Toshishiro Obata is the founder of Shinkendo. He is well known in Japan as a tameshigiri champion for several years in a row and is an authorized shitoka. He studied aikido under Gozo Shioda in the Yoshinkan Honbu Dojo, and studied the sword arts of Nakamura-ryu, Ioriken Battojutsu, Toyama-ryu, Yagyu Shinkage-ryu, Kashima Shin-ryu, Ryukyu Kobudo, and others. He moved to America in 1980 to start teaching and to develop his own sword art, based on his extensive experience. In 1990, the Internation...