Niina Gosoke

Mugai Ryu Iaido Soke

Born Niina Toyoaki in the city of Tsukumi in Oita prefecture on October 2, 1948 (23rd year of Showa), he began learning budo at a young age by starting with aikido. In his twenties, he found a teacher of Shinto Musoryu Jodo and Mugairyu Iaihyodo.

He subsequently began working for Mitsubishi Heavy Industries while devoting himself to budo training in the Mitsubishi Aikido Association. In 1986, he assumed Jodo and Iaido teaching duties in the Association, and in 1987, at the age of 39, he established the Tokyo Jodo Federation and set about popularizing Jodo and Iaido. In 1994, with his Iaido students as the central members, he founded the budo instruction group Suimokai, and subsequently divided Suimokai in 14 organizations. The Non Profit Organization Mugairyu was founded in 2007.

Niina sensei also devised Gyokushin Shinto-ryu, an Iaido and Kumitachi style for handicapped individuals. In 2008 he established the Mugairyu Foundation for which he still currently serves as the representative director. As a practitioner of Mugairyu Iaihyodo, he became a shihan (master instructor) in 1986, received menkyo kaiden (full transmission license) in 1996, hanshi (the highest level of master instructor) in 1998, and soke successorship in 1999. (He established and became the soke of Mugairyu Meishiha in 2004.) He is also the soke of Tosei-ryu Tanjo-jutsu and Gyokushin Shinto-ryu. He holds eigth dan hanshi in Shinto Musoryu Jodo, Uchida-ryu Tanjo-jutsu, Isshin-ryu Kusarigama-jutsu, Ikkaku-ryu Jitte-jutsu, and Chuwa-ryu Tanken-jutsu.