#3869 [2004-02-24 14:54:49]
Shinto Munen ryu
by
klancesegall
Does anyone here have any info concerning the Shinto Munen style? I
know practically nothing short of the fact that it has some iai
elements, so anything is something (and no detail is so small).
I might have posted this before, but I didn't see it in the digest,
so if I already posted this, sorry.
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#3894 [2004-03-03 09:59:23]
Re: Shinto Munen ryu
by
thomas5403
Hi Kyle -
Not sure how much you know, so forgive if I'm 'teaching you to
suck eggs'.
The Shindo Munen Ryu was founded by Fukui Heiemon
Yoshihira who based his teachings on the Shinkage Ryu,
the Shinkage Ichien Ryu, and the Ichien Ryu.
Saito Yakuro (1799-1872), a Shindo Munen Ryu swordsman
Negishi Shingoro, who later taught Nakayama Hakudo
(both of whom are pictured on the website Paul provided the
link for).
Now it gets tricky...
In the 20th century Oe Masamichi Shikei (1852-1927) and
Nakayama Hakudo Hiromichi (1869-1958) reorganised and
modified the curriculum of a number of koryu styles.
Both were in the line of Hayashizaki Jinsuke Shigenobu's
(1542-1621) Shimmei Muso Ryu, from which a large
number of ryuha sprang.
Oe taught the Muso Jikkiden Eishin Ryu, (Eishin was the 8th
headmaster of the Shimmei Muso Ryu) whilst Hakudo's
reformed ryu was named by his students the Muso Shinden
Ryu, hinting at its roots in the Shimmei Muso Ryu.
Hakudo gathered techniques of (at least) three ryu as just one
style, distinguished by the name Shoden, Chuden and Okuden.
Shoden is based on Omori ryu, founded by Omori
Rokurosaemon Masamitsu, a swordman of the Yagyu Shinkage
ryu, itself a development of Kage Ryu, Tenshin Shoden Katori
Shinto Ryu and Kashima Shinto Ryu techniques.
(Omori had also studied under Hasegawa Chikaranosuke
Eishin Hidenobu but was thrown out over a personal conflict.)
Chuden is based on Muso Jikiden ryu, founded by a Onkeibo
Chohen of which very little is known. Izasa Ienao (1486-1588),
founder of Tenshin Shoden Katori Shinto ryu, is said to have
been 7th headmaster of this school. The 19th headmaster,
Hasegawa Chikaranosuke Eishin Hidenobu, was also 7th
headmaster of Hayashizaki's Shimmei Muso ryu. He taught
both styles under the name of Muso Jikiden Eishin ryu or
Hasegawa Eishin ryu.
Okuden is directly attributed to Hayashizaki Jinsuke Shigenobu,
ie we have gone full circle, but the masters of the Shimmei
Muso Ryu also founded their own ryu, so it's likely they have
influenced the ryu since its foundation.
Shimmei Muso Ryu masters include Tamiya Heibei Shigemasu,
the founder of the Tamiya Ryu, the Shin Tamiya Ryu, Jikyo Ryu
and Mugai Ryu. Nagano Muraku founded the Muraku Ryu.
Ichinomiya Sadayu Terunobu founded the Ichinomiya Ryu.
Thus Hakudo would have been influenced by all these ryu in
passing on his own teachings.
As to the curriculum of the Shindo Munen Ryu, I cannot say, but
it teaches iaijutsu, kenjutsu and jojutsu. From the photos one
might discern that their techniques are closer to -jutsu than
-do styles, that is they are more concerned with combative
technique than aesthetic style.
(A very broad and inaccurate description of the difference
between -jutsu and -do is that in the former anything goes,
spitting, gouging, scratching, kicking and punching - the point
being to bring your opponent down. It doesn't have to be neat
and tidy, just effective - as someone once said, 'any landing
you walk away from is a good landing'.)
Thomas
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