, often referred to simply as Jikishinkage-ryū or Kashima Shinden, is a traditional school ('' koryū'') of the
Japanese martial art
Japanese martial arts refers to the variety of martial arts native to the country of Japan. At least three Japanese terms (''budō'', ''bujutsu'', and ''bugei'') are used interchangeably with the English phrase Japanese martial arts.
The usag ...
kenjutsu
is an umbrella term for all ('' ko-budō'') schools of Japanese swordsmanship, in particular those that predate the Meiji Restoration. Some modern styles of kendo and iaido that were established in the 20th century also included modern forms of ...
''). The school was founded in the mid-16th century, based upon older styles of swordsmanship, and is one of the few ancient Japanese martial arts schools still existing today.Koryu Bujutsu: Classical Warrior Traditions of Japan, volume 1 by Skoss, Diane (Editor). New Jersey Koryu Books 1997. .Koryu Books 2002.Koryu Books 2002.Kashima Shinden Jikishinkage-ryu. The Origin of Samurai-Swordsmanship from KASHIMA SHRINE, The God of BUSHIDO KASHIMA – A Symbol of Justice by the Sword. by Masaru Iwasa. Japan SAMURAI-BUSHIDO SOCIETY 2005, hardcover. . Kashima Shinden Jikishinkage-ryū 鹿島神傳直心影流 by Yamada Jirokichi 山田 次朗吉. Suishinsha, hardcover, 1927. Kashima Shinden Jiki Shinkage-ryū Gokui Denkai『鹿島神伝直心影流極意伝開』by Ishigaki Yasuzō 石垣安造. Japan, Tōkyō, Shinjusha 新樹社, 1992, hardcover. .Jiki Shinkage-ryū Kenjutsu with Ōmori Sōgen. Japan, Nihon Kobudo series, filmed during the 1970s by the Japanese Ministry of Education in a series on many of the traditional koryū. DVD, 2005. by Aikikai d'Italia, Italy /ref>
Kashima Shinden Jikishinkage- ryū can be translated as the "divinely transmitted, honest reflection of the heart, school of Kashima".
By repetitive practice, one maintains a constant connection with the cosmos by aspiring to jikishin (直心) unwavering intention and seimeishin (生命心) perfect clarity of mind, just like a cloudless sky on a brilliant sunny day. A practitioner who has attained heightened jikishin and seimeishin is said to have
The Jikishinkage-ryū style descends from the ''kenjutsu'' styles developed in the late
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 (''Muromachi bakufu'' or ''Ashikaga bakufu''), which was officially established in 1338 by t ...
which overlaps the early
Sengoku period
The was a period in History of Japan, Japanese history of near-constant civil war and social upheaval from 1467 to 1615.
The Sengoku period was initiated by the Ōnin War in 1467 which collapsed the Feudalism, feudal system of Japan under the ...
, or better dated as late 15th or early 16th century, at the
Kashima Shrine
is a Shinto shrine located in Kashima, Ibaraki in the northern Kantō region of Japan. It is dedicated to , one of the patron deities of martial arts. Various dōjō of ''kenjutsu'' and ''kendō'' often display a hanging scroll emblazoned with ...
by the founder, Matsumoto Bizen-no-Kami Naokatsu (松本 備前守 尚勝, 1467–1524). The direct predecessors of the Jikishinkage-ryū style are the
Shinkage-ryū
' meaning "new shadow school", is a traditional school ('' koryu'') of Japanese martial arts, founded by Kamiizumi Ise-no-Kami Fujiwara-no-Hidetsuna, later Kamiizumi Ise-no-Kami Nobutsuna Friday, Karl ''Legacies of the sword'', page 24. Univers ...
and the
Kage-ryū (Aizu)
is a traditional school ('' koryū'') of swordsmanship (''kenjutsu'') founded by Aizu Hyūga-no-Kami Iko (c. 1452–1538) in c. 1490. This school is also sometimes called Aizu Kage-ryū after the name of its founder. The founder was also ...
styles.
