Among the hundreds of traditional schools that have developed in Japan over the centuries, as usually distinguish four main schools that had their greatest popularity between the fourteenth and fifteenth century:

Nen ryu: considering the oldest style founded, we say around 1200 by a mythical monaco jion, now extinct and Only variant Maniwa-nen (style of the village of Maniwa), whose precepts are:
1) the kempo (method of sword) is an art of self;
2) the kempo must preserve human life, not destroy it;
3) the kempo is an art that is in peace, not in defeat of the enemy.
Chujo ryu: founded by Chujo Nagahide (1380 approx) councillor of Shogun Ashikaga Yo-shimitsu. From this style has developed Itto ryu, founded by Itto Ittosai Kagehisa (1540). Itto ryu basis of two techniques were missing today: musoken (technique dream) and hossato (hit went on), while the one that was sent is kiri otoshi where opinion on coup opponent and hit become a whole.
One of the requirements for being accepted is defined with the words shin-ki-ryoku (mind, inner strength and energy). The purpose of being isshin itto (sword and mind are one). A disciple of Ittosai, Ono Tadaaki (1559-1628) will become master of the sword of the first Shogun Togukawa. The Itto ryu Ono has had great influence on modern kendo.

Shinto ryu: tenshin shoden katori of Shinto Iiezasa Ienao said Choisai (1386-1488), is the oldest style still exists, which gave rise to the style kashima, in turn amended by Tsukahara Bokuden (1490-1571) in Bokuden ryu , whose fundamental precept is hitotsu tachi ( "talks" whose secret is now deceased); Bokuden later developed the mutekatsu ryu school of victory or without hands. A epigono of Bokuden: Muzzle Gonnosuke, having defeated Miyamoto Musashi in a friendly duel, then in turn founded the shindo muzzle ryu jo of which is taken from the jodo seitei kata. The style has several lessons katori above one of which is tsubame gaeshi.

Kage ryu style or "shadow" perhaps founded by Aisu Hyuga no kami Iko (1452-1538), as amended by then Ise no kami Nobutsuna (student also katori Shinto - 1508-1591?) That gave life to shinkage ryu or new style dell'ombra he sent the Yagyu family through Yagyu Muneyoshi (1528-1606) who was a master of the sword shogun Ashikaga. His son, Yagyu Munenori Tajima no kami (1571-1646), became one of the masters of the sword of the second shogun Togukawa; was especially expert in the techniques of silent ryu (without sword) razorožitvijo armed opponents. After him, the school is divided into two branches, known as Edo (led by direct descendants of Munenori and Mitsuyoshi said Jubei) and Owari or Bushu, led by Yagyu Toshiyoshi, who had received the transmission from Muneyoshi grandfather.
E 'by a student of Nobutsuna, Hikida Bungoro - or Toyogoro - (1537-1606) who attributes the invention of the first type of shinai, fukuro shinai or hiki hada shinai: a leather sheath containing various reeds. The same founded after the Hikida kage ryu. Hikida is also considered one of the four "king of swords" of the time, along with Shingo Izu no kami his pupil, and Yagyu Munenori Kurando Marume of taisha ryu. The precepts of Yagyu shikage ryu are still secret and are represented by the phrase "the waters of the River of the West". The fame of this style valicò the sea and is the only Japanese style studied in China, where it is not mentioned Wu Pei Shih Mao Yuan (1561).
Among the myriad of other styles (about seven hundred during the Edo) include:

Niten ichi ryu, also known as emmei ryu: a particular style founded by Miyamoto Musashi (1584-1645), famous for how to use two swords. The concept which is no iwao mi (body as a rock).

Araki ryu: founded by Araki Mataemon (1594-1637) trained in martial arts by Yagyu Mitsuyoshi and protagonist of a tragic vengeance that has inspired several plays.

