Kenjutsu

Kenjutsu is the samurai's sword art. It requires the use of blades (especially Japanese blades such as the katana, wakizashi, and no-daichi). Kenjutsu involves powerful, high commitment strikes to selected targets in order to kill the opponent. There is a strong side of spiritual and philosophical study.

This art was studied and praticed by the bushi (warriors) and samourai since the 11th century. In the 16th century, there was an explosion of styles, with many being formed between then and the present. Kenjutsu is the ancestor of Kendo, a pacifical martial art.