I recently purchased a pair of vibram shoes in order to practice outside on our deck. So far they work well and provide a much better feel than regular shoes. Then I have also used them on asphalt, but my knees really feel it later. The wooden deck has some bounce. I prefer not to practice on the deck without some covering - for the fear of splinters. They’re not bad on short grass either.
Kendo-Guide.Com: Thank you for your input! I used to have shoes with toes sold by Nike in the late 90s but I gave them to my little kiwi brother. Since then I had never seen those anymore. But I just checked amazon after I read your post and wow! There are a lot! If other readers are interested, here it is.
Aug 20, 2010 Rating
A type of shoes by: Villaran
I guess vibram five fingers shoes would be very useful if you really need to use shoes.
I have not used them so I can't say anything about them.
Kendo-Guide.Com: They look really nice! I should try them on!
Aug 19, 2010 Rating
Oyoroi without shoes? by: santiago B. Tejada
The concern about finding a suitable place where to practice Kendo other than our regular dojo is one that has gone through my mind.
It makes me wonder about the evolution of Kendo throughout time and how it came to be the art/sport it is today; to wonder why and how we came to be a shoe-less modern samurai.
Surprisingly enough, footwear is the one item from the samurai armor that seems to be missing from earlier times and nobody complaint about it; this probably because its practice was conducted mostly indoors all the time and on tatami floor.
Kendo-Guide.Com: Thank you for your comment.
Since the Edo Period (1603 - 1868) began, there were fewer battles (wars) like previous periods.
And kenjutsu gradually shifted its purpose; from training techniques to survive battles to cultivate human characteristics.
Fewer wars mean less battles outside. So that is also why samurai started practicing inside.
Besides, it also means a shift from kaisha kenjutsu (sword techniques with armour on) to suhada kenjutsu (sword techniques without armour on i.e. normal clothing).
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