About Naked Blade: A Manual of Samurai Swordsmanship
For more than a thousand years, Samurai swordsmen were universally regarded with a mixture of fear and awe. Even the mighty Kublai Khan must have marvelled at their power as he watched his Mongul invaders, literally cut to pieces when he threw them against the shores of 14th century Japan. Toshishiro Obata is a swordsman in this tradition; the techniques that he teaches are those of his samurai ancestors, swift, dignified and deadly.
Excerpt
Since interest in the martial arts of Japan first developed in the West, it has always been assumed that the true art of swordsmanship died out around the time of the Meiji Restoration, or perhaps shortly afterwards when the wearing of swords by the Samurai was forbidden. Indeed, some historians would suggest that following the battle of Sekigahara in 1600, practical swordsmanship went into a decline during the peaceful Tokugawa years, from which it never recovered. The conclusion being therefore, that the art of practical swordsmanship died long before the late 19th century.
Fortunately for this and future generations, neither is true. In 1875, as the Meiji era began and Japan stood on the threshold of its modern industrialised future, the Toyama Gakko was established under the new order and proved subsequently to be just the vehicle to preserve and carry the age old art of swordsmanship into the twentieth century.
About Toshishiro Obata
Toshishiro Obata (小 幡 利 城) was born in 1948 in Gunma prefecture, Japan, and is the founder of the International Shinkendo Federation.
He studied under Shioda Gozo in the Yoshinkan Honbu Dojo, and studied the sword arts of Nakamura Ryu, Ioriken Battojutsu, Toyama Ryu, Yagyu Shinkage Ryu, Kashima Shin ryu, Ryukyu Kobudo, and others. He is well-known in Japan as a tameshigiri champion for several years in a row and is an authorized shitoka (sword tester).
He moved to America in 1980 to start teaching and to develop his own sword art, based on his extensive experience. In 1991, the International Shinkendo Federation was officially established. The federation has grown to about 60 dojo internationally, and continues to expand. Toshishiro Obata, as the founder of the school, is referred to as Obata Kaiso by his students, and continues to travel across the globe to hold seminars for his students around the world.