The Shindo Muso Ryu system is well known and well documented since the time of Shimizu Takaji post-Meiji restoration. As such it is quite easy to get hold of the syllabus information and the following is compiled mainly from Wikipedia entries and other Jodo sources, none of the notes or descriptions are my own. Note the basics can be seen in the Seitei Jodo post. Another good source of information can be found here.
Twelve basics
The twelve basic techniques are used in both Shintō Musō-ryū and in the Seitei jōdō of the All Japan Kendō Federation (Zen Nihon Kendō Renmei, ZNKR, 全日本剣道連盟), although the latter uses a slightly modified version.
1 Honte uchi (本手打 main strike)
2 Gyakute uchi (逆手打 reverse-grip strike)
3 Hikiotoshi uchi (引落打 downward-pulling strike)
4 Kaeshi tsuki (返突 counterthrust)
5 Gyakute tsuki (逆手突 reverse-grip thrust)
6 Maki otoshi (巻落 downward twist)
7 Kuri tsuke (繰付 spin and attach)
8 Kuri hanashi (繰放 spin and release)
9 Tai atari (体当 body strike)
10 Tsuki hazushi uchi (突外打 thrust, release, strike)
11 Dō barai uchi (胴払打 body-reaping strike)
12 Tai hazushi uchi migi (体外打右 body-releasing strike, right side); tai hazushi uchi hidari (体外打左 body-releasing strike, left side)
The twelve basic techniques are used in both Shintō Musō-ryū and in the Seitei jōdō of the All Japan Kendō Federation (Zen Nihon Kendō Renmei, ZNKR, 全日本剣道連盟), although the latter uses a slightly modified version.
The modern Shintō Musō-ryū system holds approximately 64 jo kata divided into several series. All forms are normally taught in sequence.
Jo Kata
Omote (表) playlist
1 Tachi Otoshi (太刀落)
2 Tsuba wari (鍔割)
3 Tsuki Zue (著杖)
4 Hissage (引下) – Short sword
5 Sakan (左貫)
6 Ukan (右貫)
7 Kasumi ( 霞)
8 Monomi (物見)
9 Kasa no shita (笠の下)
10 Ichi rei (一礼)
11 Neya no uchi (寝屋内)
12 Hoso michi (細道)
Chudan (中段) playlist
1 Ichi riki (一力)
2 Oshi zume (押詰)
3 Midare dome (乱留)
4 Ushiro zue (zen)/(go) (後杖) – Two variants
5 Taisha (待車)
6 Kengome (間込) – Two-sword kata
7 Kiri kake (切縣)
8 Shin shin (真進)
9 Rai uchi (雷打)
10 Yokogiri dome (横切留)
11 Harai dome (払留)
12 Seigan (清眼)
Ran ai (乱合)
A series of Jo kata, created in the Bakumatsu period (1850–1867). The series contains two kata, both nearly identical in movements but performed with the long and short sword respectively.
1 Ran ai odachi (大太刀) – longsword
2 Ran ai kodachi (小太刀) – shortsword
Kage (影) holds the same names as the omote series. The variants are variously called zen/go or omote/ura
1 Tachi otoshi ( 太刀落)
2 Tsuba wari (鍔割)
3 Tsuki zue (著杖)
4 Hissage (引下)
5 Sakan (左貫)
6 Ukan (右貫)
7 Kasumi (霞)
8 Monomi (物見)
9 Kasa no shita (笠の下)
10 Ichi rei (zen)/(go) (一礼) – Two variants
11 Neya no uchi (zen)/(go) (寝屋内) – Two variants
12 Hoso michi (細道)
Samidare (五月雨) possible playlist
the number of kata in this series are sometimes counted as having five kata plus one variant.
1 Ichi monji (一文字)
2 Ju monji (十文字)
3 Kodachi otoshi (小太刀落)
4 Mijin (omote) (微塵)
5 Mijin (ura) (微塵)
6 Gan tsubushi (眼潰)
Gohon no midare (五本の乱)
Is a new series of jo-kata created and added to the SMR-system by Shimizu Takaji around 1939. Gohon is not part of the traditional system though it is being taught by most SMR-groups.
1 Tachi otoshi no midare (太刀落の乱)
2 Sakan no midare (左貫の乱)
3 Kengome no midare (間込の乱)
4 Kasumi no midare (霞の乱)
5 Shamen no midare (斜面の乱)
Okuden/Shiaikuchi (奥)
this series is the last one taught openly to an advanced student and only dedicated and mature students are allowed to study it.
