Kendo Terms
This kendo glossary was developed by Saeko & Tom Tew Sensei in order to help expose students to kendo terms in Japanese. It is a compilation of information gained from experience coupled with data extracted from other terminology collections (such as the AJKF, FIK, AUSKF, and various local dojos). It’s content is open for all kendoists to share.
“Term”– includes a kendo term and associated definition; terms are sorted in alphabetical order.
“Category”– a rough attempt at classifying the terms into logical groups. By using the dropdown list, you can filter on any category to somewhat shorten the list. Categories include:
- Armor- terms related to kendo equipment other than the shinai
- Body Motions- describes body movements excluding footwork
- Clothing- terms related kendo gi, excluding armor
- Commands- standard/common commands used by instructors or shinpan
- Etiquette- proper terms related to kendo manners
- Footwork- describes basic footwork
- Shiai- terms related to a shiai, including rules & judging
- Shinai- describes parts of a shinai
- Special Terms- anything that couldn’t be categorized in other groups
- Striking/Waza- lists the various techniques a kenshi can learn & use
- Warming Up & Drills- includes common terms for warm up, and practice
If you see any errors or would like to add a term please contact Tom Tew at tewtom@yahoo.com; any suggestions are welcome!
Also available in Microsoft Excel version. Click here to download a copy.
| Term | Description | Category |
|---|---|---|
| Age-kote | When the kote is held above the pit of the stomach while executing a strike. | Special Terms |
| Ai | At the same time; for example, ai-kakari geiko is when both partners do kakari geiko at the same time. | Striking/Waza |
| Ai-uchi | Situation in which both players score valid strikes simultaneously, e.g., one effectively strikes the opponent's men at the same time the opponent successfully strike his /her do. During matches, neither strike is considered valid (they cancel each other out). | Striking/Waza |
| Aisatsu | Greeting or courtesy exchanged when meeting another person; actions or words which express good wishes, gratitude, or affection. As politeness is highly valued in kendo, aisatsu is considered very important. | Etiquette |
| Arigatō gozaimasu | "Thank you very much." | Etiquette |
| Ashi-sabaki | Footwork used when attacking or evading; six types include ayumi-ashi, fumikomi-ashi, hiraki-ashi, okuri-ashi, suri-ashi and tsugi-ashi. | Footwork |
| Ato-geiko | Literally after (ato) practice (keiko, pronounced with a "g"), usually a second practice session for advanced kenshi following a primary practice session which stresses kihon. | Warming Up and Drills |
| Ayumi-ashi | One method of footwork used to move far and quickly in the forward/backward direction using ordinary walking movements made with suri-ashi (sliding feet). | Footwork |
| Bassoku | A penalty for an infraction or foul. | Shiai |
| Bōgu | Kendo armor consisting of men, kote, dō, and tare. | Armor |
| Bokken | Wooden sword, primarily used for kendo kata. | Shinai |
| Bokutō | Same as bokken. | Shinai |
| Chaku-sō | The manner of wearing keikogi, hakama, and bōgu. | Etiquette |
| Chakuza | Command to sit down on the floor. | Commands |
| Chigiri | The metal wedge in the shinai's hilt | Shinai |
| Chikai-maai | The state of being closer to the opponent than issoku-itto-no-maai (the ideal distance for both attacking and defending). | Body Motions |
| Chūdan-no-kamae | Basic kamae, with the kensen pointed at the opponent's throat. | Body Motions |
| Chui | A warning; the first chui is without penalty, the second becomes hansoku, or a point for the other participant. | Shiai |
| Chūken | Middle player in a team match. | Shiai |
| Chusen | A winner selected by vote among the judge(s) or referees. | Shiai |
| Counting (1 thru 10) | Ichi, ni, san, shi, go, roku, shichi, hachi, ku, jyu. | Special Terms |
| Daihyosha-sen | Playoff by representatives in a team match. | Shiai |
| Daitō | Long sword (usually used in reference to a standard bokken or the longer shinai used in ni-tō). | Shinai |
| Dan | Ranking system for advanced levels (1=lowest, 10=highest); equivalent to black belt in other martial arts . | Special Terms |
| Datotsu | Striking and thrusting; a valid point is referred to as yuko datotsu. | Special Terms |
