Kendo vs. Kumdo
Quick answer
Kumdo is the Korean form of kendo, which came to Korea under Japanese administration and after 1945 developed separately. They differ in federation, Korean terminology, domestic rules and the interpretation of origin, as Japan derives kendo from bushido and Korea derives kumdo from hwarang-do. At the FIK world championships both compete under the same rules, and neither is Olympic.
At a glance
| Kendo | Kumdo | |
|---|---|---|
| Country of origin | Japan | South Korea |
| Origin | 20th century (present form) | 20th century (present form) |
| Contact | Full contact | Full contact |
| Sparring | Full contact | Full contact |
| Competition format | Point fighting | Point fighting |
| Olympic status | Not Olympic | Not Olympic |
| Ranks | Yes (kyu and dan, no belts) | Yes (kyu and dan, no belts) |
| Rank recognition | unified | unified |
| Attire | Protective gear | Protective gear |
| Weapons | Weapons at the core | Weapons at the core |
| Forms | Forms at the core | Forms at the core |
| Relative cost | medium | medium |
| Katas and forms in the encyclopedia | 1 | 3 |
| Techniques in the encyclopedia | 5 | – |
Scales 1–5
Rated for the typical training of an adult beginner in an ordinary club, calibrated across all arts.
What each art is built from
Editorial rating 0–3: how much room each area gets in ordinary training.
History and relationship
Kumdo is the Korean form of kendo, fencing with a bamboo sword and armor, which came to Korea with Japanese influence. After 1945, according to sources, the two arts developed separately but in related ways. Both words are written with the characters 剣道.
- From 1895 cadets of the Korean police academy practice gekiken (kyokgom) under Japanese advisers, in 1904 and 1906 fencing enters schools and the army.
- 1910–1945 kendo is taught in Korean schools, compulsorily from 1939.
- 1946 a ban on kendo in Japan, 20 May 1948 Dae Han Kum Sa is founded in Changdeokgung Palace.
- 1952 the Zen Nippon Kendo Renmei is founded, the Korea Kumdo Association in 1953 according to sources.
- 1970 the FIK, with the Korean association as a member. 2006 in Taipei South Korea wins the first men’s team title outside Japan.
According to the dissertation of Oda Yoshiko (2015), Japan derives kendo from bushido and Korea derives kumdo from the hwarang-do of the Silla era.
Technique
- Target areas under FIK rules: men, kote, do, tsuki.
- Yuko-datotsu: a hit with fighting spirit and the correct part of the shinai, followed by zanshin.
- Referees with red and white flags.
- The same target areas, shouts meori, sonmok, heori, jjireum.
- The unity of spirit, sword and body: gigeomche.
- Referees with blue and white flags.
According to Oda Yoshiko and Kevin Krein (2024), the standard of a valid hit is the same in the international and the Korean rules. Sources ascribe to kumdo quick short attacks and to kendo a search for a decisive strike, and we have not found any measurement.
Training
| Kendo | Kumdo | |
|---|---|---|
| Lesson | barefoot, fumikomi-ashi and kiai, since 2003 basic practice with the bokuto | warm-up, jukdo, armored bouts or forms, barefoot |
| Armor from | we have not found it | roughly after two months |
| Etiquette | we have not found it | bows, the three etiquettes of samrye |
Progression and ranks
| Kendo (FIK) | Kumdo (Korean regulations) | |
|---|---|---|
| Grades | kyu according to the organization, dan according to the FIK directive | 9 kyu and 9 dan |
| 1st dan from | age 13, sources give 13 or 14 | age 14 |
| 8th dan | 10 years after 7th dan, age 46 | 10 years after 7th dan, age 48 |
| Titles | renshi, kyoshi, hanshi | yeonsa, gyosa, beomsa from 5th dan |
| Exam for 1st to 5th dan | practical part, Nippon Kendo Kata, written test | we have not found it |
The Korea Kumdo Association is a member of the FIK and its grades are recognized by other members, for example the AUSKF.
Physical load and risks
- Kimura et al. (2026), 143 university kendo practitioners: annual injury prevalence 43%.
- A medRxiv preprint (2022), 400 kendo practitioners: mouth injuries in 44.8%, a mouthguard worn by 0.8%.
- We have not found an injury study on kumdo.
- A mouthguard is recommended with the hogu armor.
Who it suits
| Kendo | Kumdo | |
|---|---|---|
| Age for grades | 1st dan from 13, 9th dan from age 65 | 1st dan from 14, 9th dan from age 65 |
| Women | their own shinai weight limits | their own minimum jukdo weight |
| Schools | budo compulsory in junior high school since 2012 | compulsory under Japanese administration from 1939 |
Children
| Kendo | Kumdo | |
|---|---|---|
| Tsuki | according to Takizawa Kozo (1978) banned after the war up to junior high school age, the FIK rules have no age ban | we have not found a ban for children |
| One-handed techniques | for pupils up to junior high school not scored by agreement | we have not found it |
| Bout length | in Japan 2 min in elementary school, 3 min in junior high school | we have not found it |
| Equipment | shinai for ages 12–15 up to 114 cm (FIK 2023) | a smaller jukdo is mentioned |
Self-defence
- Full resistance, but with the shinai to four protected target areas (FIK).
