Traditional Koryu is a Japanese word that is used in association with the ancient Japanese martial arts. This word literally translates as "old school" or "traditional school"...  Japanese martial art
Kashima-Shinryū
Founder(s)
Kunii Kagetsugu	co-founder
Matsumoto Bizen-no-kami	co-founder
Date founded
Middle Muromachi period Muromachi period The is a division of Japanese history running from approximately 1336 to 1573. The period marks the governance of the Muromachi or Ashikaga shogunate, which was officially established in 1338 by the first Muromachi shogun, Ashikaga Takauji, two years after the brief Kemmu restoration of imperial...  (1336 to 1573)	Founded ca 1500
Current headmaster
Shihanke Seki Hugh Fujiwara no Humitake	19th Generation
Arts taught
Japanese name	Description
Kenjutsu Kenjutsu , meaning "the method, or technique, of the sword." This is opposed to kendo, which means the way of the sword. Kenjutsu is the umbrella term for all traditional schools of Japanese swordsmanship, in particular those that predate the Meiji Restoration...  剣術 - odachi Odachi An , was a type of long Japanese sword. The term nodachi, or "field sword", which refers to a different type of sword, is often mistakenly used in place of ōdachi. It is historically known as ōtachi....  kodachi Kodachi A , literally translating into "small or short tachi ", is a Japanese sword that is too long to be considered a dagger but too short to be a long sword...	Sword art - Long and short sword
Battōjutsu Battojutsu is a Japanese term meaning techniques for engaging a sword. It is often used interchangeably with the terms iaijutsu, battōdō, or iaidō, although each term does have nuances in the Japanese language and different schools of Japanese martial arts may use them to differentiate between techniques...  抜刀術 - Odachi	Sword drawing art - Used in Shinryu for solo/partner kenjutsu training
Bōjutsu Bojutsu , translated from Japanese as "staff technique", is the martial art of using a staff weapon called bō which simply means "staff". Staffs are perhaps one of the earliest weapons used by humankind. They have been in use for thousands of years in Eastern Asia. Some techniques involve slashing,...  棒術 - Bō Bo -People:*Bo , name origin, plus people with the name*Bo , name origin, plus people with the surname**Bo , Chinese family names*Bo people , extinct minority population in Southern China famous for hanging coffins...	Staff art
Jojutsu 杖術 - Jō Jo JO, Jo or jo may refer to:*Jō, a ~4-foot-long wooden staff used in some Japanese martial arts*Cho , , also spelled Jo, a common Korean family name*Jo , a 1971 French comedy...	Staff(stick) art
Jujutsu Jujutsu Jujutsu , also known as jujitsu, ju-jitsu, or Japanese jiu-jitsu, is a Japanese martial art and a method of close combat for defeating an armed and armored opponent in which one uses no weapon, or only a short weapon....  柔術	Unarmed grappling art
Naginatajutsu Naginatajutsu is the Japanese martial art of wielding the . This is a weapon resembling the medieval European glaive. Most naginatajutsu practiced today is in a modernized form, a gendai budō, in which competitions also are held.-Debated origins:...  (長刀術) - Naginata Naginata The naginata is one of several varieties of traditionally made Japanese blades in the form of a pole weapon. Naginata were originally used by the samurai class in feudal Japan, and naginata were also used by ashigaru and sōhei .-Description:A naginata consists of a wooden shaft with a curved...	Glaive art - (curved spear)
Sojutsu Sojutsu , meaning "art of the spear" is the Japanese martial art of fighting with the Japanese .-Origins:Although the spear had a profound role in early Japanese mythology, where the islands of Japan themselves were said to be created by salt water dripping from the tip of a spear, as a weapon the first...  槍術 - Yari Yari is the term for one of the traditionally made Japanese blades in the form of a spear, or more specifically, the straight-headed spear...	Spear art
Shurikenjutsu Shurikenjutsu is a general term describing the traditional Japanese martial arts of throwing shuriken, which are small, hand-held weapons used primarily by the shinobi in feudal Japan, such as metal spikes bō shuriken, circular plates of metal known as hira shuriken, and knives .Shurikenjutsu was usually taught...  手裏剣術 - Shuriken Shuriken A shuriken is a traditional Japanese concealed weapon that was generally used for throwing, and sometimes stabbing or slashing...	Spikethrowing art

Kashima Shinryū (鹿島神流) is a nearly 500 years old Japanese koryu

Koryu

is a Japanese word that is used in association with the ancient Japanese martial arts. This word literally translates as "old school" or "traditional school"...

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 Koryu Bujutsu.

The name Kashima refers to Kashima Shrine

Kashima Shrine

Kashima Shrine is a shrine dedicated to the Shinto kami Takemikazuchi-no-mikoto , one of the patron deities of martial arts. Dojo of kenjutsu and kendo sometimes display a kakejiku emblazoned with Kashima Taishin...

 that is located in Kashima

Kashima, Ibaraki

is a port city located in Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan.As of October 1, 2010, the city has an estimated population of 66,249 and a population density of 708.02 persons per km². The total area is 93.57 km². Kashima was formerly a town in Kashima District and became a city after merging with the...

, Ibaraki Prefecture

Ibaraki Prefecture

is a prefecture of Japan, located in the Kantō region on the main island of Honshu. The capital is Mito.-History:Ibaraki Prefecture was previously known as Hitachi Province...

. Kashima-Shinryū includes kenjutsu

Kenjutsu

, meaning "the method, or technique, of the sword." This is opposed to kendo, which means the way of the sword. Kenjutsu is the umbrella term for all traditional schools of Japanese swordsmanship, in particular those that predate the Meiji Restoration...

, battojutsu

Battojutsu

is a Japanese term meaning techniques for engaging a sword. It is often used interchangeably with the terms iaijutsu, battōdō, or iaidō, although each term does have nuances in the Japanese language and different schools of Japanese martial arts may use them to differentiate between techniques...

, jojutsu, jujutsu

Jujutsu

Jujutsu , also known as jujitsu, ju-jitsu, or Japanese jiu-jitsu, is a Japanese martial art and a method of close combat for defeating an armed and armored opponent in which one uses no weapon, or only a short weapon....

, kusarigama

Kusarigama

The is a traditional Japanese weapon that consists of a kama on a metal chain with a heavy iron weight at the end. The kusarigama is said to have developed during the Muromachi period...

, and several other skills in its curriculum.

Kashima-Shinryū can be studied not only in Japan but also in the United States in Athens, Bozeman, Eureka and Los Angeles. In Europe Kashima-Shinryū is taught in Breda, Frankfurt, Dresden, Helsinki, Ljubljana, London and Tampere.

Kashima-Shinryū should not be confused with other Japanese koryu with similar names, Kashima Shinto-ryu

Kashima Shinto-ryu

' is a traditional school of Japanese martial arts founded by Tsukahara Bokuden in the Muromachi period .Due to its formation during the tumultuous Sengoku Jidai, a time of feudal war, the school's techniques are based on battlefield experience and revolve around finding weak points in the...

 and Kashima Shinden Jikishinkage-ryu.

External links

• Kashima-Shinryū Federation of Martial Sciences website