Musō Shinden-ryū
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Musō Shinden ryū (夢想神伝流) is a branch of the discipline iaido.
The art can be traced back to the originator of iaido, a samurai named Hayashizaki Jinsuke Minamoto no Shigenobu (1549-1621), in some traditions known as Hōjō Jinsuke Shigenobu. Many schools of swordsmanship developed from Hayashizaki's teaching, including Tamiya Ryu and Muso Jikiden Eishin Ryu. In the 18th century the school of Muso Jikiden Eishin Ryu split into two factions with rival soke (head masters). The Shinomura branch was the one that evolved into Muso Shinden Ryu. Nakayama Hakudo (1869 - 1958) became the soke of the Shinomura branch and revised the curriculum. He laid out a plan of study having students pass through Shoden (entry level), Chuden (middle level), and two sets of Okuden (inner level). In addition to the revised curriculum he also modified some techniques (for example the noto is now done level rather than at an angle). Some argue that many of these changes were made because of Nakayama's experience with other martial arts since he was highly ranked in other schools of kenjutsu and jodo. An example is how noto was changed to the noto of Shindo Munen Ryu Kenjutsu as done in its Suwari waza and Okuden: Tachi Iai. Muso Shinden Ryu is one of the most popular koryu of iaido but it also has kumitachi kata (paired kenjutsu exercises) that run parallel to the curriculum. In fact, it has more kumitachi kata than iai kata. Many take this evidence that what we call Muso Shinden Ryu iaido today was a much bigger system consisting of not only swordsmanship but Yawara (Natsurabara Ryu) and Bojutsu (Itarabashi Ryu).
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[edit] Shoden (Entry level)
The word "Shoden" can be translated as the "entry-transmission", and was derived from the Omori-ryū iaido. Omori-ryū was said to have been created by Hayashi Rokudayu Morimasa, the ninth headmaster of the Muso Jikiden Eishin-ryū, who lived from 1661 until 1732. It has been included in the Muso Shinden-ryū at the entry level, and contains the following techniques (names and ordering can vary between different branches of the ryū):
- Shohatto (Shohatsuto) (First)
- Sato (Hidarito) (Left)
- Uto (Migito) (Right)
- Atarito (Ushiro) (Back)
- Inyoshintai (Yaegaki)
- Ryuto (Ukenagasi)
- Junto (Kaishaku)
- Gyakuto (Tukekomi or Oikiri)
- Seichuto (Tukikage)
- Koranto (Oikaze) (Chasing the Tiger)
- Gyakute Inyoshintai (Inyoshintai kaewaza, Hizakakoi)
- Nukiuchi (Batto)
[edit] Chūden
The word "Chūden" can be translated as the "middle-transmission", and was derived from the Hasegawa Eishin-ryū iaido. Originally created in the seventeenth century by Hasegawa Chikaranosuke Eishin (Hidenobu), who was the seventh undisputed headmaster of the Muso Jikiden Eishin-ryū. Hasegawa Eishin-ryū has been included in the Muso Shinden-ryū at the middle level. It contains the following techniques:
- Yokogumo -cloud bank
- Tora issoku -tiger's step
- Inazuma -lightning
- Ukigumo -floating cloud
- Yamaoroshi -wind down from the mountain
- Iwanami -wave hitting rocks
- Namigaeshi -wave turn
- Urokogaeshi -dragon turn
- Takiotoshi -waterfall
- Nukiuchi -draw/cut (Sudden Cut or Joi-uti)
[edit] Okuden
The word "Okuden" can be translated as the "inner-transmission". Nakayama's oku-iai is divided into two groups, suwari-waza, and tachi-waza; sitting and standing techniques.
Suwari-waza
- Kasumi (Mist)
- Sunekakoi (Knee Covering)
- Shihogiri (Attacking the Four Sides)
- Tozume
- Towaki
- Tanashita
- Ryozume
- Torabashiri (Tiger Run)
- Itomagoi 1 (Farewell 1)
- Itomagoi 2 (Farewell 2)
- Itomagoi 3 (Farewell 3)
Tachi-waza
- Yukizure
- Tsure-dachi
- Somakuri (Continuous Attack)
- Sodome (Attack One After Another)
- Shinobu (Secret Attack)
- Yukichigai (Receive and redirect the opponent's attack)
- Sodesuri-gaeshi (Pushing Through the Crowd)
- Mon-iri (Entering Through the Gate)
- Kabezoi (By the Wall)
- Uke-nagashi
- Ryohi-hikitsure
- Oikake-giri
- Gishiki
[edit] Kumitachi (kenjutsu) Kata
Kumitachi (the kenjutsu part of the curriculum) are rarely taught today. Many high ranked iaidoka do not do the kumitachi at all. Tachi Uchi no Kurai and Tsumeai no Kurai are the sets most often taught, but even these are not known to the majority of iaidoka.
Tachi Uchi no Kurai (12 sets of kata done standing tachi v. tachi)
Kurai Tori (9 sets of kata done standing tachi v. tachi)
Tsume Iai no Kurai (11 sets of kata done in iai hiza tachi v. tachi)
Daisho Tsume (8 sets of kata done in iai hiza mostly jujutsu between men armed with tachi)
Daisho Tachi Tsume (7 sets of kata, 6 done in iaihiza 1 standing jujutsu between men with tachi)
Tsume no Kurai (7 sets of kata done in iaihiza and standing jujutsu and kenjutsu techniques)
Daikendori (10 sets of kata done daito v.s. daito 6 forms, and shoto v.s. daito 4 forms)
It should be mentioned that only a few dojos still practice the whole curriculum. Most orginizations only practice the Iai aspect of the art. Thus the kumitachi of Muso Shinden Ryu is lost to majority practitioners.