| Datotsu-bu | The part of the shinai with which one should strike the opponent; refers to the jin-bu (side opposite the tsuru) around the region of the mono-uchi. | Special Terms |
| Datotsu-bui | The correct striking or thrusting zones of the kendo-gu (protective gear). | Special Terms |
| Datotsu-no-kikai | Chance of strike. | Special Terms |
| Debana waza | Striking at the exact time the opponent initiates an attack | Striking/Waza |
| Dō | Chest and abdomen protector, made of leather trim plus a large hard shell of either plastic, fiber, or bamboo. | Armor |
| Dō ari | "Dō" (awarding of the dō point in a match). | Shiai |
| Dō chikawa | The four loops on a do where dōhimo are attached. | Armor |
| Dō dai | The hard protective shell of the dō, made of either fiber, plastic, or bamboo. | Armor |
| Dō mune | The decorative top part of a dō made of leather. | Armor |
| Enchō | Match overtime period. | Shiai |
| Enzan no metsuke | Means to look at your opponent as looking at a far off mountain, so as to see the whole and not just a part. In this is particularly important in judging & reacting to an opponents intent. | Special Terms |
| Fuho-koi-shobu-ari | A winner resulting from a player's illegal act. | Shiai |
| Fukushin | Sub-referees in a match. | Shiai |
| Fukushō | Second to last player in a team match. | Shiai |
| Fumikomi-ashi | Stomping of the right foot as it drives forward. | Footwork |
| Furi-kaburi | Big movement swing of the shinai above one's head. | Body Motions |
| Fusei-shinai | An illegal shinai for a match- too light, too long, or doctored. | Shiai |
| Fusenshō | A match win by default, due to the opponent's absence or forfeit. | Shiai |
| Go-No-Waza (Datotsu) | A parry to a valid datotsu made from tsuba-zeri-ai. | Shiai |
| Gōgi | Referee's conference during a match, held in the center of the court. | Shiai |
| Gokaku-geiko | Keiko style practice with an equal. | Warming Up and Drills |
| Hachimaki | Thin cotton towel that has been folded or rolled into a strip and then tied around the head; this style is worn by kenshi not wearing a men. | Armor |
| Hai | "Yes." | Commands |
| Hajime | "Begin." | Commands |
| Hakama | Kendo clothing worn on the lower part of the body; long divided skirt-like trousers. | Armor |
| Hansoku | Match foul, results in one half-point against the offending player. Hansoku include: | Shiai |
| Hansoku ikkai | "First hansoku." | Shiai |
| Hansoku nikai, ippon ari | "Second hansoku, one point" (point awarded to the opponent of the offending player). | Shiai |
| Hantei | Referees' decision of the winner of a match. | Shiai |
| Harai waza | Initiating an attack by first striking an opponent's shinai to move it out of the way then striking an open area. | Striking/Waza |
| Hasso-no-kamae | The ready position with the shinai held vertically by the right shoulder. | Body Motions |
| Hasuji | Cutting mark made by a sword, or the angle of a cut. | Striking/Waza |
| Haya-suburi | Fast suburi; motions are A) step backward and raise the shinai, B) step forward and cut while counting at the time of the cut. | Warming Up and Drills |
| Hiki waza | Striking from tsubazeriai, with the body moving backward. | Striking/Waza |
| Hikitate-geiko | Attack drills led by a senior instructor/sensei. | Warming Up and Drills |
| Hikiwake | Match draw (tie). | Shiai |
| Hiraki-ashi | Footwork used when striking or defending with the body turned diagonally. Key points- moving diagonally right, move the right foot first then follow quickly with the left; when moving left, move the left foot first then follow quickly with the right; your upper body should always face the opponent directly. | Footwork |
| Igi | A protest; generally done by a team manager immediately after a match. | Shiai |
| Ippon gachi | A match decided by one point, due to time running out in sanbon-shobu. | Shiai |
| Ippon shōbu | One point match (first person to score wins). | Shiai |
| Issoku-itto-no-maai | A term originally appearing in the list of fighting strategies of the Ono-ha itto-ryu, it refers to maintaining a distance of approximately two shinais between oneself and the opponent. This distance is the turning point of offense and defense because one can attack by taking one step forward, and can avoid being hit by taking one step backward. Note the this distance is approximate, and can be affected by both height and shinai length. | Body Motions |
| Ji-geiko | Open practice (keiko). | Warming Up and Drills |
| Jihō | Second player in a team match. | Shiai |
