Katori Shinto Ryu Books & DVDs

Tenshin Shoden Katori Shinto Ryu (天真正伝香取神道流) is one of Japan's oldest and most prestigious martial arts schools, with a documented history dating back to 1447. Founded by Iizasa Choisai Ienao in the Katori region of what is now Chiba Prefecture, the school is considered a living cultural treasure of Japan.

After extensive training and military service, Iizasa secluded himself at the Katori Shrine for dedicated prayer and martial study. According to tradition, after 1000 days of ascetic practice, the deity of the shrine appeared to him in a dream and transmitted secret fighting techniques and strategic principles. These revelations formed the foundation of Katori Shinto Ryu.

The school's curriculum encompasses a comprehensive battlefield system including kenjutsu (swordsmanship), iaijutsu (sword drawing), bojutsu (staff techniques), naginatajutsu (glaive), sojutsu (spear), jujutsu (unarmed combat), and gunpo (military strategy). Throughout its history, the school has maintained strict secrecy about its advanced techniques, requiring formal blood oaths from students.

For centuries, Katori Shinto Ryu was transmitted exclusively within Japan, primarily among samurai families. Unlike many koryu (classical martial arts), it survived the Meiji Restoration and modernization of Japan largely intact. In 1960, the Japanese government designated it an Intangible Cultural Asset.

Under its 20th-century headmasters, particularly Yoshio Sugino and Risuke Otake, the school gradually opened to international students while maintaining its traditional teaching methods. Today, Katori Shinto Ryu preserves its ancient kata (formal patterns) and philosophical principles, serving as a living connection to Japan's martial heritage.

The school continues under the leadership of the current headmaster (soke), with branches established in various countries while maintaining strict standards of authenticity. Practitioners still train with wooden weapons in patterns dating back centuries, making it one of the most historically authentic martial traditions still practiced today.