Yagyū Shinkage-ryū
| Yagyū Shinkage-ryū (柳生新陰流) |
|
|---|---|
| Founder |
Kamiizumi Nobutsuna (柳生 石舟斎 宗厳) |
| Date founded | c.1568 |
| Period founded | Late Muromachi period (1336–1573) |
| Current headmaster | Yagyū Kōichi Toshinobu (Became the 22nd sōke in 2006) |
| Art | Description |
| Kenjutsu - ōdachi, kodachi, nitō | Sword art; with long sword, short sword, and two swords. |
| Jōjutsu | "Short staff" art |
| Shurikenjutsu | Spike throwing art |
| Kage-ryū (Aizu) • Nen-ryū • Tenshin Shōden Katori Shintō-ryū | |
| Yagyū Shingan-ryū | |
Yagyū Shinkage-ryū (柳生新陰流?) is one of the oldest Japanese schools of swordsmanship (kenjutsu). Its primary founder was Kamiizumi Nobutsuna, who called the school Shinkage-ryū. In 1565, Nobutsuna bequeathed the school to his greatest student, Yagyū Munetoshi, who added his own name to the school. Today, the Yagyū Shinkage-ryū remains one of the most renowned schools of Japanese swordsmanship. Its name roughly means Yagyū New Shadow School.
At the time of its founding by Kamiizumi Nobutsuna, the superiority of a school was determined through duels. Basic postures were distinct; a very low stance was maintained, in the interest of protecting the body. The idea of winning at any price was deeply ingrained in the schools of the time, as were the concepts of Isatsu-no-tachi (the school of the sword that kills only once) or Ichi-no-tachi (the sword of only one cut). A great deal of importance was placed on the technology of swords and armor themselves. However, with the arrival of muskets (arquebuses) and other elements of modern warfare, these traditionally invincible techniques were no longer sufficient.
Nobutsuna, with the creation of the Shinkage-ryū (New Shadow School), changed basic postures by raising them slightly. He also changed the manner of holding the sword. The swords themselves were changed; in an era in which a sword could be two meters, Nobutsuna shortened the length of the blade. Most importantly, he perfected a new method of teaching to make the study and practice of the Way of the Sword easier. Before Nobutsuna, practice was carried out with either a very hard wooden sword (a bokken) or one with a dulled steel blade. The practitioners had to therefore stop their blows during teaching to avoid hurting themselves or their students. It is claimed that Kamiizumi created the practice sword called the fukuro shinai (frog bamboo sword), which is made of strips of bamboo similar to a kendo shinai but covered inside a leather pouch. The shinai allowed striking with quickness, fluidity and potency without causing serious or disabling wounds as one would with the wooden sword, and without having to stop the attacks.
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Wikipedia