Shinto Muso-ryu
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| Koryu 古流 Martial Art | |
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| Shinto Muso-ryu Jodo - 神道夢想流杖道 | |
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| Founder | |
| Muso Gonnosuke Katsuyoshi | 夢想權之助勝吉 |
| Foundation date | |
| Early Edo period | Between 1603-1630 |
| Current Headmaster No single headmaster/shihanke. 25th and last (unofficial) Shihanke was Shimizu Takaji | Menkyo holders teach Shinto Muso-ryu Jodo all over the world in various organisations. |
| Arts taught in the Shinto Muso-ryu system | ||
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| Japanese name | Description | Ryu name |
| Jojutsu 杖術 jo, odachi, kodachi | Staff(stick) art used against a swordsman | Shinto Muso-ryu Jojutsu |
| Kenjutsu 剣術 - odachi, kodachi, nito. | Sword art - Long and short sword, sometimes used in tandem | Shinto-ryu Kenjutsu (or Kasumi Shinto-ryu) |
| Tanjojutsu - Tanjo, odachi | Walking-stick art | Uchida-ryu Tanjojutsu |
| Kusarigamajutsu - Kusarigama, odachi, yari | Chain and sickle art | Isshin-ryu kusarigamajutsu |
| Hojojutsu - 捕縄術 | Rope-tying art | Ittatsu-ryu Hojojutsu |
| Juttejutsu - Jutte, Tessen, odachi | Truncheon art - Truncheon, war-fan. | Ikkaku-ryu juttejutsu |
Shintō Musō-ryū, or Shindō Musō-ryū1,(神道夢想流) most commonly known as Jodo (杖道), is a koryu (old school) of jojutsu, teaching the art of handling the Japanese quarterstaff jo. It was founded by samurai Musō Gonnosuke Katsuyoshi (夢想權之助勝吉) in the early 1600s and, according to legend, first put to use in a duel with Miyamoto Musashi. The original art created by Muso Gonnosuke has evolved and been added upon ever since its inception and up to modern times. The art was successfully brought outside of its original domain in Fukuoka and outside of Japan itself in the 19th and 20th century. The spreading of Shinto Muso-ryu beyond Japan was largely the effort of Shimizu Takaji, considered the 25th 8 Shihanke, and with the assistance of his own students who helped spread the art further in the world partially through the cooperation with the Kendo community first initiated by Shimizu Takaji.
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[edit] History and evolution of Shinto Muso-ryu
[edit] Muso Gonnosuke - Founder
The Sengoku Jidai period, the Age of War between 1467-1615, that had scarred Japan for almost 150 years came to an end with the establishment of the Tokugawa Shogunate, or Tokugawa Bakufu (徳川幕府), which in turn ushered in an era of peace that would last for over 260 years and ended with the overthrow of the Shogunate in 1867. The relatively peaceful Edo period, sometimes referred to as the Pax Tokugawa, took away the means of the samurai to fully develop and test their skills in actual battlefield combat. The role of the Samurai would eventually change from being warriors, fighting battles for their liege lord almost constantly, into the role of providing internal security and doing increasingly more bureaucratic duties. Instead of fighting the frequent wars and battles of the old days, with the exception of the Osaka Campaign of 1615 and the Shimabara Rebellion of 1637, many samurai resorted to duelling other samurai and some would go on the road as a wandering swordsman to test their skills against other swordsmen, such as bandits and ronin, and train in far away schools to hone their skill.
One of the men who went on such a warrior pilgrimage was Muso Gonnosuke, a samurai who had trained in the Tenshin Shōden Katori Shintō-ryū and Kashima Shinto-ryu, two renowned schools of swordsmanship both of which are active to this day. His experiences, which would climax in his duels with the famous swordsman Miyamoto Musashi, led him to create a set of techniques for the jo which would eventually be named Shintō Musō-ryū. Gonnosuke used his training in kenjutsu, naginatajutsu, sojutsu and bojutsu, which he acquired from Katori Shinto-ryu and Kashima Shinto-ryu (or Kashima Shinden Jikishinkage-ryū depending on tradition), in order to develop new techniques for the jo. Gonnosuke developed several techniques (five according to some sources) for the jo that were to be used against an opponent armed with a sword, partially by using the jo's superior length to keep the swordman at distance and thus at a disadvantage. The legend states that Muso Gonnosuke fought two duels with Miyamoto Musashi and was defeated in the first but victorious in the second, using his newly developed jojutsu techniques to either defeat Musashi or force the duel into a draw. One of several legends says that while resting near a fire in a certain temple, Gonnosuke heard a voice say "Be mindful of Suigetsu". Supposedly that was his inspiration to develop his new techniques and go fight Musashi a second time.
After the creation of his jo techniques and his establishment as a skilled jojtusu practitioner he was invited by the Kuroda clan of Fukuoka, northern Kyūshū, to teach his jojutsu to their warriors. Gonnosuke accepted the invitation and settled down, and in the course of his life Gonnosuke would award teaching licenses (menkyo) to more than ten of these warriors.
