Koryu Bujutsu as a Transformative Learning Experience
Keywords:
koryu bujutsu, transformative learning, Katori Shinto-ryu, swordsmanshipAbstract
The purpose of this study is to examine koryu bujutsu, primarily through the lens of Japanese swordsmanship, as a transformative learning experience through the archival study of 1) the scant information available to outsiders on the teaching scroll of the Katori Shinto-ryu as part of an obscure pedagogical tradition that is sensitive to facilitating learning through egalitarian instruction and acknowledgement of different types of learners, and 2) other historical texts on Japanese swordsmanship. The study provides insights into the transformational states achievable through educational experiences. A considerable amount of information on the Katori Shinto-ryu, specifically, will be presented as a means to understand koryu bujutsu, generally, and how koryu has survived into the modern age. While this study is not limited to Katori Shinto-ryu, it is used as a representative model of the workings of a koryu.
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