Kenjutsu, the classical art of Japanese swordsmanship, is an important part of Japanese martial arts and literally means "sword-art" or "sword-technique." Kenjutsu Master Tadashige Watanabe is the current head of the U.S. Marobashikai, which practices Shinkageryu, one of the most renowned sword-fighting styles in Japan.
The U.S. Marobashikai was established in the advent of Grand Master Watanabe Tadashige's visit to the U.S. in September 2002. Shinkageryu Hyoho is a School of Japanese Swordsmanship that was established in the16th century by Kami-Izumi- Ise-no-Kami. Shinkageryu is based not just on techniques of the sword, but is also based upon the accompanying philosophy,especially that of founder Kami-Iizumi Iseno-Kami's concept of the way of Marobashi = Leading a life in harmony with nature, freedom and livelihood. It is with the hope of introducing these concepts of Shinkageryu to Americans in an effort to study and promote Shinkageryu Hyoho in the U.S.
The Shinkageryu Hyoho U.S. Marobashikai is the international U.S. chapter of the Shinkageryu Hyoho Marobashikai of Japan, under Grand Master Watanabe Tadashige.
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Group 1: 3:15 P.M. ~ 4:15 P.M. ( Beginners and Omote level)
Group 2: 4:15 P.M. ~ 5:15 P.M. ( O-Marobashi level and Ko-Marobashi level)
Group 3: 5:15 P.M. ~ 6:00 P.M. ( Tengusho and above level)
All students should come to Sandra Cameron Dance Center at least 5 -10 minutes prior to the beginning of their class and be changed and ready to start class on time.
Currently, we have a special practice schedule on the
first Sunday of every month as follows:
Group 1: 3:00 P.M. ~ 4:00 P.M Beginners Shinkageryu class
Group 2: 4:00 P.M. ~ 5:00 P.M Intermediate Shinkageryu class
Group 3: 5:00 P.M. ~ 6:00 P.M Optional class for all ("Seigoryu Battojutsu"...this is not a part official Shinkageryu practice)
The schedule for the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Sunday of the month is NOT affected by this change. We'll determine whether to continue or not this practice schedule in the future.
Location: Sandra Cameron Dance Center, Studio #4
199 Lafayette Street, New York, NY 10012 (One block south of Spring Street)
Map of Sandra Cameron Dance Ctr, Inc.:
Thursdays 7:00 P.M. ~ 9:00 P.M. (See updated studio information below.)
All Levels
Location 1: Theatre Row Studios, Studio 1 or 2
411 West 41st Street, New York, NY 10036 ( Between 9th and Dyer Avenue )
Map of Theatre Row Studios:
Location 2: Baryshnikov Arts Center (BAC), Floor 6R or Floor 4
450 West, 37th Street, New York, NY 10018 ( Between 9th and 10th Avenue )
Map of Baryshnikov Arts Center:
Studio Schedules
July 22: BAC, Studio 6A, 7 PM~9 PM
July 29: BAC, Studio 6A, 7 PM~9 PM
August 05: BAC, Studio 6B, 7 PM~9 PM
August 12: BAC, Studio 6B, 7 PM~9 PM
August 19: BAC, Studio 6A, 7 PM~9 PM
August 26: BAC, Studio 4A, 7 PM~9 PM
All September dates and times are confirmed on our calendar. You will be in Studio 4A or 6B.
September 02: BAC, Studio 4A or 6B, 7 PM~9 PM
September 09: BAC, Studio 4A or 6B, 7 PM~9 PM
September 16: BAC, Studio 4A or 6B, 7 PM~9 PM
September 23: BAC, Studio 4A or 6B, 7 PM~9 PM
September 30: BAC, Studio 4A or 6B, 7 PM~9 PM
The studio number will be the subject to change without notice.
Studio schedules after August 26, 2010 will be posted on this web site by the end of August.
2010 Holidays Schedule
The US Marobashikai will be closed for the holidays on the following dates:
Christmas and New Years 12/24/2009~1/3/2010
Easter Sunday 4/4
Memorial Day Weekend 5/30~5/31
July 4th weekend 7/4
Labor Day Weekend 9/5~9/6
Thanksgiving Weekend 11/25~11/28
Christmas and New Years 12/25/2010~1/2/2011
Visitors are welcome to observe our practice. We will give you a free practice session. Please be advised that our official Shinkageryu practice sessions are only held in New York City. For further information, call Masami Shioda, Phone: 718-204-1596, Cell: 917-864-6781, email:info@shinkageryu.us
News and Events
Warning to All Students:
For your safety, please do not step into the practice area after your
practice and warming up while other group is in session.