[edit] The Kuroda period 1603(?)-1871
After Gonnosuke's death, his jojutsu would become a closely guarded secret by the Kuroda clan, or oteme-waza, and forbidden to be taught anywhere but within its halls and only to specially selected people. This was not an unusual practice in the Edo period. One example is the Kage-ryu battojutsu 2, in which the swords used were longer than the length permitted by the new Tokugawa shogunate and thus technically outlawed. Kage-ryu went "underground" 3but was kept active in strict secrecy until the Meiji restoration.
The main students of Gonnosukes jojutsu were the internal police-forces5 of the Kuroda domain. With the third or fourth headmaster of SMR, additional ryu were added to what would become the Shinto Muso-ryu-system. The art of the police-weapon Jutte, and the art of restraining a man with rope Hojojutsu were officially added to the main SMR-system in this period and taught alongside jojutsu.
Over time there would arise at least seven different lineages from the main Muso-ryu system. These are collectively known as Kuroda no Jô - "the Stick of Kuroda". Of these seven known styles of Gonnosuke-jojutsu, only two would survive the fall of the Shogunate in 1867 and the Meiji-restoration to be merged into a single line that is today the modern Shinto Muso-ryu system.
The first split in the SMR occurred after the death of the fourth Shihanke Higuchi Han'emon. The split was the result of one of his menkyo students, Harada Heizo Nobusada, breaking away to establish the New just (later informally known as Kansai-ryu), while another menkyo of Higuchi Han'emon continued the original True path line (later Moroki-ryu) jo.
For several years these two separate lines existed side-by-side. The New Just line was upheld until after the death of its headmaster, Nagatomi Koshiro Hisatomo (d.1772), and the New Just were split off into two separate branches. The main reason for this split, even though indirectly, was the result of a restructoring of the living & training quarters of the warriors at the Chikuzen castle. The ashigaru (low-ranking foot soldiers) and the kashi (junior officers) were relocated to two separate areas, partially due to the difference in the social status of the two groups. Each group would create new centres of training in their respective areas. The result was that two jojutsu training linages began forming, (out of practical necessity), under their own respective head instructor. The new conditions caused "New Just" to branch off into two separate branches, now called Haruyoshi, led by Ono Kyusaku, and Jigyo, led by Komori Seibei. The two branches were named after the two respective areas of the castle in which they trained. Although the two branches would become more unique to each other as time passed it was essentially still the same tradition as the "New Just".
The two new lines of Jigyo and Haruyoshi were a reality by the early 1800s, but even though separate, all three lines appear to have been very similar in terms of techniques. This was best demonstrated when the Jigyo line was broken with the death of its head instructor Fujimoto Heikichi (d.1815). Without a successor from within it's own organisation the line would have died out. But Hatae Kyuhei, who was trained in the Haruyoshi line, would eventually revive the Jigyo ´branch and it continued into the Meiji era (1868-1912).
The True Path had also fallen onto dark times as the line died out with the death of Inoue Ryosuke (d.1831). Again the similarities between the various lines of Kuroda-no-jo are made obvious when the same above mentioned Hatae Kyuhei reestablishes the True Puth. The True Path would, however, die out for good in the Bakumatsu era (1850-1867)
It was not until the 1872 that the ban of teaching outside the Kuroda-han was lifted and the Kuroda period of Shinto Muso-ryu history ended. At that time there were only two dojos teaching Shinto Muso-ryu in all of Japan.
During this period the art of the "Kuroda no Jo" was taught to both samurai and ashigaru, the latter being the foot soldier that made up the bulk of the samurai armies. The auxilliary arts, such as Juttejutsu, hojojutsu were also taught as a way to assist the individiuals charged with guard and Police duties.
[edit] Post Kuroda period and Shiraishi Hanjiro - 1871-1927
With the abolishment of the shogunate and easing of bureaucratic restrictions, Shinto Muso-ryu (and many more martial arts) was allowed to be taught outside the traditional family lands. It also meant that the numerous benefits of the traditional clan system was abolished along with it, and the numerous menkyo holders of SMR, who had lived, worked and trained with the financial support of the Daimyo (aristocratic landowners), would scatter, and many stopped teaching all together. By the end of the Meiji era, (1912), only Shiraishi Hanjiro Shigeaki was still active as a fully qualified of the last two remaining Kuroda Jo lineages and dedicated SMR teacher. His peer, Uchida Ryogoro, was selected to travel to Tokyo and teach and expand the art there while Shiraishi stayed in the designated Shinto Muso-ryu headquarters in Fukuoka. Shiraishi's dojo was located in Hakata, a city that was merged with Fukuoka. Shiraishi would teach Shinto Muso-ryu in there until his death in 1927.
