Koryu sword work in N. Atlanta...

[Kendoguy9]

Hello Carolyn, Sillal et al,

I'm sorry I should have provided more information. If you dig a little deeper on the site you will find they are associated with Chozenji from Hawaii and Chicago. This temple was set up by Omori Sogen Roshi, and one of the arts practiced besides zazen and shodo is Jikishinkage-ryu kenjutsu. They practice the first scroll of the ryu which is called Hojo. Most people of the group simply call their practice Hojo training. One of my Daito-ryu teachers in Japan studied the Hojo with Omori Sogen Roshi. I think Kondo sensei's dojo was even given it's name by Omori Sogen Roshi. It is most certianly an "internal" style of kendo, if such a thing exists. These guys have some of the best breath control and kiai I have ever seen! Being on the other end of the bokuto will make you want to drop your cookies! If I understand the lineage though, Mr. Sogen was a junior line of the ryu. The late Namiki Yasushi (sic?) sensei was the last headmaster.

Check out these links for more information on Mr. Sogen:

http://www.izs.org/newsite/programs/chozenjizen.htm

http://www.izs.org/newsite/about/Omori_Sogen.htm

http://www.shinjinkai.org/ztai.html

For more on Yamada sensei (15th headmaster) check out Draeger's "Modern Bujutsu and Budo," there is a lot about him in there.

To see Mr. Sogen in action the koryu video series (sorry don't know what it's called) has him doing the Hojo and Kodachi scrolls. It's likenothing you've seen before.

And before you discount Shinkendo check out the dojo. I formally practiced the art for two years and what I learned, I am still applying it to nearly everything I do in budo. Obata sensei is no joke! His art is solid and his personal skills are second to none. His tameshigiri is some of the finest I've ever seen! Is it koryu? No. Is it like Koryu? Maybe? Will you be good with a sword after years of study? Ohhhh Yeeeaaaahhhhhh!

Enjoy!

[Kaoru]

Hi Christopher-san,

Thank you very much for explaining more! I did look all over the site, but only got more confused. I just am not familiar with the terms I found there. What you said was very interesting. I'll check out those links too. Thank you for unconfusing me.
I appreciate it!

Though I do wish they'd put more info on their site as to who they learned this JSA from, etc. and more background information too, on the art. It would make it less confusing! Oh well. Thank you very much again!

[Kendoguy9]

Hello all,

There was recently a post on another thread by Mr. Jake McKee, that seemed relevant. Here is the link:
http://www.e-budo.com/vbulletin/show...?threadid=4074

The video I mentioned is the "Nihon Kobudo" video. It seems Omori Sogen Roshi's top guy in Hawaii is Tanouye Tenshin Roshi.

Hope this helps,

[renfield_kuroda]

Omori Sogen also practiced Mugairyu, and the same Mugairyu lineage has a study group in Chicago:
http://www.shinjinkai.org/mugairyu.html

There are a couple of students in that study group who are from Atlanta, I believe.

Regards,

r e n

[tomtom]

I realise that this is quite an old thread but thought this would be relevant to someone who searched for this topic on google (as I did and found it)
There is a Tenshin Shoden Katori Shinto Ryu in Atlanta. www.atlantakatori.com is the website.
They have been active for over a decade now but try to maintain a low profile. I did see their demonstration at the JapanFest for a couple of years. Sadly they did not hold one last year.
Hope this helps.