| Jikaku-mushi | An insult made to a player or referee. | Shiai |
| Jin-bu | The portion from the tsuba to the tip of the shinai. | Shinai |
| Jiyū-keiko | Free practice. | Warming Up and Drills |
| Jodan waza | Attacking from a jodan kamae position, where the shinai is raised above the head. | Striking/Waza |
| Jōdan-no-kamae | Kamae with the shinai above the head, with the left hand above the forehead about one fist away. | Body Motions |
| Jōgai | Stepping out of bounds (this is a hansoku or foul). | Shiai |
| Joseki | Seat of honor. | Shiai |
| Jyoge-suburi | Vertical swing to so that the shinai tip comes close to the floor. | Warming Up and Drills |
| Kachinuki | A method of conducting matches in which the winner remains and keeps fighting until defeated. | Shiai |
| Kaeshi waza | Parrying/blocking then counterstriking. | Striking/Waza |
| Kaishi-sen | Starting line in the court. | Shiai |
| Kakari | The court staff consisting of: | Shiai |
| Kakari-geiko | Attack practice consisting of a short burst of continual striking with zanshin, usually for roughly 20 seconds; key points are to use big, fast motions, follow through completely, and use one breath as long as possible. The drill is intended to develop the kenshi's ability to see openings and react quickly as well as develop physical, mental, and spiritual strngth. At times when the motodachi is higher ranking, he or she may choose to counter attack the kenshi during kakari-geiko to make the drill more difficult. | Warming Up and Drills |
| Kakegoe | Shout (coming together of spirit). | Special Terms |
| Kamae | Basic stance; ready position. | Body Motions |
| Kamae-te | Command to assume kamae. | Commands |
| Kantoku | Team manager. | Special Terms |
| Katate waza | One handed strikes, such as yoko-men. | Striking/Waza |
| Katsugi waza | Attacking by moving the shinai from kamae to the left shoulder then immediately striking an opening the opponent exposes. | Striking/Waza |
| Keiko | Practice, training. | Warming Up and Drills |
| Keiko-gi | Kendo clothing worn on the upper part of the body, a thick jacket-like shirt. | Armor |
| Kendō | The way of the sword; training the mind, body, and character through one-on-one striking practice using the shinai while wearing bōgu. | Special Terms |
| Kensen | The tip of the shinai, farthest away from the hands. | Shinai |
| Kenshi | Kendoist. | Special Terms |
| Ki-ken-tai-ichi | A phrase which expresses the secret of effective offensive and defensive moves, mainly a striking move. Ki refers to spirit, ken refers to the handling of the shinai, and tai refers to the body movements and posture. When all three are in harmony and occur with the correct timing, they function together as one (ichi). | Special Terms |
| Ki-o-tsuke | "Attention." | Commands |
| Kiai | Can either be spirit/vigor or a shout or yell as the outcome of spirit (ie, spirit creates kiai, kiai doesn't create spirit). | Special Terms |
| Kiai-o-dashite | "More kiai!." | Commands |
| Kigurai | Confidence, presence, bearing. | Special Terms |
| Kihon | Basics. | Special Terms |
| Kihon uchi | Standard practice striking, that is typically multiple strikes of one area (for example, striking men 6 times); the format is to come to kamae, execute seme, then strike and go through; this should not be confused with uchikomi geiko or kakari geiko. | Warming Up and Drills |
| Kihon-dōsa | Basic exercises, including uchi-kata and suburi. | Warming Up and Drills |
| Kihon-shiai | Tournament in which kihon is judged; usually includes rei-ho, kiri-kaeshi, and basic uchikomi. | Shiai |
| Kiri-kaeshi | Basic exercise in which the sides of the men are struck repeatedly, typically in sets of a straight men followed by 4 strikes forward and 5 strikes backward. | Warming Up and Drills |
| Kiritsu | "Stand up." | Commands |
| Kōdansha | Kendoist with a rank of 5th dan (godan) or higher. | Special Terms |
| Kokyū | Breathing. | Special Terms |
| Koshi-ita | Hardboard back panel of a hakama. | Armor |
| Kōtai | Change places, alternate. | Commands |
| Kote | Protective gloves, made of cotton and leather. | Armor |
| Kote ari | "Kote" (awarding of the kote point in a match). | Shiai |
| Kote kera | The folds of a kote that help provide flexibility. | Armor |
| Kote kotegashira | The front piece or head of the kote. | Armor |
| Kote tsutsu | The part of the kote protecting the wrist & forearm. | Armor |
| Kumiawase | Tournament match-ups. | Shiai |