The Jikishin Kage-ryū Kenjutsu comes from a previous school, Kage-ryū Kenjutsu. A
samurai
were the hereditary military nobility and officer caste of medieval and early-modern Japan from the late 12th century until their abolition in 1876. They were the well-paid retainers of the '' daimyo'' (the great feudal landholders). They h ...
(侍) called
Aisu Iko
Aisu Iko, a.k.a. Aizu Hyūga-no-Kami Iko, Aisu Hisatada (1452 - 1538) was a Japanese martial artist and the founder of the Kage-ryū school of sword fighting.
Aisu was originally a pirate based in Kumano, who raided Japanese and Chinese shipping ...
founded Kage-ryū in 1490. He perfected, and taught his style around Japan. There are evidence from 1525, that another samurai,
Kamiizumi Ise-no-Kami Nobutsuna
Kamiizumi Nobutsuna, (上泉 信綱), born Kamiizumi Ise-no-Kami Fujiwara-no-Hidetsuna, (c.1508 – 1572/1577) was a samurai in Japan's Sengoku period famous for creating the Shinkage-ryū school of combat. He is also well known as Kamiizumi Iseno ...
(1508–1548) is teaching his own style, a form of Kage-ryū kenjutsu. He called it Shinkage-ryū (the school of the new shadow). Jikishin Kage-ryū means 'the newest school of the ancient shadow'. He was denoting with the name, to the ancestors, and expressing respect to his former masters. Matsumoto Bizen no Kami Naokatsu was a famous master of this school, he also founded his own school first called
Kashima Shin-ryū
is a Japanese '' koryū'' martial art whose foundation dates back to the early 16th century. Friday, Karl F. with Seki Humitake, ''Legacies of the Sword: The Kashima Shin-ryū and Samurai Martial Culture'', Honolulu: University of Hawai'i Press ...
, then Kashima Shinden Jiki Shinkage-ryū. These schools can be found even today all around the world. There are more variations like Jikishin Kage-ryū, Seito Shinkage-ryū, etc.
During the 19th century, Jiki Shinkage-ryū was one of the most popular schools of combative swordsmanship (kenjutsu) in eastern Japan, especially in the Edo area. The 14th headmaster or sōke (宗家) of Jikishin Kage-ryū Kenjutsu—
Sakakibara Kenkichi
, was a Japanese samurai and Martial arts, martial artist. He was the fourteenth headmaster of the Kashima Shinden Jikishinkage-ryū, Jikishinkage school of sword fighting. Through his Jikishinkage contacts he rose to a position of some politica ...
—was one of the most well-known swordsmen of his time, and the personal bodyguard of the Shōgun.
Sakakibara had hundreds of students during his lifetime, many of them rising to the "rank" of menkyo kaiden (免許皆伝) and shihan (師範), thus able to pass on the full tradition. At least 20 menkyo kaiden can be found in official listing of successors. Some of them derived their own branch lines. His most talented disciple was
Yamada Jirokichi
was the 15th and last official headmaster or ''sōke'' of Kashima Shinden Jikishinkage-ryū, a ('' koryū'') of the Japanese martial art of swordsmanship (''kenjutsu''). He was a student of the 14th ''sōke'', Sakakibara Kenkichi (榊原 鍵吉) ...
(山田 次朗) from whom the Seito-ha (正統派), which means main line system or traditional school.
A less well-known, but highly skilled, menkyo kaiden ranked student was Matsudaira Yasutoshi, who, like Yamada Jirokichi, studied the more traditional ways of Jikishin Kage-ryū. The best apprentice of Yasutoshi was Makita Shigekatsu, a young man from a samurai family from Hokkaidō. His name, and Jikishin Kage-ryū became famous on the northern island in the times of the Japanese civil war in 1868. By sword fighting, he was an expert in kyūdō (弓道), Japanese archery. He was the heir of the title of shihan of Jikishinkage-ryū, but unfortunately he was fighting a losing battle against the Emperor in the revolution. The cast of the samurai was disbanded, and he had to run. Later, he returned to
Hokkaidō
is Japan's second largest island and comprises the largest and northernmost prefecture, making up its own region. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaidō from Honshu; the two islands are connected by the undersea railway Seikan Tunnel.
The la ...
