is a school of Japanese swordsmanship specializing in iaijutsu (quick-draw sword art) and kenjutsu (combative sword art) founded by Kawabata Terutaka in 2006. The origins of the Ryushin Shouchi Ryu can be traced to the Tenshinsho Jigen Ryu, a branch tradition of the Tenshin Shà Âden Katori Shintà Â-ryà «. The current headmaster of the Ryushin Shouchi Ryu is Watanabe Yoshio.
The Ryushin Shouchi Ryu is a branch tradition of the Tenshinsho Jigen Ryu, a system founded by Tose Yosazaemon Osamune (Ã¥ÂÂç¬ ä¸Âä¸Âå·¦è¡Âé é·å®Â, c. 1540- c. 1600) around the Eiroku Era (1558- 1570) specializing in iaijutsu and kenjutsu. Tose was a land-holding samurai from Hitachi province. While in his twenties he traveled to Katori Shrine to study the Tenshin Shà Âden Katori Shintà Â-ryà « under the third headmaster, Iizasa Wakasa no Kami Morinobu. After five years of training he received a menkyo kaiden (license of mastery) and would go on to continue his studies at Kashima Shrine. While at Kashima, Tose became enlightened, and through an oracle, received a catalog of techniques from Takemikazuchi. It was after this divine inspiration that he created the Tenshinsho Jigen Ryu, taking the Tenshinshà  (true and correct transmission from the deity of Katori Shrine, Futsunushi) from the Tenshin Shà Âden Katori Shintà Â-ryà «, and adding the term "self-power revelation" (jigen) which had come to him after his spiritual ordeal at Kashima Shrine. He would later travel to Satsuma where he would meet his eventual successor Kaneko Shinkurà  Morisada (éÂÂå æ°ä¹Âé çÂÂè²Â, c. 1520- c. 1585).
The third headmaster, Akasaka Yakurà  Masatsune (赤å 弥ä¹Âé æ¿é , 1567- 1594), was introduced to Kaneko at the age of 13 to begin his studies in swordsmanship for the purpose of avenging his father's death. By the time he was 17 years old Akasaka had mastered the Tenshinshà  Jigen-ryà « and avenged his father's death when he was 19 years old. Shortly after, he moved to Kyoto to become a monk at Tenneiji Temple of the Sà Âtà  Zen School where he took on the Buddhist dharma name Zenkitsu (Ã¥ÂÂÃ¥ÂÂ, also read Zenkichi). In 1588, Tà Âgà  Shigekata would become Zenkitsu's best student, mastering the Tenshinshà  Jigen-ryà « in less than a year. Tà Âgà  Shigekata (æ±é· éÂÂä½Â, 1560- 1643) would go on to combine the Taisha-ryà «, which he had previously learned from the founder, Marume Kurandonosuke Tessai, and the Tenshinshà  Jigen-ryà « to create the Jigen-ryà «. According to tradition, the Tenshinshà  Jigen-ryà « would remain a well-kept secret through the Jigen-ryà « and Yakumaru Jigen-ryà « lines, and passed down through a series of dai (a line of headmasters not related by blood) for nearly 400 years.
The Tenshinshà  Jigen-ryà « would see a revival under the 13th headmaster, Ueno Yasuyuki Genshin (ä¸Âé éÂÂä¹ æºÂå¿Â, 1913- 1973), when he began instructing in Asakusa, Tokyo until his death in 1973. It was at this time that Kawabata Terutaka (河端 ç §åÂÂ, b. July 12, 1940) began his swordsmanship training at the Sà Âgà  Budà  Shà Âbukan, which was founded in 1964 by his father and was under the guidance of Ueno Yasuyuki Genshin. After Ueno's death Kawabata would continue his training and eventually establish the Seiseikan in Akabane, Tokyo where he founded the Ryà «shin Jigen-ryà « in 2006. In 2008, Kawabata's best student, Yahagi Kunikazu (ç¢你è¨Âä¸Â, b. April 5, 1948), would become the second headmaster of the Ryà «shin Jigen-ryà «.
In 2011, to clarify the purpose of the school in cultivating the mind and conditioning the body through rigorous training, the original name of the school, Ryà «shin Jigen-ryà «, was changed to Ryushin Shouchi Ryu. The name Ryushin Shouchi Ryu was selected by the founder, Kawabata Terutaka. Ryà «shin (æ³å¿Â) means "Mind or Heart of the Willow tree" and invokes the image of a tree which does not lose its leaves even in winter; while Shouchi (ç §æº) can be translated as "shining wisdom". Together, these characters convey the sense of âÂÂestablishing in the world an unmovable wisdom and everyday mind by means of a strong yet flexible body and spirit.âÂÂ
In 2023, Yahagi appointed Watanabe Yoshio (渡éÂÂÃ¥ÂÂéÂÂ, b. 1949) as his successor.
Today, the Ryushin Shouchi Ryu is practiced across the globe with several schools in the United States, Europe and Japan. Every year, Yahagi makes official trips to conduct training courses abroad, where he receives the warm support of his overseas students. The Ryushin Shouchi Ryu also takes part in the Annual Kobudo Dedication Demonstrations (Kobudà  Hà Ânà  Enbu Taikai) at Katori Shrine every year; an event that has been taking place for over 25 years.