Tenjin Shinyoryu (TSYR) is the most well known jujutsu system due to the founder of Kodokan Judo, Kano Jigoro, having learnt this system and used it as the base for judo. Several of the leading students of Kano were also trained in TSYR too. Another famous student of TSYR was the founder of Aikido, Uyeshiba Morihei. There is a historical connection for the UK, with Manchester born EJ Harrison having travelled to Japan in 1897 and taken up TSYR before he joined the Kodokan. Koizumi Gunji, known as the father of British Judo, also practised TSYR around the same time as Harrison.
The founder of Wadoryu karate, Otsuka Hironori also practised TSYR as well as several related schools including Shinto Yoshinryu and Shinpen Igaryu. The Shinto Yoshinryu school which Otsuka practised when he was a school child was derived from TSYR and a school called Yoshin Koryu. Neither Shinpen Igaryu nor Shinto Yoshinryu exist today and so the closest examples we have to the techniques trained in these schools are those of Iga Ryuha Katsushinryu and the TSYR.
TSYR is school established c.1815-1820 in Edo (old Tokyo). The founder was Iso Mataemon Masatomo, a samurai who worked in the Shogunate armoury and had previously studied two closely related grappling arts of Yoshinryu and Shin-no-Shintoryu. Iso merged what he thought were the most useful techniques combined with his practical experience and opened a dojo in the Kanda district of Tokyo. Even today, TSYR is still taught in the locality of his old dojo.
Iso passed the system down through five generations, ending with the fifth Iso who died in 1945. Along the way, he and his ancestors taught thousands of students so that TSYR became quite widespread, both around Edo and across Japan.
TSYR comes from the Akiyama Yoshinryu line of jujutsu. One of the features of Yoshinryu is the inclusion of medical knowledge both for the purpose of how to apply techniques effectively and also for healing. A lot of TSYR teachers used this medical knowledge taught in the school to earn an income as bonesetters. Bonesetters treated bone fractures and dislocations but often used other herbal remedies to treat illness using Chinese medicine. Because of this, TSYR teachers were able to maintain their dojo when other martial arts dojo were closing down in the Meiji era after the end of the Edo period. In other words, the bonesetting practise (known as Sekkotsu) allowed TSYR to survive into the 20th century.
TSYR practice begins with learning breakfalls (ukemi) similar to the method used in Judo. Once these are well learnt, practice moves to the first 12 techniques of Tehodoki – basics skills for releasing oneself from holds. After this, the techniques are taught in sets of seated and standing techniques, beginning with the Shodan Idori and Shodan Tachiai. This continues until the full curriculum of 124 forms are learnt. Each form is a pair kata in itself. Most can be practised on both the right and left side of the body although some are based on the opponent having a sword in which case it would not be necessary to train the opposite side.
Our Training:
We are connected to the Sakamoto line of TSYR jujutsu as a study branch and in the process of establishing a regular training session. This may be of interest for those with experience with judo or aikido or for Wadoryu karateka interested in exploring the jujutsu roots of the school. If so, then please get in touch using our contact form to find out more.
