, often referred to simply as Jikishinkage-ryū or Kashima Shinden, is a traditional school (koryū) of the Japanese martial art of swordsmanship (kenjutsu). The school was founded in the mid-sixteenth century, based upon older styles of swordsmanship, and is one of the few ancient Japanese martial arts schools still existing today.

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 "unwavering intention" or jikishin (直心) and "perfect clarity of mind" or seimeishin (生命心) like a cloudless sky on a brilliant sunny day. A practitioner who has attained heightened jikishin and seimeishin is said to have an "immovable heart" or fudōshin (不動心).

History

The Jikishinkage-ryū style descends from the kenjutsu styles developed in the late Muromachi period which overlaps the early Sengoku period, or better dated as late fifteenth or early sixteenth century, at the Kashima Shrine 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 and the Kage-ryū (Aizu) styles.

The Jikishin Kage-ryū Kenjutsu comes from a previous school, Kage-ryū Kenjutsu. A samurai called Aizu Iko founded Kage-ryū in 1490. He perfected, and taught his style around Japan. There are evidence from 1525, that another samurai, Kumizume Ise no Kami Nobutsuno (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 Naukatsu was a famous master of this school, he also founded his own school first called Kashima Shinryū, 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 of Jikishin Kage-ryū Kenjutsu--Kenkichi Sakakibara--was one of the most well-known swordsmen of his time, and the personal bodyguard of the Shogun.

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. His most talented disciple was Yamada Jirōkichi from whom the Seito-ha (正統派), which means main line system or traditional school, and many branch lines were derived. (Watatani and Yamada, Bugei ryuha daijiten, 1978:155-156, list 20 menkyo kaiden successors under Sakakibara.)

A less well-known, but highly skilled, menkyo kaiden ranked student was Matsudaira Yasutoshi, who, like Yamada, 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 of kyudo, Japanese archery. He was the heir of the title of shihan (successor) of Jiki Shinkage-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, 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 in 1876.

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. Kimiyoshi is also a master of Goju-ryu Karate and Jikishin Kage-ryū Kenjutsu.

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 Sokaku Takeda, founder of Daitō-ryū Aiki-jūjutsu. In contrast, some writers have claimed that other famous historical personages such as Muso Gonnosuke were in the line of transmission of Jiki Shinkage-ryu. However, Gonnosuke was never in the direct lineage of Jiki Shinkage-ryu.

Characteristics

The Jikishinkage-ryū style has many differences when compared to modern kendō. We can readily point out the different footwork and breathing:

• 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.
• Every kata (形) has two distinct roles called the "striking/attacking sword" uchidachi (打太刀) and the "doing/receiving sword" shidachi (受太刀).
• 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.
• The synchronous deep breathing Aum (唵) (or a-un) with one's partner which accompanies most movements.
• The kamihanen (上半円, upper semicircle) and shimohanen (下半円, lower semicrcle) (also called jo han en and ge han en) are unconventional waza (techniques) of this style. Roughly, the swordsman draws a semicircle (upwards or downwards) with both his right hand (holding the sword), and his left 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.
• 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.

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 (keikoga) 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 (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 (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 (合気道着) or karategi (空手着). In some groups beginners wear white obi (帯), intermediates wear blue and brown obi and those who successfully completed their exam for 1^st dan can 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).

rank	level	requirements
shomokuroku (初目録)	-	disciple must show competence in Hōjō no kata
jomokuroku (助目録)	-	disciple must show competence in Tō no kata
reikenden	-	disciple must show competence in Kodachi no kata
kyuri-no-maki	kyōshi (教師)	disciple must show deep understanding of the nature of Jikishinkage-ryū and show competence in Habiki no kata
goku-i	shihandai (師範弟)	disciple has been initiated in Marubashi no kata
menkyo (免許)	shihan (師範)	disciple has mastered the system

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 (20^th) headmaster of the Seito-ha, only a shihan may teach independently of the headmaster. A restriction not necessarily followed in other lines.

---

Shinbukan:

There wasn't anything like exams or ranks in the early Japan. When the master found his apprentice ready, he ordered him to show his knowledge. There were four levels in Jikishinkage-ryū. The reiken, the normal trainee level, the mokuroku and the kirkgami, the advanced level, and the highest menkyo kaiden, was the masters' level, and gave the owner the right to start teaching. The diplomas were hand-written, and contained every technique the examinees showed before the master. If the exam was successful, the new master could wear the hakama. This represented today's black belt. These things have changed nowadays, we use the same kyū (級) - dan (段) method as in most of the martial arts. Kimiyoshi Suzuki|

rank	belt	color	title	type
3rd kyū		white	-	mudansha (無段者)
2nd kyū		blue	-	mudansha
1st kyū		brown	reiken	mudansha
1st dan		black	kirigami	yūdansha (有段者)
2nd dan		black	mokuroku (目録)	yūdansha
3rd dan		black	menkyo	yūdansha

The highest rank disciples of Kimiyoshi Suzuki sensei are 2^nd dan black belts (mokuroku). The exams for belts are held once in a year, in the summer training camp. A person can take only one exam in a year.

