is a Japanese sword art school specializing in the iai technique. Often referred to simply as "Eishin-ryū," it claims an unbroken lineage dating back from the sixteenth century to the early 20th century. 17th undisputed headmaster, Oe Masaji, awarded at least 16 licenses of full transmission,Yamakoshi 2004 resulting in the school fracturing into multiple legitimate branches.
The school takes its name from its seventh headmaster, Hasegawa Chikaranosuke Hidenobu (長谷川主税助英信), who had founded Hasegawa Eishin-ryū.Iwata 2002: 96 ‘Musō Jikiden Eishin-ryū’ means ‘peerless, directly transmitted school of Eishin.’ ‘Eishin’ is an alternative pronunciation of ‘Hidenobu.’
History
The founder of the earlier school Eishin-ryū was Hayashizaki Jinsuke Minamoto no Shigenobu (林崎甚助源の重信). Hayashizaki was born in Dewa Province, Ōshū (present-day Yamagata Prefecture).Kishimoto 2006: 14 He lived c. 1546–1621http://www.koryu.com/guide/eishin.html in what is present-day Kanagawa Prefecture. Many of the historical details of Hayashizaki's life are suspect, since, like most famous martial artists in Japan, his story has been widely fictionalized. He grew up during a time of constant warfare in Japan and was seemingly exposed to sword-fighting methods from an early age. According to legend, Hayashizaki's father was killed and to take revenge he began training in earnest. He went to the Hayashizaki Meijin shrine to pray for guidance and received divine inspiration for a new technique of drawing the sword and attacking in one movement. Legend says that he eventually defeated his father's killer.
Following this, Hayashizaki continued on his martial arts pilgrimage, training with renowned swordsmen and attracting students of his own (such as Tamiya Heibei, founder of Tamiya-ryū (Tsumaki)). Hayashizaki established his own style of swordsmanship, calling it Shinmei Musō-ryū (神明無双流).
Hayashizaki's art has had many names since it was established, such as Hayashizaki-ryū (林崎流) or Jūshin ryu (重信流). It is considered the foundation for many of the major styles of iai practised today, in particular Musō Jikiden Eishin-ryū and Musō Shinden-ryū.
The seventh generation sōke of Hayashizaki's school, Hasegawa Chikaranosuke Hidenobu (Eishin), was one of its most important headmasters. He had a major influence on the school. In particular, he adapted techniques originally developed for the tachi to use the contemporary katana. He devised many new techniques, some of which now form the Tatehiza no Bu (Chūden) set. Hasegawa's influence and adaptation led to the style being named Hasegawa Eishin-ryū. It was also referred to as Hasegawa-ryū or simply Eishin-ryū.
Some regard Hasegawa as the primary founder of Eishin-ryū, which would make him the first generation sōke rather than the seventh,Iwata 2002: 248–249 and make Shinmei Musō-ryū a parent school of Musō Jikiden Eishin-ryū.
The ninth generation sōke was Hayashi Rokudayū Morimasa. Hayashi introduced a set of techniques executed from the formal seated position seiza. These techniques are thought to have been developed by Hayashi's kenjutsu teacher, the Shinkage-ryū swordsman Ōmori Rokurōzaemon, and are said to be influenced by Ogasawara-ryū etiquette, hence starting from seiza. They were taught alongside Eishin-ryū as Ōmori-ryū. Hayashi was responsible for introducing the school to the Tosa Domain at the behest of the ruling Yamauchi family.
As the school took root in Tosa, it came to be referred to as Tosa Eishin-ryū. Eishin-ryū and Ōmori-ryū were taught to the Yamauchi family, with a few peculiarities (such as exaggerated leg movement to account for long hakama).Iwata 2002: 101
After the death of the 11th headmaster, Ōguro Motozaemon, the school split into two branches. They later became known as the Tanimura-ha and Shimomura-ha (after their respective 15th and 14th headmasters, Tanimura Kamenojō Takakatsu and Shimomura Shigeichi).