In the early 1900s Ryogoro arrived in Tokyo and set up shop, teaching jojutsu to such notable students as Nakayama Hakudo, founder of Muso Shinden-ryu and Komita Takayoshi, founder of the Dai Nippon Butoku Kai. During this time they also cooperated with Jigoro Kano the founder of Judo and a dedicated promoter of the classical arts, who let the SMR teachers teach and demonstrate Jojutsu at his Tokyo dojo. Jigoro Kano was also on occasion invited to the Fukuoka dojo. Ryogoro also taught at the Naval Officers Club and later at the Shiba Koen park. Ryogoro's son, Uchida Ryôhei, joined him in Tokyo and studied under his father there and wa instrumental in developing his father's Tanjojutsu art into a working set of techniques. Uchida Ryogoro died in 1921.
[edit] Shinto Muso-ryu and Shimizu Takaji - 1927-1978
Shimizu Takaji was born in 1897 and came from humble origins, his family descending from a line of village headmen and minor officials. In the aftermath of the abolishment of the samurai caste, Shimizu's father would manage a small general store while Shimizu, after graduating from elementary school, took employment in a small factory at Hakata, where the Shiraishi Dojo operated. Shimizu started his training at the age of 17 under Shiraishi and quickly rose in the ranks, receiving the mokuroku scroll in 1918 and the license of full transmission (menkyo) in 1920 at the age of 23. Of the many students of Shiraishi there were three who became prominent in the aftermath of Shiraishi's leadership. Shimizu Takaji, Takayama Kiroku' and Otofuji Ichizo.
more to follow
After the death of Shiraishi Hanjiro, Takayama Kiroku opened a dojo in Fukuoka around the year 1929 and was named Shihan with Shimizu named fuku-shihan or "assistant master". Shimizu, as had Shiraishi before him, has been described as a SMR Headmaster, although neither Shiraishi or Shimizu received official appointment to such a position. Shimizu would complete Shinto Muso-ryu's transition from a localized bugei ryu to a national martial art and become the art's greatest popularizer.
(work in progress)
[edit] Shinto Muso-ryu post-Shimizu period 1978 to the present
After Shimizu's death, Kaminoda Tsunemori, one Shimizu's top-students and Menkyo Kaiden of Shinto Muso-ryu, took over as head-instructor of the Zoshokan Temple Dojo which would also become the new headquarters of the latters Nihon Jodokai organisation.
[edit] Shinto Muso-ryu lineage to the present
| Original Tradition - Founded early 1600's |
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| The New Just tradition |
Moriki-ryu - The True Path tradition |
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| Haruyoshi branch |
Jigyo branch |
Moriki-ryu - The True Path tradition |
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Modern Shinto Muso-ryu - late 19th century to present time
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Notes
- At a later point in history the lineage was pushed back to the founder of Katori Shinto-ryu Iizasa Ienao, a ryu in which Muso Gonnosuke had trained in. The actual founding of the Jojutsu-tradition was by Muso Gonnosuke.
- Menkyo=A holder of a license of total transmission with complete authority to teach and/or modify the existing system.
- Two other jojutsu-traditions existed but have not been included in the article: "Ten'ami-ryu Heijo" and the Shin Chigiriki-ryu".
[edit] Modern day Shinto Muso-ryu
[edit] Kihon and Kata - Basic training and advanced training
All students begin by learning the twelve basic techniques and then progressing into doing kata. There are approximately 64 jo kata in the modern SMR system. The integrated arts hold their own set of kata with their respective weapons.
As SMR does not practice kumite (sparring) such as in karate, judo or kendo, the training session is usually very coherent with the senior student commanding the pace and direction of the session with the entire group often training as one, especially during warmup and drill. A normal session (albeit heavily dependent on the dojo you train in) usually begins with a repetition of kihon for all students. Sometimes drills are added to further sharpen the kihon techniques. Drills and kata involving newer students are often performed with a more senior student taking on the role of uchidachi. Kata practice is usually done under the supervision of a senior student.
In all kata and paired techniques, there is always a shidachi (receiver of the attack using the Jo), and uchidachi (attacker using the sword). When applicable, the uchidachi is always the senior to the shidachi in terms of experience. This is done as a way to develop the younger shidachi's skill by having him face a more experienced and confident swordsman and thus heighten the combative feeling.
[edit] Etiquette and traditions in the dojo
A typical Shinto Muso-ryu dojo, as with many other dojos dedicated to Japanese martial arts, puts great emphasis on etiquette and tradition. In most dojos, Japanese verbal commands are used to guide the training session from start to finish.
The traditional Japanese rei (bowing) is generally practiced in all Japanese & western dojos. Not all dojos, however, use the exact same routine but generally hold true to a certain set of principles. The traditional bow when entering the dojo or leaving it. Bowing to the shomen (shrine) and to observe the hierachy with sensei, sempai and kohai.
During [drill|drills] and/or kata involving shidachi and uchidachi, certain rules of behaviour are applied when switching weapons and even training partners. This is done as a way to have an orderly training session and also to reflect how the samurai behaved in court and/or in his lord's presence where strict rules of behaviour regarding movement, weapons and manners were enforced. The students bow before and after performing a kata, drill or any other exercise. The switching of weapons is, by tradition and experience, a very serious matter and thus the rules have evolved during the years as a way to minimize any threatening appearance or manner thus showing respect for their training partner. During the switch the weapons are held in a neutral manner; again this is done for safety and also as a show of respect mirroring how the actual samurai trainees would act. Similar strict weapon etiquette is also present in Iaido among other arts.
