European Fencing Compared to Oriental Fencing.

[Eldritch Knight]

The point of the katana is fairly useful as well. A common technique was to stab through the niches between a samurai's armor with the sharp tip.

 

[someguy]

I have had the good fortune to learn the use of both the Katana and the western longsword from masters who inherited their teachings and the two are almost nothing alike.

I disagree with some of this. A katana can be made more curved or less curved. During some periods of sword making in japan katanas tended to be ore curved than others and as such less effective in stabing. All eras katanas could stab though.
Which masters did you study under shadow hunter? Perhaps this could clarify why you say some of what you say.

 

[MingTheMerciless]

I prefer the foot work in European Sword Art though , it is more mobile , having less form and easier to use and learn . I found the footwork in Kendo to be a little restricted and a bit too many form ( I hate form and kata )

And plus learning European sword art such as German Longsword ( I am currently learning together with the Poleaxe , kinda of a equivalent to Naginata ) give more practical sword fighting compare to Kendo as they encourage sword grappling and strike to any area of the body or using any form of attack such as thrust and swinging as Kendoka need to gain some rank before learning to Tsuki or Thrust and that can only be done to the throat and they are only restricted to hitting the wrist , head and adominal and once they get too close to each other , they can only push ( well , Kendo are martial sport ) .

But then Iaido/Iaijutsu are pretty excellent sword art , which teach fast and precise quick draw .

 

[ludde]

A really interesting link to testing of different weapons in different cultures in history.
Those that think that a katana can’t stab, think again. Pleas read.
http://forums.swordforum.com/showthread.php?t=83020


________________________
Bujutsu

 

[Gruenewald]

A really interesting link to testing of different weapons in different cultures in history.
Those that think that a katana can’t stab, think again. Pleas read.
http://forums.swordforum.com/showthread.php?t=83020


________________________
Bujutsu

That was an extremely interesting test. Very good read.

 

[billc]

One thought, as has been mentioned kendo the sport is not designed to deal with all of the possible combat possibilities, but neither is western sport fencing. Also, if you had to actually use one art or the other in impromptu self-defence, someone versed in kendo might have a definite advantage over an epee, sabre, or foil competitor, merely because they are used to hitting harder. Western sport fencings light weapons would be tough to find an analogous tool in the real world?

 

[billc]

One thing both sides have overlooked is the blade arts of the Phillipine islands. The blade arts are alive and well, they tend to have instructors who are not too far removed from teachers who actually used the arts in combat, both in war and in personal survival from crime and who may have participated in a form of duel. The blade arts of the Phillipines are often overlooked in these comparisons but I have to think of the three arts, kendo, western fencing and Kali(arnis, or escrima), the phillinpine arts may actually be more relevant to the discussion.