Kukishin Ryu

Kukishin Ryū (九鬼神流, Kukishin Ryū ^?) 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 fighting stick (Bo), the lance (Yari) and the Japanese halbred (Naginata). Also practiced are techniques for throwing projectiles (Shuriken), armor-wearing methods, and the basis for this work, Taijutsu (体術), empty-handed martial techniques.

In many of its lineages, Kukishinden Ryu especially highlights the use of the rokushaku bo (six-foot staff) as a primary weapon, incorporating strikes, sweeps, thrusts, and locks with fluid body movement. One of the ryu’s hallmarks is the adaptation of weapon strategies for both armored and unarmored combat scenarios. This approach allows practitioners to transfer skills between smaller weapons (like the hanbo) and larger battlefield arms (like the naginata) with minimal adjustments to posture and distancing.

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 literally 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 1963. It has different branches outside of the Takamatsu den schools.

Over time, the name Kukishinden Ryu came to be used (especially under the Takamatsu-den lineage) to emphasize the “divine transmission” aspect of the system. The Kuki family’s historical background also involved naval warfare and castle defense, influencing certain tactical approaches within the ryu. Many surviving forms rely on strong footwork, angular strikes, and an ability to switch from weapon-based attacks to grappling. Due to its extensive curriculum, Kukishin Ryu is often regarded as one of the most weapon-rich schools in the traditional ninjutsu repertoire.

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 - Ninjutsu   Hira ichimonji no Kamae - Ninjutsu   Kosei no Kamae - Ninjutsu   Seigan 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