Kobu Shin Ryu is just what the name implies. It translates into English as “Classical Martial Art, New School”. We are not a traditional koryu or old school with hundreds of years of direct recorded history. We are what is known as a gendai or modern era school. Our methods and techniques were created by Ray Hall, based on his many years of experience in the Japanese arts, to compliment our other honbu arts. They represent his interpretation of how these techniques would have been taught and practiced by the bushi.

The Kobu Shin Ryu syllabus includes individual practice of kata to gain familiarity of the weapon as well as practice proper technique. We practice kumitachi and kata (prearranged forms with two people using bokken) to teach proper movement, distance, and timing. We also utilize tameshigiri (practice cutting) to ensure that the techniques that each student learns are true. In addition, traditional Japanese protocol, discipline, and an understanding of Japanese sword nomenclature and commands are instilled in each student primarily as means of ensuring safety and order during practice, and to instill a sense of the culture that originated this great art.