was a teacher of

kendo is a modern Japanese martial art, descended from kenjutsu (one of the old Japanese martial arts, swordsmanship), that uses bamboo swords ( shinai) as well as protective armor ( bōgu). It began as samurai warriors' customary swordsmanship ex ...

. Andō was born in Ōgaki, Gifu on June 20, 1940, and began practising kendo at the age of 13 as a student when living in

Yokkaichi is a Cities of Japan, city located in Mie Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 310,259 in 142162 households and a population density of 1500 persons per km2. The total area of the city is . Geography Yokkaichi is located ...

. He eventually became captain of his university's team and advanced to 7th dan at age 27. Throughout his life, he remained

shihan is a Japanese term that is used in many Japanese martial arts as an honorific title for expert or senior instructors. It can be translated as "master instructor". The use of the term is specific to a school or organization, as is the process o ...

(senior teacher) at his university. He was also involved in kendo as a member of several bodies of the All-Japanese Kendo Federation ( ZNKR) and the All-Japanese Student Kendo Federation (ZNGKR). Andō authored several publications on kendo, one of which is still recognized as a standard textbook for German-language practitioners of the sport. He acted as a national trainer in Germany for years and committed himself to the development of kendo there and in several other European countries such as the Baltic states. He was recognized as a ''shihan'' of a

Hamburg Hamburg (, ; ), officially the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg,. is the List of cities in Germany by population, second-largest city in Germany after Berlin and List of cities in the European Union by population within city limits, 7th-lar ...

-based dojo which is holding annual seminars to his remembrance. In 2003, Andō suffered a stroke during a flight back to Japan and died on October 8.Kendo Hamburg

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ando, Kozo 1940 births 2003 deaths Japanese kendoka People from Ōgaki