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Eric Baluja
2nd June 2000, 20:50
Dear forum members,

Please forgive my ignorance, but I don't study Shinto Muso Ryu or know very much about it, except what little I've read.

My question(s): Since Shinto Muso Ryu doesn't seem to have a headmaster (if I'm reading my "Ryu Guide" right), what happens after all the current SMR menkyo kaiden pass on? Is that the end of SMR? Will the seitei kata be all that is left? With no headmaster and no licensed teachers, will anyone who continues to practice SMR not be able to call what they're doing koryu or call what they teach SMR?

I sincerely hope I'm not stirring anything up. I'm sure there are lots of facts and circumstances that I'm overlooking, but that's why I'm asking.

Thanks for your patience.

Eric Baluja

Diane Skoss
2nd June 2000, 21:46
Hey Eric!

How's it going?

I think your questions are good ones. The reason you have them in the first place is that so much in the koryu is case-by-case, and so many of us who try to explain the koryu end up sounding as if we are talking about all of them. Transmission is a serious issue and in the ideal form passes from headmaster to headmaster. But there are a number of schools who don't presently have (or never have had) a headmaster at all, and the transmission in many of these occurs through one or more fully licensed (often, but not always, known as menkyo kaiden) instructors. In the case of SMR, any menkyo kaiden can grant the license of menkyo kaiden to another. So each of the various menkyo presumably will ensure the continuation of his (no hers, I'm afraid) line. Nishioka Tsuneo has awarded menkyo to a small number of people, and some of them will undoubtedly grant menkyo to their students. I'm not up on details of lines outside my own, but Kaminoda Sensei is licensing people and one would expect that he would grant at least one menkyo during his lifetime (if he hasn't already...). Ditto the others--some may prefer the modern form of jo and not bother, others may select only one "successor," while still others may create a small group (like Nishioka Sensei's Seiryukai, for example) of menkyo who are expected to work together to preserve/conserve the art and line.

Hope this helps!


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Diane Skoss
Koryu.com (http://Koryu.com)

Jerry O'Brien
20th July 2000, 13:34
Originally posted by Diane Skoss
Hey Eric!

I'm not up on details of lines outside my own, but Kaminoda Sensei is licensing people and one would expect that he would grant at least one menkyo during his lifetime (if he hasn't already...).

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Diane Skoss
Koryu.com (http://Koryu.com)

Hello Diane

Yes there are several Menkyo Kaiden within the Nihon Jodo Kai and as of last month there is one more. On a previous thread there had been some discussion about the existence (or nonexistence) of this license, which did not go unnoticed in Japan.

This topic was brought up during my visit to Japan last month with Kaminoda Sensei and other senior members of the Nihon Jodokai. As a result, my instructors in Japan have asked me announce on this forum the promotion of Matsuda Shigeharu Sensei of Osaka to Menkyo Kaiden on June 11th . This ceremony took place at the Kashima Jingu and was conducted by Kaminoda Sensei with the assistance of his senior student (also Menkyo Kaiden) Osato Kohei Sensei. While I was not present, I was there when they all returned to the Jinbuden and had the opportunity to congratulate Matsuda Sensei personally.

On behalf of the Beikoku Rembukan we would like to publicly congratulate Matsuda Sensei and wish him the best.

Jerry O'Brien
Beikoku Rembukan