is a Japanese term for any kind of Japanese school of traditional arts. The term literally translates as " old

school A school is the educational institution (and, in the case of in-person learning, the Educational architecture, building) designed to provide learning environments for the teaching of students, usually under the direction of teachers. Most co ...

" (''ko''—'old', '' ryū''—'school') or "traditional school". It is sometimes also translated as "old style".

Martial arts

''Ko-ryū'' is often used as a synonymous

shorthand Shorthand is an abbreviated symbolic writing method that increases speed and brevity of writing as compared to Cursive, longhand, a more common method of writing a language. The process of writing in shorthand is called stenography, from the Gr ...

for , ancient

Japanese martial arts Japanese martial arts refers to the variety of martial arts native to the country of Japan. At least three Japanese terms (''budō'', ''bujutsu'', and ''bugei'') are used interchangeably with the English phrase Japanese martial arts. The usage ...

that predate the

Meiji Restoration The , referred to at the time as the , and also known as the Meiji Renovation, Revolution, Regeneration, Reform, or Renewal, was a political event that restored Imperial House of Japan, imperial rule to Japan in 1868 under Emperor Meiji. Althoug ...

of 1868.Draeger, Donn F. (1974) ''Modern Bujutsu and Budo''. New York: Weatherhill. Page 57. In English, the International Hoplology Society draws a distinction between ''Koryū'' and ''Kobudō'' martial arts based on their origin and the differences between their ranking of priorities concerning combat, morals, discipline, and/or aesthetic form.

''Ikebana'' (flower-arranging)

''Ko-ryū'' is one of the oldest and most traditional schools of ''

Ikebana is the Japanese art of flower arrangement. It is also known as . The origin of ikebana can be traced back to the ancient Japanese custom of erecting Evergreen, evergreen trees and decorating them with flowers as yorishiro () to invite the go ...

''. From it, various other schools have formed that carry its name, such as the ''Nihon Ko-ryū'', '' Katsura Ko-ryū'', '' Miyako Ko-ryū'', ''Ko-ryū Shōshōkai'', and .

Sources

* Draeger, Donn F. ''Classical Bujitsu'' (Martial Arts and Ways of Japan). Weatherhill, 1973, 2007. * Hall, David A. ''Encyclopedia of Japanese Martial Arts''. Kodansha USA, 2012. * Skoss, Diane, Editor. ''Koryu Bujutsu: Classical Warrior Traditions of Japan''. Koryubooks, 1997. * Skoss, Diane, Editor. ''Sword and Spirit: Classical Warrior Traditions of Japan'', Volume 2. Koryubooks, 1999. * Skoss, Diane, Editor. ''Keiko Shokon: Classical Warrior Traditions of Japan'', Volume 3. Koryubooks, 2002.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Koryu Japanese martial arts Japanese martial arts terminology Kadō schools