Abe-ryū (安倍流) Abe-ryū Kendo (安倍立剣道) | |
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Ko-ryū | |
Foundation | |
Founder | Abe Yoritou 安倍頼任 (1624–1693) |
Date founded | 1667 [1] |
Period founded | Early Edo period |
Arts taught | |
Art | Description |
Kenjutsu | Sword art |
Ancestor schools | |
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Abe ryū (安倍流, Abe-ryū) or Abe-tate-ryū (安倍立流), [2] also known as Abe-ryū Kendō (安倍立剣道, Aberyukendo), is a Japanese sword school founded by Abe Yoritō (安倍頼任) in the 17th century. [3] Abe was a disciple of Taisha-ryū, [4] an offshoot of Shinkage-ryū. [1] He was considered a Kengō (great swordsman) and instructor to the Akizuki- han in Chikuzen Province.
The Abe ryū is known as the first major school of kenjutsu to use the term kendō (剣道) in 1673, [2] [5] [6] although the characters had also been used earlier in China. [7] Kendō, or ken no michi, "the way of the sword", describes the teachings of his ryū [7] which emphasized mental and moral practice rather than physical techniques. [4] There is no direct connection between the Abe-ryū usage of kendō and the kendo practiced today. [7]