Muso Shinden-ryu
Encyclopedia
is a iaijutsu
koryū
founded by Nakayama Hakudō
(中山博道), last sōke
of the Shimomura branch of Hasegawa Eishin-ryū
. The term "iaidō
" appeared in 1932 and was popularized by Nakayama Hakudō (1869–1958).
from Musō Shinden-ryū present some differences in their execution from the kata of the same name practiced in its sister art of Musō Jikiden Eishin-ryū
. Among the most visible are the manner in which the furikamuri (raising the sword overhead, also known as furikaburi) and the nōtō
(sheathing) are done. Both arts also differ from many other iaijutsu
schools in that there is no kiai
.
stance or kamae
. The sword should now be right in the middle line of the body, with the tip raised forty-five degrees upward and your left hand hovering just above your forehead.
is the edge turned to face upwards. The blade and saya should cross your center line at a forty-five degree angle while sheathing.
of Ōmori-ryū
iaijutsu plus one kata variation exclusive to Musō Shinden-ryū. The kata start from the seiza
sitting posture. It has been included in Musō Shinden-ryū as the entry level. This series of kata was made the first to be learned when the 17th headmaster of the Tanimura branch, Ōe Masamichi, reorganized and rationalized the curriculum of Hasegawa Eishin-ryū
at the start of the 20th century.
Nakayama Hakudō, according to his own memoirs, invented the twelfth kata called Inyō Shintai Kaewaza as a variation on the fifth kata Inyō Shintai.
. This series of kata
is executed from the tachihiza (more commonly called tatehiza) sitting position. In contrast to the first series of kata, the enemy is considered to be sitting very close and thus the primary goal of the chūden techniques is to create proper cutting distance (kirima) by stepping back instead of forward.
Ōe Masamichi apparently developed a method to execute all ten techniques in a row in what he called haya-nuki or "quick draw". Two version exists. First, you can use two hands, that is you can use both the left and right hand to execute the movements, just as in the normal execution. The second method involves drawing the sword with only the right hand, as if you were on a horse. This kind of practice is not done in formal presentations.
part of the curriculum) are rarely taught today. Many high ranked iaidō practitioners do not practice these techniques at all. Tachi Uchi no Kurai and Tsumeai no Kurai are the series most often taught, but even these are not known to the majority of iaidō practitioners. See the List of Musō Shinden-ryū techniques for more details.
Iaijutsu
, the art of drawing the Japanese sword. One of Japanese martial disciplines in education of the classical warrior .-Etymology:"Iaijutsu" was known before the Tokugawa period but it is unclear exactly when the term "iaijutsu" first came into use, or when exactly drawing the katana from its...
koryū
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"...
founded by Nakayama Hakudō
Nakayama Hakudo
, also known as Nakayama Hiromichi, was a Japanese martial artist and founder of the iaidō style Musō Shinden-ryū. He is the only person to have received both jūdan and hanshi ranks in kendō, iaidō, and jōdō from the All Japan Kendo Federation...
(中山博道), last sōke
Soke
The word soke has several meanings:* Soke , an early Western jurisdictional concept.* Soke or eke is a Tongan stick dance, originating from Wallis and Futuna., a Japanese title meaning "head of the family," and is usually used to denote the headmaster of a school of Japanese martial arts.* Soke of...
of the Shimomura branch of Hasegawa Eishin-ryū
Hasegawa Eishin-ryū
is a iaijutsu koryū founded by Hasegawa Chikaranosuke Eishin as a continuation of the teachings he received in Shinmei Musō-ryū. After the death of the eleventh headmaster, Ōguro Motoemon Kiyokatsu, the school split into two branches or ha...
. The term "iaidō
Iaido
is a modern Japanese martial art associated with the smooth, controlled movements of drawing the sword from its scabbard, striking or cutting an opponent, removing blood from the blade, and then replacing the sword in the scabbard...
" appeared in 1932 and was popularized by Nakayama Hakudō (1869–1958).
Particularities
The kataKata
is a Japanese word describing detailed choreographed patterns of movements practised either solo or in pairs. The term form is used for the corresponding concept in non-Japanese martial arts in general....
from Musō Shinden-ryū present some differences in their execution from the kata of the same name practiced in its sister art of Musō Jikiden Eishin-ryū
Muso Jikiden Eishin-ryu
, is a koryū sword art, and one of the most widely practiced schools of iaijutsu in the world. Often referred to simply as "Eishin-ryū," it claims an unbroken lineage dating back to the sixteenth century....
. Among the most visible are the manner in which the furikamuri (raising the sword overhead, also known as furikaburi) and the nōtō
Noto
Noto is a city and comune in the Province of Syracuse, Sicily . Its located 32 km southwest of the city of Syracuse at the foot of the Iblean Mountains and gives its name to the surrounding valley, Val di Noto...
(sheathing) are done. Both arts also differ from many other iaijutsu
Iaijutsu
, the art of drawing the Japanese sword. One of Japanese martial disciplines in education of the classical warrior .-Etymology:"Iaijutsu" was known before the Tokugawa period but it is unclear exactly when the term "iaijutsu" first came into use, or when exactly drawing the katana from its...
schools in that there is no kiai
Kiai
is a Japanese term used in martial arts. There are numerous examples of the battle cry in other cultures: kiai is perhaps primarily a development of this. In the representation of Asian martial arts in cinema and in animated cartoons, Modern Kiai are often written by westerners in Romaji as...