One of the most important sōke was the seventeenth, Ōe Masaji. Born in Asahi (nakasuka) Tosa in 1852, in his youth Ōe studied Kokuri-ryū and Oishi Shinkage-ryū (大石神影流)kenjutsu, along with Shimomura-ha Eishin-ryū (Musō Shinden Eishin-ryū:無雙神傳英信流).Iwata 2002: 98 At the age of 15 he took part in the Battle of Toba–Fushimi, following which he studied Tanimura-ha Eishin-ryū under Gotō Magobei. He also studied Eishin-ryū bōjutsu under Itagaki Taisuke. Ōe inherited leadership of the Tanimura-ha, becoming its 17th headmaster. He combined the school's teachings with those of the Shimomura-ha and restructured its curriculum. Ōe reduced the number of waza from around 160,Iwata 2002: 246 and reorganized them into the Seiza (Shoden), Tachihiza (Chūden), Okuiai (Okuden) and kumitachi waza sets practised today.Yamakoshi 2004: 8 Although he retained the original techniques, he changed the names of some waza to aid understanding.Iwata 2002: 97 Ōe named the reorganised school Musō Jikiden Eishin-ryū, during the Taishō era (1912-1926).. In 1900 he began teaching kendo and Eishin-ryū at the Kōchi branch of the Dai Nippon Butoku Kai and at local schools. In 1924 he became the second person (after Nakayama Hakudō) to be awarded hanshi in iaidō by the Dai Nippon Butoku Kai. Ōe died at Enokuchi on April 18, 1926. His many students went on to spread Musō Jikiden Eishin-ryū iai beyond Tosa and throughout Japan. 60 years after his death a memorial stone was raised to honour him on Mt Godaisan.
Lineage
Eishin-ryū uses a system of indiscriminate transmission (完全相傳), allowing anyone in possession of full-transmission to award licenses to any number of his students.Yamakoshi 2004: 5 Therefore, it is possible that there were multiple, unlisted holders of menkyo kaiden, known in Eishin-ryū as Kongen no Maki (根元之巻), in any generation. Due in part to Ōe Masaji's more open and inclusive approach to teaching Eishin-ryū, the lineages of groups practicing the art are fairly diverse and complex.
Seitō (orthodox) lineage Hayashizaki Jinsuke Shigenobu, founder of Hayashizaki Shin Musō-ryū (林崎新夢想流) Tamiya Heibei Shigemasa, 2nd generation (田宮流) Nagano Muraku Nyūdō Kinrosai, 3rd generation (無楽流) Todo Gunbei Mitsushige, 4th generation Arikawa Seizaemon Munetsugu, 5th generation Banno Danemonnojō Nobusada, 6th generation Hasegawa Chikaranosuke Hidenobu (Eishin), 7th generation and founder of Hasegawa Eishin-ryū (長谷川英信流) Arai Seitetsu Kiyonobu, 8th generation Hayashi Rokudayū Morimasa, 9th generation Hayashi Yasudayū Masakusu, 10th generation Ōguro Gen-emon Kiyokatsu, 11th generation Hayashi Masu-no-jō Masanari, 12th generation Yoda Manzō Toshikatsu, 13th generation Hayashi Yadayū Masatoshi, 14th generation Tanimura Kame-no-jō Yorikatsu, 15th generation Gotō Magobei Masasuke (?-1897),Mitani 1986: 26 16th generation Ōe Masaji (1852–1927), 17th generation and founder of Musō Jikiden Eishin-ryū (無双直伝英信流 or 無雙直傳英信流). Ōe Masaji's students established multiple lines of transmission. See Students of Ōe Masaji. Hokiyama Namio (1891–1935), 18th generation Fukui Harumasa (1884–1971), 19th generation Kōno Minoru Hyakuren (1899–1974),Ikeda 2007: 10 20th generation Kōno Minoru Hyakuren's students established multiple lines of transmission. See Students of Kōno Minoru Hyakuren. Fukui Torao (1915–2000), 21st generation Ikeda Takashi (1932–2019), 22nd generation Fukui Masato, 23rd generation
Following Kōno Hyakuren's death, the lineage of Eishin-ryu became contested again, with several individuals claiming to be the most senior representative. Who people consider sōke generally depends on the organization to which they belong. Some consider Musō Jikiden Eishin-ryū to no longer have a sōke.
In addition to groups claiming to continue the above lineage, there are some branches of Eishin-ryū that trace their lineage back to students of Ōe Masaji other than Hokiyama Namio, and which regard their leaders as the most senior member of the school.
There are a number of lines of transmission with direct links to Ōe Masaji but which do not make claims to hold leadership of Musō Jikiden Eishin-ryū.
Students of Ōe Masaji, further lineage
Ōe Masaji had many students who went on to spread Musō Jikiden Eishin-ryū throughout Japan. Some established their own branches (派, ha). Seventeen of Ōe's most influential students, some with the branches they established, are listed below.Iwata 2002: 100 This list is not inclusive. Some of these students were presented with menkyo kaiden although the exact number Ōe awarded is unknown. Most Musō Jikiden Eishin-ryū taught today traces its lineage back to one or more of these men.
