Shidokan West Island. Kendo & Iaido Club. Martial Arts School. WHAT IS KENDO - 剣道? It deals with the physical and mental skills necessary for sword fighting.
THE WAY OF THE SWORD
Kendo (剣道) literally means "The way of the sword" in Japanese. It refers to the art of traditional Japanese fencing that was originally developed and practiced by Bushi or Samurai. Kendo originated from the various sword fighting techniques of hundreds of years of combat and study. The goal of Kendo is not only to develop the physical capability for fighting but also the mora
l and spiritual aspects that may be applied in coping with real life. In Japan, it is one of the most popular martial arts. Kendo has spread to other parts of the world such as North America and Europe. It has developed a strong following in Canada and in Quebec as well. Kendo is continually growing in popularity worldwide. At Shidokan West Island (M.T.L. Kendo) we teach commitment and perseverance with passion. We demonstrate through martial arts that commitment and perseverance in skill acquiring will, through a well defined process, lead to progress and, with patience, to mastery of the skill resulting in increased confidence and self reliance. HISTORY OF KENDO
Kendo was not created nor developed by a single person or even a group of people. It was developed over a very long period of time from real combat and sword fighting situations. The sword was introduced to Japan from the Continent around the 2nd century BC. They say that the sword was originally a ritual colored object which symbolized the authority of its owner rather than a weapon. However, the sword gradually became used for fighting through continuous group conflicts in the course of national unification. By the 7-8th century, the sword was being forged domestically. After the 9th century, as the Bushi class was established, the prototype of the Nihon-to (the Japanese sword) was formed. Various sword fighting techniques as well as forging techniques had been developed. However, on the battlefield, swords that were longer than 6 feet and spears were the main weapons until the 14th century. The years that followed were filled with civil wars, and it was during these times that schools of Kenjutsu, literally meaning the art of the sword, began. These schools were started by various master swordsmen, and each school had its own style unique to the originator. As the years passed and more peaceful times prevailed, more emphasis was placed on the spiritual aspects through the practice of Kenjutsu. These moral and social aspects stemmed from Zen Buddhism and Bushi-do (the way of the warrior) whose principle ideas were based on Confucianism. Since Samurai warriors were the only class allowed to carry a sword, mastering the sword was indispensable for any respected Samurai, in fact, it was considered to literally represent the spirit of Bushi. During the second half of the 18th century, the first real protective equipment came into being. These developments in protective equipment and the usage of Shinai (the bamboo sword) played an important role for the evolution of Kenjutsu practice. After the Shogunate government was abolished in 1867, modern Japan was formed and the Bushi class became extinct; the right to bear a sword was also banned. As a result, Kenjutsu temporarily declined in popularity. However, on suppressing the rebellion that broke out in 1877, the achievement of police officers who mastered Kenjutsu was highly respected. Under such circumstances, the promotion of Kenjutsu was reexamined. In 1879, the Metropolitan Police Bureau of Tokyo began giving Kenjutsu courses for its officers. In 1895, Dai Nippon Butoku Kai was formed as an organization devoted to all martial arts. However, the popularization of Kenjutsu demanded a universal form, one that would include and integrate all existing schools of Kenjutsu. In 1912, after a long deliberation among masters of major Kenjutsu schools, a new system of Kenjutsu that transcended existing schools was established. This is the birth of Kendo. In 1957, the All Japan Kendo Federation was founded. It is now more of a martial art concerned primarily with the development of mind and body with the purpose of forging a better life rather than a method for taking life using a sword as it was before. Since the establishment of the International Kendo Federation in 1970, Kendo has become popular even outside of Japan. Countries such as Canada, Brazil, England, France, Germany, Korea, the United States, and many others have begun practice Kendo. Modern Kendo is the result of many changes, from a purely fighting art, to an all encompassing martial art.
08/20/2026
Almost two weeks ago now, a few of our members at Shidokan West Island participated in the 2026 Canadian National Kendo Championships! We’re very proud of how everyone performed!
