Modern Bushido, Samurai Teachings for Modern Times
Obata Toshishiro is the founder and headmaster of Shinkendo Japanese swordsmanship. "Shin (True) - Ken (Sword) - Do (Way)" is a system of Japanese swordsmanship which incorporates all aspects of sword study: Suburi (swinging methods), Battoho (drawing methods), Tanren Kata (solo forms), Tachiuchi (sparring) and Tameshigiri (test-cutting). The Shinkendo World Headquarters is located in Los Angeles, CA, USA, where Obata-kaiso teaches full-time. Gunma prefecture, the birthplace of Obata Toshishiro, is known for producing famous swordsman, such as the notable Kamakura patriot Nitta Yoshisada, and the founder of the Shinkage school of swordsmanship, Kamiizumi Ise-no-kami Hidetsuna. Obata had been enamored with swordsmanship from a very young age and dreamed of studying it seriously someday. In 1966, the 18-year-old Obata set out to Tokyo to become a professional martial artist. Upon visiting the Yoshinkan dojo, he witnessed a demonstration by Honbu Shihan and became fascinated with aikido. Soon after, he was accepted as an uchideshi (literally, "house student," or live-in apprentice) under the late Master Shioda Gozo, and remained as such, teaching at Yoshinkan Honbu as well as universities, the Metropolitan Riot Police and the Japanese Self Defense Army for 7 years. Obata Toshishiro-kaiso is one of the most well-rounded and authentic martial artists in the field today. He is the Founder and Kaicho of the Aikibujutsu Tanren Kenkyukai, Founder and Chief Instructor of the Kokusai Toyama Ryu Renmei, and the Founder and Chief Instructor of the International Shinkendo Federation. In addition, Obata-kaiso has been translated important works published by the Hawley Private Library, such as "Mon"; "Bows, Arrows and Quiver"; "Token"; "Heiho Okugisho" and the "47 Samurai" (soon to be released). Obata-kaiso has also worked in the film industry writing screenplays, action coordinating and acting (appearing in movies such as Black Rain, Rage & Honor, Rising Sun, Demolition man, the Shadow, Showdown in Little Tokyo and the Hunted). He has also produced a number of martial arts videos, including Molten Fire, Crimson Steel, and Shinkendo Samurai Swordsmanship, and authored several books, including Naked Blade, Crimson Steel, Kama, and Samurai Aikijutsu, and more recently Shinkendo: Samurai Swordsmanship and Shinkendo Tameshigiri: Samurai Swordsmanship and Test-Cutting. On February 16th, 1994, Obata-kaiso performed a rare kabutowari (helmet-splitting) test. This traditional test employs the skill of a master swordsman to evaluate the strength of both sword and armor in the most direct way possible -- striking a kabuto (Japanese helmet) at full force. The resulting gash from Obata-kaiso's performance measured 13 cm, setting a world record. For 7 consecutive years Obata-kaiso was the All Japan Battodo Champion, Ioriken Battojutsu Champion for 5 years and Toyama Ryu All Japan Champion for 2 years. Some of Obata-kaiso's ranks include Menkyo Kaiden, Keisho Denju, Shihan, various certifications and a combined total of 75 dan rankings. * For more information about Obata-kaiso or Shinkendo, please read the interview "Origins of Shinkendo".