Tenjin Shin'yō-ryū

Essentially, Tenjin Shinyo-ryu is the amalgamation of two separate systems of jujutsu: the Yōshin-ryū and Shin no Shinto-ryu. The distinctive feature of this particular school is the use of atemi or strikes to disrupt the balance of the opponent as well as a more flexible and flowing movement of the body than seen in some older schools of jujutsu. The older schools employ somewhat larger and slower movements to mimic the use of armour in the battlefield. Tenjin Shinyo-ryu was developed after the period of civil war in Japan; thus, without armor, the movements emphasized were faster and more strikes were incorporated. The strikes were also primarily aimed at human vital points and meridians, which were exposed due to the lack of armor.

Like most koryu, the Tenjin Shinyo Ryu follows the bujutsu Menkyo ranking system, as opposed to the budo kyū/dan system.

Shin no Shinto-ryu was created by a palace guard at Osaka castle named Yamamoto Tamiza Hideya who had studied Yoshin-ryu before implementing changes in the curriculum and paring down the system to 68 techniques.

Iso Mataemon Masatari (1787–1863) studied Yoshin-ryu under Hitotsuyanagi Oribe and Shin no Shinto-ryu under Homma Jouemon. He then went traveling and training throughout the country where he engaged in various competitions. It is said that he was never beaten. According to tradition he was once involved in a fight involving a hundred assailants and it was this experience that further solidified the importance of atemi-waza, or striking techniques, in his system along with throwing and strangling techniques common to other systems of jujutsu.

Iso created a composite system based on the techniques of the Yoshin-ryu, Shin no Shinto-ryu and his experience and founded his own tradition called the Tenjin Shin'yo ryu around 1800. "Tenjin/Tenshin" meaning that it was divinely inspired, "Shin" from Shin no Shinto and "yo" from the Yoshin-ryu. Iso became the jujutsu instructor to the Tokugawa shogunate and his school flourished to become the most popular school of jujutsu of the time (1848–1864). Iso taught 5000 students in that time.

After the Meiji Restoration of 1868 the study of jujutsu fell into decline generally and this affected the Tenjin Shinyo-ryu as well.

The training methodology, as with most koryu systems, is kata based or a form of pre-arranged fighting. Students learn the specific subtleties, or the more hidden meaning of the form, through the continuous repetitions of the katas. There are over 130 kata of this classical jujutsu, unarmed combat teaching from seated positions, standing positions, weapons defence, and also includes special healing methods and resuscitation (kappo).

Certain katas are subject to secrecy, due to the nature of lethal effects and subject of martial traditions. The kappo or resuscitation techniques, were a secret, however Kubota now teaches at Kōdōkan to the leading teachers at the seminars. The higher level of kata, not only relates to the aspect of physical movements, but the deeper inner meanings, or link between the philosophy, and mindset of the practitioner. Such kata are taught only to students with many years of commitment and experience.

With the 5th headmaster, Iso Mataemon dying without designating a successor, the 4th headmaster passed the entire body of knowledge required for full mastery to three Shihans (menkyo kaiden's with impeccable moral character) that were identified and designated as such by the 3rd headmaster (the grandfather of the 5th headmaster), and a fourth as selected by the 4th headmaster to fulfill the "divine scheme" of transferring the school outside of the family lineage.

One of these Shihans, Torijiro Yagi, was able to complete and learn the additional teachings provided to them by the 4th headmaster, and as such is the one and only true and complete lineage of Tenjin Shinyo ryu today. Although there exist a number of individuals who received Menkyo Kaiden awards in the art from legitimate headmasters of the past, none of them have the final "keys" to be considered as having received the full transmission. Torajiro Yagi passed the full transmission of the body of knowledge to Fusataro Sakamoto, who in turn passed the full transmission of the body of knowledge to the one and only master of the ryu today, Kubota Toshihiro.[4]

As the leading active teacher is Toshihiro Kubota whose legitimacy in preserving the teachings of his teacher Sakamoto Fusataro is supported by senior exponents of other ko-ryū. He formed his dojo and organization, the Tenyokai, in 1978. Receiving instruction in both judo and Tenshin Shinyo ryu from his teacher Sakamoto he received his license in 1973. In his seventies, he still actively participates in the teaching of the art three times a week. Apart from locals, his students are from far ranging countries such as Australia, Germany, Israel, Sweden and England. In addition to Tenjin Shinyo-ryu jujutsu, Kubota holds a 7th dan in judo.

A second, although incomplete line of the Tenjin Shinyo ryu traces its lineage through Tobari Kazu who received her training from Tobari Takisaburo. Tobari had in turn studied under Iso Mataichiro, the younger brother of the fourth headmaster of the ryu. She maintained the dual traditions of Tenjin Shinyo Ryu and the Shin no Shinto-ryu until her death some years ago, running a small dojo in Osaka in which many of her students were strong judo players. As this line seems to have become inactive in recent years its survival is cast in some doubt.

Miyamoto Hanzo was a student of both Inoue Keitaro and Tozawa Tokusaburō (戸沢 徳三郎, 1848–1912). Tozawa is believed to have briefly taught jujutsu to aikido founder Ueshiba Morihei. In Miyamoto, who was also very well known as a strong judo man, once again we see the connection between this classical school of jujutsu and modern judo. Miyamoto taught Aimiya Kazusaburo, who himself produced a number of strong students, but after suffering a stroke he was forced to stop teaching the art. Of those students it seems only Shibata Koichi currently continues to teach the art albeit upon a very limited scale.

Kanō Jigorō, the founder of judo, studied Tenjin Shinyo jujutsu for several years under two leading exponents of the day, Fukuda Hachinosuke and 3rd generation headmaster Iso Mataemon Masatomo. The Tenshin Shin'yō-ryū, along with the Kitō-ryū, played a role of seminal importance to the development of Kanō's judo system. Although modified for safe sport use, the influence of the Tenjin Shin'yō-ryū can be seen today in many of judo's core throwing techniques such as seoi nage (shoulder throw), harai goshi (sweeping hip throw) and osoto gari (outer reap) to name but a few. The Itsutsu no kata, or the five forms, of Kodokan judo preserve techniques of an esoteric nature found in the Tenshin Shin'yō-ryū's "five teachings of the kuden" kata and techniques from the Kime no kata are said to show the influence of Tenjin Shin'yō tactics. In this way while creating a modern sport Kano was able to preserve some aspects of the Tenjin Shinyo Ryu in his art and it is for this reason that contemporary judo participants tend to show such an interest in this particular ko-ryū jujutsu form.

• Info on history, genealogy, katas, characteristics and historic photos of Tenjin Shinyo-ryu

• Donn Draeger. 1974. Modern Budo. The Martial Arts and Ways of Japan, 3. New York & Tokyo: Weatherhill.
• Skoss, Diane (Editor). 1997. Koryu Bujutsu. Classical Warrior Traditions of Japan, Volume 1. New Jersey, Koryu Books. (Extensive article on Tenjin Shin'yō-ryū)
• Skoss, Diane (Editor). 1999. Sword and Spirit. Classical Warrior Traditions of Japan, Volume 2. New Jersey, Koryu Books. (For references to Yōshin-ryū)
• Mol, Serge. 2001. Classical Fighting Arts of Japan: A Complete Guide to Koryu Jujutsu. Tokyo. Kodansha International.
• Daigo, Toshiro. 2005. Kodokan Judo: Throwing Techniques. Tokyo. Kodansha International. (Despite being a judo text there are extensive references to Tenjin Shinyo Ryu, line drawings of the school's techniques from the 1890s and photographs of Kubata Toshihiro performing techniques)