Shinto Hatakage Ryu Iai Heiho is a style of iaido founded during the mid-Tokugawa era (1600-1868) near the current site of Mino City in Gifu Prefecture. In keeping with its rural roots, Shinto Hatakage Ryu is straightforward and lacks the layers of etiquette found in many arts with more refined histories. It is an iai system, focusing on the drawing and use of live blades. There are 3 sets of kata; the first starting in seiza (kneeling), the second set starting in tatehiza (a semi-kneeling position commonly used when wearing armor in the past), and the third set starting standing.

All three sets are notable for being direct and powerful. Unlike many iai styles that emphasize kiri oroshi cuts, Shinto Hatakage Ryu stands out for its generous use of kesa giri style cuts. Our lineage for Shinto Hatakage Ryu comes through the late Kiyama Hiroshi Shihan of Ritto, Japan. Peter Boylan trained under Kiyama Sensei directly while living in Japan, and continued to visit and train with him until his passing in 2022.

Per Kiyama Sensei’s direction, we supplement our iai training by practicing kenjutsu kata, including the Kendo No Kata. As a classical system founded before the Meiji Restoration of 1868, Shinto Hatakage Ryu does not use the modern black belt/dan ranking system. Instead there are a series of certificates teaching licenses that are awarded in recognition of understanding and skill in Shinto Muso Ryu.

We also train in the All Japan Kendo Federation Seitei Iai, which gives us the opportunity to test with an international organization, as well as to meet and train with iaidoka from a range of styles and backgrounds.