http://www.wklok.com/mylife/2006_10_taikai_02/2006_10_taikai_02-Pages/Image50.html Is this what you refer to? Edit: http://www.kendo-world.com/forum/archive/index.php/t-11914.html this is an old kendo-world thread discussing it.
Yes, it looks like a lot of fun. It must be quite tempting for a number of koryu practitioners to test their techniques and skills in a free-for-all like that. Best, -Steve
Absolutely. I would dearly love to see a match. I think I would just have a hard time from stopping my jaw dropping in awe. Thr Bear.
The only thing I don't like about it is the boxing ring. It would be better to have it in an open area. Apparently, you're not allowed to do any form of kumi uchi or grappling in this neither. Pity, it would be quite something to see.
Since the armour and padding is quite substantial, apart from a bit of bruising and a severe ringing sensation in the ears, I'd say not much.
After 4 years of full speed, light contact sparring with steel-blades(some safety-rules that makes it not excactly 100% true to actual techniques, though), my only injuries consists of a minor dent in my forehead from an axe (hence my avatar), and a blow to the nerve-point in my left elbow. (I've allso had a overhead-blow across my face and right eye, but that was without face-protection and with a ash-sword )
Fascinating, thanks very much for posting this! Are you at all familiar with the rules or how the winner is determined? In one of the videos it appears as though one of the competitors attempts to kick his opponent in the groin - I wonder if this is legal or if he was just having a bad day. It is a shame that they do not allow grappling - I too would love to see that in this kind of scenario.
Theres a thread devoted to it over at e-budo in the sword arts forum. for the record it looks more like a kick to the chest then groin, and I belive that there is no winners / losers as such, its done in the spirit of learning not sport.
Thanks once again - the e-budo thread was very informative. It seems that for the purposes of the tournament, match winner is determined by first decisive contact. Also, contrary to what Kogusoku believed, grappling is in fact permitted. It seems also that targets are not restricted, though it is hoped that one would not choose to 'unleash' all over someone's unarmored back. I wonder how widespread participation has become. It would be fascinating to see, for example, a member of Araki ryu Torite Kogusoku compete in such a tournament. I know Ellis Amdur wrote of fairly unhinged sparring while training in that school (though they used shinai, not shinken).