Shinto-ryu

Tenshin Shōden Katori Shintō-ryū is one of the oldest extant Japanese martial arts, and an exemplar of old school martial arts. The Tenshin Shōden Katori Shintō-ryū was founded by Iizasa Ienao, born 1387 in Iizasa village (present day Takomachi, Chiba Prefecture), who was living near Katori Shrine (Sawara City, Chiba Prefecture) at the time. The ryū itself gives 1447 as the year it was founded, but some scholars claim circa 1480 is more historically accurate.

The Tenshin Shōden Katori Shintō-ryū is a comprehensive martial system. This means that unlike modern martial ways such as Kendo or Iaido, which concentrate on one specific area of training, study is made of a broad range of martial skills.

The main emphasis of the school is on Kenjutsu (sword technique). A wide range of other weapons are being taught as part of the curriculum, but the sword remains the central weapon.

The primary curriculum includes:

The Gogyo and Gokui kata are only taught to advanced practitioners after many years of fundamental practice.

Other, more advanced areas of study of the school include:

• Ninjutsu/Shinobi (intelligence gathering and analysis)

• Chikujojutsu (field fortification art)

• Gunbai-Heihō (strategy and tactics)

• Tenmon Chirigaku (astronomy;geomantic divination)

• In-Yo kigaku (philosophical and mystical aspects derived from Mikkyo - specifically the esoteric Shingon school of Buddhism)

Membership

Historically, the Tenshin Shōden Katori Shintō-ryū variant headed by Risuke Otake applied stringent limitations on prospective members. These, as detailed in Otake's formal Shinbukan Dōjō Rules, include:

• • 1. Nyūmon (入門) (admittance) is restricted to those prepared to take keppan (血判) (blood oath) and pay the prescribed nyūmon-ryo (entrance fee);

  • 2. Persons of foreign nationality interested in joining must reside in Japan;

  • 3. Upon leaving Japan, the applicant must not teach in any way;

  • 4. Persons practising other martial arts will not be accepted.

In recent years, however, with the relaxing of these rules Otake's Narita-headquartered organisation has achieved significant growth in membership through a crop of recently appointed and soon-to-be-appointed shidosha (country representatives) in a number of European countries, Russia, and South America. A rapidly increasing inflow of visiting foreign enthusiasts spend periods of up to a few weeks at the Hombu (head) dōjō, no longer excluded by the historic rules (2) to (4). Otake's younger son and Shihan (chief instructor)-in-waiting, Shigetoshi Kyoso, in actively fostering the school's upsurge in accessibility and recent international growth, has made a number of overseas training visits in support of these new branches.

The Tenshin Shōden Katori Shintō-ryū variants headed by other senior Japanese instructors had not laboured under such restrictive policies in the past and have always been readily accessible world-wide for a number of decades. Over that period they had developed significant student followings throughout Europe, Canada, and the Philippines.

Keppan

Historically, before beginning any training in Tenshin Shōden Katori Shintō-ryū, every prospective pupil had to sign an oath of allegiance to the school. The method was to makekeppan (blood oath) in support of the following kisho or kishomon (pledge). This oath was a written one with the prospective member being required to sign his name in his own blood. The applicant would prick or cut a finger or sometimes the inner arm and with the blood drawn, sign the following pledge:

On becoming a member of the Tenshin Shōden Katori Shintō-ryū which has been transmitted by the Great Deity of the Katori Shrine, I herewith affirm my pledge that:

• 1. I will not have the impertinence to discuss or demonstrate details of the ryū to either non-members or members, even if they are relatives;

  2. I will not engage in altercations or misuse the art against others;

  3. I will never engage in any kind of gambling nor frequent disreputable places.

  4. I will not cross swords with any followers of other martial traditions without authorization.

I hereby pledge to firmly adhere to each of the above articles. Should I break any of these articles I will submit to the punishment of the Great Deity of Katori and the Great Deity Marishiten. Herewith I solemnly swear and affix my blood seal to this oath to these Great Deities.

Marishiten is originally the Brahman figure of Krishna. In later Chinese Buddhist mythology she became the heavenly queen who lives in one of the stars of the Great Bear. She is mostly depicted with eight arms, two of which are the symbols of the sun and the moon.

Most Tenshin Shōden Katori Shintō-ryū variants headed by instructors other than Risuke Otake do not require keppan. However, Risuke Otake regards the making of keppan as a strict requirement for all candidates seeking entrance into his school in order to preserve the secrecy and integrity of the ryū's teachings. Even so, students joining his various overseas branches readily receive instruction from the local instructors until such time as they may be able to travel to Otake's dojo to take keppan. Additional opportunities arise should an overseas dojo be visited by one of the school's senior instructors who has been authorised to take keppan from those members wishing so to do. This was the case in 2007, and again in 2009 when Kyoso Shigetoshi, younger son of Risuke Otake, held an open European seminar and existing participants of varying levels of expertise from the different organisations were 'invited' to take keppan.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tenshin_Shōden_Katori_Shintō-ryū