It is a Japanese term that refers to a martial art of originating in the Ryūkyū Islands, which studies the use of traditional wooden or metal weapons.

Previously he was known as Ryūkyū Kobujutsu 琉球古武術 (Lit. “Ryūkyū’s ancestral martial technique”) although now the term used is Kobudō (KO for old or ancient, BU for weapon or warrior and DŌ for path or spiritual path) – ancient way of arms or warrior.

In Japan, the term “Kobudō” is used to refer to any traditional martial art (for example, the fencing school Tenshin Shōden Katori Shintō-ryū where various traditional and classical weapons from the samurai heritage are trained), but outside of Japan generally refers to the use of different traditional weapons from the island of Okinawa; being Kobudō, the martial art practiced together with ancient karate. In some schools of some styles of Karate, Kobudō is still included in the training program, whereas today Karate and Kobudō are generally taught separately.

TOKUSHINRYU KOBUDŌ

沖縄徳身流古武道

Corresponds to the system created by Master Kensho Tokumura who, after 50 years of combined training of Karate & Kobudō, decides to develop his own system based on his experience, learning and own vision. Tokushinryū Kobudō is an eclectic system that is based on the traditional weapons of Okinawa which emphasize powerful technique utilizing Chinkuchi チンク. It is a blend of traditional Okinawan weaponry including obscure weapons that were historically in danger of being lost.

TOKUMURA KENSHO SENSEI

Born on October 25, 1941, in Heshikiya Village, Katsuren Okinawa, Master Kensho Tokumura impresses to this day for his imposing energy and passion in transmitting his Kobudo.

In 1956 he began his first steps in martial art through Shorinji Ryu taught at the school he attended, until a year later he decided to visit the founder of Isshinryū Karate, Tatsuo Shimabuku sense at his Agena dojo, becoming in his student until the day of the teacher’s death on May 30, 1975.

After years of training, Tokumura sensei would study Kobudō under the tutelage of Master Eisuke Akamine who was the successor of the legendary and well-known Shinken Taira sensei. In October 1987 Tokumura Sensei left Isshinryū to study Gojuryu Karate at the Jundokan in Naha under Miyagi Chojun student, Miyazato Eiichi Sensei.

“With over 50 years of martial arts experience, Tokumura Sensei has developed his own style of Okinawa Kobudō. It is called “Tokushinryu Kobudo” by his direct students because many of the kata bear the name “Tokushin”. The name utilizes the first kanji of Tokumura Sensei’s name “Toku” 徳 and the kanji for “shin” 身 which means “body” or “oneself” and refers to his (Tokumura Sensei’s) personal Kobudo”

On April 28, 2001, Tokumura sensei was promoted to Hanshi, Kudan (9th Degree Black Belt), by the Ryukyu Traditional Kobujutsu Preservation Budō Association endorsed by it’s President Nakamoto Yoshikazu. In March 2019 Tokumura Sensei was promoted to Hanshi, Judan (10th Degree Black Belt), by the Ryūkyū Traditional Kobujūtsu Preservation Budo Association under the leadership of Nakamoto Kiichi Sensei.

TOKUSHINRYU KOBUDŌ WEAPONS 徳身流古武道

Tichu – Tekko – Tōnfa – Ekū – Kama – Bō – Nunti Bō – Sai – Nunti Sai – Tinbe Rochin – Sansetsukōn – Gusan (Sanchaku bō) – Bachi

TOKUSHINRYU KOBUDŌ KATA 徳身流古武道形

Tokumine no kon

Tokushin no bo

Tokushin no nunti bo

Tokushin no yari

Tokushin no tekko

Tokushin no eku

Tokushin no tichu

Tokushin no sansetsukon

Hamahiga no tonfa

Mohagama

Chatanyara no sai

Tokushin no nunti sai

Tokushin no tinbe rochin

Tokushin no gusan

Tokushin no taiko bachi

In addition to the kata curriculum, a specific syllabus of 2 sets of Kihon per weapon provides to all the kobudō student with a smooth transition into the more advanced kata. This curriculum was implemented by the Tokushinryu Europe group and today it is systematically developed also in the Tokushinryu South America group.

TOKUSHINRYU KOBUDŌ EUROPE

Source: http://www.tokushinryukobudo.eu

The organisation led by Lars Andersen Sensei (Tokushinryu Kobudō Roku dan, Denmark) dates approximately 2011 when he and Mads Nørby trained under the tutelage of Tokumura Kensho Sensei. Later in 2012, Lars sensei visit Jeff Perkins in the EEUU, who is the highest ranking student of Tokumurasenseim who begins the process of adjusting and correcting his kata. A month later in Katsuren village, Okinawa, the International Tokushinryu Kobudo Embukai takes place, with representatives from the US, mainland Japan and Europe with Lars sensei as a representative.

Until the 2013 the Tokushinryu style was a part of Tokumura sensei’s Isshinryu Tomonokai, a friendship association created by Tokumura Sensei’s old Isshinryu students and close friends. But as of 2013, the style began to receive students from a variety of different styles of karate such as Gojuryu, Shorinryu, Shotokan, Shitoryu, Kyokushinkai, and other kinds of Budō such as Jujutsu, therefore Tokumura Sensei decided to form Tokushinryu Kobudo USA and Canada under Jeff Perkins sensei who is also the technical director of Tokushinryu Kobudō and in charge of all Godan, rokudan and Renshi promotions outside Okinawa and Japan. Lars Andersen Sensei was given the responsibility of Tokushinryu KobudōEurope and Nagira Keizo sensei for Japan. Tokumura Sensei runs the Tokushinryu Kobudo Sohonbu in Okinawa and oversees the different groups.

Currently Tokushinryu Europe brings together practitioners from Denmark, Romania, Germany, Italy and Sweden, who work diligently on the development of the style founded by Tokumura Sensei, gathering at least twice a year at two official events held in Denmark:

Tokushinryu Kobudō Summer Camp & Tokumura Cup, organised for the first time in 2016 by Lasse Jensen Sensei and Dorthe Jensen Sensei from the Nakskov Shibu.
Tokushinryu Kobudō Winter Camp & Tokushinryu Cup, organised for the first time in 2017 by Anders Uhrenfelt Sensei and his crew from the Valby Shibu in Copenhagen.
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TOKUSHINRYU KOBUDŌ IN SWEDEN

It takes place withing the personal project of Diego Rodriguez Sensei who moved from Copenhagen after living there for a year, which spend training under the tutelage of Jan Overgaard sensei (Tokushinryu Kobudo san dan) who carried out the special training program with the aim of levelling, correcting and teaching the Tokushinryu Kobudō Europe technical program to Diego Sensei.

BO -TEKKO KUMITE

BO – TEKKO BUNKAI – JAN OVERGAARD & THE AUTHOR

THE AUTHOR & JAN OVERGAARD – TONNI NORSLEV

SANSETSUKON – BO BUNKAI

SAI BUNKAI

TIMBE ROSHI BUNKAI

MOHA GAMA

JAN OVERGAARD – THE AUTHOR

TRAINING SESSION DURING THE VISIT OF SEISHINKAN STUDENT FROM CHILE

Currently and after almos 4 years in the Scandinavian country, in may 2021 kobudō classes officially begin at the Seishinkan Budo headquarters, leaving behind the days of systematic outdoor training that brought together enthusiastic karate and kobudō practitioners.