Is this a Shindō Munen-ryū embu?

[Fred27]

Found a clip randomly on YouTube featuring a kenjutsu embu.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EiD8TEXBIfw

I have some trouble interpreting the name of the ryuha in the clip-title. The only thing I recognise is martial arts (古武道) and "Shinto ryu" (神道流)

A seperate comment on the videoclip says "神道無念流剣術" which is "Shinto Munen ryu kenjutsu", but I havent seen enough of that to know it on sight.

Anyone?

[DDATFUS]

Interesting. We won't know for sure until Jeff comes in and confirms it for us, but there are at least a couple of clues.

In the one Shindo Munen Ryu clip that I've seen, uchidachi and shidachi both dropped their swords down from seigan to a position parallel to the ground before backing away from each other, just like the people in this clip. Also, the ending move of stepping off-line and delivering a diagonal cut to uchidachi's neck occurs both in these kata and in the only Shindo Munen Ryu kata that I've seen.

Shindo Munen Ryu isn't the only school to do either of those, of course, but I think that they are the only school that does anything like the kata that begins around the 48 second mark. There is a picture in the first volume of Nihon Kenjutsu of the current head instructor performing that rather unusual one-handed jumping cut.

[Lance Gatling]

the original poster wrote:
古武道演武たぶん神道流
- 明治神宮での古武道大会にて出番を待つ間に打ち合わせ
Kobudo embu, perhaps Shindo ryu
- a match that occured during the kobudo event at the Meiji Shrine

The sole comment from Gunyo reads:
神道無念流剣術
Shindo Munen ryu kenjutsu

From the angle, they're practicing before their demo, off to the left of the display areas.

[Lance Gatling]

PS - this is not the Shinto ryu heiden kata in Shinto Msuo ryu jodo.

[Fred27]

PS - this is not the Shinto ryu heiden kata in Shinto Msuo ryu jodo.

I agree. I would have stated so if that had been the case :)

[bushikan]

That is Shindo Munen Ryu Kenjutsu: Joden Kumitachi (not the whole set)

The Uchidachi is Saito Masafumi (Mokuroku) and the Shidachi is Kodama (then Roku-dan-chu) This clip is a several years old.... Kodama san has earned Kirigami since then... so he now wears kimono at preformances . As Lance said the video was taken pre-preformance at Meiji Jingu (that is why there is no kia.... the were trying not to disturb the other preformers).

I have to show this to Saito san... he might get a natsukashii feeling (his hair has since disappeared:laugh:)

you google-jutsu skills continue to impress me Fred :D nice find

[DDATFUS]

Thanks for the info, Jeff. That's a really interesting set of kata; I love the way that the shidachi keeps constant pressure on the uchidachi during his retreats.

[Lance Gatling]

Thanks for the info, Jeff. That's a really interesting set of kata; I love the way that the shidachi keeps constant pressure on the uchidachi during his retreats.
Not my specialty, but that also figures in Shindo ryu - as does the kirioshi (切り押し / push-cut) and going after both wrists as uchidachi tries to step away and presents a different aspect to attack, then the thrust to finish. I find it a very interest contrast to many other schools.

[Fred27]

That is Shindo Munen Ryu Kenjutsu: Joden Kumitachi (not the whole set)

The Uchidachi is Saito Masafumi (Mokuroku) and the Shidachi is Kodama (then Roku-dan-chu) This clip is a several years old.... Kodama san has earned Kirigami since then... so he now wears kimono at preformances . As Lance said the video was taken pre-preformance at Meiji Jingu (that is why there is no kia.... the were trying not to disturb the other preformers).

I have to show this to Saito san... he might get a natsukashii feeling (his hair has since disappeared:laugh:)

you google-jutsu skills continue to impress me Fred :D nice find

Jeff to the rescue again. Thanks man :)
The more I see of Shindo Munen Ryu the more interesting it gets.

[bushikan]

Thanks for the info, Jeff. That's a really interesting set of kata; I love the way that the shidachi keeps constant pressure on the uchidachi during his retreats.

No Prob :cool: Joden Kumitach is one of my favorate sets. In general (Shindo) Munen Ryu becomes more and more agressive as one progresses through the kata (sometimes dangerously so). I can defidently say that I have become much more agressive than I was several years ago (due to Munen Ryu's training).


Not my specialty, but that also figures in Shindo ryu - as does the kirioshi (切り押し / push-cut) and going after both wrists as uchidachi tries to step away and presents a different aspect to attack, then the thrust to finish. I find it a very interest contrast to many other schools.

Thanks!! We have many intesting tactics (which come from our Shinkage Ryu and Ichiden Ryu roots). There are many sides to one technique or kata... and sometimes what you see us doing .... is not what is actually happening. Our main cutting method is derived from Ichiden Ryu (which is a very extended cut), but we do use Kiri-oshi .... though we don't use it in quite the same way that say Maniwa Nen Ryu does. We also have several other cutting methods and at times shift our grips while cutting into un-orthodox positions.


Jeff to the rescue again. Thanks man :)
The more I see of Shindo Munen Ryu the more interesting it gets.

Thanks!! I feel the same way everytime I see Ikkaku Ryu and Ittatsu Ryu as well ;)