Indonesia to join Kendo ASEAN tournament

Indonesia to join Kendo ASEAN tournament

Eva C. Komandjaja, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta

Sixteen Indonesian kendoka from the All-Indonesia Kendo
Federation (AIKF) will compete in the seventh ASEAN Kendo
tournament in Kuala Lumpur on Sept. 4 and Sept. 5.

The kendoka -- two third dan, five second dan and nine first
dan students -- will fight in individual and group events in the
tournament.

AIKF president Julius Hartono Kurniawan said this was the
second time Indonesian kendoka took part in the tournament.

"We first sent our kendoka to the ASEAN tournament three years
ago in Singapore," he told The Jakarta Post during an exhibition
game held at the Skyline Dojo on Jl. Thamrin, Central Jakarta, on
Saturday.

Julius said many Indonesian kendoka had little experience
competing in international events, meaning it was difficult for
them to win.

There were only one or two kendo inter-club tournaments held
in Indonesia every year. Most of them were held Jakarta or
Bandung, he said.

"This time, we're more optimistic we can achieve a better
result in the ASEAN tournament because our kendoka's skills have
been improved," Jakarta Kendo Club (Kenyukai) chairman Kosuke
Fujikawa said.

Fujikawa, who also teaches kendo at the club, said many
Indonesians were showing an interest in learning the sport.

While not as popular internationally as judo or karate, here
the sport was gaining a following, he said.

"Right now we have 150 students in Jakarta and around 100 more
in Bandung and we expect to attract more."

Like judo and karate, kendo is an ancient martial art
originating from Japan.

Kendo students or kendoka, use flexible bamboo swords called
shinai to hit targets on opponents' armor.