Kendo is a type of Japanese traditional physical activity referred to as budo. Kendo is mainly practiced to develop one's mind and body. Kangeiko is a common style of traditional kendo practice that is held during the early morning in winter. Many kendo practitioners think that kangeiko training can improve patience, mental energy, personality, and morality. This belief is described in published kendo literature from premodern Japan. This study examined whether kendo practitioners were able to improve their mental and moral states through kangeiko by applying three psychological scale tests. The research was conducted in two stages. The first involved a literature review to examine the traditional budo mentality as well as the associated features that kendo practitioners expected to develop through kangeiko. This review confirmed two aspects about the budo mentality. The first was related to morals and ethics, while the second applied to psychology. The literature review also confirmed that kangeiko was expected to improve both of these aspects. However, premodern kendo literature tended to place more emphasis on the psychological aspects as opposed to the moral and ethical. Three psychological scale tests were then conducted to evaluate any mental improvements achieved through kangeiko regarding the two mental aspects of budo. These tests were given to kendo practitioners who participated in kangeiko from January 6 to January 13 of 2017. Scores were analyzed using a paired t-test. Posttraumatic Growth Inventory results revealed that the factors of “Relating to Others," “Personal Strength," and “Spiritual Change" significantly changed as a result of kangeiko practice. This may support the traditional belief that kangeiko is a useful way to achieve mental improvements.
This work was supported by JSPS KAKENHI Grant Number JP16H03223.
