Indonesia to join Kendo ASEAN tournament<\/p>\n
Eva C. Komandjaja, The Jakarta Post\/Jakarta<\/p>\n
Sixteen Indonesian kendoka from the All-Indonesia Kendo
\nFederation (AIKF) will compete in the seventh ASEAN Kendo
\ntournament in Kuala Lumpur on Sept. 4 and Sept. 5.<\/p>\n
The kendoka -- two third dan, five second dan and nine first
\ndan students -- will fight in individual and group events in the
\ntournament.<\/p>\n
AIKF president Julius Hartono Kurniawan said this was the
\nsecond time Indonesian kendoka took part in the tournament.<\/p>\n
"We first sent our kendoka to the ASEAN tournament three years
\nago in Singapore," he told The Jakarta Post during an exhibition
\ngame held at the Skyline Dojo on Jl. Thamrin, Central Jakarta, on
\nSaturday.<\/p>\n
Julius said many Indonesian kendoka had little experience
\ncompeting in international events, meaning it was difficult for
\nthem to win.<\/p>\n
There were only one or two kendo inter-club tournaments held
\nin Indonesia every year. Most of them were held Jakarta or
\nBandung, he said.<\/p>\n
"This time, we're more optimistic we can achieve a better
\nresult in the ASEAN tournament because our kendoka's skills have
\nbeen improved," Jakarta Kendo Club (Kenyukai) chairman Kosuke
\nFujikawa said.<\/p>\n
Fujikawa, who also teaches kendo at the club, said many
\nIndonesians were showing an interest in learning the sport.<\/p>\n
While not as popular internationally as judo or karate, here
\nthe sport was gaining a following, he said.<\/p>\n
"Right now we have 150 students in Jakarta and around 100 more
\nin Bandung and we expect to attract more."<\/p>\n
Like judo and karate, kendo is an ancient martial art
\noriginating from Japan.<\/p>\n
Kendo students or kendoka, use flexible bamboo swords called
\nshinai to hit targets on opponents' armor.<\/p>",
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