Shinko-ryu Shinkenjutsu houses an evolving compendium of waza (techniques) drawn from rigorous exploration, research, and hands-on pressure testing. Each technique showcased here has earned its place in the curriculum through extensive trial, refinement, and validation in combative practice. What you see is not theoretical: these are techniques forged through countless hours of experimentation and live application.

Our ryuha integrates common-core movements and foundational concepts from traditional Japanese systems such as Itto-ryu, Katori Shinto-ryu, Yagyu Shinkage-ryu, and Kashima Shinto-ryu, while also incorporating elements of Kendo to strengthen our understanding of timing, rhythm, and athletic fencing dynamics. In parallel, we draw insights from European fencing manuscripts, including the works of masters such as Liechtenauer, Fiore, Meyer, and Hutton, particularly in the contexts of longsword and saber. Shinko-ryu synthesizes these diverse influences into a cohesive, practical system of Japanese swordsmanship, one that is firmly rooted in tradition yet continuously evolving for the modern combat practitioner.

The videos and descriptions presented on this site are meant to introduce and archive each technique in visual form, but they are not a substitute for qualified instruction. Understanding the timing, maai (distancing), context, and tactical decision-making behind each movement requires training under certified Shinko-ryu instructors. These techniques should be practiced with caution and respect, especially when applied in live drills or sparring scenarios.

As we continue to grow, future updates will include in-depth breakdowns, historical commentary, and interactive diagrams to further illuminate the principles behind each waza.

Eight Stances

Chuudan (中段), Gedan (下段), Waki (脇), Hassou (八相), Jyodan (上段), Seigan (正眼), Seigedan (正下段), Jyodan Kasumi (上段霞), Chuudan (中段) [Reset]

Jyodan (上段), Gedan (下段), Waki (脇), Hassou (八相), Jyodan (上段), Seigan (正眼), Seigedan (正下段), Jyodan Kasumi (上段霞), Chuudan (中段) [Reset]

This is one of the three key elements of timing and initiative, often grouped with feint (katsugi) and execution (kake). You apply psychological and physical pressure to dominate your opponent and break their posture, composure, or intent before executing a strike. It consists of: 1) Intentional forward movement or body pressure to close distance, 2) Cutting into their mental space (killing their will to attack), 3) Probing their center line with the tip of your blade, 4) Controlling timing and rhythm to make them hesitate, 5) Breaking their kamae (posture) or spirit before you cut.

This is a category of ouji-waza that focuses on striking at the exact moment your opponent begins their attack, hitting them as they are just about to move or at the very “tip” of their intention. You don’t wait to block, nor do you preemptively strike without engagement. Instead, you: 1) Sense the moment your opponent initiates movement. 2) Strike into their action, often before they can finish their technique. 3) Land your strike cleanly while they are still committed and vulnerable. This creates a situation where your attack not only lands but overwhelms their attempt to strike, because their kamae is no longer secure.

Used when your opponent is holding guard or in a static kamae. This move involves sweeping your opponent’s blade off center with a small but strong slapping motion with your blade to clear a path, then immediately follow through with your intended strike. It’s an offensive "open the door" tactic meant to break your opponent's guard.

This is a classical disarming or blade control technique that combines wrapping and dropping actions to unbalance or dominate the opponent's sword.

A response to an incoming cut, but instead of binding, you use an upward deflection along the length of their sword (a glancing redirect), then immediately counter-attack. It’s a "slip and strike" method, slip their cut upward (すり上げ) and riposte. This technique remains on the same side of the opponent's blade. If the parry happens on the omote side of the blade, the counter attack is also dealt on the omote side of the opponent's blade against their kote or men.

Used to respond directly to an incoming cut. You bind or catch their attack on your sword and, in the same motion, reverse it back into your own counter-strike. It’s a reactive “turn their energy back on them” tactic. This technique parries on one side of the opponent's blade, but the counter attack is dealt to the opposite side of the opponent's blade against their kote, men or do. If a parry is done on the omote side, the counter attack will be dealt to the ura side.

A migi kesa-giri feint which compels the opponent to seigan or kasumi block only to have the cut miss connecting with the opponent’s blade. The kesa-giri flows past and quickly winds into a kesasengiri to strike the opponent with a kesa on the ura side.

This technique starts from the hidari waki-gamae. The kiriage will intercept any incoming downward cut attack starting from the opponent’s hassou or jyodan. Depending on the cutting angle, the techniques diverge after parrying with the kiriage. If the opponent is coming down with a migi kesa or shomen-giri, the riposte will be a kesa cut to the head. If the opponent is coming down with a hidari kesa, the kiriage stops and becomes a gyaku kasumi-zuki into the opponent’s head or torso.

One-handed thrusting technique where the sword is thrusted at the opponent from a distance with the left handed grip for maximum reach.

A sophisticated thrusting technique that exploits the curvature of the blade. During a clash or binding of blades, the attacker turns the blade so its spine is bound to the opponent’s omote side of the blade, giving the attacker the ability to push past the opponent’s blade. This maneuver leverages the concave curve of the spine to bypass the opponent’s parry or attack. The left hand rotates the tsuka approximately 90° counterclockwise in the right hand's loose, but controlled, grip. The right hand rotates slightly outwards so that the sword is held on the opposite side of the left hand, allowing this grip to be performed with armored gloves while maintaining a firm grip. Stepping forward to the right is usually recommended while performing this technique to prevent a double.

From any overhead or lunging strike at the opponent, the attacker’s blade is turned upwards suddenly into a kasumi “block” and is sent thrusting into the opponent, akin to longsword's Schielhau attack, but with the added benefit of the katana's spine curving around the opponent’s weapon. 

Following an initializing yoko or kiriage attack against the omote side while rushing in, roll the blade around under the opponent’s blade to create a steel wall akin to an ukenagashi to kaeshi strike to the ura side of the opponent. 

This is a horizontal pivoting cut that combines lateral movement with a rotational force. In this technique, the attacker pivots on the lead foot and swings the blade horizontally across the opponent’s head or body, and is often followed by alternating left-right cuts in rapid succession. The movement is designed to pressure the opponent with rapid snipes at openings on both left and right sides of their body whilst keeping the attacker in perpetual jyodan kasumi block position.

Similar to yokosengiri, the opening strike is dealt with a kesa, but is quickly transitioned to a pivot cut with a kiriage, usually aimed at the opponent’s hands.

A deceptive feinting technique that begins with the appearance of a migi kesa-giri, but ends with a hidari yoko-girl from the opposite direction. In kesa henka, the attacker steps forward with the right foot in ayumi-ashi and holding the sword in migi hassou to convince and prepare the defender for the kesa to come, luring the opponent into committing to a defensive move which is usually a hidari seigan. Without stopping, the attacker suddenly lunges forward with a left step and abruptly alters the trajectory of the blade into a hidari yoko-giri into the right side of the opponent’s torso. This sudden change in direction exploits the opponent’s anticipation, creating an opening for attack.

When doing a binding gyaku kasumi block on the ura side, tension is built up in the crossed arms like a coiled spring. The moment the bind is felt, the arms uncoil, rotating the blade 360° clockwise to the right, ending with the spine of the blade hooking into the flat of the opponent's blade and throwing their blade off to the side. This opens up the opponent for a riposte kesa-giri.

When binding against the opponent's blade with a seigan block on the omote side, a constant forward movement is necessary to lock the opponent's blade against the nook of where the tsuba meets the blade. While there is still forward momentum pressing in against the opponent, the arms pushes the opponent's blade up forwards and downwards to the right using the tsuba to wrench the opponent's blade aside, opening the opponent's head to a kashira punch or a yokosengiri.