Taira Shinken Sensei was born Maezato Shinken on the tiny Island of Kumejima in the Village of Nakazato, in what is now Okinawan Prefecture, on June 12, 1897. He graduated from Nakazato Jinjo Elementary School and later began work at a mine in Minami Jima. It was a serious mining accident, which disabled Taira Shinken, leaving him with a limp to his right leg. Taira Sensei resolved to make his body stronger and decided that Bujutsu (martial arts) was the best means to reach his goal.

In 1929 Taira Sense began training with Yabiku Moden Sensei. During Taira Shinken's study under Yabiku Sensei, he mastered the use of such weapons as the: Bo (6' staff), Eku (oar), Sai (metal truncheon), Tonfua (right angled hand truncheon), and Nunchaku (wooden flail). In 1933 Taira received his "Menjo" (formal teaching licence) in Ryukyu Kobudo from Yabiku Sensei.

Taira Sensei founded an organization to preserve the weapons and techniques he had mastered calling it "the Society for the Preservation and Promotion of Ryukyu Kobudo - "Ryukyu Kobudo Hozon Shinko Kai". Taira Shinken passed away in 1970.

Minowa Sensei began studying Ryukyu Kobudo under Taira Shinken Sensei, at the age of 29. From Taira Sensei, he became proficient in the use of the bo, sai, tonfa, nunchaku, eku, rochin and tinbe, tikko, niccho-gama and suruchin. By 1970 he had received his teaching license in Kobudo, and established his own dojo in Matsukawa-cho, in Naha.

In 1977 Minowa Sensei turned over his Matsukawa dojo to his most senior student, Kinjo Masakazu Sensei, and returned to his place of birth, Amami Oshima. Minowa Katsuhiko passed away in 2003. He served on the executive of the Ryukyu Kobudo Hozon Shinko Kai while a student of Taira Sensei, and he attained the rank of 8th dan in Ryu Kyu Kobudo.

Hanshi Kinjo Masakazu is a 9th Dan (kobudo) and a legend in the world of Okinawan kobudo. He is a direct student of Katsuhiko Minowa Sensei, one of the most respected students of the legendary Hanshi Shinken Taira. Hanshi Kinjo Masakazu is renowned not only as a world authority on kobudo as a practitioner, but also as a kobudo historian. His sons Shihan Satoshi Kinjo and Shihan Kenta Kinjo are both multiple world champions.