Kashima Shinden Jikishinkage-ryū
Kashima Shinden Jikishinkage-ryū (鹿島神傳直心影流, かしましんでんじきしんかげりゅう), often referred to simply as Jikishinkage-ryū or Kashima Shinden, is a traditional school (koryū) of the Japanese martial art of swordsmanship (kenjutsu). The school was founded in the mid-16th century, based upon older styles of swordsmanship, and is one of the few ancient Japanese martial arts schools still existing today.
| Kashima Shinden Jikishinkage-ryū (鹿島神傳直心影流) | |
|---|---|
| Ko-ryū | |
| Foundation | |
| Founder | Matsumoto (Sugimoto) Bizen-no-Kami Naokatsu (松本 備前守 尚勝) |
| Date founded | c. 1570 |
| Period founded | Late Muromachi period (1336–1573) |
| Location founded | Kashima (鹿嶋市), Japan (日本) |
| Current information | |
| Current headmaster | Various lineages are still extant and taught |
| Arts taught | |
| Art | Description |
| Kenjutsu – ōdachi and kodachi | Sword art – long and short sword |
| Ancestor schools | |
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| Descendant schools | |
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Kashima Shinden Jikishinkage-ryū can be translated as the "divinely transmitted, honest reflection of the heart, school of Kashima".
By repetitive practice, one maintains a constant connection with the cosmos by aspiring to jikishin (直心) unwavering intention and seimeishin (生命心) perfect clarity of mind, just like a cloudless sky on a brilliant sunny day. A practitioner who has attained heightened jikishin and seimeishin is said to have fudōshin (不動心) immovable heart.