.
Furikaburi
After striking with one hand, primarily on nukitsuke (cutting as one draws the sword out), the sword is brought to a position about ten centimeters above the left shoulder, blade edge up, and with the point facing backwards. The movement resembles a thrust to the rear. Unlike in Musō Jikiden Eishin-ryū, the sword does not fall off behind the back but always stays over shoulder height. The right hand then raises the sword overhead while the left hand takes its place on the hilt, thus entering in the jōdanJodan
, also known as jōdan-gamae, and frequently shortened simply to jōdan among kendo and ninjutsu Bujinkan practitioners, is a basic kenjutsu posture. Jōdan-no-kamae means upper-level posture .-Kendo:...
stance or kamae
Kamae
is a Japanese term used in martial arts and traditional theater. It translates approximately to "posture". The Kanji of this word means "base".Kamae is to be differentiated from the word , used in Japanese martial arts to mean stance...
. The sword should now be right in the middle line of the body, with the tip raised forty-five degrees upward and your left hand hovering just above your forehead.
Nōtō
In Musō Shinden-ryū, the sheathing is performed horizontally with the blade outwards. Only when the sword is about two-thirds of the way in the sayaSaya
Saya may refer to:* Saya, Aichi, a former town in Aichi, Japan, the Japanese term for a scabbard* Saya Chang , a pop singer from Taiwan * Afro-Bolivian Saya, a particular type of music of Bolivia...
is the edge turned to face upwards. The blade and saya should cross your center line at a forty-five degree angle while sheathing.
Shoden
The word "Shoden", which can be translated as the "entry-transmission", consists of the kataKata
is a Japanese word describing detailed choreographed patterns of movements practised either solo or in pairs. The term form is used for the corresponding concept in non-Japanese martial arts in general....
of Ōmori-ryū
Omori-ryu
is a iaijutsu koryū founded by Ōmori Rokurōzaemon Masamitsu , probably in the latter half of the seventeenth century. The techniques developed by Masamitsu were later incorporated into Hasegawa Eishin-ryū and continue to be taught to this day as the first series of kata in Musō Jikiden Eishin-ryū...
iaijutsu plus one kata variation exclusive to Musō Shinden-ryū. The kata start from the seiza
Seiza
Seiza is the Japanese term for the traditional formal way of sitting in Japan.- Form :To sit seiza-style, one first kneels on the floor, folding one's legs underneath one's thighs, while resting the buttocks on the heels...
sitting posture. It has been included in Musō Shinden-ryū as the entry level. This series of kata was made the first to be learned when the 17th headmaster of the Tanimura branch, Ōe Masamichi, reorganized and rationalized the curriculum of Hasegawa Eishin-ryū
Hasegawa Eishin-ryū
is a iaijutsu koryū founded by Hasegawa Chikaranosuke Eishin as a continuation of the teachings he received in Shinmei Musō-ryū. After the death of the eleventh headmaster, Ōguro Motoemon Kiyokatsu, the school split into two branches or ha...
at the start of the 20th century.
Nakayama Hakudō, according to his own memoirs, invented the twelfth kata called Inyō Shintai Kaewaza as a variation on the fifth kata Inyō Shintai.
Chūden
The word "Chūden" can be translated as the "middle-transmission" and consists of ten techniques from Hasegawa Eishin-ryūHasegawa Eishin-ryū
is a iaijutsu koryū founded by Hasegawa Chikaranosuke Eishin as a continuation of the teachings he received in Shinmei Musō-ryū. After the death of the eleventh headmaster, Ōguro Motoemon Kiyokatsu, the school split into two branches or ha...
. This series of kata
Kata
is a Japanese word describing detailed choreographed patterns of movements practised either solo or in pairs. The term form is used for the corresponding concept in non-Japanese martial arts in general....
is executed from the tachihiza (more commonly called tatehiza) sitting position. In contrast to the first series of kata, the enemy is considered to be sitting very close and thus the primary goal of the chūden techniques is to create proper cutting distance (kirima) by stepping back instead of forward.
Ōe Masamichi apparently developed a method to execute all ten techniques in a row in what he called haya-nuki or "quick draw". Two version exists. First, you can use two hands, that is you can use both the left and right hand to execute the movements, just as in the normal execution. The second method involves drawing the sword with only the right hand, as if you were on a horse. This kind of practice is not done in formal presentations.
Okuden
The word "Okuden" can be translated as the "inner-transmission". Oku-iai, as it is also called, is divided into two groups : suwari-waza (sitting techniques) and tachi-waza (standing techniques). As in chūden, the sitting techniques are performed from tachihiza.Kumitachi
The paired Kumitachi techniques (the kenjutsuKenjutsu
, 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...
part of the curriculum) are rarely taught today. Many high ranked iaidō practitioners do not practice these techniques at all. Tachi Uchi no Kurai and Tsumeai no Kurai are the series most often taught, but even these are not known to the majority of iaidō practitioners. See the List of Musō Shinden-ryū techniques for more details.