Also, take your jewelry and accessories off from your body before every
practice session such as earrings, pierces, necklaces, bracelets, wrist watches,
etc..
Training and Ranking System
Shinkageryu Hyoho Marobashikai does not adopt the modern "Kyu and Dan" or " Belt Color" ranking systems. Thus, we follow the inheritance of traditional ranking system. There are ten ranks in the Marobashikai. All members are expected to practice all Shinkageryu forms. Those forms may vary due to the experience and different stages in ranking. Members experience transitions in some forms as ranking goes higher. Those transition forms are aligned to those coming down from the level above. Each ranking stage requires the attainment of certain standards and the acquisition of certain techniques. The following chart indicates forms, practice levels, and ranking stages (In order of lower to higher levels).
The History of Shinkageryu
1. The Founder Kami-Izumi-Ise-no-Kami
Ise-no-Kami
Kami-Izumi-Ise-no-Kami was born in 1508 as the son of the lord of Kami-Izumi castle (located in present day Kami-Izumi, Maebashi city, Gumma Prefecture).At this time in history, the feudal lords of Japan were embroiled in a leadership conflict and this period is referred to as "The Era of Warring States" (Sengoku-Jidai_ca.1480-ca.1570).
As the son of the lord of a castle born in such turbulent times, from childhood he devoted his time not only to academic studies, but also to the practice of Zen and training in martial arts. Having mastered the military arts of the Ogasawara school (a style based on the teachings and tactics of the great Chinese militarist and philosopher Sunzi), he earned a reputation as a great warrior and tactician. Although known as the greatest spearman in Gumma Prefecture (then called Kozuke-no-kuni), he showed particular interest in the study of swordsmanship and later evolved the style known as Shinkageryu.
His training in swordsmanship was based largely on Katori-Shinto-Ryu and, later, on the two other major schools, Nen-Ryu and Kage-Ryu. In particular, he used the principle of Marobashi-no-Michi from Kage-Ryu as the cornerstone of Shinkage-Ryu.
It is said that he gained full understanding (or "enlightenment" in Zen philosophy) of the principle of Marobashi upon the realization, during his study of the Enkai-no-Tachi techniques of Kage-Ryu, that the principle of Zen, in which he had immersed himself from his youth, and the philosophy of Sunzi as manifested in the Ogasawara school, blended and became a perfect whole in this Enkai-no-Tachi.
As warrior, Kami-Izumi-Ise-no-Kami was opposed to involving his subordinates, or those belonging to one of his fiefs, in battles in which it was probable that they would lose their lives and, whenever possible, avoided such futile and profitless conflict, thus displaying an attitude unusual among members of the warrior class of those times. It is almost certain that such thinking was born of long years of Zen discipline.
Even so, in an attempt to prevent the fall of Minowa castle, Kami-Izumi-Ise-no-Kami, with only a small number of men under his command, invaded the enemy encampment, although vastly outnumbered and in the knowledge of almost certain death. However, the enemy commander, Takeda Shingen, who valued and respected Kami-Izumi-Ise-no-Kami, ordered his forces to retreat. Kami-Izumi-Ise-no-Kami, who thus escaped what had seemed to be certain death, abandoned the life of a warrior and set out on a journey to spread the teachings of Shinkage-Ryu.
Normally, in swordsmanship, one is taught techniques for defeating and killing one's enemy with the sword; however, during his travels, Kami-Izumi-Ise-no-Kami preached a somewhat different approach. He taught that "the techniques of Shinkage-Ryu are unbeatable; this arises not from the needless taking of life, but from the true courage required to avoid unnecessary conflict."
Kami-Izumi-Ise-no-Kami taught and spread these principles to his followers around the country in the belief that an increase in the number of those who adhered to these principles would herald the end of the era of warfare and the beginning of a peaceful society. Many of his followers understood these principles and, in their turn, did their best to further spread the teachings of their master. Eventually, these concepts came to bear fruit under Yagyu Munenori, master swordsman to the Shogun family, and were established as the basis of the 300 years of the Tokugawa era.