Jikishin kage ryu: Heizaemon founded by Yamada (who died in 1758) who first developed the practice with regular shinai and protections. After having been the most prominent style towards the end of the Edo, is now virtually disappeared and remains one of kata figure symbolising the four seasons called Hojo.

Abe ryu: founded by Abe Gorodaiyu (around 1668) a student of taisha ryu who first used the name kendo as an example of a style of fencing based more on training the mind and moral than pure technique. A concept then also used nell'heijo muteki ryu of Yamanouchi Renshisai.

Mugai ryu: founded in 1695.

Nakanishi has Itto ryu: founded by Nakanishi Chutaro (around 1751) that modified the municipality ate (now do) and made the kote and shinai similar to those today.
Shindo Muso ryu: founded by Gonnosuke Muzzle, which uses as a weapon main jo, the average stick with which the founder has Musashi defeated in a friendly duel. In addition to jo are studied in the school's sword style shinto katori, jitte, kusari range of Isshin-ryu and art to tie the pringionieri. This style has been, since the Meiji, the official style of the clan and Kuroda kept secret in this.

Hozoin yari ryu style based on launches, typical of Kokufuji Hozoin monastery, which was his home. The method has been improved by Kakuzen-bo, a pupil also Ise-no-kami Nobutsuna, who changed his story after launching noted the image reflected on the cross of a sickle moon.

Jigen ryu: founded by Togo Bizen no kami (1563-1643), considered the official Satsuma style, classic example of positive style.

At these styles, born on the battlefield all used the so-called style "positive" that are acting to win sull'avversario. At half the peaceful Edo period and regulated, however, developed a different style called "vacuous" whose dictates are summarized in suki or mitsukeru (careful of the error). In a famous episode, Yagyu Mitsuyoshi said Jubei (1607-1650), the famous son of Yagyu Tajima guercio no kami, champion style positive after asking permission to shogun, sfidò seven advocates style vacuous, and sputando their insultandoli him; an arm cut two of them killing a third party, while the other four we were to flee.
Until that time was still fairly frequent duels between representatives of different schools using real weapons or bokken (taryu shiai) but the government bandì them as a result of incidents that occurred.
Nowadays kobujutsu and ancient styles (ko-ryu) generally have few followers. The traditional teaching, which requires to live with the teacher and serving assorbendone teaching almost by osmosis is virtually disappeared as, moreover, has disappeared the need to learn the handling of weapons.
To these factors must be added the fact that, immediately after the Meiji restoration and the beginning of the century, there was a period of abandonment of traditional martial arts and that many teachers, discouraged by the change in their world, were unable or unwilling appoint successors, causing the abandonment of many styles glorious. Others have died in various wars, others, humiliated by the prohibition of the American invaders, to practice, have simply abandoned the art.
On the other hand, there are also those who still believe in the values of spiritual development of old schools and is willing to undergo the iron discipline and the path almost initiatory passing through a hard practice designed to enrich over time the personality of the individual. Traditions are maintained, and sometimes can be disconcerting to the uninitiated, as can be disconcerting evidence that it is suddenly subjected to control the level of progression, or the fact that only after years of hard work will be officially accepted in school, by binding to it forever. Moreover, the practice of real schools kobujutsu and kobudo outside dell'infarinatura necessary for the warrior, has always been deliberately selective and meritocratic much to say that it was far better to have one student valid one thousand mediocre.
Today is the case, and many schools survive in Japan with a handful of followers who are trying on the one hand to maintain the tradition as they received, and the other study because the style best ever, remain vital and effective.
Strangely some styles were developed in the West. In Italy currently are taking some styles as katori Shinto, yagyu shinkage, muzzle shinden, oki ryu, shindo muzzle ryu, as opposed to notions of who has itto ono-ryu and jikishin kage. Like everywhere, even in this world there are strange characters who have more or less autonominati masters and from which we must look, but there are also, fortunately, people set out the correct history of this fascinating set of teachings.
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)