Kotō Ryū Masterclass with Adam Mitchell

Jinenkan instructor Adam Mitchell demonstrates the direct, no-nonsense approach of Kotō-ryū.

In this illuminating video, the respected martial artist explores the movements of Yokuto. The sequence is one of about 50 kata that make up the school. The tradition, rooted in the Muromachi period, emphasizes bone-breaking strikes, precise distancing, and a unique cross-step. The style is preserved in scrolls broken down into Shoden, Chuden, Okuden, and Hekito levels.

Here, Mitchell offers a glimpse at the first pattern of the system.