[edit] Kamae - Stances
In SMR there are a number of kamae (stances), for both sword and jo, used in the execution of kata and basic techniques. A few of the more common kamae are mentioned below.
Kamae for Jo 7
- 1. Tsune no Kamae
- 2. Honte no Kamae
- 3. Gyakute no Kamae
- 4. Hikiotoshi no Kamae
Kamae for Ken
- 1. Seigan no Kamae
- 2. Jodan no Kamae
- 3. Hasso no Kamae
- 4. Waki no Kamae
[edit] Kihon - Basic techniques
The Kihon no Uchi Tsuki Waza, or basic techniques, are a system of twelve techniques drawn from the existing jo kata (with minor modifications from the original kata) and used as a way to better introduce a new student to jodo. The kihon techniques were not originally part of the Shinto Muso-ryu but were a later addition. The kihon were systemized mainly by Shimizu Takaji at his Tokyo dojo in his effort to make jodo more appealing to new students and easing their introduction to kata training. Shimizu's peer Takayama Kiroku would bring the kihon techniques back to Fukuoka where they were formally adopted into SMR. Shimizu also removed and/or modified some of the more dangerous techniques and early kata so as not to cause injuries to newer students.
Kihon are trained both individually tandoku dosa and in pairs sotai dosa, with the shidachi using the fo and the uchidachi using the sword. New students normally begin with tandoku dosa, learning the jo first and later switching to the sword, and then finally learn the entire technique with a training partner. The techniques are normally trained in sequence. Again, this is heavily dependent on the routines of the individual dojo.
During the Edo-period and well into the 20th century the Uchidachi was always the senior student, with the shidachi, (being the junior), starting and training only the jo-techniques for several years before learning uchidachi's role. The necessity of modern times with a noticeable lack of competent swordsman has changed this role however. In modern times, for the most part, a beginner learns both the sword and staff right from the beginning of his/her training.
List of kihon techniques.
- 1. Honte Uchi
- 2. Gyakute Uchi
- 3. Hikiotoshi Uchi
- 4. Kaeshi Tsuki
- 5. Gyakute Tsuki
- 6. Maki Otoshi
- 7. Kuritsuke
- 8. Kurihanashi
- 9. Taiatari
- 10. Tsuki Hazushi Uchi
- 11. Dobarai Uchi
- 12. Tai Hazushi Uchi Migi / Tai Hazushi Uchi Hidari (left and right)
The twelve kihon techniques are used in both Shinto Muso-ryu and in the Seitei Jodo of the Zen Nihon Kendo Renmei, although the latter uses a slightly modified version of Kihon. The Seitei Jodo kata were developed in part by Shimizu Takaji and presented to the All Japan Kendo Federation in the 1960s.
[edit] Shinto Muso-ryu Jodo Kata
Kata is an old way of teaching traditional martial arts in Japan. Kata is used in many modern and koryu martial arts as a way of teaching advanced techniques and manouvers using a series of scripted movements and actions against one or several opponents. In many of the older koryu martial arts, kata is at the center of the art with little or even no sparring as compared to more modern martial arts such as Kendo or Judo.
As Shinto Muso-ryu Jodo has no current single leader or single school of thought, there exists no concensus on which kata should be taught. The kata-series Gohon no midare, for instance, was created by Shimizu Takaji in the late 1930's and is not taught in every SMR-Dojo. The list of kata series below is mainly from the Shimizu Takaji-line of Shinto Muso-ryu Jodo.
The modern Shinto Muso-ryu system (Shimizu-line) holds approximately 64 jojutsu kata divided into several series. All kata are normally taught in sequence although dependant on the individual dojo. In some SMR dojos, new students begin their kata training by learning two or more kata from the Seitei jodo due to their (relative) technical simplicity.
[edit] Seitei Jodo Kata
The Seitei Jodo kata were developed in part by Shimizu Takaji and presented to the All Japan Kendo Federation in the 1960s. Seitei Jodo contains twelve kata. Ten of these kata are drawn from the existing SMR kata with minor modifications, and two other kata created specifically for Seitei Jodo. The two specific Seitei jodo are taught in various SMR dojos outside the main series of Kata.
[edit] Grades - basic and classical
SMR in the European Jodo Federation incorporates three separate grade systems.
- 1. The dan/kyu system used in the majority of modern Japanese martial arts today.
- 2. The "Shoden, Chûden and Kuden" system put into effect by Donn F. Draeger.
- 3. The classical system of giving licenses of transmission: "Oku-iri", "Shomokuroku", "Gomokuroku", "Menkyo" and "Menkyo Kaiden".
