the fixed area in the white line called the court. However, if you do the foul play twice, including other fouls, the opponent gets an Ippon without exception. For example, if you go outside of the court once and drop the shinai once, the opponent gets an Ippon.  Regrettably, some people intentionally try to send the opponent outside of the court because of this rule.Shinai guard competition would be the most common in terms of the technical foul plays. 

    It’s common, especially for beginners or the lower grades elementary school students, to receive a "caution" which is an advance notice of a foul. There are many cases where players themselves don’t know why they are getting the caution, so it is necessary to be conscious of it. 


    People get proficient in managing the match when they become a high-grade player, and some people use 「time (break)」 as a strategy and wear their helmet again when each player can’t quite attack each other. However, it can be bad for the opponent as the match stops when you call for a break in the middle of the match meaninglessly. There are cases where you can get a "foul" depending on the match, so beginners should avoid it. 


    Apart from the above, depending on the type of competition, it can be a foul if "the length of helmet string" or "shinai’s length and weight".  They measure the shinai in the competition for middle school students and above) is not following the regulation. It can also be a foul, depending on your age, if you defend with an odd posture (for example, defending while raising the left fist high. It is also set as a rule in the High School Sports Federation and Middle School Sports Federation. It’s also necessary to be cautious with your equipment.

     

    6.Things You Can’t Do Apart from Above

     

    As mentioned in the foul summary above, there is a bit unique rule exclusively for Kendo, which is "you shouldn’t drop your shinai". It becomes a foul for just dropping the shinai from both hands because shinai is very important to the player.

    It is related to the fact that the shinai is the sword. You will definitely lose the moment you drop the sword if it is a battle with real swords. Accordingly, you get a foul as dropping the shinai from both hands means the winner is decided. 

    The next most common thing is touching the shinai during the match, and it is also prohibited. It’s the same for your shinai and opponent’s shinai, and you will get a cut in your hand if you touch the shinai as it’s a real sword, as mentioned above. 

    It is regarded as an act of disrespect to the opponent in terms of playing Kendo fairly, and it becomes foul. What’s more unexpected is that the referee shouldn’t touch the shinai either. 

    Some people often grab shinai with the tip pointing down, so there is a rule that the referee needs to be cautious with shoes or grip・handle.

    Shinai is that important. Also, unlike other sports, Kendo has an implicit rule that you don’t show your emotions at the front. It means you don’t speak, act, or pose impolitely against the opponent or the referee's decision. 

     

    It is about "feeling thankful as there is an opponent to play against" whether you win or lose. That is, you shouldn’t do performances starting from 「victory pose」 in the court even if you have won the match. 

    It means you are disrespecting the opponent if you do. Please be cautious not to lose yourself by getting excited. 

     

    7.Finally

     

    We had briefly learned about the rule and fouls. How was it? It would be good to ask your teacher or seniors about things you need to take care of, and you are curious.

     

    However, apart from the set rules, you need to participate in the match without forgetting about the manner of people around you.

    RELATED ARTICLES

    • …
      …
      2020.11.30