Aikido vs Kendo
Aikido and Kendo side by side, from the facts recorded for each art.
| Aikido | Kendo | |
|---|---|---|
| Country of origin | Japan | Japan |
| Founder | Morihei Ueshiba | — |
| Type | budō and martial arts | gendai budō, budō and martial arts |
| Notable practitioners here | 90 | 1 |
| Top countries of practitioners | Japan, United States and France | Japan |
| Equipment and weapons | — | shinai, bōgu, hakama and keikogi |
| Belt ranks | Yes | Yes |
Aikido
Aikido (Shinjitai: 合気道, Kyūjitai: 合氣道, aikidō, Japanese pronunciation: [aikiꜜdoː]) is a modern Japanese martial art which is split into many different styles including Aikikai, Shodokan Aikido, Yoshinkan, Renshinkai, Iwama Ryu, Iwama Shin Shin Aiki Shuren Kai, and Ki Aikido. Aikido is now practiced in around 140 countries.
From the Wikipedia article Aikido (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Kendo
Kendo (Japanese: 剣道, Hepburn: Kendō; lit. 'sword way' or 'sword path' or 'way of the sword') is a modern Japanese martial art, descended from kenjutsu (one of the old Japanese martial arts, swordsmanship), that uses bamboo swords (shinai) as well as protective armor (bōgu). It began as samurai warriors' customary swordsmanship exercises, and today, it is widely practiced within Japan and has spread to many other nations across the world.
From the Wikipedia article Kendo (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Facts from Wikidata (CC0): Q43114, Q170931. Practitioner counts are the people with a profile on this site. Data retrieved 2026-10-22.
Data: Wikidata (CC0 1.0); Wikipedia (English) (CC BY-SA 4.0). Retrieved 2026-10-22.