Safety and reiho 安全と礼法
Our dojo is small, so we need to be careful and consider others in order to train safely. In Kendo we are used to showing reverence for people, places and things. This respect contains within it the seeds of safe and healthy conduct. For instance we bow to the dojo, our training environment. By doing so we vow to keep it clean and therefore safe for use. Sweeping and mopping the floor helps to clear it of objects like pins that might cause injury, and shows us if nails are sticking up from the floor. We bow to shomen which is the symbol of the ongoing tradition of which we are a part. By doing so we vow to look after our own bodies so that we can contribute to that tradition for as long as possible. This is the best way to honour the kindness of the sensei who have gone before and who have given their time so that we may progress. We bow to each other in recognition of the fact that we can't train alone. Inherent in this is the recognition that our trainin
