Shintaido
Shintaido (translated as ‘New Body Way’) is a unique system of movement that uses the body as a means of expression and communication. Incorporating both physical and artistic elements, it was created in Japan in the 1960s.
Its roots lay in the traditional Japanese martial arts, Chinese medicine and Buddhist meditation techniques, while its creator Hiroyuki Aoki was also influenced by modern Western art and Christianity.As well as being a practical martial art Shintaido is also a form of artistic expression, a healthy exercise, and a path of self-discovery and transformation.
Shintaido is practised with bare hands, but its very broad curriculum also includes bojutsu, involving the use of the long staff (or bō, and kenjutsu, using a wooden sword (or bokuto).
Shintaido bojutsu
The bojutsu curriculum is one of the most popular aspects of Shintaido, and for many people provided and point first contact. Students use a long staff (or bō) to extend their movement, and later progress to the more difficult short staff (or jō).
Beginners study a range of basic movements as well as three short kata which are based on traditional Japanese bojutsu practice. These kata are:
Hino kata (火の型, kata of fire), derived from Sakugawa (佐久川)
Kazeno kata (風の型, kata of wind), derived from Matsukaze (松風, the wind in the pines)
Mizuno kata (水の型, kata of water), derived from Hakuson (白樽)
There is also a kumibo kata called shinjo (真常), offered in sho (小, correct, or formal) & dai (大, big, or expressive) forms.
Advanced students (from shodan and above) study the 3 long kata from which the basic kata were derived. At the highest level there is a longer kata (known colloquially as "Go Down Moses") in which all 3 kata are combined into a single form.
Shintaido karate
The Shinatido karate curriculum is based on a cut down version of the shotokai karate curriculum, which is the school run by Egami sensei at the time Shintaido was created. The study of karate is meant to compliment the study of Shintaido itself, and is most often taken up by Shintaido students of many years experience who wish to study the history and origins of Shintaido movement. Beginners study two taikyoku and two heian katas (each is offered in sho & dai forms) as well as variety of strikes, kicks and kumite arrangements. Advanced students (from shodan and above) study a range of traditional karate kata, culminating in a revisiting of the original taikyoku kata at the highest level.