Fusen-ryū
Japanese martial arts koryū
Fusen-ryū (不遷流, Fusen-ryū) is a traditional school of jujutsu founded by Motsugai Takeda. It contains an extensive system of martial arts, including unarmed fighting (jujutsu), staff (bōjutsu), short staff (jojutsu), sword (kenjutsu), sword drawing (iaijutsu), glaive (naginatajutsu), scythe (nagikamajutsu), scythe and chain (kusarigamajutsu), and jitte (jittejutsu).
While young compared to other koryu jujutsu, Fusen-ryū is well known in martial arts circles due to one of its masters, Mataemon Tanabe, and its rivalry with the Kodokan school. Posterior Fusen-ryū practitioners would be Tanabe's students Taro Miyake and Yukio Tani. Also, according to popular belief, Doshin So, the founder of Shorinji Kempo, was trained in Fusen-ryū jujutsu.
Although its jujutsu style is popularly believed to be highly specialized in newaza or groundfighting, as Tanabe himself was masterfully skilled at it, it actually focused rather on gyaku-waza or stand-up grappling, specially wrist locks. Tanabe described his ground strategy as created from his personal experience in jujutsu contests. The Fusen-ryū school featured a complete curriculum of atemi-waza (striking techniques), nage-waza (throwing techniques), and shime-waza (choking techniques).
History
The founder of Fusen-ryū was Motsugai Takeda, also known by the name of Fusen. He was a part of the Takeda family, and after becoming a monk started training Namba Ippo-ryū jujutsu with Takahasi Inobei Mitsumasa.
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