Jukendo

Jukendo, also known as the "art of bayonet fighting," has its roots in both traditional Japanese schools of spearmanship, or sojutsu, and Western bayonet combat. The aim of jukendo is to thrust at specific targets on the opponent's body, including the chest, throat, left shoulder, and left forearm, using the mokuju, a wooden mock rifle and bayonet. Precise thrusts, powered by kiai, and followed by a sharp withdrawal of the bayonet from the point of contact, are required to score a point. The protective armour worn during jukendo is thicker than that used in kendo, with additional protection for the throat and heart. Practitioners study kata, engage in shiai, and cultivate discipline and etiquette to develop their character. Jukendo was extensively studied during the war, but like other Japanese martial arts, it was reinvented as an enjoyable exercise promoting fitness, self-development, and as an exciting sport for people of all ages to participate in.