Master Taira Shinken (1897 - 1970) "The Father of Modern Kobudo" was a japanese martial artist, born on June 12th, 1897 on the island of Kumejima (KumeIsland) off of Japan. Shinken met the legendary Gichin Funakoshi in 1922 and being very impressed with his meeting and conversations with Master Funakoshi had became a student of the Master, and he became a Uchi-Deshi or live in student at Funakoshi's dojo. He studied hard eventually becoming an Assistant Instructor at Master Funakoshi's Dojo.

During Master Shinken's studies with Master Funakoshi they traveled extensively in the Kanto area promoting and demonstrating karate at several universities, including Nihon Medical University, Chuo University, Ritsumei University, and Meiji University. During these demonstrations Master Taira would often perform Tameshi Wari and could break as many as 6 boards at a time utilizing a shuto or knife hand strike. As a result of his rigorous training under Master Funakoshi his health was restored and his physique became that of a strongman.

In 1929, Taira began his studies of Ryūkyū Kobudo under Master Yabiku Moden, the main kobudo Master on the island of Okinawa at that time. .

In 1932, after studying Kobudo for three years and Karatedo for 10 years he received permission from his masters to open his own Dojo. Taira began to teach Karatedo and Kobudo in the quaint hot springs resort town of Ikaho, GunmaPrefecture.

Taira had an insatiable appetite for Budo knowledge. He continuously researched and assimilated his findings into a Kobudo system that remains to this day. It was because of this constant search for knowledge that, in 1933, Taira was introduced by Master Funakoshi to Mabuni Kenwa. In 1934, Taira became deshi of Mabuni.

In 1940 Master Taira Shinken opened a Kobudo Dojo in Naha, Okinawa. He also opened Dojos in Kantō and Kansai, two major districts of central Japan. In 1955 he established the Ryūkyū Kobudo Hozon Shinkokai, to promote the Ancient Okinawan Martial Arts as passed down to him by so many great masters.

In 1960 Fujita Seiko (1899-1966), the 14th head master of Koga ryu Ninjutsu, and the president of the Institute of Ancient Japanese Martial Arts Studies, bestowed an shihan menkyo (teachers license) on Taira Shinken in recognition of his dedication and contributions.

Taira Shinken is credited with bringing together many of the Okinawan's oldest and most prominent weapons traditions into one comprehensive system of weaponry training. He left behind a legacy as an innovator of combining unarmed and armed combat, as an inventor who developed the Manji Sai, and a brilliant martial artist.

Later in 1963 Taira formed the International Karate and Kobudo Coalition (Kokusai Karate Kobudo Renmei) and named Higa Seiko its first president. In the following year, 1964, and by popular demand, he published the first book on his research entitled RyukyuKobudo Taikan. With a brief explanation ofthe disciplines evolution the book, now out of print, illustrated a few kata (the bojutsu of Shushi andSesoko, the sai and tuifa of Hamahiga, and his own nunchakujutsu) and presented a few capsule biographies describing the most acclaimed masters. The book was intended to be the first of five publicationsdetailing the magnitude of his research however, due to failing health, the other four volumes were neverpublished. Later that year, after the book was published Taira Shinken was awarded his hanshi menkyo(masters certification) from the Zen Nippon Kobudo Renmei.

NOTE

In 1964 Tiara Shinken published an instructors manual called The Encylopedia of Okinawan Kobudo. In the manual he gives instruction on the fundamentals of bo,sai,and tonfa. Also there is a step by stepphotos of him performing a few weapons katas. Also a lot of old photos.