Among Japan’s martial arts, there is one sword tradition often called “the oldest surviving school” — Katori Shinto-ryu (香取神道流). It is said to have been founded by Iizasa Ienao in the Muromachi period (15th century), making it a koryu (classical martial art) with nearly 600 years of continuous history.
What Is Koryu Swordsmanship?
“Koryu” (古流) refers to schools established before the modern era that have preserved their original forms as they were handed down. While modern Kendo evolved around competitive sparring using the shinai and protective armor, Katori Shinto-ryu preserves the practical form of classical swordsmanship through fixed kata practiced with the bokken (wooden sword) and live blade.
A Comprehensive Martial Art Beyond the Sword
Although its name means “swordsmanship,” Katori Shinto-ryu is actually a comprehensive system covering the sword (tachi), spear (yari), naginata, staff techniques, and unarmed grappling (jujutsu). This range reflects the needs of the samurai era, when a warrior who lost their weapon on the battlefield had to respond bare-handed or switch to a different weapon depending on the situation.
The Meaning of Kata Practice
Katori Shinto-ryu training consists of two partners repeating a fixed sequence of forms together. At first, even memorizing the movements can be difficult, but with repetition, a natural sense of distance (ma-ai), timing, and body alignment for swinging the sword develops on its own. Because it isn’t competitive sparring, practitioners can continue training well into old age with a low risk of injury.
Its Relationship to Aikido
It’s well known that Aikido’s founder, Morihei Ueshiba, was influenced by several koryu martial arts, and the circular movement and body-axis principles of swordsmanship overlap significantly with the movements of Aikido. For this reason, some Aikido dojos teach Katori Shinto-ryu alongside Aikido, drawing out how the principles of the two arts complement one another.
For First-Time Practitioners
There’s no need to worry if you’ve never held a bokken before. Katori Shinto-ryu is structured to be learned step by step, starting from basic stances and basic cutting motions, and the process of learning to handle a sword itself brings significant benefits for focus and posture.