School of Sword & Staff Lineage: Where We Come From

School of Sword & Staff Lineage: Where We Come From

The origins of the School of Sword and Staff trace their roots to Japan (Nippon), following a lineage that stretches back to the early 1600s. The foundational lineage of the school can be traced to Shinmei Musō-ryū or Musō Jikiden Eishin-ryū, which was established during this period.

In the years between 1716 and 1736, a significant offshoot of this tradition emerged, known as Hasegawa Eishun-ryu. This school of swordsmanship continued to develop until approximately 1932, when a further offshoot emerged, evolving into what is now known as Muso Shinden Ryu.

The School of Sword and Staff itself is an independent school of Iaido, descending from Muso Shinden-ryu and Koto Eiri Ryu. The latter represents an amalgamation of various sword techniques and styles gathered from numerous schools of Iaido across Japan, possibly including elements from a samurai family style of swordsmanship.

Under the guidance of Eiichi Takahashi (descendent of a Samurai family), the co-founders of the School of Sword and Staff, Dov Nadel Sensei and Steve Anderson Sensei, pursued advanced study in Muso Shinden-ryu and Koto Eiri Ryu. Additionally, the school has incorporated stances and techniques from Naginata, which have been adapted from Tendoh Ryu (New Naginata). This branch of Naginata was founded in Japan on November 21, 1582. Dov Nadel Sensei, in particular, trained extensively in Tendoh Ryu, under Malyne Hazard Sensei, for 13 years.

Moreover, the School of Sword and Staff is an official study group of the New York Budo Association, under the guidance of Phil Ortiz Sensei, who holds a 6.5 Dan in Ryushin Shouchi Ryu and a 7th Dan in Muso Shinden Ryu.

Thus, the School of Sword and Staff stands as a living embodiment of centuries of martial tradition, drawing from a rich tapestry of historical schools and lineages that have shaped its teachings and practices.