“The closest thing I can compare it to is religion,” says Josie Hall, describing the traditional martial art of kendo. “It’s an expression and training of the mind and body, closely tied to daily life.” After several years of building a portfolio across print and commercial work, Hall travelled to Tokyo in search of a physical, mental and creative respite. “I wanted to approach a project outside my usual process — to allow things to form over time and unfold in different ways.”

As an outsider looking in, the London-based photographer and director was drawn to the “chaos and calm” of Japanese culture. “I was initially struck by its complex yet harmonious juxtaposition of tradition. There’s ritual, discipline, respect and restraint – and then something more subversive, where that pressure seems to flip.” She found intense parallels between Japanese society and kendo. “On the surface, it is disciplined and structured through hierarchy, movement and etiquette, but within that, there’s an explosive intensity between opponents.” The sport draws on ancient philosophies both inside and outside the dojo, as well as sword techniques derived from the samurai.

While digging deeper into the origins of the samurai, Hall was drawn to The Book of Five Rings [a classic text on martial arts published in 1643], which became not only a source of inspiration for the project, but also a way of linking physical movement to philosophy. “The book acts as a manual for structure and technique, divided into five chapters – Earth, Water, Fire, Wind and Void. They don’t fully carry over into English; they translate more as states of mind or ways of being.” By working with philosophies familiar to the players, Hall was able to better communicate the true spirit of kendo through the way they moved and met the lens.

The hierarchy and respect ingrained in kendo’s ethos, which helps protect the culture, meant it took time to establish real trust within the space. “The community is protective of who gains access, not to be elite but to preserve its values and traditions.” The team was able to observe practices and tournaments, but had to prove its dedication to capturing the practice respectfully and authentically before being let in. “The challenge was finding a way to approach it that honoured the art and its teaching. Creating something that felt honest, intentional, and involved, rather than purely observational or documentary.” After many weeks of patience and learning, the team – including creative producer Marie Goto, with support from Dream Scenario Productions – was able to work with some of the players.

“So much of kendo is action, movement, repetition and precision, so I wanted to build something with motion.” Moving image felt like the truest form of capturing the practice in its totality. Without having filmed in Japan, Hall collaborated with Mike Lamont to create a film using her images as the basis. “The collaboration came from a shared desire to construct a visual world outside of conventional image-making.” They rejected traditional techniques and embraced a more tangible expression that “feels closer to ink or paint”. The pair also mixed in nostalgic, video game visuals inspired by the kendo players and philosophies from The Book of Five Rings. “Video game worlds are another space where the mythology of the samurai has been continually reinterpreted and reshaped through modern technology.” In their interpretation and with the help of Cheng Zhuang's sound design, the film is a surrealist neon dream between the digital world and the art of kendo. 

In addition to screening her film with Lamont, Red Patience features large-scale prints, produced by MAY. The show is a moment of both quiet intention and sheer intensity, as a reflection of the philosophies and practices it is derived from. This meditation is only the beginning for Hall, as she emerges into her own language outside of more commercial work, and plans to return to Japan. “I have yet to return for the next part of the project, which will look deeper into the more subversive chaos that lies between the lines of the controlled society.”

Red Patience opens at Have A Butchers, 17th April to 1st of May 2026