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A brief interview between Unsui Sensei and Evan London, September
2002, regarding the creation of Jinen Ryu. (Translated by David Hewitt)
Evan London: When did you first have the idea of creating your own school?
Unsui Sensei: About ten years ago. (about 1992- EL)
EL: What was your motivation in creating Jinen Ryu?
US: I wanted to assemble all the things that were not properly covered in the
Ryu-Ha I had studied.
EL: What were your goals when you first started? Did those goals change over
time?
US: Essentially the same answer as the previous question; Take Biken as an
example. In Togakure Ryu and Kukishin Ryu, there are kamae, and after the
kamae the scroll jumps directly to kata. Basic methods of attacking and basic
methods of defending are not covered, and I felt the need to fill that space. I could
not create something myself and include it in Togakure Ryu or Kukishin Ryu, so I
created my own Ryu-Ha instead. Looking at Jutte, in Kukishin Ryu it begins
suddenly with Kata, but no basics. Kusarifundo had nothing whatsoever written
down, so it needed to be given a form.
EL: When did you begin to put pen to paper and document your ideas?
US: Also about ten years ago.
EL: What was the first step in doing so?
US: Again, essentially the same answer as questions 2&3. I trained on my own and
worked out the best material to fill those gaps. Taking the example of Biken once
again, I created the attacking and defending basics, then created kata as well. I
couldn't just take the kata of Kukishin or Togakure Ryu and put them into my
school, so I created my own, techniques to cover various situations, for example if
the opponent has a spear or staff, etc.
EL: How did you decide on the name "Jinen Ryu"?
US: Jinen uses the written characters for Nature. There is no movement that is
superior to what occurs in Nature.
EL: How did you decide on which weapons to include and exclude?
US: same answer as questions 2&3
EL: Are there any that you initially considered but decided not to include?
US: There were; one example is Kyoketsu-shoge. The main reason is that I did not
have enough time. Also, the essentials of Kyoketsu Shoge are learned by studying
Tanto and Kusarifundo.
EL: For each individual weapon you included, what ryuha did you use for
inspiration?
US: For Biken, I used Kukishin and Togakure sword techniques. The basis for
Tanto is Kukishin-Ryu Kodachi. Kusarifundo comes mainly from Togakure Ryu.
Jutte comes from Kukishin Ryu juttejutsu. Nito Ryu (double sword) is wholly original,
using Taijutsu as a basis.
EL: How did you decide what aspects for each weapon to emphasize in the
techniques and kata?
US: I used whatever were the special qualities of that weapon.
EL: How long did it take for you to develop the whole Jinen Ryu Densho?
US: About five years.
EL: Will you be doing any further development or do you feel that it is complete?
US: It will certainly be developed further. It is not complete, and it will never be
complete, because there is always a next step.
EL: Where do you see Jinen Ryu goining in the future?
US: That depends on all of you.
EL: Will you utilize a licensing system such as that used by many koryu (e.g.,
shoden menkyo through menkyo kaiden) to transmit Jinen-ryu? Or will the ryu
become incorporated into the present Jinenkan kyu-dan ranking system?
EL: If someone were interested in that, it is a possibility. Obviously they would have
to be able to perform the techniques well. I could give licensing for Jinen Ryu,
because it is my responsibility, but I will not give licensing for any of the other
Ryu-ha.
The End.
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2002, regarding the creation of Jinen Ryu. (Translated by David Hewitt)
Evan London: When did you first have the idea of creating your own school?
Unsui Sensei: About ten years ago. (about 1992- EL)
EL: What was your motivation in creating Jinen Ryu?
US: I wanted to assemble all the things that were not properly covered in the
Ryu-Ha I had studied.
EL: What were your goals when you first started? Did those goals change over
time?
US: Essentially the same answer as the previous question; Take Biken as an
example. In Togakure Ryu and Kukishin Ryu, there are kamae, and after the
kamae the scroll jumps directly to kata. Basic methods of attacking and basic
methods of defending are not covered, and I felt the need to fill that space. I could
not create something myself and include it in Togakure Ryu or Kukishin Ryu, so I
created my own Ryu-Ha instead. Looking at Jutte, in Kukishin Ryu it begins
suddenly with Kata, but no basics. Kusarifundo had nothing whatsoever written
down, so it needed to be given a form.
EL: When did you begin to put pen to paper and document your ideas?
US: Also about ten years ago.
EL: What was the first step in doing so?
US: Again, essentially the same answer as questions 2&3. I trained on my own and
worked out the best material to fill those gaps. Taking the example of Biken once
again, I created the attacking and defending basics, then created kata as well. I
couldn't just take the kata of Kukishin or Togakure Ryu and put them into my
school, so I created my own, techniques to cover various situations, for example if
the opponent has a spear or staff, etc.
EL: How did you decide on the name "Jinen Ryu"?
US: Jinen uses the written characters for Nature. There is no movement that is
superior to what occurs in Nature.
EL: How did you decide on which weapons to include and exclude?
US: same answer as questions 2&3
EL: Are there any that you initially considered but decided not to include?
US: There were; one example is Kyoketsu-shoge. The main reason is that I did not
have enough time. Also, the essentials of Kyoketsu Shoge are learned by studying
Tanto and Kusarifundo.
EL: For each individual weapon you included, what ryuha did you use for
inspiration?
US: For Biken, I used Kukishin and Togakure sword techniques. The basis for
Tanto is Kukishin-Ryu Kodachi. Kusarifundo comes mainly from Togakure Ryu.
Jutte comes from Kukishin Ryu juttejutsu. Nito Ryu (double sword) is wholly original,
using Taijutsu as a basis.
EL: How did you decide what aspects for each weapon to emphasize in the
techniques and kata?
US: I used whatever were the special qualities of that weapon.
EL: How long did it take for you to develop the whole Jinen Ryu Densho?
US: About five years.
EL: Will you be doing any further development or do you feel that it is complete?
US: It will certainly be developed further. It is not complete, and it will never be
complete, because there is always a next step.
EL: Where do you see Jinen Ryu goining in the future?
US: That depends on all of you.
EL: Will you utilize a licensing system such as that used by many koryu (e.g.,
shoden menkyo through menkyo kaiden) to transmit Jinen-ryu? Or will the ryu
become incorporated into the present Jinenkan kyu-dan ranking system?
EL: If someone were interested in that, it is a possibility. Obviously they would have
to be able to perform the techniques well. I could give licensing for Jinen Ryu,
because it is my responsibility, but I will not give licensing for any of the other
Ryu-ha.
The End.
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