In some groups, hakama can only be worn by those who successfully completed their 1^st 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.

name	basic	other
te no uchi (grip)
kamae (posture)	gedan no kamae jōdan no kamae chūdan no kamae / seigan no kamae hassō no kamae	gyaku hassō waki gamae irimi seigan niō dachi chokuritsu seigan chokuritsu jodan chokuritsu gedan chokuritsu hassō etc.
ashi sabaki (foot work)	unpō	okuri ashi ayumi ashi tsugi ashi (migi, hidari) soroe ashi fumikomi ashi (migi, hidari) hiraki ashi (shomen, naname, soroe, etc.) kosa-ashi kirikaeshi etc.
seme-waza (attack)	shomen yokomen dogiri tsuki kote kesakiri kiriage tsubamegaeshi ashikiri	tai-atari ashi barai atemi (seiken tsuki, uraken uchi, etc.) keri (mawashi geri, mae geri, etc.) nage (kotegaeshi, etc.) etc.
uke-waza (protect)	nagashi uke suriage ashidome otoshi uke harai uke kaeshi uke	maki otoshi shin no uke nuki osae uke etc.
kiai	"a" "um"

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 1600s. In stead of the extension 'no kata', the kata in Yamada's book have the extension 'no bu' (之部), which means section (of this book).

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'). 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 4 stages, also called seasons, namely Spring (haru no tachi), Summer (natsu no tachi), Autumn (aki no tachi) and Winter (fuyu no tachi) in order of execution. Each season containing from 6 – 8 waza (movement). Before each season is executed the kamihanen, and after each season, the shimohanen.

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.

ipponme (一本目) first stage	nihonme (ニ本目) second stage	sanbonme (三本目) third stage	yonhonme (四本目) fourth stage
haru no tachi (春の太刀) spring sword	natsu no tachi (夏の太刀) summer sword	aki no tachi (秋の太刀) autumn sword	fuyu no tachi (冬の太刀) winter sword
hassō happa (八相発破) eight-aspects ???-???	itto ryōdan (一刀両断) one-sword both-cut	uten saten (右転左転) right-turn left-turn	chotan ichimi (長短一身) long-short one-body
acceleration	fast	deceleration	slow
childhood	adolescence	maturity	old age
morning	afternoon	evening	night
warming	heat	cooling	cold

Each season has a respective pace, kōan (公案), 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 koan of spring is eight-aspects ???-??? which can be translated as all directions.
• summer has movements that are explosive and intense. The koan of summer is one-sword both-cut which can be translated as cutting your ego.
• autumn has a varied pace, symbolizing change. The koan of autumn is right-turn left-turn which can be translated as times of change.
• winter movements are slow, but firm. This is even more accentuated on the footwork of each season. The koan 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 koan that in this season life and death are one.

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 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 the first character of Sanskrit which is pronounced "a." The left statue is called Naraen Kongō (那羅延金剛) who has his mouth closed, represents the vocalization of the last letter of Sanskrit which is pronounced "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). Similar to "Alpha and Omega" or "A to Z", they signify "beginning and end", "everything" or "all creation." The contraction of both is Aum (Devanagari ॐ), which is Sanskrit for God. 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 15^th headmaster wrote this on the meaning of the Hōjō no kata:

As you live your life, you become hindered by all manner of impurities. Through the act continuously discarding these pollutants you must try to return to your original nature just as it was when you were a baby. Jirōkichi Yamada|

Fukuro Shinai no kata (Tō no kata)

The Fukuro Shinai no kata or Tō no kata (韜之形) is the second kata of the Jikishinkage-ryū style. The kanji 韜 is rare and old and is read as "tō" but has the meaning of "fukuro" (袋)

This kata is composed of 14 stages, divided in 6 groups (the first one with 4 stages, and the others with 2 each). Each stage has about 4 movements. This kata is characterized by very fast waza. Both the uchidachi and the shidachi use fukuro shinai (袋竹刀).

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) and it is a blend of concepts from Hōjō no kata and Tō no kata. Both shidachi and uchidachi use shinken in this kata set. In several places both shidachi and uchidachi end up on one foot after cutting. There are four kata in Habiki no kata, and they are the ura 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 Jirōkichi that was published in the early twentiest century (1927).

