Editing Kendo (section)

===Equipment===
The ''[[shinai]]'' is meant to represent a Japanese sword (''[[katana]]'') and is made up of four [[bamboo]] slats which are held together by leather fittings. A modern variation of a ''shinai'' with [[carbon fiber]] reinforced resin slats is also used.<ref>{{harvnb|Sasamori|Warner|1964|p=70}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2709857-best-worst-uses-of-kendo-stick-in-wwe-history-ahead-of-alexa-bliss-vs-bayley|title=Best, Worst Uses of Kendo Stick in WWE History Ahead of Alexa Bliss vs. Bayley|last=Dilbert|first=Ryan|date=16 May 2017|work=Bleacher Report|access-date=2018-07-20|language=en-US}}</ref>

Age Group                                      Shinai Size<ref>{{Cite web |access-date=April 20, 2024 |title=A Beginners Guide To Shinai. |url=https://www.ninecircles.co.uk/news/beginnersguidetoshinai/}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable"
|Junior High School – 12–15 years         
|114cm or less - Size 37
|-
|Senior High School – 15–18 years
|117cm or less - Size 38
|-
|University & Adults – 18 years +
|120cm or less - Size 39
|}
''Kendōka'' also use hard {{nihongo|wooden swords|木刀|[[bokken|bokutō]]}} to practice [[kata (martial arts)|''kata'']].<ref>{{harvnb|Sasamori|Warner|1964|p=52}}</ref>

Kendo employs strikes involving both one edge and the tip of the ''shinai'' or ''bokutō''.

Protective armor is worn to protect specified target areas on the head, arms, and body. The head is protected by a stylized helmet, called {{nihongo||面|men}}, with a {{nihongo|metal grille|面金|men-gane}} to protect the face, a series of hard leather and {{nihongo|fabric flaps|突垂れ|tsuki-dare}} to protect the throat, and padded {{nihongo|fabric flaps|面垂れ|men-dare}} to protect the side of the neck and shoulders. The forearms, wrists, and hands are protected by long, thickly padded fabric gloves called {{nihongo||小手|kote}}. The torso is protected by a {{nihongo|[[breastplate]]|胴|dō}}, while the waist and groin area are protected by the {{nihongo||垂れ|tare}}, consisting of three thick vertical fabric flaps or [[Faulds (plate armour)|faulds]].