Ellis Amdur is a licensed instructor in two koryū (classical Japanese martial traditions), the Araki-ryū torite-kogusoku and the Tenshin Bukō-ryū Heihō.
The Araki-ryū is believed to have been founded by Araki Muninsai ( or Mujinsai) Minamoto no Hidetsuna (荒木夢仁斎源秀縄) in the last years of the Warring States era in Japan. The ryuha was quite widespread at one time, well-known for its rough-hewn techniques, the provenance of ordinary foot-soldiers and at a later period of history, low ranking samurai/farmers.
Each faction of Araki-ryū created different weapons kata, influenced by other ryūha in the same locale, and also adapting to local conditions in strictly utilitarian fashion. In some areas, there were two or more factions within the same town. What unified Araki-ryū was not a familial headmaster- it was a core body of techniques using weapons at close range. Araki-ryū is, in essence, grappling with weapons.
The line of Araki-ryū torite-kogusoku which I maintain is the product of almost half a century of study. My instructor – who previously had substantial experience in a number of modern combative arts – studied with the seven surviving shihan of Isezaki Araki-ryū. These seven men, although collegial, practiced several related, but distinct lines of the ryū. After receiving the highest level license – zekkoku menkyo – my instructor sought out other surviving factions of the ryū, as well as teachers of several lines of Araki Shin-ryū, learning from them as well: not to receive further certification, but rather, to flesh out his knowledge of this old school. Within the confines of his own dojo, he led his students through rigorous pressure testing, examining the kata to ascertain if they truly would teach a fighter to function at optimum capability using the core principles of the ryū. Kata were scrapped, carved up or reworked – paring and reshaping unnecessary, inefficient or flashy moves in an attempt to return to a ferocious, raw way of exerting martial skill.
After returning to America, I have continued in the same vein. I cross-train in a number of different martial arts, and has been fortunate to have students and training brothers who are high level practitioners of other arts willing to work with me to further pressure test and hone the curriculum. My dojo and its subsidiaries are independent of any other Araki-ryū organization.
The Tenshin Bukō-ryū Heihō is a martial tradition which specializes in the use of the naginata. Its highest teachings center around the kagitsuki naginata, a weapon with a small cross-bar, against both sword and spear.
Tenshin Bukō-ryū Heihō has its roots in the Toda-ryū, founded by Toda Seigen (富田勢源), in the later years of the Warring States era in Japan. Toda-ryu became an enormously influential school throughout the Edo period, and up into modern times. Among ryuha which developed from Toda-ryū are Toda-ryū kenjutsu, Ittō-ryū kenjutsu (the primary influence on modern kendo), Kiraku-ryū jujutsu, Saburi-ryū sōjutsu, and, of course, Tenshin Buko-ryū.
Toda-ryū was adopted by the Suneya family in the mountainous Chichibu region. Its study, over many generations, was known as Suneya-kei naginatajutsu. In the mid-1800’s, Suneya Ryosuke and Suneya Sato-o, husband and wife, initiated a renaissance of this family art. This became the Toda-ha Bukō-ryū; in 2022, the name of the school was changed to Tenshin Bukō-ryū Heihō.
Tenshin Bukō-ryū Heihō is currently under the direction of soke-dairi, Kent Sorensen, also head of Tenshin Bukō-ryū Heihō’s core school, the Funabashi Dojo in Tokyo Japan. Sorensen sensei is supported by a number of shihan (fully licensed instructors) throughout the world.
I have established dojo in Europe in both Araki-ryū and Tenshin Bukō-ryū Heihō. I also have a small number of training associates in the United States.