The Seitei Jodo system has a dan/kyu system but due to different grade demands, and the fact that seitei jodo has a modified way of doing kihon and kata, the Seitei jo rank is not valid as a SMR rank. As an example:
Qualification for the 5th kyu of Shinto Muso-ryu, a student must adequately demonstrate the entire set of twelve basic techniques (jo side only), for a small group of qualified jodo teachers. In Seitei jodo, the qualification for the 5th kyu is the adequate presentation of the first three techniques of Kihon.
The highest rank available in Shinto Muso-ryu is the scroll of complete transmission of the teachings of the system, or Menkyo kaiden, and includes all the technical as well as oral teachings. This rank is used in many koryu martial arts of Japan. The student considered for MK must first attain the separate rank of Menkyo, a process that will take many years depending on the skill and dedication of the student. Shimizu Takaji himself was issued his MK very early in his life in comparison to western standards. The student is then taught the last series comprised of five Jo kata, shown and taught only to other MK and prospective students of MK respectively. Once the Menkyo has learned these five kata, and is approved, he/she is issued the complete scroll of transmission by his/her Sensei.
A person issued the MK has the right to teach the art to whoever he chooses and also holds the right to issue scrolls of transmissions to his students. The MK may also, if he so chooses, implement modifications in the SMR system to techniques or kata. As SMR does not have a single orginasation with a single leader, these changes will only be relevant to the MK's direct students and will not be universal. Instead, every person who has been issued a MK can technically be described as teaching their own variation of the ryu, known as "ha". "Ha" is a variation of a martial arts system taught by a MK but is still a part of the main ryu. If a MK decides to make radical changes to the system, adding/removing parts of the art, he/she will depart from belonging to a -ha and in effect be creating a new style.
A recent example of a -ha turning into it's own style is found in the Iaido art Muso Shinden-ryu created by Nakayama Hakudo. Nakayama trained Eishin-ryu iaijutsu and decided to radically modify what he had learned and officially label it Muso Shinden-ryu, thus creating a new style with no official to Eishin-ryu.
[edit] Weapons and training gear
[edit] Jo - The staff of Shinto Muso-ryu
- The Jo is featured in several Japanese martial arts. For more information see the Jodo article.
Essentially the Jo is a wooden staff approx 128 cm long, although just like with a sword the length was customized to suit the wielder, and is used in several gendai and koryu martial arts such as Aikido and Tendo-ryu respectively.
According to legend, Gonnosuke was inspired to create and use the Jo from a divine vision some time after he was defeated by Miyamoto Musashi in a duel. In this vision, a divine being in the form of a child appeared, brandishing a stick (or log in one version) and proclaiming "know the solar plexus [of your opponent] with a round stick". The jo, however, as a simple staff or walking-stick cannot be claimed to have a single inventor existed long before Gonnosuke.
The jo, like its larger sibling the Bo (long staff), was never an effective weapon on the battlefield in comparison to the sword, spear and bow just to name a few. Although the jo and most other staves could be used to lethal effect when thrust at vital points of the body, but when faced with a fully armoured opponent those vital points would in most cases be covered. As a result there were very few ryu that were dedicated to the staff-arts in the warring era since other more effective weapons were available. There are several ryu that include jo-techniques in it's system. One example is the jo-tradition found in the koryu art Tendo-ryu Naginatajutsu, founded in 1582. In Tendo-ryu, which uses the Naginata as the primary weapon, there are techniques with the jo that simulates a scenario where the naginata has been cut in two and the wielder has to defend himself with the staff-portion only. With the onset of peace with the start of the Edo-period (1603-1867), the conflicts with heavy armoured warriors became a thing of the past. In this era, the jo-art would come into its own against non-armoured samurai and other opponents.
Various other martial arts also include elements of jojutsu not necessarily related to Shinto Muso-ryu. One of the most famous promoter of the jo outside of Shinto Muso-ryu in modern times, and indeed in the martial arts community as a whole, was the founder of Aikido, Morihei Ueshiba. Ueshiba trained in a variety of ryu including Yagyu swordsmanship, but is not known to have trained in Shinto Muso-ryu. It is generally believed that Ueshiba used his training in sojutsu (spear) to create a set of techniques for the jo. (Ueshiba also used the longstaff bo to perform the same techniques.)
[edit] Ken - The sword of Shinto Muso-ryu
- The Ken is featured in several Japanese martial arts. For more information see the Kenjutsu article.
The Japanese sword, with its long history and many variations, has a prominent role in Shinto Muso-ryu. In the early Edo period the katana and the shorter wakizashi were the weapons of choice for samurai during their regular duties. On the battlefield, the slightly longer and more curved tachi would be used. In SMR the katana is the weapon used, but for training purposes a bokken (wooden sword) is used to minimize risk of injuries. Every training sequence (kata) starts with the swordsman, called Uchidachi, attacking the defender (shidachi), who in turn defeats his opponent. In addition to the Katana (long sword), wakizashi/kodachi (short sword) is also used. In some of the jojutsu and kenjutsu kata of SMR, the long sword is used in tandem with the short sword and sometimes with just the short sword. In addition to the sword training provided in jojutsu kata, an addition of sword-versus-sword kata were added during the course of SMR history in order for jodoka to further develop and sharpen their skill with the sword.
