Tenshin Shoden Katori Shinto ryu Bujutsu is considered to be the oldest documented Japanese martial art with uninterrupted history of descendants. It is proclaimed as national treasure by the Japanese government. Many Japanese ryu-ha are descended directly or are developed under the influence of Katori Shinto ryu.
In its curriculum, this ancient art contains techniques such as: iai jutsu (fast drawing and cutting with a sword), ken jutsu (fencing), bo jutsu (combat with a stick), naginata jutsu (combat with halberd), ju jutsu (barehanded combat), shuriken jutsu (aiming with blades), ninjutsu (spying), so jutsu (spear combat), sen jutsu (tactics), chikujo jutsu (strategy on the combat field) etc.
Even today, Katori Shinto ryu is conducted by the old rules and customs which were precisely instituted six hundred years ago by the founder of the art Iizasa Chosai Ienao. One of those ceremonies is the signing of the document for loyalty with one’s own blood (with a cut on the finger made by a knife). On that way originality of the techniques is maintained and the recommendations of the first soke (founder, chief) are strictly followed.
At this moment, Iizasa Yasusada is the twentieth soke of Tenshin Shoden Katori Shinto ryu Bujitsu, however, due to health issues, main instructor of the art is shihan Risuke Otake.
Today this respected school has affiliates in several countries, with representatives (shidosha) appointed directly by the Hombu Dojo in Narita-shi, Japan.
Macedonia is the only country in the region where Tenshin Shoden Katori Shinto ryu can be practiced, thanks to the devotion and the great love of Igor Dovezenski for Japanese martial arts.