View source for Maniwa Nen-ryū

{{Short description|School of Japanese martial arts}}
{{No footnotes|date=April 2021}}
{{infobox koryu
| nationality      = [[Koryū|Traditional]] [[Japanese martial art]]
| school           = Maniwa Nen-ryū<br>(馬庭念流)
| image            =
| imagecaption     =
| founder          = Higuchi Matashichirō
| founder dates    = c.16th century
| period founded   = [[Azuchi-Momoyama period]] (1568&ndash;1603)
| date founded     = 1591
| headmaster       = Higuchi Sadahito
| headmaster dates = 25th headmaster
| art1             = ''[[Kenjutsu]]'' - ''[[ōdachi]]''
| description1     = Sword art - long sword
| art2             = ''[[Naginatajutsu]]''
| description2     = [[Glaive]] art
| art3             = ''[[Sōjutsu]]''
| description3     = Spear art
| art4             = '''''Yadomejutsu'''''
| description4     = Arrow deflection art
| art5             =
| description5     =
| art6             =
| description6     =
| art7             =
| description7     =
| art8             =
| description8     =
| art9             =
| description9     =
| art10            =
| description10    =
| ancestors        = [[Nen-ryū]]
| descendants      = [[Honma Nen Ryu]]
}}
'''Maniwa Nen-ryū''' (馬庭念流) is a traditional school (''[[koryū]]'') of [[Japanese martial arts]] founded in 1591 by Higuchi Matashichirō Sadatsugu (c. 16th century). Matashichirō was a student of [[Nen-ryū]] (a style taught by [[Jion (monk)|Jion Nennami]]), and founded Maniwa Nen-ryū after receiving ''inka'' (stamp or seal) from Akamatsu Gion.  It is currently headed by the 25th headmaster, Higuchi Sadahito.{{Citation needed|date=February 2007}}

Maniwa Nen-ryū is significant in that it is one of the oldest surviving Japanese battlefield traditions today and is unusual in that throughout its history it has been promoted and preserved by the members of a particular village.

Said to have been brought to Maniwa by Higuchi Kaneshige in 1494, during its history this sword style earned a reputation for creating strong exponents as many engaged in bouts against members of other noted sword schools.

The style is characterized by its use of fukuro [[shinai]], or mock bamboo swords, quilted gloves and headgear to engage in what it calls ''kiriwara jiai'', which are competitions in which exponents can test their skills without suffering serious injury. It is not historically verified when this tradition became an intrinsic part of this school's training but along with the [[Shinkage-ryū|Shinkage]] and [[Yagyū Shinkage-ryū|Yagyū Shinkage schools]] it was of the first schools of Japanese [[bujutsu]] to have employed the use of the bamboo training weapon. This training device was further developed by Nakanishi Chuto of the [[Ittō-ryū|Nakanishi-ha Ittō-ryū]] and later became an important element in the establishing of the modern sport of [[kendo]].

In execution, the techniques of this school sometimes appear to be awkward and lacking the stylistic polish which characterize other schools of classical Japanese sword. However the Maniwa Nen-ryū system is said to be deceptively subtle in its technique and has proved its effectiveness in both battlefield and duels throughout its long history.

== References and further reading ==
* Draeger, Donn (1973. ''Classical Budo''. The Martial Arts and Ways of Japan, 2. New York & Tokyo: Weatherhill.
* Skoss, Diane, ed. (1997). ''Koryu Bujutsu''. Classical Warrior Traditions of Japan, Volume 1. New Jersey, Koryu Books.
* Skoss, Diane, ed. (2002). ''Keiko Shokon''. Classical Warrior Traditions of Japan, Volume 3. Koryu Books. {{ISBN|1-890536-06-7}}.

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[[Category:Japanese martial arts]]
[[Category:Ko-ryū bujutsu]]