Why do some Kempo styles have ryu names?
The original ryuha (formal martial arts schools) that most Kempo styles came from were disbanded, so today when you see a ryu name applied to a Kempo school it is usually a modern re-systemisation of Kempo that has been given a new name. This is also true of the name of our school Kaido Miwa Ryu, which is not the original name of any of the original schools that the arts we practice came from. Modern Kempo practitioners tend to practice cut-down sets of Kempo as the original arts were extensive to the point that it would not be possible for the average person to devote enough practice time to the full systems. Further, Kempo styles were rarely practiced in isolation – several different styles were often practiced by one school.
