Who we are

We are part of a traditional school (koryū) of Japanese material arts, and we maintain  

Takamura-ha Shindō Yōshin Ryū (TSYR), a koryū  jujutsu. We do this by studying and practicing its techniques, skills, concepts and traditions. Our TSYR Seishinkan Dojo is an official TSYR Branch Dojo and we are part of the Takamura-ha Shindō Yōshin Kai, the official organisation (Jap. kai) representing TSYR. 

Historical context

Shindō Yōshin Ryū (SYR), meaning „New Willow School“, is a classical school (koryū) of Japanese samurai martial arts, teaching primarily the art of jūjutsu. SYR was founded in the late Edo-period in 1864 and split into two lines in 1895, one led by Motokichi Inose and the other led by Shigeta Obata. The Obata line passed to Yukiyoshi Takamura (1928-2000) in 1944, hence the name Takamura-ha Shindō Yōshin Ryū (TSYR). TSYR was brought to Europe and the United States by Yukiyoshi Takamura. The Takamura-ha Shindō Yōshin Kai continues today under the direction of Tobin E. Threadgill with its headquarters dojo (honbu dojo) located in Evergreen, Colorado (USA). 

Training and teaching concept

Compared to modern martial arts, training in a traditional Japanese koryu like TSYR is very individualized and based on the school's own teaching principles and approaches. The TSYR curriculum includes armed and unarmed training. Weapons include Japanese swords and knives, for example. 

Shindō Yōshin Ryū is separated in a traditional manner to three levels of training which are Shoden, Chūden and Jōden. Each level has a corresponding teaching license. The art doesn’t use modern kyū/dan belt ranking system and it doesn’t include competition. Our ultimate goal is to maintain the ryu and its inherent knowledge, in order to pass it on to the next generations.