Iaido vs Kendo
Iaido and Kendo side by side, from the facts recorded for each art.
| Iaido | Kendo | |
|---|---|---|
| Country of origin | Japan | Japan |
| Type | Kobudō and martial arts | gendai budō, budō and martial arts |
| Notable practitioners here | 1 | 1 |
| Top countries of practitioners | France | Japan |
| Equipment and weapons | Iaitō and katana | shinai, bōgu, hakama and keikogi |
| Belt ranks | — | Yes |
Iaido
Iaidō (居合道), abbreviated iai (居合), is a Japanese martial art that emphasizes being aware and capable of quickly drawing the sword and responding to sudden attacks.
From the Wikipedia article Iaido (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): Q214410, 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.