Kashima Shin-ryū
| Kashima-Shinryū | |
|---|---|
| Koryū | |
| Foundation | |
| Founder |
Kunii Kagetsugu Matsumoto Bizen-no-kami |
| Date founded | c. 1500 |
| Period founded | Middle Muromachi period (1336 to 1573) |
| Current information | |
| Current headmaster |
Shihanke Seki Hugh Fujiwara no Humitake (19th generation) Soke Kunii Masakatsu (21st generation) |
| Arts taught | |
| Art | Description |
| Kenjutsu 剣術 - odachi kodachi | Sword art - Long and short sword |
| Battōjutsu 抜刀術 - Odachi | Sword drawing art (used in Shinryu for solo/partner kenjutsu training) |
| Bōjutsu 棒術 - Bō | Staff art |
| Hobakujutsu | Tying art |
| Jojutsu 杖術 - Jō | Staff (stick) art |
| Jujutsu 柔術 | Unarmed grappling art |
| Kaikenjutsu | Dagger art |
| Kenpo | Striking art |
| Naginatajutsu (長刀術) - Naginata | Glaive art - (curved spear) |
| Sojutsu 槍術 - Yari | Spear art |
| Shurikenjutsu 手裏剣術 - Shuriken | Spikethrowing art |
Kashima-Shinryū (鹿島神流) is a nearly 500 years old Japanese koryū martial art. The art was somewhat popularized in the 20th century by Kunii Zen'ya (1894-1966), the 18th generation soke (headmaster). The Current 'Soke' is 21st Generation Kunii Masakatsu. The line is still headed by the Kunii family but is more or less honorific as the responsibility for the preservation and teaching of the ryu is instilled in a 'Shihanke' - currently represented by Seki Humitake. 'Shihanke' roughly translates as 'instructors house' and is something which is not uncommon in koryū-bujutsu.
The name Kashima refers to Kashima Shrine that is located in Kashima, Ibaraki Prefecture. Kashima-Shinryū includes kenjutsu, battojutsu, jojutsu, jujutsu, kusarigama, and several other skills in its curriculum.
Kashima-Shinryū can be studied not only in Japan but also in the United States in Athens, GA, Bozeman,MT, Eureka, CA and Los Angeles, CA. In Europe Kashima-Shinryū is taught in Breda, Frankfurt, Dresden, Helsinki, Ljubljana, London and Tampere.
It is held that the greater ideals of this and other Koryū lead to betterment of the self by repetition of the techniques because each technique has in it all the principles of the greater Way (道 – Michi).
References
- Friday, Karl F. with Seki Humitake, Legacies of the Sword: The Kashima-Shinryu and Samurai Martial Culture, Honolulu: University of Hawai'i Press, 1997.
External links
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