, and opened his own dōjō, called Jikishin Kan Dōjō. He was teaching various martial arts, not just kenjutsu. His dōjō was popular, in spite of the prohibition of the
katana
A is a Japanese sword characterized by a curved, single-edged blade with a circular or squared guard and long grip to accommodate two hands. Developed later than the ''tachi'', it was used by samurai in feudal Japan and worn with the edge fa ...
in 1876.Jikishin Kage-ryu Kenjutsu – Shinbukan /ref>
After Shigekatsu's death, the village of Atsuta raised a black granite obelisk in his memory. This memorial can be seen today. The family tradition has been taken by his grandson, Kimiyoshi Suzuki. Suzuki sensei is also a master of
Gōjū-ryū
, Japanese for "hard-soft style", is one of the main traditional Okinawan styles of karate, featuring a combination of hard and soft techniques. Both principles, hard and soft, come from the famous martial arts book used by Okinawan masters dur ...
karate
(; ; Okinawan language, Okinawan pronunciation: ) is a martial arts, martial art developed in the Ryukyu Kingdom. It developed from the Okinawan martial arts, indigenous Ryukyuan martial arts (called , "hand"; ''tii'' in Okinawan) under the ...
and Jikishin Kage-ryū Kenjutsu. Suzuki Kimiyoshi earned his menkyo kaiden at the Naganuma-ha. But he regards his work as a teacher as the continuation of his grandfather’s, Makita Shigekatsu legacy, so he named his school "Makita-ha". This is why he shows up twice. His school, founded in 1992, Hungary is named Shinbukan Dojo.
Suzuki Kimiyoshi received the state award Hungarian Bronze Cross of Merit, acknowledging his activity in popularizing the Far-Eastern martial arts and introducing the Japanese kenjutsu fencing in Hungary. The award, proposed by Prime Minister, Mr. Viktor Orbán, on the occasion of state holiday 20 August was granted to sensei Suzuki at the end of July by the President of Republic, Mr. János Áder. The award was presented on the 18th of August, 2017 by the Minister of Human Resources, Mr. Zoltán Balog in the great hall of the Budapest Vigadó.
There were many other famous practitioners of Jiki Shinkage-ryū under Sakakibara who did not reach the highest levels of the system and consequently were not named as successors. Perhaps the most famous of these was Sōkaku Takeda, founder of
Daitō-ryū Aiki-jūjutsu
, originally called , is a Japanese martial art that first became widely known in the early 20th century under the headmastership of Takeda Sōkaku. Takeda had extensive training in several martial arts (including Kashima Shinden Jikishinkage-ryū ...
. In contrast, some writers have claimed that other famous historical personages such as Musō Gonnosuke were in the line of transmission of Jiki Shinkage-ryū. However, Gonnosuke was never in the direct lineage of Jiki Shinkage-ryū.
Characteristics
The Jikishinkage-ryū style has many differences when compared to modern
kendō
is a modern Japanese martial art, descended from kenjutsu (one of the old Japanese martial arts, swordsmanship), that uses bamboo swords (shinai) as well as protective armor (bōgu). Today, it is widely practiced within Japan and has spread t ...
, especially in its footwork and breathing techniques.
The ''unpō'' (運法) is the footwork used in the Jikishinkage-ryū style and can be translated as ''law, rule or method (for) transporting, conveying or carrying ('walking')''. Unlike the ''suriashi'' of modern kendo, it is stressed that both feet stay firmly planted on the ground at all times. The kiai (気合) consists not only of the shouting, like most martial arts, but of the proper way of inhaling and state of mind as well. This is even more reflected in the synchronous deep breathing called
Aum
''Om'' (or ''Aum'') (; sa, ॐ, ओम्, Ōṃ, translit-std=IAST) is a sacred sound, syllable, mantra, or an invocation in Hinduism. ''Om'' is the prime symbol of Hinduism.Krishna Sivaraman (2008), ''Hindu Spirituality Vedas Through Ved ...
( 唵) (or a-un) with one's partner which accompanies most movements.
Every
kata
''Kata'' is a Japanese word ( 型 or 形) meaning "form". It refers to a detailed choreographed pattern of martial arts movements made to be practised alone. It can also be reviewed within groups and in unison when training. It is practised ...