In several SMR dojos today, and in many martial arts dojos in general, the practitioner is encouraged to train in the separate sword art iaido, the way of drawing and handling the Japanese sword, as another way to increase the student's skill with the sword for more effective use in Jodo.
[edit] Clothing
In the majority of dojos today, the jodoka essentially uses the same clothing as practitioners of kendo, minus the armour and other protective padding: A blue/indigo uwagi (jacket), an obi (belt, often the same type as used in iaido), a blue or black hakama (wide trousers used by samurai). The type of clothing worn is not universal for all SMR dojos. In some dojos, which in addition to jodo also may also have aikido practitioners, the white keikogi and regular white trousers are allowed. All-white keikogi and hakama are also used in various dojos and/or on special occasions such as public demonstrations or competitions 4.
[edit] Integrated arts in Shinto Muso-ryu
The modern 64 kata of jojutsu techniques is divided into a number of series that comprises the core of modern Shinto Muso-ryu. During the course of the Kuroda and Meiji periods, several other arts were integrated into Shinto Muso-ryu to be trained alongside the maim jojutsu-techniques. Those that survived to this day have their own separate kata and ryu name, but are generally not taught outside the Shinto Muso-ryu system and are considered separate.
In the third or fourth generation after Muso Gonnosuke, (though sometimes credited to third headmaster Matsuzaki Kinueumon Tsunekatsu), two new arts were integrated Shinto Muso-ryu system. Over the years several lineages of Gonnosuke's original art have added or dropped other arts. In the majority of the SMR dojos, the assimilated arts are not normally taught to a student until he/she has reached a designated level of experience & expertise with kihon and a certain level of proficiency in the jodo kata.
[edit] Ittatsu-ryu Hojojutsu
A ryu of restraining a person using cord or rope for use by police forces of the Edo period and up to modern times. Matsuzaki Kinueumon Tsunekatsu, the third headmaster is sometimes credited with creating and adding the Ittatsu-ryu to the main SMR system.
[edit] Ikkaku-ryu juttejutsu
The ryu of using the Edo period police weapon known as jutte in tandem with the tessen against a swordsman. Matsuzaki Kinueumon Tsunekatsu, the third headmaster is sometimes credited with creating and adding the Ikkaku-ryu to the main SMR system.
[edit] Isshin-ryu kusarigamajutsu
The integrated ryu of handling the chain and sickle weapon. It was added to Shinto Muso-ryu by Shiraishi Hanjiro
[edit] Shinto-ryu Kenjutsu (or Kasumi Shinto-ryu
A collection of twelve sword-versus-sword kata found in the SMR system. Used as a further way of developing skill with the sword. The name used is "Shinto-ryu Kenjutsu", though the name "Kasumi Shinto-ryu" has recently surfaced. 6
[edit] Uchida Ryu Tanjojutsu - (Sutekki-jutsu)
The art of using the tanjo, (a 90 cm walking-stick), created by SMR menkyo Uchida Ryogoro in the late 1880s. It was further developed by his son Uchida Royhei, who used his father's work and turned it into the 12 modern day kata. The art was first known as Sutekki-Jutsu and lather named Uchida-ryu. The art was formally adopted into SMR to be taught alongside the other arts. Chuwa-ryu tankenjutsu was another name used for this art.
[edit] Weapons for integrated arts
Just like with the Jo, the weapons found in the integrated arts were not inventions of Shinto Muso-ryu headmasters, but had been created and used long before the above ryu were added to the main Shinto Muso-ryu system. (The tanjo of Tanjojutsu were also a half-staff known as hanbo in other martial arts of the Edo period)
[edit] Jutte(jitte) and tessen
- The Jutte is featured in several Japanese martial arts. For more information see the Jutte article.
The jutte (or jitte) was a widespread Edo period police weapon used to control, disarm and subdue a criminal who would most likely be armed with a sword, without killing him (except in extreme situations). There exists at least 200 known variations of the jutte. The jutte used in SMR is approx 46 cm in length. In the integrated art of Ikkaku-ryu juttejutsu, the tessen, or war fan, approximately 30 cm in length, is used in tandem with the jutte in some of the kata.
[edit] Kusarigama
- The Kusarigama is featured in several Japanese martial arts. For more information see the Kusarigama article.
The Kusarigama is a chain-and-sickle weapon. The weapon is used in several ryu and the design varies from school to school. The kusarigama used in Isshin-ryu has a straight, double-edged 30 cm blade with a wooden shaft approx 36 cm long with an iron guard to protect the hand. The Kusari (chain) has a heavy iron/stone weight and is attached to the kama (sickle). The chain is 12 shaku long (3.6 meters) and the attached weight can be thrown against an opponent's weapon or hands, either disarming him or otherwise preventing him from properly defending himself against the kama. In some kata, the iron weight is thrown at the attackers body causing injury or stunning the opponent. The kusarigama also has non-lethal kata designed to trap and apprehend a swordsman using the long chain as a restraint. A famous user of the kusarigama outside of Shinto Muso-ryu was Shishido Baiken, who was killed in a duel with the legendary Miyamoto Musashi. During kata practice a safer, all-wooden version, (except the metal handguard), is used with softer materials replacing the chain and weight.
