Kobudo and koryu?

[Kapplow]

I'm just curious what the difference is.

[pgsmith]

Linguistically? Nothing really. Common usage? Lots!
In common usage, kobudo is used to refer to karate school's weapons arts such as tonfa, sai, bo and sword. Koryu is used to refer to the classical schools of Japan that were founded before the Meiji restoration and subsequent abolshment of the samurai.

[Kapplow]

Short but sweet thank you sir!

[Rennis]

In common usage, kobudo is used to refer to karate school's weapons arts such as tonfa, sai, bo and sword. Koryu is used to refer to the classical schools of Japan that were founded before the Meiji restoration and subsequent abolshment of the samurai.

In common usage in the West perhaps, but here in Japan I pretty much only hear "kobudo" being used as shorthand for "koryu budo". Come to think of it, the "kobudo" = Okinawan/Karate based weapons work, is something I don't hear too much of over here, although I haven't really been active in karate circles for quite some time. Either way kobudo = koryu budo = koryu, etc while some people using kobudo to refer to Okinawan weapons work (even in this case they are basically referring to "old" karate with weapons), but the bulk of Japanese using it to refer to classical Japanese martial arts.

[pgsmith]

Yup!
What Rennis said! It's very much along the lines of iaido vs. iaijutsu, it's only ever a deal in the west. :)