I believe every member of TENSHINRYU ONLINE clearly understands the importance of building upon the basics.
However, in Tenshin-ryu, regardless of one’s training duration, we do not limit practice to kaisho 楷書 (also known as shu 守 — the segmented and foundational stage of movement). From the very beginning, we also incorporate sōsho 草書 (or ri 離 — continuous and practical movement) into training.
Likewise, even for beginners, we do not practice only the jo 序 (slow) phase of jo-ha-kyū 序破急 (slow–medium–fast progression); rather, we emphasize the importance of kyū 急 (fast) from the outset as well.
Similarly, in Tenshin-ryu, even if a practitioner has not fully mastered the fundamental techniques, we still encourage them to attempt more advanced techniques.
In the early Edo period, practitioners spent enormous amounts of time training, and their training environments were well-established—so progress came naturally.
That is no longer the case today.
Therefore, it is inevitable that we must spend significant time honing the basics.
However, during the Edo period, Tenshin-ryu was intended for warriors to fulfill their duties, which meant acquiring combat-effective techniques in the shortest time possible to become immediately battle-ready.
Training a master for thirty or forty years in the distant future was also valuable—but it was not the main goal.
And so, just as we train in kaisho, gyōsho, and sōsho or the full jo-ha-kyū cycle from early stages, we also intentionally allow students to challenge high-level techniques before they are fully “ready.”
This is a key feature of Tenshin-ryu’s methodology.
Through this multi-angled training approach, one’s physical ability, technical skill, intuitive sensitivity, and adaptability all improve.
Of course, devoting years solely to the beginner stage would result in overwhelming mastery of that stage. That much is obvious.
But when one excels in only one area, it naturally implies deficiencies and gaps in others.
Ishii Sensei used to compare this to the modern school curriculum.
In school, students study Japanese, math, science, and social studies — a broad and balanced education.
Some believe that in martial arts, one should “focus on personal strengths,” but in Tenshin-ryu, we don’t consider personality to be something so conveniently defined.
Individuality will emerge on its own.
But individuality doesn’t always yield only positive traits — it can easily produce negative outcomes.
In such cases, the areas a person is less skilled in — but has studied nonetheless — can serve to compensate.
And through this process, their individuality shines in the best way possible.
Through balanced training across many techniques, a person will naturally develop strengths and weaknesses.
But because they’ve trained broadly, they become someone who can fulfill their role.
In the same way, groups within the Shirindan 士林団(Samurai corps) were made up of five-person teams, each with unique strengths and weaknesses, who supported each other and completed missions together.
Now, returning to our topic — this is the same with practice.
Only by studying a variety of techniques can one achieve the kind of advancement Tenshin-ryu truly seeks.
That’s why, even in the very first iteration of TENSHINRYU ONLINE, we included high-level techniques from the early beginner stage.
In TENSHINRYU ONLINE KIWAMI, we will now be launching a new curriculum page based on the strictest ranking system.
Alongside the staged progression based on membership history, we will share high-level techniques that go beyond the current stage as additional training assignments.
The system behind this website now makes that approach easier to implement.
From here on, while maintaining balance, we will continue to release advanced techniques from time to time.
Please engage with these more refined and difficult techniques — with struggle, with enjoyment — and embrace the challenge ahead.
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