Soke Shimazu Kenji, Yagyu Shingan ryu 'Chikuosha'
The Yagyu Shingan ryu was handed down from the founder Takenaga Hayato for posterity secretly in the Sendai clan and proliferated in the Tohoku district of Japan.
Yagyu Shingan ryu 'Chikuosha' is lead by Soke Shimazu Kenji who was born during Showa 13 (1938). At a young age (15) he became a student of Aizawa Tomio.
Following a lengthy period of harsh training under Headmaster Aizawa Tomio, Shimazu Kenji opened his Yagyu Shingan ryu dojo during the year Showa 38 and in Showa 50 he added the name Kyodensho 教傳所 which refers to the place of true transmission and Chikuosha 竹翁舎 which identifies Shimazu Kenji sensei's dojo's, named in honour of the founder Takenaga Hayato (Jikinyu) 竹永隼人兼次（直入・金次・勝廣）.
A classical martial arts historian, and high profile bone setter (Honetsugi) by occupation, Shimazu Kenji has studied and researched with great concern several styles (Kano den, Yorifuji den and Hoshi den) of the tradition in an endeavour to discover new or collate old facts. He received mastery of the Yagyu Shingan ryu from both Headmaster Aizawa Tomio and Headmaster Hoshi Kunio. As a result Shimazu Shihan is a descendant to and custodian of the Yagyu Shingan ryu.
Aizawa Tomio Sensei studied the Yagyu Shingan ryu Sendai line from Kano Yasuyoshi Kuniharu and the Yagyu Shingan ryu Edo line from Yorifuji Daizaburo. Hoshi Kunio Sensei studied the Yagyu Shingan ryu Sendai line from Hoshi Hikojuro Kuniyuki. Five generations following Koyama Samon, Hoshi Shinkichi (Masayoshi) became the headmaster in Sendai and he became known as the Restorer.
Shimazu Kenji's dojo is located in Tokyo where he continues to head the Yagyu Shingan ryu Heihojutsu Kyodensho Chikuosha in Japan, Australia (Philip Hinshelwood) and Northern Europe (Per Eriksson). Entrance into the tradition is by invitation only.
An avid collector of antiques, Shimazu Shihan has a most impressive collection, to say the least, of martial art weapons, scrolls, books and historical documents held by an individual. History will show Headmaster Shimazu Kenji to be the first headmaster to expose the tradition to non Japanese and he will be known as the innovator in the annals of the Yagyu Shingan ryu by establishing the first branch school outside Japan. Shimazu Kenji also inherited a line of Morishige ryu Hojutsu (hinawaju) a school of Gunnery founded circa 1800 by Morishige Yukie Subeyoshi (see gallery). He is the author of Kacchu Yawara Yagyu Shingan ryu (1979), and Shoden Yagyu Shingan ryu Heihojutsu (1998) which he co-authored with Headmaster Hoshi Kunio.
| Hoshi Kunio | Aizawa Tomio |
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Kano Yasuyoshi Kuniharu
MORISHIGE RYU
The Morishige ryu is one of three extant traditions of classical hojutsu (Gunnery) in Japan today. The firearm was introduced into Japan by the Portuguese traders on the island of Tanegeshima in 1543. The Hinawaju left its mark in the celebrated battle of Nagashino in 1575.
The founder of the Morishige ryu was Morishige Yukie Subeyoshi (1759 - 1816). He was known for his involvement against Russia in 1803. Shimazu Kenji Shihan instructs a line of Morishige ryu and the tradition is featured in many koryu demonstrations throughout Japan.
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