My heartfelt congratulations to my teacher, James Shortt Sensei, who has recently received -  Jūdan (10th dan 十段) rank and Hanshi (範士) title recognition in Ryōi Shintō-ryū Jūjutsu (良移心当流 柔術)  from the  Zen Nihon Sōgō Budō Renmei’ (全日本総合武道連盟 – All Japan Budō Federation), in Kyōto, Japan. There is no one more deserving of such an honour.

Ryōi Shintō-ryū Ganso (元祖 - founder), Fukuno Shichirouemon Masakatsu (福野七郎右衛門正勝) wrote the 'Ryōi Shintō Yawara' (良移心当和) on an 'auspicious day' in March 1622 (元和八年三月吉日). To mark this important anniversary, the Ryōi Shintōkai (良移心当会) will be sponsoring seminars & celebrations in: * U.K. (South & Northern venues) * Ireland (Cork area) * Canada (Nova Scotia) during […]

In my post of 8th December 2020, I discussed the Sekiguchi-ryū antecedents, which track back to the Ryōi Shintō-ryū  via the Miura-ryū. As with many early Edo period tradition both the Ryōi Shintō-ryū Sekiguchi-ryū employed a variety of weapons in addition to the perceived  unarmed aspects of Jūjutsu. As such, they could more correctly be […]

I am honoured and humbled to have been awarded Jūdan (10th dan 十段) and Hanshi (範士) title in Ryōi Shintō-ryū Kumiuchi (良移心当流組討) by the Zen Nihon Sōgō Budō Renmei’ (全日本総合武道 連盟 – All Japan Budō Federation). This a testament to the Ryōi Shintō-ryū itself and to the teachings of James Shortt Meijin, to whom I […]

(Published in 'Hiromushi's diary' in Japanese on 10th February 2013https://blog.goo.ne.jp/rekisisakka/e/cd8ff2a08eeaec6a9308ffd523ee1683) "Shinohara Yasunoshin (篠原泰之進) was born on November 16, 1828 in Takami Village, Ikuha District, Chikugo Province, as the eldest son of a mason, Shinohara Motosuke (篠原元助). He joined the Shinsengumi (新選組 - Edo period policing and militia force to suppress anti-shogunate activities) the following year […]

By reading and practicing the Kumiuchi techniques contained in the ‘Yawara Tanmei Mokuroku’ (和鍛名目録) of Ryōi Shintō-ryū, I am struck by how critical fighting would have been, once it reached that ‘'corps-à-corps' grappling range in historical times. This was not a competition, challenge matches, or even a street fight - this was actual combat and […]

I am feeling inspired by reading and practicing techniques from the Battō Mokuroku (抜刀目録) of Ryōi Shintō-ryū. These historical techniques are very different to the poise and precision of contemporary Iaido.They come from an era of sword combat, when you might; crash into an opponent and then draw your sword, cut the opponent’s wrists in […]

I am in a position to recommend Ryoi Shintōkai members, who hold currently valid Ryōi Shintō-ryū Jūjutsu (良移心当流 柔術) grades, for certification by the Zen Nihon Sōgō Budō Renmei’ (全日本総合武道 連盟 – All Japan Budō Federation), in Kyōto, Japan. The picture above, is an example of the Zen Nihon Sōgō Budō Renmei certificates. The prices […]

The Kitō-ryū (起倒流) is a derivative school of the Ryōi Shintō-ryū. In his book ‘Kōdōkan Jūdō’, Jigoro Kano states the following, in relation to the Koshiki no Kata (which is the ‘Jin no Maki ‘人之巻 - scroll of man from the Kitō-ryū): “The techniques in this kata were designed for armour-clad warriors of the Kitō […]

Kumiuchi (Part 1)Kumiuchi (組討 or 組打 - grappling) is a major component and a descriptor that has been regularly applied to the techniques and strategy approach of Ryōi Shintō-ryū throughout the majority of its 400 year history. While we have a tendency view to Jūjutsu as a soft, or pliant art. However, Fukuno Shichirouemon (1622) […]