Toshishiro Obata Soke is the founder, director and chief instructor of The Kokusai Shinkendo Renmei (International Shinkendo Federation), an organization dedicated to teaching authentic Japanese swordsmanship. The Shinkendo school emphasizes very traditional and effective swordsmanship, which with serious training, leads to both practical ability as well as an understanding of classical martial arts. Shinkendo is steeped in the traditions of the samurai, in such ways as Heiho (strategy), Reiho (proper Bushido etiquette) and philosophy.

The core of any Japanese feudal warrior's martial education was that of swordsmanship. Shinkendo is a comprehensive reunification of what the Samurai once used and relied upon for survival, and can be classified as a combination of the founder's own technical and structural innovations and an amalgamation of several traditions of Japanese swordsmanship that have evolved and splintered over time. Unified, Shinkendo is a historically accurate and comprehensive style of Japanese Swordsmanship.

Training
Sword training revolves around our structure of "Gorin Goho Gogyo" (five equally balanced interacting rings that symbolize the five major methods of technical study). This includes: Suburi (sword swinging drills), Tanrengata (solo forms), Battoho (combative drawing and cutting methods), Tachiuchi (sparring) and Tameshigiri/Shizan (cutting straw and bamboo targets). Students typically train using a Bokuto (wooden sword), and later advance to training with Iaito (or mugito, non-sharpened sword) and finally Shinken, or 'live blade'. At more advanced levels, the student begins to test their acquired skills through test cutting practice on tatami omote makiwara (rolled up tatami mats, previously soaked in water), and eventually Nihondake or Mosodake (Japanese or Chinese bamboo).

While Shinkendo requires rigorous physical training, depth of coordination, and intense focus, one of the most important aspects of Shinkendo is the emphasis on spiritual forging, which inspires "Bushi Damashii" (the Samurai/ warrior spirit), a quality that we feel is as relevant now as it was hundreds of years ago. Proper practice of Shinkendo should provide one with not only a strong body and mind, but also a calm, clear and focused spirit.