In the Heian (794-1185) is already talking about fencing schools, the so-called Kyo-ryu Kyoto or schools that were the preserve of only noble.
Of these pieces that do not remain. The school Shinkage (ideograms that mean education) that uses swords blades are longer than one metre and winds, today Entire Japan only six students, while the other (gikyo ryu, ki-ichi hogen ryu, January ryu, kurama ryu) survive only elaborations tarde.
The real schools in what is today called kobudo (but that goes with different names as hei-ho), or more generally ko-ryu (old school) are composed schools, where the teaching includes all weapons, if between schools and school can see differences or preferences on this or quell'arma. Fundamental basis of the whole teaching is almost always the sword, which addresses gradually the various weapons, of which the most popular are naginata (halberd), the long stick (rokuskaku bo), yari (launches) and the short sword (kodachi ) used alone or with that long.
The various weapons and long may also tough with each other in what is an intermediate level, while each ryu study also complementary weapons, usually weapons as jitte court, the range war, shuriken, kusari-range or ju jutsu. Completing all notions of strategy, geomancy, behaviour.
The ryu may be located in a school independent and open to the public, or linked to a particular clan and taught in this. The ryu is a set but closed articulated, which meets around the figure of soke, caposcuola. Each soke appoint its successor, although generally the trend is to make it a family tradition. An old adage suggests the soke to have girls, so they can marry their best pupil adopting it.
The traditional teaching is done through kata run in single or opponents (kajo or kumidachi) and generally include at least three levels: omote (positive apparent), ura (negative, hidden), okuden (secret) which corresponds to the delivery of various degrees that contain the names of corresponding techniques and principles, always in a language that only the initiated can understand. They are used weapons of wood that can be extremely dangerous, and in some ryu insisting on the danger of training as an integral part warrior.
Claudio Set

(Dall'Enciclopedia stretch of martial arts for sale through the portal)

This article was translated by a machine translation software and not by one person.