(形) has two distinct roles called
uchidachi means "striking/attacking sword" and is one of the two roles in kata of budō and bujutsu; the other role is shidachi (受太刀).shidachi means "doing/receiving sword" and is one of the two roles in kata of budō and bujutsu, the other being uchidachi (打太刀).semicircle and shimohanen (下半円) lower semicircle (also called ''johanen'' and ''gehanen''). These are unconventional waza (技) techniques and characteristic for this style. Roughly, the swordsman draws a semicircle (upwards or downwards) with both his
right
Rights are law, legal, social, or ethics, ethical principles of Liberty, freedom or entitlement; that is, rights are the fundamental normative rules about what is allowed of people or owed to people according to some legal system, social convent ...
hand (holding the sword), and his
left
Left may refer to:
Music
* ''Left'' (Hope of the States album), 2006
* ''Left'' (Monkey House album), 2016
* "Left", a song by Nickelback from the album ''Curb'', 1996
Direction
* Left (direction), the relative direction opposite of right
* L ...
hand (free). He finishes the movement with his arms extended, the sword pointing upwards, and the free hand's index finger pointing downwards. These movements can be considered as a greeting and a form of meditation, and are usually executed in the beginning and end of a kata or suburi (素振り) session. They represent all the things in heaven and all the things in earth, and the practitioner in the center of everything.
Another typical technique is the morōde (両腕) both arms movement in which uchidachi raises with both arms the sword of shidachi to jōdan and receives the subsequent uchikomi with the side of the blade. This results in thrusting the left arm forwards and turning both arms outwards to allow to absorb shidachi's cut which is in kiritsuki style like performed by a
kaishakunin
A ''kaishakunin'' ( ja, 介錯人) is a person appointed to behead an individual who has performed seppuku, Japanese ritual suicide, at the moment of agony. The role played by the ''kaishakunin'' is called ''kaishaku''.
Aside from being spared p ...
(介錯人).
Jikishinkage-ryū exponents train with both ōdachi (大太刀) and kodachi (小太刀) (but not both at once).
Clothing
Kenjutsu was practiced in a thick
kimono
The is a traditional Japanese garment and the national dress of Japan. The kimono is a wrapped-front garment with square sleeves and a rectangular body, and is worn left side wrapped over right, unless the wearer is deceased. The kimono ...
(keikogi) in the old times. It was needed for protection, though it was sometimes still not enough. Practices are far less dangerous nowadays, the standard clothes in kenjutsu are normal keikogi (稽古着) and hakama (袴). Preferably all pieces are in the same colour of dark blue or, when one seriously dedicates the practice to the
kami
are the deities, divinities, spirits, phenomena or "holy powers", that are venerated in the Shinto religion. They can be elements of the landscape, forces of nature, or beings and the qualities that these beings express; they can also be the sp ...
(神), in white. To prevent treading on the hakama when moving in a low position, the hakama is raised a bit by neatly folding the left and right outside front pleats up under the straps which are tied around the waist, before training commences. It is possible to wear
tabi
are traditional Japanese socks worn with thonged footwear such as zori, dating back to the 15th century.
History
Japanese are usually understood today to be a kind of split-toed sock that is not meant to be worn alone outdoors, much like regu ...
(足袋) when necessary.
For outdoor practice, jika-tabi (地下足袋) are worn. As uchidachi always faces sun, this role can be very blinding, but it is not allowed to wear sunglasses or hats. However, in extremely cold conditions one can wear a hat (without sun reflector) and other extra protective clothing. When one has not enough hair or eyebrows or in extreme hot conditions, one can wear a tenugui (手拭い) or hachimaki (鉢巻) to prevent sweat irritating the eyes or to keep hair out of the face. Note that tabi and jiki-tabi should preferably match the colour of the hakama.
It is prohibited to wear jewellery and the like as is custom in many martial arts. This rule is to prevent injuries to oneself and practicing partner as it is to prevent excessive display of ego and unneeded distractions.
