The Art of Aiki

Shindo Yoshin ryu is a school of koryu jujutsu. It was founded late in the Edo Period by Katsunosuke Matsuoka, a Kuroda Clan retainer.

Matsuoka founded Shindo Yoshin ryu because he felt the contemporary jujutsu systems of the late Edo period had lost much of their military usefulness, evolving into systems driven more by individual challenge matches than effective military engagement. Matsuoka, embroiled in the political stresses of the late Edo Period, conceived Shindo Yoshin ryu as a true sogo bujutsu or comprehensive military science.

The school combines the jujutsu teachings of the Akiyama Yoshin Ryu lineage and Nakamura Yoshin Koryu lineage. Shindo Yoshin ryu was further influenced by the Jikishinkage ryu and Hokushin Itto ryu schools of kenjutsu. The Ohbata/Takamura branch which separated from the mainline in 1895, includes further influence from Matsuzaki Shinkage ryu. The two different Yoshin ryu jujutsu lineage’s reflected in our teachings were very prominent and influenced many other jujutsu styles as well as Kodokan Judo.

Only two legitimate branches of Shindo Yoshin ryu exist, the Shindo Yoshin ryu Domonkai under the direction of Dr. Ryozo Fujiwara in Tokyo and the Takamura ha Shindo Yoshin Kai here in the US.

Read the full article at: http://www.aikidojournal.com/article?articleID=702.