[edit] Tanjo
The tanjo is a 90 cm short staff used in the assimilated art Uchida Ryu Tanjojutsu. Although of the same length, the tanjo should not be confused with the hanbo, which is used in other martial arts. The modern tanjo is the same width as a standard jo and is usually created from an old retired jo. The tanjo of the Meiji era were thicker at the top and thinner at the bottom, as was the design of the walking-stick at the time. The original inspiration for the tanjo was the western walking-stick which soon found a practical use in self-defense in the Meiji era. In the modern era, where walking-sticks are not frequently used, Tanjojutsu has adapted accordingly with a less martial approach to tanjojutsu than in the Meiji period.
[edit] Organisations
After the death of Shimizu Takaji in 1978, SMR in Toyko was left without a clear leader or appointed successor. This led to a splintering the SMR dojos in Japan, and eventually all over the world.
[edit] Japan and the Pacific
All Japan Jodo Federation (located in Japan)
International Jodo Federation (General Worldwide Headquarters located in Japan)
International Jodo Association (Association of former students of Kuroda Ichitaro, located in Japan).
Besides the Shinto Muso-ryu groups in Tokyo and Fukuoka, there are groups in Aichi and Osaka.
[edit] Europe and Africa
Partially as a result of Shimizu's death, the "Association helvétique de Jodo" came to be in 1979 by SMR student Pascal Krieger and other European Jodoka. Because of this new organisation's quick growth, it was necessary to create a larger entity in which to contain the activities of the European jodoka. The AHJ would in 1983 evolve into what is today the European Jodo Federation, a member of the larger International Jodo Federation, originally headed by the famed martial artist Donn F. Draeger. (work in progress)
[edit] North and South America
USA Jodo Federation (located in Jacksonville, Florida)
Pan American Jo-do Federation (located in Woodinville, Washington) (work in progress)
[edit] Other Jodo Organisations
[edit] Notable Shinto Muso-ryu practitioners
- Donn F. Draeger (b.1922 - d.1982) - U.S. Menkyo of Katori Shinto-ryu and Menkyo of SMR (awarded posthumously) [1] - The first foreign student of Shimizu Takaji. The first ever foreign Menkyo of Katori Shinto-ryu.
- Hosho Shiokawa - Japanese Menkyo SMR - Student of Shimizu Takaji and Nakajima Asakichi - Head of Shiokawa-ha of SMR - 15th Soke of Mugai-ryu Iaihyodo.
- Kaminoda Tsunemori - Japanese Menkyo SMR - Student of Shimizu Takaji - Head of the Nihon Jodokai and the Zoshokan temple dojo in Tokyo - Recognised headmaster of Isshin-ryu Kusarigamajutsu and Kasumi Shinto-ryu Kenjutsu (within the SMR system).
- Kuroda Ichitaro (b.1911 - d.2000) - Japanese Menkyo SMR - Most senior student of Shimizu Takaji - At time of death held master rank (10th dan) simultaneously in Kendo, Jodo, Iaido and Shodo.
- Miura Takeyuki - Japanese Martial Artist - Student of Nakajima Asakichi - Is Hanshi 10th dan of Muso Jikiden Eishin-ryu Iaijutsu.
- Nakayama Hakudo (b.1873 - d.1958) - Japanese Martial Artist - Student of Shiriashi Hanjiro - Founder of Muso Shinden-ryu iaido - Held Hanshi rank in SMR.
- Nishioka Tsuneo - Japanese Menkyo SMR - student of Shimizu Takaji, founder of the Shinto Muso-ryu group "Sei ryu kai", [2][3] - technical advisor to European Jodo Federation since 1994.
- Pascal Krieger - Swiss Menkyo SMR - Student of Shimizu Takaji - founder of the European Jodo Federation [4], president of the International Jodo Federation.
- Phil Relnick - US Menkyo SMR - Student of Nishioka Tsuneo and Shimizu Takaji - Pan-American Jo Federation. [5] [6]
- Shoji Nishio (b.1927 - d.2005) - Japanese aikidoka [7]- Traineé of SMR - Founder of the Aikido style Nishio Aikido in which he used his knowledge of jodo in creating aiki jo techniques.
- Steven Bellamy - GB Menkyo SMR - Student of Shimizu Takaji and Kuroda Ichitaro - International Jodo Association. Hanshi 8th dan Muso Shinden-ryu Iaido. [8]
[edit] Footnotes
- Note 1: The names Shinto and Shindo, as used in Shinto Muso-ryu, are both equally correct. Different SMR-groups use the name Shinto or Shindo depending on their own tradition, no sort of consensus has been made as to which name should be used.
