Tennen Rishin-ryū

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Tennen Rishin-ryū (天然理心流) was a sword style practiced by several core members of the Shinsengumi.

Founded by Kondo Kuranosuke Nagahiro around 1789, the style was popularized by Kondo Shuusuke (1792-1867), the third generation master of the style, who, together with Sato Hikogoro, spread its practice throughout the farming population of the Tama district. Since the first and the second generation masters each adopted a student with superb skills to be the next master, in 1849 the childless Kondo Shusuke decided to adopt a sixteen-year-old student named Miyagawa Katsugoro, the later Kondo Isami.

This style, like other koryū arts, teaches kenjutsu, bojutsu, and jujutsu. Tennen Rishin-ryū was particularly suited to group fighting techniques. The style was famous in Edo, and was headquartered at the Shieikan dojo. In 1861, Kondo Isami became the 4th sōke of the style, spread its fame during his time as commander of the Shinsengumi. Noted practitioners were Hijikata Toshizo, Inoue Genzaburō, and the famous prodigy Okita Soji (he mastered all the techniques of the school and attained Menkyo Kaiden status at eighteen or so.) Several men already certified in other styles cross-trained in Tennen Rishin-ryū, such as Yamanami Keisuke, who was enrolled in 1860 and others like Nagakura Shinpachi and Harada Sanosuke stayed at the Shieikan without becoming practitioners of Tennen Rishin-ryū.

Even though quite a few techniques were lost in the beginning of the Meiji era, Tennen Rishin-ryū is still practiced today, among other koryū.

List of Tennen Rishin-ryū techniques

Satsuki-ryō-ken

Hiryū-ken

Hira-seigan

Sasoku-ken

In-yū-ken

Kobi-ken

Denkō-ken

Katana-Nukizama-No-Koto

Syarin-ken

Ōtai-ken

Getsuei-ken

Seigan-ken

Geppa-ken

Unkō-ken

Kokō-ken

Sōsha

Sekka-ken

Ryūbi-ken

Kakari-ken

Ensha-ken

Ranken-ken

Shishiō-ken

Ukitori

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