Japan’s traditional sword-fighting sport, kendo, differs from western fencing in a number of ways, largely because of its roots as an art for fighting with the katana, a two-handed saber, against opponents who might be in armor:
In competition (shiai), a point is only awarded, in principle, when the attack is made to a target area with ki-ken-tai-itchi, or “spirit, sword and body as one”.
For an attack to be successful, the shinai [katana "foil"] must strike the specified target soundly, the contact by the shinai must happen simultaneously with the attacker’s foot connecting with floor, and the kendoka [kendo practitioner] must execute a spirited and convincing ki-ai [spirit yell] in co-ordination with the strike.
For a strike to be deemed sound, the point of contact must fall within the top third of the shinai, and the direction of movement of the shinai must be technically correct. Finally, zanshin, or continuation of awareness, must be present and shown throughout the execution of the strike, and the kendoka must be ready to attack again.
Western fencing’s light blades and modern footwork came about after the rise of firearms and the decline of armor:
The kendo footwork closely resembles that found in historical fencing manuals such as Joseph Swetnam, Giacomo diGrassi and George Silver where the body and both feet are turned squarely forward, and the heel of the right foot near the big toe of the left, as in kendo.