Some practitioners wear
aikidogi
(, "practice", , "dress or "clothes"), also known as or , is a traditional uniform worn for training in Japanese martial arts and their derivatives. Emerging in the late 19th century, the was developed by judo founder Kanō Jigorō.
Origin
Ja ...
(合気道着) or
karategi
''Karategi'' (空手着 or 空手衣), also called keikogi or dogi, is the formal Japanese name for the traditional uniform used for Karate practice and competition.
A karategi is somewhat similar to a judogi (柔道着 or 柔道衣, ''Judo unif ...
(空手着). In some groups beginners wear white
obi #REDIRECT Obi #REDIRECT Obi {{redirect category shell, {{R from other capitalisation{{R from ambiguous title ...
{{redirect category shell, {{R from other capitalisation{{R from ambiguous title ...
(帯), intermediates wear blue and brown obi and advanced wear black obi with hakama. Others practice in hakama without colored obi.
Ranks
The following licenses exist the Seito-ha (main line recognized by Kashima Shrine).
Over the years the trainee should begin showing competence in leading/teaching the system. Consequently, usually, but not always, the student receiving kyuri-no-maki is at the level of kyoshi (assistant instructor); the student receiving goku-i is at the level of shihandai (associate instructor); and the recipient of menkyo is at the level of shihan (master instructor). However, according to Yoshida Hijime (吉田基), the current (20th) headmaster of the Seito-ha, only a shihan may teach independently of the headmaster. A restriction not necessarily followed in other lines.
For Shinbukan, the following applies:
In some groups, hakama can only be worn by those who successfully completed their 1st dan exam. This is mainly done for practical reasons. One is that the teacher can see how the student positions his or her legs and feet. Another reason is that the teacher and students can quickly see whom to call upon for assistance. In more traditional groups, everyone wears hakama.
Kihon
Basic technique and movements are shown in the table below.
Traditional kata
The following five classical or orthodox kata are the only ones practiced in Japan today and were established in this order by the time of Yamada Heizaemon Ippusai in the late 17th century. Instead of the extension 'no kata', the kata in Yamada's book have the extension 'no bu' (之部), which means ''section (of this book)''. Kimiyoshi Suzuki's students in Shinbukan also practice these classical katas and this lineage practises its own set of katas preparing for the classical ones.
Hōjō
The Hōjō no kata (法定之形) is the first classic kata of the Jikishinkage-ryū style and can be translated as ''laws, rules or methods ('principals') (which are) definitive, crucial or stable ('fundamental')'' or fundamental principals, i.e. the basics. Both the shidachi and the uchidachi usually use wooden swords, bokken (木剣) or bokutō (木刀), although real swords, shinken (真剣), can be used as well.
The Hōjō no kata is composed of four stages which are named after the four seasons, namely haru (春) spring, natsu (夏) summer, aki (秋) autumn and fuyu (冬) winter in order of execution. Each season contains from six to eight ''waza'' (movement). Before each season is executed the kamihanen, and after each season, the shimohanen.Hōjō kataSanshinkai Aikido , 2010.
Each season has a respective pace,
kōan
A (; , ; ko, 화두, ; vi, công án) is a story, dialogue, question, or statement which is used in Zen practice to provoke the "great doubt" and to practice or test a student's progress in Zen.
Etymology
The Japanese term is the Sino-Jap ...
(公案) theme, footwork, breathing, kiai, and other features reminiscent of the perceived characteristics of that season. Spring has waza which are executed in a smooth and fast manner, accompanied by loud kiai. The kōan of spring is ''eight-directions explosive-blast'' which can be translated as ''all directions''. Summer has movements that are explosive and intense. The kōan of summer is ''one-sword both-cut'' which can be translated as ''cutting your ego''. Autumn has a varied pace, symbolizing change. The kōan of autumn is ''right-turn left-turn'' which can be translated as ''times of change''. Winter movements are slow, reserved but firm and efficient. This is even more accentuated on the footwork of each season. The kōan of winter is ''long-short one-body''. The following example is an illustration of this principle. Imagine a situation where one person has a yari (槍) or naginata (長刀 or 薙刀), which stands for long, and the other a has sword, which stands for short, but the situation is as such that there is no more discussion, any discussion at this point would be superfluous. This metaphor tries to explain the meaning behind this kōan that in this season ''life and death are one''.
