[Izzy]

I think that given enough experience with an activity, the culture that made it, the language used in it, and all that, I think that people can understand Kendo or any other activity. Understanding is not necessarily the issue. The thing is that your culture places different value on different things. So I can understand kendo, but I do not have to prescribe to certain aspects of it. For example, I love kendo and want to adhere to the customs of it as much as possible. I understand how some Japanese will go running over to the sensei at the end of practice and put away his bogu for him/her. I understand about the level of respect and thankfulness and custom there is in that action. However that not being a part of my own culture, I may not necessarily do it. Granted, I would do it when I am here out of politeness, but in America where that is not imortant to other people, it just won't get done. So it is not an issue of understanding, as much as it is an issue of whether or not your culture places the same value on those aspects of the art.

There is also the issue of whether or not your sensei are teaching you all the aspects of kendo, or just the hitting people part of it.