| Kyū | Ranking system for beginning levels (6=lowest, 1=highest); equivalent to white and colored belts in other martial arts. | Special Terms |
| Ma-ai | Distance between opponents. | Body Motions |
| Massugu | Straight, linear. | Special Terms |
| Mawari-geiko | Rotation keiko. | Warming Up and Drills |
| Mejirushi | Red or white tag tied to the crossed dō strings on the back, used to distinguish the players in a match; sometimes called "tasuki." | Shiai |
| Men | Kendo armor to protect the face, head, and shoulders. | Armor |
| Men ari | "Men" (awarding of the men point in a match). | Shiai |
| Men himo | The two long cotton ties attached to the men, used for retention. | Armor |
| Men menbuton | The large cotton covering of the men. | Armor |
| Men mengane | The metal grill of the men, usually made out of steel, aluminum, or titanium. | Armor |
| Men tsukidare | The tsuki flap of the men that protects the throat. | Armor |
| Men-no-uchi, sankyodo | "Basic men strike, three count movements" (1= raise shinai overhead from kamae, 2=strike, moving forward, 3=step back & return to kamae). | Warming Up and Drills |
| Men-o-tore | "Take off your men." | Commands |
| Men-o-tsuke | "Put on your men." | Commands |
| Metsuke | Use of the eyes to see the opponent; as a saying, "Enzan no metsuke" means to look at your opponent as looking at a far off mountain, so as to see the whole and not just a part. | Special Terms |
| Mokusō | Meditation performed in the seiza position. | Etiquette |
| Monouchi | The region of the shinai most effective for striking, located between the tip and the nakayui. | Shinai |
| Motodachi | Person being struck to provide instruction, for example in uchikomi-geiko, kakari-geiko, or kihon shiai. | Special Terms |
| Munen-muso | The spiritual state of selflessness, free from worldly thoughts. A mirror-like condition which reflects all phenomena. The condition where the mind functions at its best when it is pure, whole, and undistracted, and the spirit is replete. | Special Terms |
| Nafuda | Name tag worn on the center of the tare; also known as a zekken. | Armor |
| Nakayui | The leather wrap at the front third of a shinai. | Shinai |
| Naname-suburi | Similar to jyoge-suburi, only the shinai swing is a diagonal cut to the floor. | Warming Up and Drills |
| Naore | Command to stop mokuso. | Commands |
| Nihon me | "Second point" (continues sanbon-shobu after one player has scored the first point of the match). | Shiai |
| Nuke-tō | "Draw the sword (shinai)." | Special Terms |
| Nuki waza | Moving out of the way to avoid an opponent's strike then counterstriking. | Striking/Waza |
| Oji-waza | Defensive techniques used in response to an opponent's attack; styles include: | Striking/Waza |
| Okuri-ashi | The most basic, normal kendo footwork- right foot in front of the left, right foot slides forward followed by a sharp forward movement of the left foot, stopping roughly at the back and to the side of the right foot. | Footwork |
| Onegai shimasu | "I request the favor (of a practice)" (said when beginning keiko with a more senior kenshi). | Etiquette |
| Osame-tō | "Return the sword (shinai)." | Special Terms |
| Rei | Bow. | Etiquette |
| Rei-gi | Matters of etiquette. | Etiquette |
| Rei-hō | Doctrines of etiquette. | Etiquette |
| Renzoku waza | Continuous motion waza, also known as ni-dan or san-dan waza; multiple strikes executed in series without break. | Striking/Waza |
| Ritsu-rei | Standing bow. | Etiquette |
| Sage-tō | The posture taken when performing ritsu-rei, with the shinai held in the left hand with the arm hanging naturally at the side; the tsuru faces downward and the hand next to the tsuba. | Etiquette |
| Sakigawa | The leather covering on the tip of the shinai. | Shinai |
| San-sappo | There are three ways to forstall the opponent and get ahead of him/her. "Killing the katana (sword)," killing the waza," and killing the ki (spirit)" are called san-sappo (the three ways of killing). Killing the katana means to restrain and deflect the opponent's sword, thus destroying the use of the sword. Killing the waza means to make the first move and constantly be on the offensive so as to not give the opponent an opportunity to initiate a waza. Finally, killing the ki means that by restraining the outset of the opponent's attack and constantly dominating offensively, one can raise one's own level of ki and over whelm the opponent's ki. | Special Terms |
