Kyushin Ryu

Kyushin Ryu
Shihan Yoshinori (Yazo) Eguchi of Kyushin Ryu Jujutsu
Founder	Inugami Sakon-no-shokan Nagakatsu
Date founded	circa 1558
Period founded	Eiroku
Location founded	Hikone, Japan
Current headquarters	Brisbane, Australia
Art	Description

Kyushin Ryu (扱心流, Kyūshin Ryū^?) is a form of the martial art Jujutsu consisting of striking, throwing and grappling techniques. It was developed by the Samurai in feudal Japan as a method of dispatching an armored (and often armed) opponent using unarmed techniques. According to the Densho (transmission scrolls) of various schools and historical records, these systems of unarmed combat began to be known as Jujutsu during the Muromachi period (1333–1568).

During the Edo period (1603–1868) several Jujutsu styles became paramount. These schools (or ryu 流) focused their activities on various techniques that their masters had developed over time. The Kyushin Ryu school specialised in systems of Atemi waza (striking techniques). The art was practiced by many Shogun with the aim of refining methods of attacking the exposed target areas around the armour of their opponent.

Credit for the foundation of the Kyushin Ryu school is given to Inugami Sakon-no-shokan Nagakatsu (犬上永勝) during the Eiroku period (1558–1570). Nagakatsu was a Samurai from the Hikone area within the ancient kuni (or provence) of Ōmi, a holding of the Ii clan.

After receiving reiken ( spirit sword) from his father Inugami Hyogonosuke (Heiko) Nagatsugu, he studied with Hayamizu Nagakado-no-kami Enshin, from whom he received menkyo in Kumiuchi (grappling with weapons). Enshin (also known as Hayami Naga Monmori Enshin) was a bodyguard (北面の武士 Hokumen-no-bushi) to Emperor Ōgimachi from 1557 to 1586 and densho of his teachings along with densho and kuden (spoken teachings) from Inugami's family eventually formed the art of Enshin Ryu.