) is a Japanese term meaning "license." It refers to the license to teach used by practitioners of various Japanese classical arts and martial arts certifying some license within the school or ryū. [1] The menkyo system dates back to the 8th century.[ citation needed ]
Although it is most commonly thought to be used for classical martial arts and ways,it can also be used for other arts such as painting ( sumi-e ),tea ceremony ( chadō ),flower arranging or calligraphy ( shodō ).
Different martial art ko-ryū use different license;one outline is: [2]
Menkyo kaiden (免許皆伝),(めんきょかいでん) is a Japanese term meaning "license of total transmission." Kaiden (皆伝) means "initiation into an art or discipline." It is a license that is used by a school or ko-ryū ,meaning that the student has learned everything and passed all aspects of his/her training within the ko-ryū. [2]
In the menkyo system of licenses,the menkyo kaiden is the highest level of license that exists under the menkyo system. Advancement of license is not determined by years spent learning,but how well one masters the discipline. However,the transition from menkyo to kaiden require usually at least thirty years' experience. A holder of menkyo kaiden is often,but not always,the de facto successor to the sōke of the koryū.
Iaidō (居合道),abbreviated iai (居合),is a Japanese martial art that emphasizes being aware and capable of quickly drawing the sword and responding to sudden attacks.
Iaijutsu (居合術) is a combative quick-draw sword technique. This art of drawing the Japanese sword,katana,is one of the Japanese koryū martial art disciplines in the education of the classical warrior (bushi).
Tenshin Shōden Katori Shintō-ryū (天真正伝香取神道流) is one of the oldest extant Japanese martial arts,and an exemplar of bujutsu. The Tenshin Shōden Katori Shintō-ryūwas founded by Iizasa Ienao,born in 1387 in Iizasa village,who was living near Katori Shrine at the time. The ryū gives 1447 as the year it was founded,but some scholars state that it was about 1480.
Ko-ryū is a Japanese term for any kind of Japanese school of traditional arts. The term literally translates as "oldschool" or "traditional school". It is sometimes also translated as "old style".
Kobudō is a collective term for Japanese traditional techniques for the use of armour,blades,firearms,and techniques related to combat and horse riding. The kanji 古流武術and 古武術are other ways of writing it. The general umbrella term ko-ryū is also used to describe these ancient arts.
Japanese martial arts refers to the variety of martial arts native to the country of Japan. At least three Japanese terms are used interchangeably with the English phrase Japanese martial arts.
Donald Frederick "Donn" Draeger was an internationally known teacher and practitioner of Japanese martial arts. He was the author of several important books on Asian martial arts,and was a pioneer of international judo in the United States and Japan. He also helped make the study of martial arts an acceptable topic of academic research.
ShintōMusō-ryū,or ShindōMusō-ryū (神道夢想流),most commonly known by its practice of jōdō,is a traditional school (koryū) of the Japanese martial art of jōjutsu,or the art of wielding the short staff (jō). The technical purpose of the art is to learn how to defeat a swordsman in combat using the jō,with an emphasis on proper combative distance,timing and concentration. The system includes teachings of other weapon systems which are contained in ShintōMusō-ryūas auxiliary arts. The school is sometimes abbreviated as SMR.
Tenjin Shinyo-ryu,meaning "Divine True Willow School",can be classified as a traditional school (koryū) of jujutsu. It was founded by Iso Mataemon Ryūkansai Minamoto no Masatari (磯又右衛門柳関斎源正足) in the 1830s. Its syllabus comprises atemi-waza,nage-waza,torae-waza,and shime-waza. Once a very popular jujutsu system in Japan,among the famous students who studied the art were KanōJigorō,whose modern art of judo was greatly inspired by the Tenjin Shin'yō-ryūand Kitō-ryū.
Kashima Shinden Jikishinkage-ryū,often referred to simply as Jikishinkage-ryūor Kashima Shinden,is a traditional school (koryū) of the Japanese martial art of swordsmanship (kenjutsu). The school was founded in the mid-16th century,based upon older styles of swordsmanship,and is one of the few ancient Japanese martial arts schools still existing today.
ShindōYōshin-ryū (新道楊心流),meaning "New Willow School" is a traditional school (ko-ryū) of Japanese martial arts,teaching primarily the art of jūjutsu. The first kanji of the name originally translated into "新=New",but in the mainline branch the kanji for "new" was eventually changed into the homophonic "神=sacred". The name of the school may also be transliterated as ShintōYōshin-ryū,but the koryu tradition should not be confused with the modern school of Shintōyōshin-ryūwhich is unconnected.
Yōshin-ryū (楊心流) is a common name for one of several different martial traditions founded in Japan during the Edo period. The most popular and well-known was the Yōshin-ryūfounded by physician Akiyama Shirōbei Yoshitoki at Nagasaki Kyushu in 1642. The Akiyama line of Yōshin-ryūis perhaps the most influential school of jūjutsu to have existed in Japan. By the late Edo Period Akiyama Yōshin-ryūhad spread from its primary base in Fukuoka Prefecture Kyushu,throughout Japan. By the Meiji era,Yōshin-ryūhad spread overseas to Europe and North America,and to Australia and South Africa by the late Shōwa era.
Nishioka Tsuneo (西岡常夫) - was a Japanese martial artist and the founder of the Shinto Muso-ryu Jōdōgroup Sei Ryu Kai (清隆会). As of 2012,Nishioka had retired from active teaching although several of his menkyo kaiden continue to transmit his teachings.
Kyōju Dairi is a teaching certificate employed by various Japanese koryū,or traditional martial arts.
Mokuroku is a term in Japanese martial arts,used by koryu,for a "catalog",referring to a catalog of the level of ability of the instructor of the martial arts that has received a catalog as a sign of level or initiation.
ShintōMusō-ryū,or ShindōMusō-ryū (神道夢想流) is a traditional (ko-ryū) school of the Japanese martial art of jōjutsu,the art of handling the Japanese short staff (jō). The art was created with the purpose of defeating a swordsman in combat using the jō,with an emphasis on proper distance,timing and concentration. Additionally,a variety of other weapons are also taught.
Grandmaster and Master are titles used to describe or address some senior or experienced martial artists. Typically these titles are honorary in nature,meaning that they do not confer rank,but rather distinguish the individual as very highly revered in their school,system,or style.
Hokushin Ittō-ryūHyōhō (北辰一刀流兵法) is a koryū that was founded in the late Edo period by Chiba Shusaku Narimasa. He was one of the last masters who was called a kensei.
Risuke Ōtake full name Ōtake Risuke Minamoto no Takeyuki,was a Japanese martial artist. He was a long time shihan of Tenshin Shōden Katori Shintō-ryūbujutsu,which he learned as a disciple of the previous teaching master Hayashi Yazaemon (1892-1964) from the time he entered the school in 1942 at the age of 16. In 1967,when Otake-sensei was 42 years old,he received gokui kaiden,the highest level of attainment in the tradition,and at the same time became the school's teaching master. He lived and taught in rural location near Narita city,in Chiba Prefecture of Japan. The teachings of Tenshin Shōden Katori Shintō-ryūwere designated an Intangible Cultural Asset of Chiba Prefecture in 1960,with Ōtake designated as guardian of the tradition.
Ryōi Shintō-ryūJūjutsu良移心当流 柔術,is a traditional school of Jujutsu (柔術),founded in the early 17th century by Fukuno Shichirouemon Masakatsu (福野七郎右衛門正勝).