Hiragana こりゅう | Revised Hepburn Koryū and Kobudō | |
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Kanji 古流 (Koryū) or
古武道 (Kobudō) | ||
Koryū (古流, old style) and kobudō (古武道, ancient martial arts) are Japanese terms that are used to describe Japanese martial arts that predate the Meiji restoration (1868). The term is contrasted with Gendai budo "modern martial arts" (or shinbudo "new martial arts") which refer to schools developed after the Meiji Restoration.
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Distinction
In Japanese, kobudō 古武道 and ko-ryū 古流 are normally treated as synonyms (for example, All Japan Kendo Federation,). In English, the International Hoplology Society makes a distinction between kobudō and ko-ryū concerned the origin and the difference between the ranking of priorities concerning combat, morals, discipline and/or aesthetic form.
Description of Koryū
This term literally translates as "old school" (ko—old, ryū—school) or "traditional school". Koryū is also a general term for Japanese schools of martial arts that predate the Meiji Restoration (1868) which sparked major socio-political changes and led to the modernization of Japan.
The system of koryū is considered in following priorities order: 1) combat, 2) discipline 3) morals.
Description of Kobudō
Kobudō (古武道, kobudō) is a Japanese term for a system that can be translated as 古(old) 武(martial) 道(way) "old martial art"; the term appeared in the first half of the seventeenth century. Kobudō marks the beginning of the Tokugawa period (1603-1868) also called the Edo period, when the total power was consolidated by the ruling Tokugawa clan.
The system of kobudō is considered in following priorities order: 1) morals, 2) discipline 3) aesthetic form.
Okinawan kobudō
Kobudō can also be used to refer to Okinawan kobudō where it describes collectively all Okinawan combative systems. These are entirely different and basically unrelated systems. The use of the term kobudō should not be limited, as it popularly is, to the describing of the ancient weapons systems of Okinawa.