Kasumi Dojo

fecture. Many of the historical details of Hayashizaki's life are suspect, since, like most famous martial artists in Japan, his story has been widely fictionalized. It seems that he grew up during a time of constant warfare in Japan and was exposed to sword-fighting methods from an early age. According to legend, Hayashizaki’s father was killed and to take revenge he began training in earnest. He went to the Hayashizaki Meijin shrine to pray for guidance and received divine inspiration for a new technique of drawing the sword and attacking in one movement. Legend says that he eventually defeated his father’s killer. Following this, Hayashizaki continued on his martial arts pilgrimage, training with renowned swordsmen and attracting students of his own (such as Tamiya Heibei, founder of Tamiya-ryū (Tsumaki)). Hayashizaki established his own style of swordsmanship, calling it Shinmei Musō-ryū (神明夢想流). Hayashizaki's art has had many names since it was established, such as Hayashizaki-ryū (林崎流) or Jūshin ryu (重信流). It is considered the foundation for many of the major styles of iai practised today, in particular Tamiya-ryū, Araki-ryū, and "newest" Musō Jikiden Eishin-ryū and Musō Shinden-ryū. Matsumata Ryu founded one year after death master Hayashi Rokudayu Morimasa in 1733 by Matsumata Kunio Seiji (1682-1753) and expanded by Matsumata Takashi Ryotaro(1767-1852) in the end of Edo period. The school served as a teaching establishment for the samurai of the area and were one of three who taught the bulk of the samurai of that time. They continued until the Meiji Restoration and ended their days under the Matsumata family, but retaining their connection with the roots of Hayashizaki ryuha. The school studies samurai warfare in all its branches, including taijutsu and other bugei. However Matsumata ryu is not only martial arts school, Matsumata ryu is a samurai school.