TSYR Dojo
Takamura ha Shindo Yoshin Ryu
Yoshin Wadokan
Dojo
Shindō Yōshin-ryū (新道楊心流), meaning "New Willow School" is a traditional school (koryū) of Japanese martial arts, teaching primarily the art of jūjutsu. The school was founded late in the Edo period by a Kuroda clan retainer named Katsunosuke Matsuoka (1836–1898). Katsunosuke opened his first dōjō in 1858 in the Asakusa district of Edo (Tokyo). The Takamura-ha Shindō Yōshin Kai continues today under the direction of Tobin E. Threadgill, with its headquarters dojo located in Evergreen, Colorado, USA.
Shindō Yōshin-ryū emphasizes grace and natural movement, the influence of which arises from the use of weapons. There is no technical ranking system, which is commonly associated with modern forms of budo. Instead, the curriculum is organized into three levels represented by the issuing of teaching licenses.
Shindō Yōshin-ryū was fundamental in the founding of one of Japan's most prominent styles of karate, Wadō-ryū, which is also taught in this dōjō. The founder of Wadō-ryū, Hironori Ohtsuka, studied Shindō Yōshin-ryū under a licensed instructor named Tatsusaburo Nakayama.
The New Zealand dojo was founded by Robbie Smith, who held a 7th Dan in JKF Wado-Kai and a 1st kyu Instructors (International) license from the JKF Wado-Kai and was a WKF Referee. Robbie was introduced to Kaicho Toby Threadgill in 2004 and in 2006 he travelled to the United States to train with Threadgill sensei in Takamura ha Shindō Yōshin-ryū.
Subsequently seminars were arranged in New Zealand from 2007. In December 2010, Robbie Smith was issued with a Shoden Mokuroku teaching licence in TSYR making the Yoshin Wadokan now an official TSYR Branch dojo.
Robbie passed away in May 2014 and the TSYR dojo is now run by Chris McMahon, who studied under Robbie Smith for several years. Chris was issued with a Shoden Mokuroku teaching licence in TSYR in May 2014.
For more information and history of Takamura ha Shindō Yōshin-ryū, see: http://www.shinyokai.com/ and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shindo_Yoshin-Ryu
An application to join can be made to Chris McMahon at: mcmahonc@xtra.co.nz
Above: Members of the TSYR dojo in Hamilton
Below: Threadgill Sensei demonstrating - Hijikujiki on Smith Sensei - Hamilton New Zealand