Special congratulations to Natasha Fracassi and Gabriel Schor on their incredible success! 👏✨
Natasha took 1st place in Women’s Individual ✨NATIONAL CHAMPION!!!🏆👏🔥
Gabriel Schor took 3rd place in Masters Individual! 🥉👏🔥
Also, lets go Quebec!!!
The Women's Provincial Team took 2nd place! 🥈
[Maria Manea, Alex Thibodeau, Natasha Fracassi]
The Open Provincial Team took 3rd place! 🥉
[A. Zakeri, W. Wong, S. On, E. Mathieu, P. Vu, A. Datsenko]
Ali Zakeri received the Open Provincial Fighting Spirit Award!🔥🙌
The Japanese phrase “Masakatsu Agatsu” (正勝吾勝) translates to “true victory is self-victory.” It is the realization that the ultimate battlefield is entirely internal, and the only opponent that matters looks back at you from the mirror.
Fixating on external conquests creates an illusion of dominance while the inner landscape decays. Conquering a rival or forcing the environment to submit yields nothing but a temporary trophy if your own fears, doubts, and impulses still dictate your behavior. An undefeated record against the world means nothing if you remain a captive to your own chaotic mind.
Masakatsu Agatsu is the absolute subjugation of the adversary within your own perimeter.
The conflict is constant and unyielding. Every excuse, every delay, and every moment of hesitation is an internal enemy attempting to breach the walls of your discipline. True mastery does not seek the validation of a defeated opponent; it demands the quiet, systematic dismantling of your own weaknesses. When you conquer the self, the external world loses its power to disrupt your stance.
External conquests offer only an illusion of power; true dominion belongs entirely to the quiet triumph of self-command.
Do not waste your strength warring with the world.
Conquer yourself, and leave the environment no foothold to oppose you.
05/26/2026
The Japanese phrase “Bunbu Ryodo” (文武両道) translates to “the twin paths of the pen and the sword.” It is the total integration of intellectual refinement and physical mastery.
We often fall into the trap of lopsided development. We celebrate the scholar who lacks the grit to act, or the athlete who lacks the wisdom to lead. This fragmentation is a structural weakness. A mind without a body is a ghost, unable to manifest its will; a body without a mind is a beast, capable only of aimless destruction.
Bunbu Ryodo demands the symmetry of the complete soul.
It is the refusal to choose between the library and the arena. The intellect provides the strategy, but the spirit provides the ex*****on. One without the other is incomplete architecture. Wisdom remains academic until it is tested by resistance, and strength remains reckless until it is governed by a sharpened mind.
A bird cannot dominate the sky with a single wing. If it favors one over the other, it spends its life spiraling in the dirt. True altitude is found in equilibrium. You must be able to write the poem and wield the blade with the same hand, treating the book and the barbell as two sides of the same forge.
To inhabit Bunbu Ryodo is to recognize that your potential is capped by whichever path you neglect. You must stop specializing in your own limitations and start building a self that is as dangerous as it is disciplined.
Others choose a side; you choose the whole.
Do not separate the study from the struggle.
Master both the pen and the sword, and leave the world no path to defeat you.
05/16/2026
We would like to thank Shidokan Kendo and Iaido Club for hosting the 2026 Québec Provincial Championships on May 9th! 🏆🙌 We were happy to participate and see dojos from all over Québec come together for this competition! 🤛🔥💯
Congratulations to all competitors for their fighting spirit throughout the day and the hard work they put in to prepare!👏
We are very proud of our own Alex Datsenko for earning 🥈 2nd place in the Nidan Sandan division! Congratulations, and keep up the great work!✨💫
Let’s all keep training hard together!! 👊⭐️
05/06/2026
Congratulations to Shidokan West Island’s Natasha Fracassi on earning the Silver medal in the Women’s Open category at the 33rd Zurich Kendo Cup, held April 25 to 26, 2026. Natasha travelled with Team Canada to take part in Budokan Zürich’s 50th anniversary event, competing in a strong and diverse international field. In the process, she faced several competitors from European National teams. 🔥🙌✨
We are very proud of her performance and this achievement. Well done, Natasha!!!
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