Connections between Tendo-ryu, Kukishin-ryu, & Hontai yoshin-ryu

[KTT]

Dear E-Budo Members,

In Journal of Japanese Sword Arts issue #90 / April 1998 <http://www.uoguelph.ca/~kataylor/91jjsa.htm>, Inoue Tsuyoshi Munetoshi sensei, soke of Hontai Yoshin ryu jujutsu states "Bojutsu come originally from Tendo ryu naginatajutsu. Kukishin ryu bojutsu was much influenced by the Tendo ryu naginatajutsu and gave later birth to Hontai Yoshin ryu bojutsu."

Does anyone have any further information about the connection between Tendo ryu and Kukishin ryu?

Thank you very much.

Sincerely,

Kevin T. Tanemura

[Meik Skoss]

So far as I know, there was no formal connection between Tendo-ryu or Kukishin-ryu in the past; there is certainly none at the present. Assuming Inoue Sensei is correct, what probably happened is that someone studied both ryu and went on introduce material from the Tendo-ryu (the older system) to Kukishin-ryu.

If that's the case -- hard to tell from the appearance of the respective techniques of these schools -- Kukishin-ryu waza has really changed from the original Tendo-ryu jojutsu and kenjutsu. There just isn't any similarity between these ryu. (I've practised Tendo-ryu since 1976 and watched the Hontai Yoshin-ryu and Kukishin-ryu embu from about the same time.)