1 Sengachi (先勝)
2 Tsuki dashi (突出)
3 Uchi tsuke (打附)
4 Kote dome (小手留)
5 Hiki tsute (引捨)
6 Kote garami (小手搦)
7 Jutte (十手)
8 Mikaeri (身替)
9 Aun (阿吽)
10 Uchiwake (打分)
11 Suigetsu (水月)
12 Sayu dome (左右留)
Hiden Gokui or secret forms. After the first kata is taught the student receives a Menkyo scroll. When all five kata have been taught the student is issued a full License of Total Transmission Menkyo Kaiden.
1 Yamiuchi (闇打)
2 Yumemakura (夢枕)
3 Murakumo (村雲)
4 Inazuma (稲妻)
5 Dobo (導母)
Fuzoku Ryūha (Assimilated Schools)
The original Shintō Musō-ryū tradition is composed of around 59 jō kata and is divided into seven sets. (The "Gohon-no-midare" kata series and the 12 "kihon" are a modern invention.) Together with the 12 kenjutsu kata they compose the core of the SMR-tradition.
From the Edo period to the Meiji period, several other arts were assimilated (fuzoku) into the various branches of Shintō Musō-ryū and were meant to be practiced alongside the main jō forms.
For all intents and purposes, each of the fuzoku ryūha retain a separate identity with their own history and tradition and are generally not taught to people outside the SMR-tradition. Over the years several lineages of Gonnosuke's original art have added or dropped other fuzoku ryūha.
Matsuzaki Kin'emon was the third headmaster of SMR and is credited with the creation of the Ittatsu-ryū and the Ikkaku-ryu. These two arts were taught in the Kuroda-domain as a complement to the combat-arts of the bushi (warriors) which included the staff, sword and musketry. The arts were not specifically SMR-arts though they were taught to the same students. After the fall of the Samurai the two arts found their way into the SMR-tradition as taught by Shiraishi Hanjirō, the art's 24th unofficial headmaster.
In many Shintō Musō-ryū dōjo, the assimilated arts are not normally taught to a student until he/she has reached a designated level of experience & expertise and a certain level of proficiency in the jō forms. These designated levels are not standard but vary according to each organizations preference.
Isshin-ryū kusarigamajutsu
Isshin-ryū kusarigamajutsu is a school of handling the chain and sickle weapon. The 24th unofficial headmaster of Shinto Musō Ryu, Shiraishi Hanjirō, received a full license (Menkyo) in Isshin-ryū from Morikata Heisaku in the late 19th century. Shiraishi would later transmit the Isshin-ryū to his own Jōdō students. Isshin-ryū should not be confused with the modern Okinawan karate system Isshin-ryu.
Ikkaku-ryū juttejutsu
Ikkakū-ryū juttejutsu utilizes the jutte as a way of self-defense for use against an attacker armed with a sword (katana). It was originally created by Matsuzaki Kin'emon, the third headmaster of SMR and originally did not limit itself to jutte training but had a variety of weapons.
This weapon was mainly used by police forces of the late Edo-period of Japan. Chuwa-ryū tankenjutsu (中和流短剣術) is the name used for this art using the short sword (tanken, 短剣) instead of the jutte.
Kasumi Shintō-ryū kenjutsu (Shintō-ryū kenjutsu)
A collection of eight long-sword and four short-sword kata, including one two-sword kata are found in Shintō Musō-ryū. Neither the twelve kata nor the art itself had any known name in the Shintō Musō-ryū until the mid-19th century when "Shintō-ryū kenjutsu" started to be used and specific names were given for each of the twelve kata. In the 20th century, "Kasumi Shintō-ryū" or more recently "Shintō Kasumi-ryū" has surfaced as the original name for the twelve kata as taught in the Shintō Musō-ryū, though it is not yet an official name.
Uchida-ryū tanjōjutsu – (Sutekki-jutsu)
Uchida-ryu is the art of using the tanjō, (a 90 cm staff). It was originally created by SMR menkyo Uchida Ryogoro in the late 19th century. It contains twelve kata, which at the time of their inception were loosely organised into a system called "sutteki-jutsu", were derived mainly from Shintō Musō-ryū and Ikkaku-ryū techniques.
"Sutteki" was the Japanese pronouncement of the English word "stick". Sutteki-jutsu was further developed by his son Uchida Ryohei, who systematized his father's work and brought about the modern Uchida-ryū tanjōjutsu system. The art was first known as Sutekki-Jutsu and later named Uchida-ryū in honor of its creator. The art was adopted into SMR to be taught alongside the other arts.
