OBUDO means OLD MARTIAL ART.    Under this terminology, many techniques find their place, and the term has often and paradoxically been used to designate the weapon techniques of Okinawa : nunchaku, sai, tonfa, etc... that have never actually been the weapons used by samuraïs.        The weapons we learn to handle are those of a warrior, and the techniques, taught today come from a very old school,

nominated as a "cultural heritage of the District of CHIBA (Japan)", The Tenshin Shoden Katori Shintô Ryu. This school was founded by Iizaza Choisaï Iyenao in the middle of the 15th century, and has unquestionably endured until our time. ithin the scope of Aïkibudo, we study and practice the traditional Katori Shintô Ryu under the direction of Master SUGINO, the oldest of those Masters, and also the IAI JUTSU YOSEIKAN SHINTÔ RYU of this historical school.       The Kobudo participants in France wear the white keikogi up to the second kyu included. Once the first kyu exam passed, they wear the dark blue hakama. From the first dan, they wear a black or blue shirt. Kobudo is one of the traditional components of Aïkibudo and stands next to the bare hand techniques of the Art; similarly, it has a strong potential for evolving practices.    It encompasses the techniques of Japanese sword, called KATANA, (Ken Jutsu and Iaï Jutsu), of sticks (Bo Jutsu), and lance (Naginata Jutsu et Yari Jutsu) and many other weapons.    eaching is made through Kata (fixed sequence of mouvements) between the teacher and the student. Each Kata corresponds to a lesson. The teacher always use a wood sword (Bokken), while the student learns how to handle all the weapons available of the school.        The student start with the learnin of Maki uchi, a kind of strike rolled over the arm,that he'll end up repeating so many times during his practice. He also learns the fundamental positions (Kamae). Tehn comes the first educational kata (Ken No Kata) that is design for the practice of elementary techniques.     Thereafter, he starts a long training to all the techniques of the school.During the first years, he will have to insist on the sabre (in ken-jutsu and iai-jutsu) and to initiate himself simply with the long weapons like Bo and Naginata. It is only after the 1st Dan, that he will have to complete is training by also controlling the long weapons and the role of the professor.        At the end of several years, when the practitioner shows his serious and of his attachment to the school, he will be able to receive the teaching of the higher principles, the GOKUY, through series of others katas and by also learning the handling of other weapons (techniques with the two sabres, techniques with the short sabre, use of the Yari, the long right lance).