- The same bout in hogu with the jukdo, the Korean rules change the names, not the target areas.
We have not found a source on the transfer of shinai or jukdo training into self-defense for either art.
Practical use
| Kendo | Kumdo | |
|---|---|---|
| Adult studies | Abe et al. (2024), 80 former university kendo practitioners: handgrip unchanged | we have not found it |
| Police | after 1877 the Tokyo police, today we have not found it | cadets from 1895, a tournament in 1947, today we have not found it |
We have not found a fitness or psychological study with figures for either kendo or kumdo, so no general suitability of either can be drawn from studies.
Competition
| Kendo | Kumdo | |
|---|---|---|
| Rules | FIK (2006, revised 2017 and 2023): 5 min, encho 3 min, shushin and two fukushin | at the world championships the same FIK rules, at home their translation with Korean names, different referee attire and a different approach to fouls (Oda 2015) |
| World championships | Japan won six finals against Korea in 1988–2003 (Oda and Krein 2024) | 2006 men’s team title, 2018 in Incheon second behind Japan |
| Olympic Games | the Zen Nippon Kendo Renmei insists on amateurism | the Korea Kumdo Association supports inclusion |
Gear and costs
| Kendo | Kumdo | |
|---|---|---|
| Sword | shinai, adults up to 120 cm, men at least 510 g (FIK 2023) | jukdo, adults 120 cm, men at least 510 g |
| Armor | bogu: men, kote, do, tare | hogu, a recommended mouthguard |
| Clothing | keikogi and hakama | white clothing, trousers with black stripes |
| Costs | medium: shinai and bogu | medium: jukdo and hogu after two months |
Availability and organisations
| Kendo | Kumdo | |
|---|---|---|
| Federation | Zen Nippon Kendo Renmei, FIK | Korea Kumdo Association, a member of the FIK |
| Other organizations | we have not found any | World Kumdo Association (reported around 2001), wants to compete with the FIK |
| Confusion | – | haidong gumdo is a different art, not kumdo |
It is reported that many American kumdo dojangs affiliate directly with the Korean association, not with the American FIK organization.
Switching and combining
- Target areas, equipment and bout structure remain.
- Korean terminology is added: jukdo, hogu, jon-shim.
- In addition the forms Bonguk Geombeop and Joseon Saebeop.
- Japanese commands, red instead of blue referee flags.
- A written test in the exams for 1st to 5th dan under the FIK directive.
- Nippon Kendo Kata for the exams for 1st to 7th dan.
On the left is the move from kendo to kumdo, on the right the reverse. We have not found documented transfers between the Japanese and the Korean federation.
Philosophy
- Concept of Kendo (1975): character building through applying the principles of the katana.
- Zanshin (残心) is part of a valid hit.
- Jon-shim (存心), pyeongsangsim and the four sicknesses of the mind.
- The three etiquettes of samrye: respect for the land, the teacher and among practitioners.
Oda Yoshiko (2015) links the exchange of zanshin for jon-shim with resistance to Japanese kendo. Lee Jong-rim, former president of the Korea Kumdo Association, claims that they mean the same thing, and Oda and Krein (2024) agree in part.
Forms and terminology
Under the FIK, kendo exams include Nippon Kendo Kata, tachi-no-kata from 1st dan and kodachi-no-kata also from 4th dan. Kumdo additionally has the Korean forms Bonguk Geombeop and Joseon Saebeop, which according to sources are practiced by Korean kumdo practitioners only. We have not found whether the Korean regulations also require Nippon Kendo Kata.
Common misconceptions
- The origin of kumdo in the hwarang-do of the Silla era is described by Oda Yoshiko (2015) as the interpretation of the Korean side, opposed by the Japanese derivation of kendo from bushido.
- According to Oda Yoshiko (2015), the Korean dating of the word kumdo to roughly 1910 has no documented source.
- Haidong gumdo is not another name for kumdo but a separate art.
Which to choose
Frequently asked questions
Is kumdo the same as kendo?
No. Kumdo arose from kendo introduced to Korea under Japanese administration and after 1945 developed separately. They differ in federation, terminology and domestic rules, while at the world championships the same FIK rules apply.
Why are they written the same way?
Both words are written with the characters 剣道, and kumdo is the Korean reading.
Are grades recognized between them?
The Korea Kumdo Association is a member of the FIK and its grades are recognized by other members, for example the AUSKF.
Are they Olympic?
No. Korea supports inclusion, while the Zen Nippon Kendo Renmei insists on amateurism.