礼法 Rei-Hoh (The ways of showing respect, or of bowing)
礼法
剣道は、礼に始まり礼に終わると言われます。その礼の仕方には誰に対して行うものかによって決められた3種類の作法があります。（「三節の礼」さんせつのれい）
①神前・正面・上座への礼
剣道や柔道の稽古場である武道場には、かつては神棚が置かれていました。由緒ある武道場には神棚が祭られていることがありますが、最近は神棚が設置されていることは少なくなり、その代わりに日本国国旗が掲げられている武道場もあります。そこで、現在では「神前に」ではなく、「正面に」礼をします。
②先生への礼
良い稽古をしその成果を自分のものにするために、指導してくださる先生や先輩への尊敬と感謝の気持ちを込めて礼をします。
この①と②の礼は、立った姿勢から上体を腰から約30度傾けて行います。
神棚や先生にあいさつするときのものですから、深々と頭を下げ、感謝の気持ちを込めて行います。少しの間（一呼吸程度）その姿勢を保った後、静かにもとの姿勢に戻すようにします。
③相互の礼
試合や稽古の際にお互いに行う礼で、上体を腰から約15度前傾して目礼（相手の目に注目）をします。目は相手から絶対にそらさず、礼をし終わるまでずっと相手を見続けます。
重要なのは、相手と気持ちを合わせて行うことです。上体を傾けずに首だけ曲げたり、相手のペースを考えずに自分勝手に行うことはいけません。
練習中だけでなく、剣道で学んだ礼儀が普段の生活に十分生かされ身に付くように心掛けましょう。
Rei-Hoh (The ways of showing respect, or of bowing)
Kendo is said to start with Rei and end with Rei. Rei signifies Courtesy or Respect, and it also means the act of bowing as a sign of respect. In Kendo, you are supposed to bow in one of three ways, depending on when and to whom you are bowing. ("San-setsu no Rei," or Rei on three occasions)
1. Bowing before the Shinto altar (Shin-zen), the front (Show-men), or the upper seat of honor (Kami-za)
In dojos for Japanese martial arts such as Kendo or Judo, there used to be a Shinto altar inside the dojos. Some dojos that have a history still have Shinto altars, but many others have no such things now (some hold national flags instead). Thus, today Kenshis bow toward "the front" (Show-men) instead of bowing before the altar.
2. Bowing to senseis
To practice well and to make the fruits of that day's practice your own, you show your respect and gratitude for your senseis and your seniors who instruct you.
When you make these two types of bow (1 and 2), you are supposed to tilt your upper body roughly 30 degrees forward.
Since you are bowing to the alter or to senseis whom you deeply respect, you need to bow deeply enough to show your gratitude. After keeping your head down for a while (about the length of one breath), you quietly put your upper body back to the original, upright position.
3. Bowing to each other
This is what you do during practice or before and after Kendo matches. Here, you are supposed to tilt your upper body about 15 degrees forward while looking straight into your partner's or opponent's eyes. You should keep looking into his or her eyes and never look away until you finish bowing.
In any type of bowing, what is most important is to bow together concomitantly, connecting with one another. It is not considered fully respectful if you only bend your head forward or nod (instead of tilting your entire upper body forward) or if you selfishly incline your body without considering your partner's timing to bow.
Let us learn and master proper ways of bowing through Kendo, and apply them to our daily life.
剣道は、礼に始まり礼に終わると言われます。その礼の仕方には誰に対して行うものかによって決められた3種類の作法があります。（「三節の礼」さんせつのれい）
①神前・正面・上座への礼
剣道や柔道の稽古場である武道場には、かつては神棚が置かれていました。由緒ある武道場には神棚が祭られていることがありますが、最近は神棚が設置されていることは少なくなり、その代わりに日本国国旗が掲げられている武道場もあります。そこで、現在では「神前に」ではなく、「正面に」礼をします。
②先生への礼
良い稽古をしその成果を自分のものにするために、指導してくださる先生や先輩への尊敬と感謝の気持ちを込めて礼をします。
この①と②の礼は、立った姿勢から上体を腰から約30度傾けて行います。
神棚や先生にあいさつするときのものですから、深々と頭を下げ、感謝の気持ちを込めて行います。少しの間（一呼吸程度）その姿勢を保った後、静かにもとの姿勢に戻すようにします。
③相互の礼
試合や稽古の際にお互いに行う礼で、上体を腰から約15度前傾して目礼（相手の目に注目）をします。目は相手から絶対にそらさず、礼をし終わるまでずっと相手を見続けます。
重要なのは、相手と気持ちを合わせて行うことです。上体を傾けずに首だけ曲げたり、相手のペースを考えずに自分勝手に行うことはいけません。
練習中だけでなく、剣道で学んだ礼儀が普段の生活に十分生かされ身に付くように心掛けましょう。
Rei-Hoh (The ways of showing respect, or of bowing)
Kendo is said to start with Rei and end with Rei. Rei signifies Courtesy or Respect, and it also means the act of bowing as a sign of respect. In Kendo, you are supposed to bow in one of three ways, depending on when and to whom you are bowing. ("San-setsu no Rei," or Rei on three occasions)
1. Bowing before the Shinto altar (Shin-zen), the front (Show-men), or the upper seat of honor (Kami-za)
In dojos for Japanese martial arts such as Kendo or Judo, there used to be a Shinto altar inside the dojos. Some dojos that have a history still have Shinto altars, but many others have no such things now (some hold national flags instead). Thus, today Kenshis bow toward "the front" (Show-men) instead of bowing before the altar.
2. Bowing to senseis
To practice well and to make the fruits of that day's practice your own, you show your respect and gratitude for your senseis and your seniors who instruct you.
When you make these two types of bow (1 and 2), you are supposed to tilt your upper body roughly 30 degrees forward.
Since you are bowing to the alter or to senseis whom you deeply respect, you need to bow deeply enough to show your gratitude. After keeping your head down for a while (about the length of one breath), you quietly put your upper body back to the original, upright position.
3. Bowing to each other
This is what you do during practice or before and after Kendo matches. Here, you are supposed to tilt your upper body about 15 degrees forward while looking straight into your partner's or opponent's eyes. You should keep looking into his or her eyes and never look away until you finish bowing.
In any type of bowing, what is most important is to bow together concomitantly, connecting with one another. It is not considered fully respectful if you only bend your head forward or nod (instead of tilting your entire upper body forward) or if you selfishly incline your body without considering your partner's timing to bow.
Let us learn and master proper ways of bowing through Kendo, and apply them to our daily life.
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