The men's tournament is held at Nippon Budokan on 3 November, on Culture Day.

The competitors are not only required to show strength, but also courtesy in accordance with the martial arts spirit.

However, in Hokkaido, Ibaraki, Kanagawa, Shizuoka, Aichi and Hyōgo the runner up of also qualifiers, while in Chiba, Tokyo, Osaka, Saitama, Fukuoka both runner up and the third placed Kendoka are qualified for the tournament.

The competitors, who participated in the early years of the tournament were from various professions, but the police force emerged from around 1965 and began to compete with the teachers for the championship in the 1950s.

From then on police officers dominate the championships and Japanese kendo at professional level.