- Kashima Shin-ryū
Nihongo|Kashima-Shinryū|鹿島神流 is a nearly 500 years old Japanese "
koryu "martial art . The art was somewhat popularized in the 20th century by Kunii Zen'ya (1894-1966), the 18th generation "soke" (headmaster). The Current 'Soke' is 21st GenerationKunii Masakatsu . The line is still headed by the Kunii family but is more or less honorific as the responsibility for the preservation and teaching of the ryu is instilled in a 'Shihanke' - currently represented by Seki Humitake. 'Shihanke' roughly translates as 'instructors house' and is something which is not uncommon in Koryu Bujutsu.The name Kashima refers to
Kashima Shrine that is located in Kashima,Ibaraki Prefecture . Kashima-Shinryū includeskenjutsu , battojutsu,jojutsu ,jujutsu ,kusarigama , and several other skills in its curriculum.It should not be confused with another Japanese koryu with a similar name,
Kashima Shinto-ryu .References
* Friday, Karl F. with Seki Humitake, "Legacies of the Sword: The Kashima-Shinryu and Samurai Martial Culture", Honolulu: University of Hawai'i Press, 1997.
External links
* [http://www.kashima-shinryu.jp/English/ Kashima-Shinryū Federation of Martial Sciences website]
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