TENJIN RYU JUJUTSU

	Tenjin Ryū Jujutsu (天神流柔術), literally meaning "Gental Art of the Heavenly Divine" has it's historical roots, classical kata and training methods dating back centuries to Japans warring past of the Sengoku period (戦国時代) and can be classified as a traditional school of jujutsu.  It was founded by Anshu Christa Jacobson by combining all of her Koryū Bujutsu (古流; classical Japanese warrior arts) and Gendai budō (現代武道; modern martial arts) training that she experienced during her time as an appretice.   The Koryū (古流) arts such as Takeda  Ryu, Yagyu Shingan Ryu, Shorinji Ryu, and Daito Ryu as well as the Gendai (現代) arts such as American Jujitsu makes up the essence of this art, thus giving the name "gentle art of the heavenly devine". Tenjin Ryū is best known for its jūjutsu, over which it covers an extensive ground. Its unarmed jūjutsu techniques include tehodoki (grip breaking), ukemi (tumbling), nagewaza (throwing), kansetsuwaza (joint dislocation), atemi (striking weak points), shimewaza (choking), newaza(ground techniques), and kappō (resuscitation). These are combined to form kata for the various sections of jūjutsu taught, including toride (capturing and restraining), hade (attacking vital points unarmed), and kumiuchi (grappling). Beyond the core of jūjutsu, many different weapons (kobujutsu) are taught. These include the sword, the staff, rope tying, the naginata, and more. The sword curriculum is divided into major sections, with kenjutsu covering basic swordsmanship against a similarly armed opponent, saide covering grappling with the sword, and iai covering the techniques of rapid sword drawing and striking. The staff is central to Tenjin Ryū's study of movement, and as such forms an important part of the curriculum. Staff work addresses various lengths of staff, in particular bōjutsu for the six shaku staff and shinbō for a slightly shorter staff. Other sizes taught include jōjutsu for the common four shaku two sun staff, and hanbō for shorter sticks around three shaku in length. Rope restraints are an important adjunct to the arresting arts of toride, and the techniques of tying up opponents called hojōjutsu.   Tenjin Ryū is perhaps lesser known for its other weapons techniques, but as a true sōgō bujutsu it retains a number of weapons for use both on and off the battlefield. The naginata and kusarigama are covered, as well as the jutte truncheon, shuriken throwing darts, and the tessen iron fan. Training in the Tenjin Ryu school of Jujutsu is understood from the kanji Jujutsu (柔術).  "Ju" (柔) can be translated to mean "gentle, supple, flexible, pliable, or yielding." "Jutsu" can be translated to mean "art" or "technique" and represents manipulating the opponent's force against himself rather than confronting it with one's own force.   Jujutsu evolved among the samurai of feudal Japan as a method for defeating an armed and armored opponent in which one uses no weapon, or only a short weapon. Because striking against an armored opponent proved ineffective.  Practitioners learned that the most efficient methods for neutralizing an enemy took the form of pins, joint locks, and throws. These techniques were developed around the principle of using an attacker's energy against him, rather than directly opposing it.   The focus of the training of the Tenjin Ryu is not on "sport" application, but the raw reality of life and death on the battlefield. These methods of combat included striking (kicking and punching), throwing (body throws, joint-lock throws, unbalance throws), restraining (pinning, strangling, grappling, wrestling) and weaponry. Defensive tactics included blocking, evading, off-balancing, blending and escaping. Anshu Christa Jacobson is also a collector of ancient Japanese Makimono and Densho (scrolls and manuals) and has over a hunderd in her personal collection some from ancient warrior arts that no longer exist.  In the understanding the Tenjin Ryu (School of the Heavenly Divine) She regularly displays and reads these ancient text to her students so that they can see first had historical references to the ancient history of the Samurai class of Japan, and reflect these teachings within the understanding of the school.       DISCLAIMER:  When searching for information regarding “secret societies” and old martial arts schools of training it is very hard if not impossible to find all of the information regarding the history of the arts.  The information that I have placed on all of the seven arts that are taught by the Budo Ryu Ninjutsu Dojo (togakure ryu ninjutsu, koto ryu koppojutsu, gyokko ryu kosshijutsu, tenjin ryu jujutsu, tomo ryu shinobijutsu, koka ryu dakentaijutsu and eishin ryu iaijutsu) may be entirely wrong.  The information that I have listed is the information that I gathered through my teachers, my training and my personal research of the arts.  This information of the seven martial arts taught in the Budo Ryu Ninjutsu Dojo I feel is correct information based on my personal training and research.  JavaScript Free Code