Kukishin Ryu

By Yossi Sheriff

Kukishin Ryū (九鬼神流?) or Kukishinden Ryû The Nine demons school (קוקישין ריו) is a Japanese martial arts school that forms an important part of the Takamatsu den ninjutsu syllabus.

Characteristics Of Kukishin Ryu

The Kukishin Ryu school technical syllabus includes battlefield weapons with the sword, the long figting stick (Bo), the lance (Yari) and the Japanese halbred (Naginata). Also practiced are techniques for throwing projectiles (Shuriken), armor wearing techniques, and the basis for this work, Taijutsu (体術), empty handed martial techniques.

History of Kukishin Ryu

The Kuki family line started from Ryushin Yakushimaru, a member of the Fujiwara clan. Ryushin Yakushimaru studied Shugendo and the martial arts of Shinden Fujiwara Musō ryū, Kuji-hihō and Onmyo-do.

After the battle at Kuragari-Tōge, where he saved the Emperor Godaigo, the emperor changed his family name from Fujiwara to Ku-ki or literaly Ku-Kami, the nine demons.

The school's lineage is well documented in the Bugei Ryuha Daijiten, the Japanese compendium of martial systems written in the 1963. It has different branches out side of the Takamatsu den schools.


List of all the joint locks in the Tewaza-gata


Video list of the Tewaza-gata, joint locks


The five Kamae of Kukishin

Gohō no Kamae, five combat stances - Kukishin Ryu

Hicho no kamae, bird combat stance
Hicho no kamae - Ninjutsu  
Hira ichimon ji no kamae
Hira ichimonji no Kamae - Ninjutsu  
Kosei no kamae
Kosei no Kamae - Ninjutsu  
Seigan no kamae Ninjutsu
Seigan no Kamae - Ninjutsu  
Hira no kamae Ninjutsu
Hira no Kamae - Ninjutsu  

List of all the kata in the Shoden gata, kukishin ryu Dakentaijutsu level

Video list of the Shoden gata level Kata in Kukishin Ryu Dakentaijutsu


List of all the kata in the Chuden level

Video list of the Chuden level Kata in Kukishin Ryu Dakentaijutsu


List of all the kata in the Sabaki-gata level

Video list of the Sabaki-gata level Kata in Kukishin Ryu Dakentaijutsu


List of all the documented kata in the Okuden-gata level

Video list of the Okuden-gata level Kata in Kukishin Ryu Dakentaijutsu


List of the documented kata in the Shirabe-moguri gata level

Video list of the Shirabe-moguri gata level Kata in Kukishin Ryu Dakentaijutsu

Video of Kukishinden Ryu kata