Masaoka KatsutaneIkeda 2007: 37 (Κazumi, “Ikkan”) (1896–1973)Ikeda 2007: 36 (18th generation sōshihan, Masaoka-line) Narise Sakahiro (19th generation) Miura Takeyuki Hidefusa (20th generation) Shimabukuro Masayuki Hidenobu (21st generation) Carl E. Long (22nd generation) Nishikawa Baisui Kōda Morio Matsuda Eima Yamasaki Yasukichi Yamasaki Masahiro Yamasaki Takuji Nakanishi Iwaki Taoka Den Hokiyama Namio (1891–1935), 18th generation sōke Fukui Harumasa (1894–1971), 19th generation sōke Suzuki Yoshishige (Suzue Yoshishige) Mori Shigeki (1890–1988) Yamamoto Takuji (1886–1977)Iwata 2002: 99 Takemura Shizuo Yamamoto Harusuke (1892–1978) Yamashibu Yoshikazu (1922-1993) Haruna Matsuo (1926-2002) Oshita Masakazu Sakamoto Tosakai Yamauchi Toyotake (1905–1946)Yamakoshi 2004: unnumbered (18th generation soke, Yamauchi-ha) Sendai Line Uno Mataji Sakagami Kaneo Kawakubo Takaji Sato Yoshio, Sato Masaki (21st generation) Yamauchi Toyotake(1905–1946) Tokyo Line Kono Kanemitsu (19th generation) Onoe Masamitsu (20th generation) Komei Line Sekiguchi Takaaki (Komei) Ueda Heitarō
Students of Kōno Minoru Hyakuren, further lineage Esaka Seigen (1926–2023) (Founder World MJER Iaido Federationhttps://mjer-iaido.github.io/en/about/#founder-esaka-seigen-1926-2023)
Techniques
The techniques of Musō Jikiden Eishin-ryū are broken up into sets based on the principal starting position of the waza and by skill level. The majority of the study is focused on these solo waza.
Musō Jikiden Eishin-ryū has 45 solo waza and 45 paired waza; some of these paired waza are rarely taught. Certain lines contain additional waza, grouped under Bangai no Bu.
Solo waza
Solo waza use a single long sword (katana).
Seiza no bu (Shoden)
The word shoden (初伝) can be translated as ‘entry-transmission.’ This set of techniques was derived from Ōmori-ryū, and is still often referred to as “Ōmori-ryū.” It is the first set of techniques taught. Seiza no Bu waza are performed from seiza, a formal kneeling position, with the general exception of Oikaze, which often begins standing.
Seiza no bu (正座之部) contains the following techniques:Iwata 2002: 114–137
前 Mae 右 Migi 左 Hidari 後 Ushiro 八重垣 Yaegaki 受流 Ukenagashi 介錯 Kaishaku 附込 Tsukekomi 月影 Tsukikage 追風 Oikaze 抜打 Nukiuchi
Tatehiza no bu (Chūden)
The word chūden (中伝) can be translated as ‘middle-transmission.’ This set was derived from techniques created by Hasegawa Eishin and is still commonly referred to as "Eishin-ryū." It is the second set of techniques taught. Tatehiza no bu waza are performed from tatehiza, a half-seated position, with the exception of Makkō.
Tatehiza no bu (立膝之部) contains the following techniques:Iwata 2002: 141–168 横雲 Yokogumo 虎一足 Toraissoku 稲妻 Inazuma 浮雲 Ukigumo 颪 Oroshi 岩波 Iwanami 鱗返 Urokogaeshi 波返 Namigaeshi 瀧落 Takiotoshi 真向 Makkō
Okuiai Iwaza no Bu (Okuden)
The word Okuden (奥伝) can be translated as ‘inner transmission,’ or ‘secret transmission.’ The Okuden sets contain advanced-level techniques. Okuiai Iwaza are performed from tatehiza. Okuiai Iwaza no Bu (奥居合居業之部) contains the following techniques:Iwata 2002: 171–194 霞 Kasumi 脛囲 Sunegakoi 戸詰 Tozume 戸脇 Towaki 四方切 Shihōgiri 棚下 Tanashita 両詰 Ryōzume 虎走 Torabashiri
Okuiai Tachiwaza no Bu (Okuden)
Okuiai Tachiwaza are performed from a standing position, with the exception of the three Itamagoi waza, which start from seiza.