Tenshin Shōden Katori Shintō-ryū was founded by Iizasa Choisai Ienao (1387–1488) and is today one of the oldest surviving martial arts schools. Over the centuries, many other styles that still exist today evolved from it, such as Shintō Musō-ryū, Shinkage-ryū, Tendō-ryū, and Shingyōtō-ryū.

Ienao was a samurai in the service of the Chiba clan. He was known throughout the country and considered undefeated due to his skills in spear fighting, close combat, and, of course, swordsmanship, all of which were honed in battle. However, one day an incident occurred between the Ashikaga and the Chiba, resulting in many deaths within the Iizasa family, who served the Chiba. Ienao realized that despite all his prowess in combat, he was powerless to prevent this, and he parted ways with the clan following the incident.

Following these events, at the age of over 60, Ienao decided to settle at the great Katori Shrine, leaving behind his entire remaining household and all his vassals. At the Katori Shrine, he is said to have spent 1,000 days engaged in prayer, purification ceremonies, and martial arts training until, one night, Futsunushi no Mikoto, the god of war venerated at the Katori Shrine, appeared to him in a dream.

Futsunushi took the form of a young boy sitting in a plum tree. The deity handed Ienao a scroll containing the secrets of martial strategy, the Mokuroku Heiho no Shinsho, and prophesied that Ienao would in the future become “the teacher of all swordsmen throughout the land.”*

This prophecy would ultimately be fulfilled, as numerous Bujutsu Ryūha (martial arts traditions) list Ienao in their genealogy. Furthermore, the school he founded still exists today, more than 550 years after its creation.

Ienao named his martial art Tenshin Shōden Katori Shintō-ryū. Tenshin Shōden can be translated as “truthfully transmitted from heaven” and refers to the divine transmission of knowledge by Futsunushi no Mikoto.

Teachers and Curriculum

The current head of the school is the 20th Sōke, Iizasa Shūri-no-suke Yasusada, a direct descendant of Ienao. Unfortunately, Iizasa Sensei’s health does not allow him to practice or teach Shintō-ryū. This responsibility therefore falls to Kyoso Shigetoshi Sensei and Sugino Yukihiro Sensei. Both have received permission from Iizasa Sensei to teach the Ryūha.

The curriculum of Shintō-ryū includes:

• Kenjutsu (Tachi / Kodachi / Ryōtō)
• Iai (Tachi-iai / Iaijutsu)
• Bōjutsu
• Naginatajutsu
• Sōjutsu
• Jūjutsu
• Shurikenjutsu

In our Keikōjō in Berlin, we currently practice Kenjutsu, Iai, Bōjutsu, and Naginatajutsu, and through Ulf Rott, we belong to the lineage of Sugino Yukihiro Sensei.