Shintô Musô Ryû was founded nearly 400 years ago in about 1605. The founder, Musō Gonnosuke Katsuyoshi was a warrior who first trained in the Tenshin Shôden Katori Shintô Ryû founded by Iizasa Choisai Ienao. In this, Musô Gonnosuke received the rank of Menkyo, a teaching license. Shintô Musô Ryû is a traditional martial school from Japan, and employs a short staff or "jo". The art is comprised of kata practiced in pairs: one using a sword (Uchidachi) and another using the jo (Shidachi).
The original art created by Musō Gonnosuke has evolved and been added to from its inception until modern times. The art was successfully brought outside of its original domain in Fukuoka and outside of Japan itself in the 19th and 20th century. The spreading of Shintō Musō-ryū beyond Japan was largely the effort of Shimizu Takaji, considered the 25th headmaster of the SMR lineage.
