is a Japanese martial art, commonly known as the style practiced by several core members of the Shinsengumi

Shinsengumi

The were a special police force of the late shogunate period.-Historical background:After Japan opened up to the West following U.S. Commodore Matthew Perry's visits in 1853, its political situation gradually became more and more chaotic...

.

History

Founded by Kondō Kuranosuke Nagahiro around 1789, the style was popularized by Kondō Shūsuke (1792-1867), the third generation master of the style, who, together with Satō Hikogorō, spread its practice throughout the farming population of the Tama

Tama

-Religion:* Tama , part of the soul in the Japanese Shinto faith, roughly equivalent to ghost, spirit, or soul* Tama , a votive deposit or ex-voto used in the Eastern Orthodox Churches...

 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 Kondō Shūsuke decided to adopt a sixteen-year-old student named Miyagawa Katsugorō, the later Kondō Isami

Kondo Isami

was a Japanese swordsman and official of the late Edo Period, famed for his role as commander of the Shinsengumi.-Background:Isami, who was first known as Katsugorō, was born to Miyagawa Hisajirō, a farmer residing in Kami-Ishihara village in Musashi Province, now in the city of Chōfu in Western...

.

This style, like other 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"...

 arts, teaches 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...

, 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,...

, and jūjutsu

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....

. The style was famous in Edo, and was headquartered at the Shieikan dojo. In 1861, Kondō Isami became the 4th 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 style, spread its fame during his time as commander of the Shinsengumi. Noted practitioners were Hijikata Toshizo

Hijikata Toshizo

was the vice-commander of Shinsengumi, a great swordsman and a talented Japanese military leader who resisted the Meiji Restoration.-Background:...

, Inoue Genzaburō

Inoue Genzaburo

was born in Bushu . He was the captain of the sixth unit of the Shinsengumi which were a special police force for the Tokugawa regime....

, and the famous prodigy Okita Sōji

Okita Soji

, was the captain of the first unit of the Shinsengumi, a special police force in Kyoto during the late shogunate period. He was one of the best swordsmen of the Shinsengumi, along with Saito Hajime and Nagakura Shinpachi....

 (who 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

Yamanami Keisuke

was a Japanese samurai. He was the General Secretary of the Shinsengumi, a special police force in Kyoto during the late Edo period.-Background:...

, who was enrolled in 1860 and others like Nagakura Shinpachi

Nagakura Shinpachi

was the captain of the 2nd troop of the Shinsengumi.-Background:Nagakura Shinpachi Noriyuki, known as Eikichi or Eiji during his childhood, was born in the Matsumae clan's "kami-yashiki" in Edo on the 11th day of the fourth month of Tenpō 10 His father, Nagakura Kanji, was a retainer of the...

 and Harada Sanosuke

Harada Sanosuke

was a Japanese warrior who lived in the late Edo period. He was the 10th unit captain of the Shinsengumi, and died during the Boshin War.-Background:...

 stayed at the Shieikan without becoming practitioners of Tennen Rishin-ryū.

Even though quite a few techniques were lost, especially 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

External links

• www.tennenrishinryu.com - Tennen Rishin Ryu official Japanese site
• www.tennenrishinryu.it - Tennen Rishin Ryu official Italian site