TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The 2024 International City Kendo Competition kicked off on Sunday (March 24) at the Wude Martial Arts Center in Kaohsiung, also known as the Kaohsiung Butokuden.

The three-day event has drawn over 400 kendo practitioners from across the world for competitions, performances, and conference discussions on the state of kendo. Kendo masters from Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, the U.S., Germany and Greece will all be in attendance, reported CNA.

This year’s event also coincides with the 100-year anniversary of the Wude Martial Arts Center, a designated historic site in Kaohsiung, which was completed in 1924 during the Japanese colonial period and used as a training center by the Japanese police.



The Wude Martial Arts Center in Kaohsiung. (Wikimedia Commons photo)

In addition to kendo performances and competitions, other cultural and musical performances such as taiko drumming and Shinto dances were also featured at the opening ceremony on Sunday night.

The Cultural Affairs Department of Kaohsiung welcomed guests to the city for the event, which promises to showcase the artistry and skill of martial artists from around the world.

This year’s International City Kendo Competition was organized by the Kaohsiung city government in cooperation with the Kaohsiung Kendo Culture Promotion Association.