Gambatte Ikô : Negotiating Identity and Belonging at a Japanese University Women's Kendo Club

This paper draws on an 18-month ethnography at a Japanese university women’s kendo club and examines the concept of seishin (spirit), and how it is embodied through training and the process of doing one's best for the group. Gambatte ikô (Let's do our best together) expresses the personal commitment to endure hardship in order to achieve a group goal. The strengthening of seishin can be attained through enduring physical, mental and emotional hardship alongside others, where the hardships are embedded in the club's demanding training, work obligations and hierarchical relationships. As such, seishin training takes place on all levels, in a variety of situations, encouraging the holistic development of club members.  Seishin development can be goal of membership and its embodiment can be advantageous as it promises to equip members with the resilience necessary to fulfill their gendered roles as capable, exemplar models of society. Arguably, for female club members developing significant relationships takes precedence over the development of seishin. In time  significant relationships with other members became my reason for being and the primary source of motivation to engage in seishin training.