Koryu?

[Hudson69]

What does this term mean and how do you get it?

 

[dancingalone]

It roughly means traditional or classical. In terms of Japanese martial arts, the term koryu generally refers to systems that can trace back prior to the arbitrary year of 1876 when the samurai class were banned from carrying swords. Thus the usual candidates for koryu classification include some jujutsu and bujutsu systems. Obvious gendai (modern) martial arts systems include karate, aikido, judo, and kendo.

 

[Ken Morgan]

In the sword arts koryu (old school) relates to most of the sword schools currently out there. They have detailed histories and lineages’ going back centuries. In theory, what you learn today, is what was taught hundreds of years ago.

Anything “newer” is not considered koryu.

My iaido, my Sensei is affiliated with the Canadian Kendo Federation, (CKF) which is in turn affiliated with the All Japan Kendo Federation, (ZNKR) in Japan. Through them we learn techniques known as Seiteigata. These kata were formalized over the last 40 years, and are not considered koryu.

We learn both setiei and koryu in class.

 

[Chris Parker]

Hey Hudson,

I missed this earlier...

Dancingalone is pretty much there, but I'll add a bit.

Koryu literally means "Old School/Flow" (Ko = old, Ryu = school/style/flow). It refers to Japanese systems that have origins predating the Meiji Restoration of 1862. Gendai systems are those that have origins after this date.

These systems can be expansive, covering a large syllabus, or highly specialised, depending on the Ryu-ha itself. There really is no one "model" for Koryu. Some of the most famous include Tenshinsho Den Katori Shinto Ryu, which dates from the 15th Century, and is considered the oldest extant system of swordsmanship in Japan, Takenouchi Ryu, considered the oldest systematised school of Jujutsu, Negishi Ryu, a school focusing on Shuriken, Owari Kan Ryu and Hozoin Ryu Takeda-ha, both teaching spearmanship, Toda-ha Buko Ryu, Yoshin Ryu, Jikishinkage Ryu, and Tendo Ryu who teach Naginata, Araki Ryu and Yagyu Shingan Ryu, teaching a variety of methods, Kashima Shinryu, Hyoho Niten Ichi Ryu, Yagyu Shinkage Ryu, and Jigen Ryu teaching swordsmanship, and much much more. A number of these schools have various branches (such as Araki Ryu, Takenouchi Ryu, Jigen Ryu etc), but others are very definate on a single transmission through a single line (such as Hyoho Niten Ichi Ryu and Katori Shinto Ryu).

In terms of "how do you get it", do you mean how is something classified as a Koryu tradition? Simply, it has origins prior to 1862, and is Japanese. That's about it. However, how you become a member of a Koryu organisation, well that is a different matter. It involves subjecting the Ryu to the organisation in question in order to have them verify the lineage or history, apply to the organisation, and in some cases, pay to be a member (others don't require this). As a note, however, not being a member of an organisation doesn't mean the system isn't a Koryu (I believe the Kashima Shinryu, under Kunii Zen'ya, refused to be a member of a Koryu organisation as he disagreed with some political issues).

 

[Tez3]

There's a TKD in the next town up from me that's called Koryu TKD, that would be incorrect on a couple of levels then?

 

[Chris Parker]

Oh dear sweet lord in heaven, ruler of all above and below, king of the wonderment and firmament deigned to sit amongst us, YES!!!

("Koryu TKD.... grumble grumble grumble.... mutter mutter mutter.... many censored words..... more censored words.....")

PS Unless they mean "Koryo TKD", which if I remember correctly is one of the forms?

 

[Sukerkin]

Aye, it would . Mixing cultures and lineage like that makes about as much sense as Ye Olde Kung-Fu .

 

[dancingalone]

There's a TKD in the next town up from me that's called Koryu TKD, that would be incorrect on a couple of levels then?

I've seen 'Koryo' also romanized as Koryu which might be the source of confusion for you.
Koryo is the name for a royal dynasty of one of the ancient Korean kingdoms. Kukkiwon TKD has a pattern (the 1st dan one) named likewise to honor this part of Korean history.

 

[Sukerkin]

A-ha! Not so mixed up as we feared then .

 

[Tez3]

Except it's spelt Koryu. Not my confusion though.

 

[Bruno@MT]

There's a TKD in the next town up from me that's called Koryu TKD, that would be incorrect on a couple of levels then?

Oh Lawd...
:lfao:

Words cannot begin to describe the number of levels on which this absurd and hilarious.
I'll have to tell my sensei later today.

 

[Flying Crane]

a bit like calling Capoeira, "Brazilian Kung Fu", eh?

 

[clfsean]

a bit like calling Capoeira, "Brazilian Kung Fu", eh?

American karate?

 

[Supra Vijai]

American karate?

Hey it could exist! I mean there is the American ninja after all

 

[clfsean]

Hey it could exist! I mean there is the American ninja after all

Oh trust me... it exists... on almost every block & strip mall in America. It really does... :barf:

 

[Rayban]

This is like playing scrabble with as many cultures as possivle