Shūyūkan teaches traditional martial arts of the Kuroda Han Yagyū Shinkage Ryū (Kuroda Province Yagyū New Shadow Martial Arts School), formally called Shinkage Ryū Heihō (Shinkage Ryū Strategy).

During Japan’s Warring States Period, the famed swordsman, Kamiizumi Musashi no Kami Fujiwara no Nobutsuna started his own school, called Shinkage Ryū, based on 3 major schools existing at the time called Kage Ryū, Nen Ryū and Shintō Ryū.

 Afterwards, the strategist Kuroda Nagamasa recommended Yagyū Tajima no Kami Muneyoshi as a swordsmanship instructor to Tokugawa Ieyasu, who employed him to teach Shinkage Ryū to the Tokugawa family.

 Yagyū Muneyoshi played a major part in the revival of the Yagyū Clan, and awarded the Yagyū surname and teaching licence to his senior student Ōno Matsuemon no Jō Ienobu, who went on to teach Shinkage Ryū Heihō to the Kuroda Clan in Chikuzen Province as a way of gratitude for the good fortune gained due to Kuroda Nagamasa’s introduction.

 The Yagyū Shinkage Ryū that Yagyū Matsuemon no Jō Ienobu taught in Kuroda Province (Chikuzen Province) was a style of swordsmanship, passed on from the founder Kamiizumi and still taught today, that emphasised lowering one’s hips in order to achieve a lowered stance for cutting, that proved effective against fighting multiple adversaries, and was unique in it’s use of red lacquer cushioned bamboo swords (fukuro shinai).

 In addition, as recipient of the teaching licence, Yagyū Matsuemon no Jō Ienobu taught the secret methods of that art that were conveyed to him from Yagyū Muneyoshi, including Mutō Dori (fighting an armed opponent while being unarmed), Ōgi no Tachi, “the 27 places to cut” of Inka no Tachi, as well as spear and naginata techniques conveyed from Hikita Bungorō Kagetomo and Anazawa Jōken Hidetoshi, both high level students of Shinkage Ryū’s founder Kamiizumi Musashi no Kami Fujiwara no Nobutsuna, to pass on to future generations.

 Nowadays, it is not uncommon for many dojos, even famous ones, to teach their students methods that are not true to the original forms, and thus the proper styles have been lost forever.

 Through Shūyūkan, we do our utmost to preserve Japan’s traditional culture and hope to increase the number of people taught the correct methods.

 We welcome students who are willing to join us in preserving the traditional styles of our school to pass on to future generations. 

Kuroda Han Den Yagyū Shin Kage Ryū    Shūyūkan