The first time Kendo was practiced in Ireland

To mark the launch of the new Mazda 323 in February 1981, the Japanese car manufacturer shot a promotional spot involving Kendo, or Japanese fencing. Filming took place in Limerick, purportedly to avoid using union labour for the film crew. As Kendo was unknown in Ireland at that time, Jock Hopson and Fujii Okimitsu were flown over from the UK.

This was likely one of the first times that Kendo w…