History of Kyushin Ryu

Read more detailed history on our Wikipedia page...

Credit for the foundation of the Kyushin Ryu school is given to Inugami Sakon Shogen Nagakatsu during the Eiroku period (1558-1569). During this time, he compiled a book explaining the basic principles of the style, which specialised in Atemi Waza (striking techniques - utilising the legs and arms) and Katsu Waza (methods of resuscitation and first aid response).

Yazo Eguchi (pictured on the right)

The most noteworthy master of Kyushin Ryu Jujitsu in more recent times is Shihan Yoshinori (Yazo) Eguchi, who received recognition during the formation stages of modern Judo by Dr Jigoro Kano in the early 1880s. Dr Kano selected techniques from the five major Jujitsu schools - Yoshin Ryu, Kito Ryu, Takenouchi Ryu, Daito Ryu and Kyushin Ryu. As such, Eguchi Shihan became one of Dr Kano's closest disciples in the early Judo formation stages. One of the senior students of Eguchi Shihan was Minehiko Nakano of Yamaguchi Prefecture. At the conclusion of World War 2, he resided in the city of Iwakuni near Hiroshima. This later became the site of an American marine base, and he was persuaded to interact with the Americans, and teach the art of Jujitsu. One member of the Australian occupational forces was Mr Ray Stevens of Brisbane. He too, learnt from Nakano, and brought the art to Brisbane in the early 1950s where he joined with Dr A.J. Ross and passed on his knowledge of the art to several martial arts practitioners, including John Lee Jones, Desmond de Vene, Jim Stackpoole and Joe Elkenhans.

Pictured here is the working group for constructing the Kodokan kata syllabus. They met at the Dai Nihon Butokukai in Kyoto on July 24, 1906 for this photo. The Japanese below the photo gives their schools (ryu) beside their names.

Front row, left to right is:
...Masamizu Inazu of Miura Ryu
...Yazo Eguchi of Kyushin Ryu
...Takayoshi Katayama of Yoshin Ryu
...Kumon Hoshino of Shiten Ryu
...Jigoro Kano of Kodokan
...Hidemi Totsuka of Totsuka-ha Yoshin Ryu
...Jushin Sekiguchi of Sekiguchi Ryu
...Koji Yano of Takeuchi Ryu
...Katsuta Hiratsuka of Yoshin Ryu

Back row, left to right is:
...Kehei Aoyagi of Sosuishi Ryu
...Mogichi Tsumizu of Sekiguchi Ryu
...Hikosaburo Ohshima of Takeuchi Ryu
...Hoken Sato of Kodokan
...Kotaro Imei of Takeuchi Ryu
...Mataemon Tanabe of Fusen Ryu
...Shikataro Takano of Takeuchi Ryu
...Hidekazu Nagaoka of Kodokan
...Sakujiro Yokoyama of Kodokan
...Hajime Isogai of Kodokan
...Yoshiaki Yamashita of Kodokan