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.