Shinbukan kata

The classical kata listed above are only practiced by Kimiyoshi Suzuki's students in Shinbukan when preparing for these specifically. Within Shinbukan normally the following kata are being practiced.

basic kata	master kata	iai kata
happo ido (6+ variations) uchikomi ichi (10+ variations) uchikomi ni (6+ variations) inazuma 稲妻 (5 stages) inazuma uradori (5 stages) jūppon ichi 十本一 (10 stages) jūppon ni 十本二 (10 stages)	jūppon ni batto 十本二抜刀 (10 stages) tachiuchi (9 stages)	iai (7+ kata) urafune iai (15 kata) urafune ushiro (6 kata) urafune mae (5 kata) urafune yoko (4 kata)

List of representatives

Kashima Shinden Jikishin Kage-ryū Kenjutsu lineage
headmaster	ryū name	Seito-ha	Hyakuren-kai	Daihonzan Chozen-ji	Nomi-ha	Shinbukan
Founder	Kashima Shin(kage)ryū	Matsumoto Bizen-no-Kami (松本備前守, 1467 – 1524)
2nd	Shinkage-ryū	Kamiizumi Ise-no-Kami Nobutsuna (上泉伊勢守信綱, 1508 – 1577)
3rd		Okuyama Kyūkasai Taira no Kimishige (奥山休賀斎平公重, 1528 – 1602)
4th	Shin Shinkage-ryū	Ogasawara Genshinsai Minamoto no Nagaharu (小笠原源信斎源長冶, 1574 – 1644)
5th	Shinkage Jikishin-ryū	Kamiya Denshinsai Sadamitsu (神谷伝心斎直光, 1582 – 1663)
6th	Jikishin Seitō-ichi-ryū	Takahashi Danjōzaemon Shigeharu (高橋弾正左衛門重治, 1610 – 1690)
7th	Jikishin Kage-ryū	Yamada Heizaemon Mitsunori (Ippūsai) (山田平左衛門光徳(一風斎), 1638 – 1718)
8th		Naganuma Kunisato Shirozaemon (長沼四郎左衛門国郷, 1688 – 1767)
9th		Naganuma Shirozaemon Fujiwara no Yorihito (長沼活然斎藤原綱郷, 1702 – 772)
10th		Fujikawa Yashirō Uemon Fujiwara no Yorihito (藤川彌司郎右衛門尉藤原近義, 1726 – 1798)
11th		Akaishi Chikayoshi (赤石近義, 1749 – 1825)
12th		Dannō Gennoshin Yoshitaka (團野源之進義高, 1761 – 1849)
13th		Odani Shimosa-no-kami Nobutomo (男谷下總守信友, 1798 – 1864)
14th		Sakakibara Kenkichi (榊原鍵吉, 1830 – 1894)
15th		Yamada Jirōkichi 山田次朗吉 (1863 – 1930)			Nomi Teijiro (野見)	Matsudaira Yasutoshi (松平, 1835 – 1880)
16th		Kawashima Takashi 川島 堯	-	Ōmori Sōgen (1904 – 1994)	Nomi Hamao	Makita Shigekatsu (牧田重勝, 1849 – 1914)
17th		Ōnishi Hidetaka (大西英隆, 1906 – 1966)		Terayama Katsujo (1938 – 2007)	Ishigaki Yasuzou (石垣安造)	Suzuki Kimiyoshi (鈴木公宜, 1934)
18th		Namiki Yasushi (並木靖, 1926 – 1999)	17thheadmaster: [Hyakuren Kai 1st Leader] Hayakawa Kōichi (早川幸市)	?	-	-
19th		Itō Masayuki (伊藤雅之, c. 1930 – 2001)	18thheadmaster: [Hyakuren Kai 2nd Leader] Iwasa Masaru (岩佐勝, 1945)	-	-	-
20th		Yoshida Hijime (吉田基, c. 1945)	-	-	-	-

Present day practice

Places where groups practicing Jikishinkage-ryū Kenjutsu can be found today:

Asia	Europe	North America
Japan Tōkyō Kōbe	Czech Republic Praha♦* Germany Berlin‡ Schafstädt‡ Hungary Budapest‡ Gödöllő‡ Pécs‡ Kecskemét‡ Italy Turin• Macedonia Skopje♦* Netherlands Utrecht♦ Amsterdam• Serbia Beograd♦* Novi Sad♦* Vršac♦* Switzerland Aarau♦* Basel♦* La Chaux-de-Fonds♦ Neuchâtel♦ Zürich♦*	USA Rockville, Maryland Chicago, Illinois†* Honolulu, Hawaii†*

Lineage of Ōmori Sogen is indicated with †. Lineage of Matsudaira Yasutoshi via Suzuki Kimiyoshi is indicated with ‡. Lineage of Namiki Yasushi via Masatomi Ikeda is indicated with ♦. Lineage of Namiki Yasushi via Hideki Hosokawa is indicated with •. Only Hōjō kata is indicated with *.

References

External links

• 鹿島神傳直心影流 Kashima Shinden Jikishinkage-ryu - Hyakuren Kai Official Site
• 鹿島神傳直心影流 Kashima Shinden Jikishinkage-ryu