History

Yagyū Shinkage-ryū was founded more than 450 years ago in Japan, during one of the most turbulent eras of the nation’s history. At that time, Japan was engulfed in the Sengoku Jidai, the “Warring States Period,” when hundreds of warlords fought for dominance in a conflict that stretched across a century of bloodshed.

Those familiar with Japanese history, whether through the works of Akira Kurosawa, the manga "Vagabond", novels such as "Shōgun", or games like "Total War: Shogun" or "Nioh", will recognize this violent age.
Yagyū Shinkage-ryū offers more than just the thrill of mere sword fighting from Sengoku Jidai: the chance to study the swordsmanship, mindset, and philosophy of the samurai as it was kept alive and transmitted through generations.

Since its creation, the techniques, principles, and teachings of Yagyū Shinkage-ryū have been carefully preserved; handed down from master to disciple - father to son. They survived wars, political upheavals, and the passage of centuries, and today they have adherents both in Japan and abroad.

Yagyū Shinkage-ryū rose to prominence by the turn of the 17th century when Tokugawa Ieyasu, the great general who would unify Japan, entrusted his sons’ sword training to the Yagyū family. The school’s reputation became unmatched, for it was the sword tradition of the shōgun himself for many centuries. Its teachings became the martial foundation for the leaders of Japan, blending martial strategy with philosophy, leadership, and the ideal that true swordsmanship lies not only in the ability to take a life, but in the wisdom to preserve the life of thousands.

The school’s fate became tied to Japan’s destiny. At the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600, Tokugawa Ieyasu secured his victory and the future of the shogunate, supported in no small part by the counsel and military strength of the Yagyū clan. Thereafter, Yagyū Shinkage Ryū was refined into more than just combat technique, it became a study of mindfulness, balance, and the cultivation of foresightedness.

For more than 250 years, the tradition remained a central part of the martial education of Japan’s ruling samurai elite. Its lessons emphasized that preserving harmony within the nation was a higher calling than conquest or destruction for one's own gain, thus setting it apart from the ideas of other legendary swordmasters of the 1600's. Even in times of war, its principles endured, guiding not only warriors but thinkers and leaders.

Despite the upheavals of modern Japanese history, including the devastation of World War II, Yagyū Shinkage Ryū has endured according to its principles about not letting one be led astray or be used for dubious purposes. Today, its line continues in Japan, and several dōjō abroad carry forward this living art, allowing students around the world to step into the same stream of wisdom and practice which once guided the samurai and the shōgun.