| Sanbon shōbu | Three point match (first person to score two points wins). | Shiai |
| Sayū-men | The right and left striking zones of the men. | Striking/Waza |
| Seigan no kamae | Kamae with the shinai point aimed at an opponent who is in jodan kamae's left kote. | Body Motions |
| Seiretsu | "Make a line." | Commands |
| Seiza | Seated attention position (literally correct sitting). | Body Motions |
| Seme | Pressure applied to one's opponent. | Body Motions |
| Senpō | First player in a team match. | Shiai |
| Sensei | Instructor, usually with rank 4th dan (yondan) or higher. | Special Terms |
| Shiai | Match. | Shiai |
| Shiai-funo | A winner when one of the opponents cannot continue the match. | Shiai |
| Shiai-geiko | Style of practice to approximate the feeling and spirit of a shiai. | Warming Up and Drills |
| Shiai-jikan | Match time limit. | Shiai |
| Shiai-jō | Court. | Shiai |
| Shikake-waza | Direct offensive attacks without waiting on the opponent; styles include: | Striking/Waza |
| Shin (saki-gomu) | The rubber spacer at the inside front tip of a shinai. | Shinai |
| Shin-ki-ryoku-ichi | A phrase which expresses the secret of successful offense and defense. Shin refers to the mind or the calm part of one's mental functions, and it is the ability to intuitively sense the opponent's condition and movements and to make judgments. In Budo, this is called mushin. Mushin refers to the mind which, even not knowing what is proper, is able to sense right and wrong. Ki appears as an outward action based upon the judgement of the mind (shin), and so-called ki is the dynamic part of one's mental functions. It is under the mind's command and moves according to its directions. Ryoku refers to the strength of the body or of a waza. Shin-ki-ryoku-ichi means that in response to a stimulus, something which is intuitively perceived and consciously decided by the mind is immediately expressed in the form of a waza by way of the mental functions. All three of these actions must take place instantaneously. | Special Terms |
| Shin-kokyū | Deep breathing exercise. | Body Motions |
| Shinai | Bamboo sword used in kendo. | Shinai |
| Shinai-otoshi | Losing control of the shinai (this is a hansoku). | Shiai |
| Shinpan | Judge; referee. | Shiai |
| Shinpan-chō | Head judge. | Shiai |
| Shinpan-shunin | Court judge. | Shiai |
| Shinsa | Promotional exam; exams for kyu level kenshi are shinkyu shinsa, exams for yudansha are shodan shinsa, and exams for yudansha 5 Dan and above are called kodansha shinsa. | Special Terms |
| Shisei | Posture; a common command is "shisei o tadashite," or fix your posture. | Body Motions |
| Shizentai | Natural standing position. | Body Motions |
| Shōbu | "Match" (continues sanbon shobu after each player has one point). | Shiai |
| Shōbu ari | "Match done" (announces the end of the match). | Shiai |
| Shōmen | The side of the dojo or hall farthest from the main entrance, the side having the highest place of honor. | Etiquette |
| Shōmen-uchi | A strike to the center of the men. | Striking/Waza |
| Shu-ha-ri | A maxim which is used generally in training and study. It is also used as a term which explains the levels of training in kendo. Shu is the level where one obeys the principals of a particular style (school) and learns the solidly. Ha is the level where one does not simply adhere to the style one has learned, but through interchange with other schools, expands and deepens one's own techniques. Ri is the level where one further develops one's art and establishes a new, personal style. | Special Terms |
| Shūgō | Gathering, meeting. | Special Terms |
| Shushin | Chief referee on court with two other assisting referees (shushin makes the match pronouncements). | Shiai |
| Shusseki-o-torimasu | "Taking roll call." | Special Terms |
| Sogo-no-rei | Ritsu-rei to the opponent; the angle is about 15 degrees, and eye contact is maintained. | Etiquette |
| Sonkyo | The crouching position in which begins and ends each bout. | Body Motions |
| Sosai | An offset when two players commit a foul as the same time and the fouls are offset. | Shiai |
| Suburi | Basic exercise which simulates striking the men repeatedly, performed without an opponent. | Warming Up and Drills |
| Suburi-ikkyodo | One-count suburi (alternate striking forward and backward on each count). | Warming Up and Drills |
| Suburi-nikyodo | Two-count suburi (raise the shinai on the odd count; strike on the even count, alternating the going forward and backward and each strike). | Warming Up and Drills |