2. Yagyu Munetoshi and Yagyu Munenori
Yagyu Munenori
Yagyu Munetoshi trained under Kami-Izumi-Ise-no-Kami from 1563 and perfected "Muto-dori" (the technique of disarming one’s attacker unarmed), following his master's principle of avoiding the needless taking of life. He consolidated the techniques of Shinkage-Ryu and continued to spread the art. Yagyu Munetoshi's son, Yagyu Munenori, who served as "master of military arts" to the third and fourth Tokugawa Shoguns, Hidetada and Iemitsu, showed a deep understanding of the principles expounded both by his father and Kami-Izumi-Ise-no-Kami. As a feudal lord (Daimyo), he applied the teachings of Shinkage-Ryu to his political activities within the Shogunate, at the same time spreading the philosophy of the art by sending out his many students to serve as sword masters to the households of various Daimyo. Many of these became direct students of Munenori himself, who became known as "the great living sword."
3. Yagyu Toshitoshi and Beyond
While Yagyu Munenori and his followers adhered to the teachings of Munetoshi and Kami-Izumi-Ise-no-Kami, emphasizing the spiritual aspects of the art, Yagyu Toshitoshi, who was sword master to the Owari Tokugawa household (a branch family to the Shogun), adapted Shinkage-Ryu to the times and circumstances in which he lived and modified both teaching and training methods, thus establishing the traditions that have been handed down to modern times.
While the Shinkage-Ryu as taught by Yagyu Munenori disappeared with the collapse of the Tokugawa Shogunate, the art as developed by Toshitoshi survived and has lived on through the centuries to present times.
The Theory and Philosophy of Shinkageryu
The Theory of Shinkage-ryu can be divided into theory concerning actual sword techniques and spiritual theory. However, it must be remembered that the two form a whole and, traditionally, have always been thus regarded. Below are listed some of the traditional writings on which studies of the theory of Shinkage-ryu have been based:
• Shinkage-ryu-Heiho-Kiriai-Kuden-sho
• Motsu-Jimi-Shudan-Kuden-sho
• Shiju-Fusha-sho
• Ren-O-Nana-kajo
• Heiho-Kaden-sho
• Tsuki-no-shou
• Munehisa-Heiho-Monogatari
• Fudochi-Shinmyo-Roku
Although studies of theory of Shinkage-ryu are based on writings such as the above, or commentaries thereof, all of these writings derive from the philosophy of Kami-Izumi-Ise-no-Kami called "Marobashi."
The following is Kami-Izumi-Ise-no-Kami's explanation of Marobashi:
"The concept of offence and defense lies in adapting each of one's action to one's enemy, much in the way a sailor will raise the sail when the wind rises, or a hunter will release the hawk on sighting a rabbit. It is usual to think of offence purely in terms of offense and offense and defense purely in terms of defense: however, there are elements of defense in offense and offense in defense. The practitioner of Shinkage-ryu should fully understand the meaning of the line from the Chinese poem about the "cat sleeping under the peonies" (i.e. apparently asleep, but always aware).The term "Marobashi" is usually taken to mean "the way of nature, freedom and energy in life. "However, "Marobashi" has a dual meaning, being used as a term representing the inner truths of the philosophy of the Chinese militarist Sunzi, and also as a term for divine enlightenment in Zen circles. In terms of combat, one must know the enemy and oneself; one must make the enemy conform to one's own will and, when one makes one's move and the "lion" comes to take the bait, respond with all one's power, like an avalanche of rocks down the mountainside into the valley, or water gushing out of a burst damn. At the same time, the swordsman's spiritual state should encompass both the benevolence preached by Zen (the philosophy of peace, none-agression and love for one's fellow man) and constant flexibility (freedom and nature life), enabling one not to become totally absorbed or attached to anything. Accordingly, the practitioner of Shinkage-ryu should purge evil from his heart, deepen his understanding of humanity and confront the forces of evil with the courage born of truth. At the same time, he should always show benevolence to his fellow man, constantly striving to deepen his knowledge of mankind and to rid the world of evil, working towards this end through rigorous training and discipline.
In the history of Japanese martial Arts, Kami-Izumi-Ise-no-Kami was the first to apply such Zen philosophy to swordsmanship. It was in this spirit that he developed techniques for taking one's attacker's sword from him unarmed, without needlessly taking life, and this approach exerted a considerable influence over other schools of swordsmanship.
In Shinkage-ryu, there is a wealth of sword techniques and it is through the study and rigorous practice of these techniques that one can learn not only the movements themselves, but also the underlying philosophy and spiritual significance. It is essential that these two aspects, the physical and the spiritual, blend to become one.
Shinkage-Ryu Sword Techniques: Traditional Japanese Martial Arts, 1993 by Tadashige Watanabe, Ronald Balsom
