Etiquette

Information | Practice | Equipment | Etiquette | Vocabulary

ALWAYS

Show respect to the dojo. Remove your shoes before entering the dojo. Bow as you enter and leave the dojo. Keep the dojo clean and orderly.
Check for hazards and clean the floor of the dojo before practice.
Sit in seiza (formally, on your knees) when putting kendo bogu on.
Check and fix your shinai and other equipment before and after practice.
Watch and listen carefully, even if you are not practicing. This is called mitori geiko, or "watching practice".
Treat your shinai with respect, it should be treated like a real sword. Do not drop it, throw it, kick it, use it to lean on.

NEVER

Never clean equipment in the dojo as this could result in splinters and other waste on the dojo floor. This includes repairing your shinai. This should be done in the locker room or in the hall outside the dojo.
Never step over a shinai or other people's kendo equipment. Always walk around it. Do not handle other people's equipment without first asking permission.
Never sit down during practice unless it is to adjust your gear, or unless instructed to do so by the lead instructor. If you need to sit down, make sure that you go to the far side of the dojo where no one can trip over you.
Never take off your men during practice except to readjust it.
Never instruct others unless you have been told to do so by the lead instructor. It is important to let less experienced participants learn by observation and improve their reaction speed. They will learn faster by doing it than by having someone tell them how to do it.

MISCELLANEOUS

If you use club equipment, try to get to the dojo early enough so that you can be ready to go at the beginning of practice.
If you come in after the warm-up practice has stared, don't waste time, just get your shinai and join in after first bowing and doing sonkyo.
If you arrive after kihon practice has started, warm up on the side, do your own meditation and mokuso and join in as soon as possible.
Try to push yourself in practice without taking a break. Don't stop for rests except to drink water if you are seriously dehydrated.
Remember, one of the important goals of good kendo is to move beyond an ego-centric perspective. Show humility within yourself and respect for others.