| Suigetsu | Solar plexus. | Special Terms |
| Suri-ashi | Footwork in which the feet do not lose contact with the floor (sliding). | Footwork |
| Suriage | Deflecting the opponent's shinai using a circular sliding motion. | Striking/Waza |
| Suriage waza | Moving the opponent's attack out of the way via an upward sliding motion of the shinai, then counterstriking. | Striking/Waza |
| Tai-atari | Hitting with the body. | Striking/Waza |
| Taikai | Tournament. | Shiai |
| Taishō | Last player in a team match (captain). | Shiai |
| Taito | Holding the shinai at waist level after bowing,with the shinai tip pointing backwards; the shinai should be on the point of the left hip, at an angle of roughly 45 degrees, with the tsuka-gashira in front of the center of the body. | Body Motions |
| Take | Bamboo, sometimes used to refer to the staves of the shinai. | Shinai |
| Tare | The armor that protects the hips, groin, and upper legs, made of cotton and cloth. | Armor |
| Tare kodare | The two back flaps of a tare. | Armor |
| Tare obi | The top part of a tare that the flaps (odare) & sash (waki himo) are attached to. | Armor |
| Tare odare | The three front flaps of a tare. | Armor |
| Tare waki-himo | The ties of the tare to hold in place. | Armor |
| Te-no-uchi | Tightening/loosening the grip on the shinai or adjusting the balance between the hands when striking or parrying. | Body Motions |
| Tenugui | Same as a men towel; a thin cotton cloth that is wrapped around the head & hair and is worn under the men. | Armor |
| Toi-maai | A distance which is farther than issoku-itto-no-maai. | Body Motions |
| Tsuba | Circular guard on the shinai, typically made of plastic or leather. | Shinai |
| Tsuba Dome | The backing piece behind a tsuba to keep it from sliding down a shinai- typically made of rubber. | Shinai |
| Tsuba-zeri-ai | The position in which the opponents are close to each other with fists together. | Body Motions |
| Tsugi-ashi | One of the basic types of footwork, mainly used when striking from a long distance; the left foot (back foot) is pulled close to the right foot (front foot), then the right foot immediately takes a big step forward. It is used exclusively for moving forward. | Footwork |
| Tsuka | The handle portion of the shinai. | Shinai |
| Tsuka-gashira | The very end (bottom) of the tsuka. | Shinai |
| Tsuka-gawa | The leather grip at the bottom of the shinai | Shinai |
| Tsuki ari | "Tsuki" (awarding of the tsuki point). | Shiai |
| Uchikomi-geiko | Practice striking the basic points on the motodachi. The motion is constant and fast, but not as fast as kakari-geiko. The purpose is for warm-ups.The kenshi's movements should be big, with significant follow through. Motodachi will constanltly adjust the maai so that the kenshi must move forward and reach outward. | Warming Up and Drills |
| Uchikomi-no-juttoku | Refers to the 10 virtues cultivated by practicing uchikomi: 1. Actions become more intense and quicker 2. Strikes become stronger 3. Breathing becomes slower and more controlled 4. Movements of the arms become freer 5. The body becomes lighter and freer 6. The sword can be handled more freely 7. The lower body becomes more stabilized to prevent the loss of balance 8. The eyes become sharper 9. Uchi-ma (strike distance) becomes more clear 10. Handling of the shinai becomes lighter and more dexterous. | Body Motions |
| Uchiotoshi waza | Blocking by striking the opponent's attack down then counterstriking. | Striking/Waza |
| Wakare | During keiko: "dismissed" (signals end of session); during shiai: "separate" (timer does not stop). | Commands |
| Waki-gakame | Ready position with the shinai downward and near the right foot (similar in position to kendo kata #4 shitachi). | Body Motions |
| Waza | Technique. | Special Terms |
| Yame | "Stop." | Commands |
| Yudansha | Kendoist with a rank of 1st dan (shodan) or higher. | Special Terms |
| Yuko datotsu | Directly translated, yuko datotsu is a valid strike. It is an intentional (not accidental), well executed and accurate cut that requires a number of key components to be considered good. | Special Terms |
| Zanshin | Mental and physical presence of spirit, especially after completing an attack. | Special Terms |
| Zekken | Less proper term for name tag worn on the center of the tare; more appropriate term is nafuda. | Armor |