Ittatsu-ryū hojōjutsu
A school of restraining a person using cord or rope for use by police forces of the Edo-period and up to modern times. Matsuzaki Kinueumon Tsunekatsu, the third headmaster is credited with creating the Ittatsu-ryū.
Twelve basics
The twelve basic techniques are used in both Shintō Musō-ryū and in the Seitei jōdō of the All Japan Kendō Federation (Zen Nihon Kendō Renmei, ZNKR, 全日本剣道連盟), although the latter uses a slightly modified version.
1 Honte uchi (本手打 main strike)
2 Gyakute uchi (逆手打 reverse-grip strike)
3 Hikiotoshi uchi (引落打 downward-pulling strike)
4 Kaeshi tsuki (返突 counterthrust)
5 Gyakute tsuki (逆手突 reverse-grip thrust)
6 Maki otoshi (巻落 downward twist)
7 Kuri tsuke (繰付 spin and attach)
8 Kuri hanashi (繰放 spin and release)
9 Tai atari (体当 body strike)
10 Tsuki hazushi uchi (突外打 thrust, release, strike)
11 Dō barai uchi (胴払打 body-reaping strike)
12 Tai hazushi uchi migi (体外打右 body-releasing strike, right side); tai hazushi uchi hidari (体外打左 body-releasing strike, left side)
The twelve basic techniques are used in both Shintō Musō-ryū and in the Seitei jōdō of the All Japan Kendō Federation (Zen Nihon Kendō Renmei, ZNKR, 全日本剣道連盟), although the latter uses a slightly modified version.
The modern Shintō Musō-ryū system holds approximately 64 jo kata divided into several series. All forms are normally taught in sequence.
Jo Kata
Omote (表) playlist
1 Tachi Otoshi (太刀落)
2 Tsuba wari (鍔割)
3 Tsuki Zue (著杖)
4 Hissage (引下) – Short sword
5 Sakan (左貫)
6 Ukan (右貫)
7 Kasumi ( 霞)
8 Monomi (物見)
9 Kasa no shita (笠の下)
10 Ichi rei (一礼)
11 Neya no uchi (寝屋内)
12 Hoso michi (細道)
Chudan (中段) playlist
1 Ichi riki (一力)
2 Oshi zume (押詰)
3 Midare dome (乱留)
4 Ushiro zue (zen)/(go) (後杖) – Two variants
5 Taisha (待車)
6 Kengome (間込) – Two-sword kata
7 Kiri kake (切縣)
8 Shin shin (真進)
9 Rai uchi (雷打)
10 Yokogiri dome (横切留)
11 Harai dome (払留)
12 Seigan (清眼)
Ran ai (乱合)
A series of Jo kata, created in the Bakumatsu period (1850–1867). The series contains two kata, both nearly identical in movements but performed with the long and short sword respectively.
1 Ran ai odachi (大太刀) – longsword
2 Ran ai kodachi (小太刀) – shortsword
Kage (影) holds the same names as the omote series. The variants are variously called zen/go or omote/ura
1 Tachi otoshi ( 太刀落)
2 Tsuba wari (鍔割)
3 Tsuki zue (著杖)
4 Hissage (引下)
5 Sakan (左貫)
6 Ukan (右貫)
7 Kasumi (霞)
8 Monomi (物見)
9 Kasa no shita (笠の下)
10 Ichi rei (zen)/(go) (一礼) – Two variants
11 Neya no uchi (zen)/(go) (寝屋内) – Two variants
12 Hoso michi (細道)
Samidare (五月雨) possible playlist
the number of kata in this series are sometimes counted as having five kata plus one variant.
1 Ichi monji (一文字)
2 Ju monji (十文字)
3 Kodachi otoshi (小太刀落)
4 Mijin (omote) (微塵)
5 Mijin (ura) (微塵)
6 Gan tsubushi (眼潰)
Gohon no midare (五本の乱)
Is a new series of jo-kata created and added to the SMR-system by Shimizu Takaji around 1939. Gohon is not part of the traditional system though it is being taught by most SMR-groups.
1 Tachi otoshi no midare (太刀落の乱)
2 Sakan no midare (左貫の乱)
3 Kengome no midare (間込の乱)
4 Kasumi no midare (霞の乱)
5 Shamen no midare (斜面の乱)
Okuden/Shiaikuchi (奥)
this series is the last one taught openly to an advanced student and only dedicated and mature students are allowed to study it.