- Note 2: Kage-ryu Battojutsu did survive the Meiji-restoration and is still active today.
- Note 3: A more modern example of martial arts going underground and being secretly taught can be found in the post-World War II ban on Japanese martial arts by the US during it's occupation. Shinto Muso-ryu Jodo, like many other ryu such as Katori Shinto-ryu, was temporary banned and forbidden to be taught. The occupation forces were weary of the nationalistic overtunes of some of these ryu and feared it would be used as a political tool for extreme-right nationalists. Jodo, or rather elements of Jodo, got a special reprive once the occupation forces decided it was useful in the new administration of Japan, more specifically in the Tokyo riot-police department.
- Note 4: Competitions are held in Seitei Jodo only. Seitei Jodo holds competitions on which the performance of the Uchidachi and Shidachi are judged when performing kata. Shinto Muso-ryu holds no competitions of any sort.'
- Note 5: A more modern example of jo-usage in police-forces is "Keijojutsu". In 1927 Shimizu Takaji and Kenichi Takayama presented a set of jojutsu techniques named Keijojutsu to the "National Police Agency" in Tokyo for use by the riot-police.
- Note 6: The name "Kasumi" Shinto-ryu is not the universal way of naming the 12 sword kata. The discovery of the name "Kasumi" was made from recent research into the history of Shinto Muso-ryu but is yet to be confirmed. The most common and older way of naming the 12 sword kata in SMR is "Shinto-ryu Kenjutsu" or the longer "Shinto Muso-ryu Kenjutsu".
- Note 7: The various stances in different martial arts are not necessarily identical eventhough sharing the same name.
- Note 8: The number of Shihanke or Headmaster is counted by combining all the known Shihanke of all the branches of Shinto Muso-ryu Jodo including the founder of Katori Shinto-ryu, the latter which the founder of SMR also held a Menkyo Kaiden.
[edit] See also
- Bujutsu/Budo - The "Way of War" or the "Way of the warrior".
- Daimyo - The feudal landowner of feudal Japan. Employed samurai as warriors in a vassal/lord relationship to both protect and expand the Daimyos domains before and during the Sengoku Jidai period. The Daimyo as a position lasted until the Meiji restoration and abolishment of the feudal system.
- Iaido/Iaijutsu - Martial Art - The art of drawing the Japanese sword.
- Koryu - A term used to describe Japanese martial arts created before the 1868 Meiji restoration. Any art created that was created post-1868, such as Judo, Karate, Aikido, Taido, are considered to be Gendai Budo. Karate, although preceding 1868, does not qualify as koryu due to the fact it did not evolve in Japan but on the Ryūkyū Islands (modern Okinawa Prefecture) which did not become a part of Japan until the 17th century.
- Samurai - The warrior elite of feudal Japan. The Samurai caste was abolished in the Meiji restoration's aftermath.
- Seitei Jodo - Modern, compact version of SMR with 12 kata taught in the Zen Nihon Kendo Renmei.
[edit] Other
Ryu from the Kuroda-han area.
- Ise Jitoku Tenshin-ryu
- Jigo Tenshin-ryu
- Shiten-ryu (Hoshino-ha)
- Sosuishi ryu
- Takenouchi Santo-ryu
[edit] External links
- European Jôdô Federation (French)(English)
- Jo Dojo of Nishioka Tsuneo Sensei in Tokyo (English) (Japanese) (Spanish)
- Koryu.com photo gallery of Shinto Muso-ryu and integrated arts in action
- Pan-American Jo Federation
- Shindo Muso Ryu Jodo in the USA
- Shindo Muso Ryu Jodo on the Net
- SMR dojo in Stockholm, Sweden (Swedish)(English)
- SMR in Switzerland (French)(English)
- SMR dojo in Östersund, Sweden (Swedish)
- SMR dojo in Haarlem, Netherlands (Dutch)
- Shrine of Muso Gonnosuke
- Shrine of Muso Gonnosuke (Japanese)
- Seitei Jodo/Shindo Muso Ryu Jodo in Spain (Spanish)
- Shinto Muso Ryu Demonstrated at Nagoya Castle
[edit] References
- "A Brief History of ZNKR Jodo"
- Entry on SMR at koryu.com
- "Evolution of classical Jojutsu" by Dave Lowry
- Jodo Kai Australia
- KampaiBudokai article on SMR
- "Muso Gonnosuke and the Shinto Muso-ryu Jo" by Wayne Muromoto
- Matsui Kenji: The History of Shindo Muso Ryu Jojutsu (1993)
- "Nishioka Tsuneo and the Pure Flow of the Jo" by Wayne Muromoto
- Pascal Krieger: Jodô - la voie du bâton / The way of the stick (bilingual French/English), Geneva (CH) 1989, ISBN 2-9503214-0-2
- Stockholm Jodokai with featured list of known Shinto Muso-ryu kata including assimilated arts.
- USA Jodo Federation (history-section)
