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SHINJIN RYŪ

Figure 12.1. Jōtō Masato performing Shinjin Ryū kata, seen on the right

It is evident that much of Mubyōshi Ryū was influenced or indeed taken from the samurai school known as Shinjin Ryū. If not for a small group of people, the sword work of Shinjin Ryū would be lost. During the later twentieth century, there was a move to actively continue and practice the kata of the school. Like Mubyōshi Ryū, most of the school is lost, but many of its scrolls were recorded in the Kensei Kusabuka Jinshirō book, and its sword kata are now performed annually. It must be understood that to know Mubyōshi Ryū, a foundation in and understanding of Shinjin Ryū is recommended.

The following is a message from Kōichi Ueda, the leading conservationist of Shinjin Ryū:

The Kendō Association in the town of Kawakita had its beginnings in Kawakita Village where, in 1967, they started the organization Shinjin Kai (深甚会). It was founded in honor of the medieval warrior Kusabuka Jinshirō, who founded Shinjin Ryū. It was founded as a platform to transmit his teachings to future generations. People young and old who have studied kendō practice and involve themselves in the annual Kusabuka Jinshirō Memorial Service Kendō Match (草深甚四郎慰霊剣道大会), established in 1936 and now affiliated with the Kawakita-machi Sports Association.

Lots of people became interested in our kendō events, and our matches became quite large, with participants numbering over six hundred, from children to adults. Many come to Kawakita each year to join us. Because of the large number of people and the difficultly in organizing the event, our association consulted with the town and created the new organization of Kusabuka Jinshirō Kenshō Kai (草深甚四郎顕彰会) in 1992 with the aim of maintaining Kusabuka Jinshiro’s historical identity for all time. Each year with the support of the town, many great kendō athletes take part, and in 2015 we had our sixty-ninth match.

In addition to these standard matches, we also demonstrate the ancient kata of Shinjin Ryū (深甚流) to over six hundred spectators, which is something I consider to be a wonderful moment. We use a specific form of fukuroshinai (a bamboo sword covered with leather), and the skills of this school are based on stabbing. Since 1974 we have transmitted the kata of Shinjin Ryū and also teach kendō to children at our kendō dōjō, named Kawakita-machi Shōnen Shinbukan (川北町少年深武館).

We hope that they keep practicing and teaching kendō and also Shinjin Ryū to maintain it for the future, and therefore we would like to invite anyone from the world over to come and study Shinjin Ryū with us, or to attend our annual kendō competition.

—KŌICHI UEDA

Figure 12.2.