1 Sengachi (先勝)
2 Tsuki dashi (突出)
3 Uchi tsuke (打附)
4 Kote dome (小手留)
5 Hiki tsute (引捨)
6 Kote garami (小手搦)
7 Jutte (十手)
8 Mikaeri (身替)
9 Aun (阿吽)
10 Uchiwake (打分)
11 Suigetsu (水月)
12 Sayu dome (左右留)
Hiden Gokui or secret forms. After the first kata is taught the student receives a Menkyo scroll. When all five kata have been taught the student is issued a full License of Total Transmission Menkyo Kaiden.
1 Yamiuchi (闇打)
2 Yumemakura (夢枕)
3 Murakumo (村雲)
4 Inazuma (稲妻)
5 Dobo (導母)
Fuzoku Ryūha (Assimilated Schools)
The original Shintō Musō-ryū tradition is composed of around 59 jō kata and is divided into seven sets. (The "Gohon-no-midare" kata series and the 12 "kihon" are a modern invention.) Together with the 12 kenjutsu kata they compose the core of the SMR-tradition.
From the Edo period to the Meiji period, several other arts were assimilated (fuzoku) into the various branches of Shintō Musō-ryū and were meant to be practiced alongside the main jō forms.
For all intents and purposes, each of the fuzoku ryūha retain a separate identity with their own history and tradition and are generally not taught to people outside the SMR-tradition. Over the years several lineages of Gonnosuke's original art have added or dropped other fuzoku ryūha.
Matsuzaki Kin'emon was the third headmaster of SMR and is credited with the creation of the Ittatsu-ryū and the Ikkaku-ryu. These two arts were taught in the Kuroda-domain as a complement to the combat-arts of the bushi (warriors) which included the staff, sword and musketry. The arts were not specifically SMR-arts though they were taught to the same students. After the fall of the Samurai the two arts found their way into the SMR-tradition as taught by Shiraishi Hanjirō, the art's 24th unofficial headmaster.
In many Shintō Musō-ryū dōjo, the assimilated arts are not normally taught to a student until he/she has reached a designated level of experience & expertise and a certain level of proficiency in the jō forms. These designated levels are not standard but vary according to each organizations preference.
Isshin-ryū kusarigamajutsu
Isshin-ryū kusarigamajutsu is a school of handling the chain and sickle weapon. The 24th unofficial headmaster of Shinto Musō Ryu, Shiraishi Hanjirō, received a full license (Menkyo) in Isshin-ryū from Morikata Heisaku in the late 19th century. Shiraishi would later transmit the Isshin-ryū to his own Jōdō students. Isshin-ryū should not be confused with the modern Okinawan karate system Isshin-ryu.
Ikkaku-ryū juttejutsu
Ikkakū-ryū juttejutsu utilizes the jutte as a way of self-defense for use against an attacker armed with a sword (katana). It was originally created by Matsuzaki Kin'emon, the third headmaster of SMR and originally did not limit itself to jutte training but had a variety of weapons.
This weapon was mainly used by police forces of the late Edo-period of Japan. Chuwa-ryū tankenjutsu (中和流短剣術) is the name used for this art using the short sword (tanken, 短剣) instead of the jutte.
Kasumi Shintō-ryū kenjutsu (Shintō-ryū kenjutsu)
A collection of eight long-sword and four short-sword kata, including one two-sword kata are found in Shintō Musō-ryū. Neither the twelve kata nor the art itself had any known name in the Shintō Musō-ryū until the mid-19th century when "Shintō-ryū kenjutsu" started to be used and specific names were given for each of the twelve kata. In the 20th century, "Kasumi Shintō-ryū" or more recently "Shintō Kasumi-ryū" has surfaced as the original name for the twelve kata as taught in the Shintō Musō-ryū, though it is not yet an official name.
Uchida-ryū tanjōjutsu – (Sutekki-jutsu)
Uchida-ryu is the art of using the tanjō, (a 90 cm staff). It was originally created by SMR menkyo Uchida Ryogoro in the late 19th century. It contains twelve kata, which at the time of their inception were loosely organised into a system called "sutteki-jutsu", were derived mainly from Shintō Musō-ryū and Ikkaku-ryū techniques.
"Sutteki" was the Japanese pronouncement of the English word "stick". Sutteki-jutsu was further developed by his son Uchida Ryohei, who systematized his father's work and brought about the modern Uchida-ryū tanjōjutsu system. The art was first known as Sutekki-Jutsu and later named Uchida-ryū in honor of its creator. The art was adopted into SMR to be taught alongside the other arts.
Ittatsu-ryū hojōjutsu
A school of restraining a person using cord or rope for use by police forces of the Edo-period and up to modern times. Matsuzaki Kinueumon Tsunekatsu, the third headmaster is credited with creating the Ittatsu-ryū.