Roshukai

Muso

means 'Peerless' or 'without equal'.

Jikiden

means 'directly transmitted' ie from teacher to pupil.

Eishin

is the name of the seventh headmaster of the school.

Ryu

means 'School' in the sense of a style or tradition.

So, Muso Jikiden Eishin Ryu is "Eishin's peerless, directly transmitted school". It is a Koryu or 'Old School' with a long history.

Hayashizaki Jinsuke Minamoto no Shigenobu (c. 1546-1621)

Hayashizaki founded a style of swordsmanship. Many schools can trace their decent from it.

Hasegawa Chikaranosuke Hidenobu (Eishin) (sometime after 1735)

Hasgawa Eishin was the seventh headmaster of the school. He adapted many old battlefield techniques for the katana as well as devising new techniques.

Oe Masamichi (1852-1927)

Oe Masamichi (pictured) was the seventeenth headmaster. He re-organised the syllabus into its present form and taught many students.

Iwata Norikazu (1913-2011)

Iwata Norikazu studied under three of Oe Masamichi's students. In the late 1950's he set up his own school, Roshukai, dedicated to the teaching of iaido as it was taught by Oe Masamichi. This school has expanded and now has many students around the world.