The themes of the four seasons refer to universal principles which also express themselves in other manifestations. Some of these are listed in the table below.
Both uchidachi and shidachi take on a stance in spring and autumn which is called ''nio dachi''. This refers to the pair of guardian deities of
Buddhism
Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and gra ...
called niō (仁王), which can be found as large statues at entrances of some of the ancient Japanese temples and shrines. The right statue is called ''Misshaku Kongō'' (密迹金剛) who has his mouth opened, this represents vocalization of "a." The left statue is called ''Naraen Kongō'' (那羅延金剛) who has his mouth closed, represents the vocalization of "um."
It is said that these two characters together symbolize the birth and death of all things, like we are born with "a" and our mouth open (inhale) and we die with "um" and our mouth closed (exhale). This is similar to "
Alpha and Omega
Alpha (Α or α) and omega (Ω or ω) are the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet, and a title of Christ and God in the Book of Revelation. This pair of letters is used as a Christian symbol, and is often combined with the Cross, Chi-rh ...
" or "A to Z" signifying "beginning and end", "everything" or "all creation." The contraction of both is ''
Aum
''Om'' (or ''Aum'') (; sa, ॐ, ओम्, Ōṃ, translit-std=IAST) is a sacred sound, syllable, mantra, or an invocation in Hinduism. ''Om'' is the prime symbol of Hinduism.Krishna Sivaraman (2008), ''Hindu Spirituality Vedas Through Ved ...
'' (
Devanagari
Devanagari ( ; , , Sanskrit pronunciation: ), also called Nagari (),Kathleen Kuiper (2010), The Culture of India, New York: The Rosen Publishing Group, , page 83 is a left-to-right abugida (a type of segmental Writing systems#Segmental syste ...
ॐ), which is an important concept in Sanskrit. The stances and expressions of the statues, the sounds "a" and "um" and the symbolism behind this are very import in the Hōjō no kata.
The 15th headmaster wrote this on the meaning of the Hōjō no kata:
Fukuro Shinai no kata (Tō no kata)
The Fukuro Shinai no kata (韜之形), or Tō no kata as it is also named, is the second kata of the Jikishinkage-ryū style. The kanji 韜 is rare and old and is able to read as "tō" but has the meaning of fukuro (袋).
This kata is composed of fourteen stages, divided in six groups. Each stage has about four movements. This kata is characterized by very fast waza. Both the uchidachi and the shidachi use fukuro shinai (袋竹刀) which explains the origin on the name.
Kodachi no kata
The third kata in the ryū, the Kodachi no kata (小太刀之形) has six stages. Shidachi uses a large heavy wooden kodachi (like the name of the kata), and uchidachi uses a standard kendo style bokuto or a fukuro shinai. All the three stages of this kata have shidachi running into "combat" with uchidachi. Jikishinkage-ryū is unique because the kodachi is used with two hands on the tsuka.
Habiki no kata
The fourth kata is called Habiki no kata (刃挽之形) or Koryū (古流) kata and it is a blend of concepts from Hōjō no kata and Fukuro Shinai no kata. Both shidachi and uchidachi use habiki (a sword without a sharp edge) in this kata set. In several places both shidachi and uchidachi end up on one foot after cutting. There are four kata (the second and the third stages are in one block) in Habiki no kata, and they are the old version of Hōjō no kata.
Marubashi no kata
The Marubashi no kata (丸橋之形) is the most advanced kata, it focuses on very difficult kiai and subtle movement. To the casual observer it looks as though nothing is happening in the kata at all. Shidachi uses kodachi and uchidachi uses odachi. Like the last set of kata both use shinken.
This kata used to be a secret. It is not clear when the secrecy was lifted but the kata is, like the other five, described with text and photographs in the book of Yamada Jirokichi that was published in the early 20th century (1927).
List of representatives
The table below depicts the Kashima Shinden Jikishinkage-ryū kenjutsu lineage which spans over five centuries.
Present day practice
The table below lists places where groups currently are practicing Jikishinkage-ryū Kenjutsu can be found.