The full name of the style of iaido that is the most widely practiced in Japan today is Muso Jikiden Eishin Ryu, meaning "Peerless, Direct Transmission, True-Faith Style."

Muso Jikiden Eishin Ryu claims a lineage about 450 years long, making it the second oldest existing martial art form in Japan.

History of Muso Jikiden Eishin Ryu Iaido

The founder of Muso Jikiden Eishin Ryu was a man named Hayashizaki Jinsuke Minamoto no Shigenobu, he was also the father of a style called Shimmei Muso Ryu ("Divinely Inspired, Unparalleled Style"). Hayashizaki's iaido has had many names since then, as it has been passed down from teacher to student until the present day. It is considered the foundation for the two major styles of iaido practiced today are Muso Jikiden Eishin Ryu and Muso Shinden Ryu.

Muso Jikiden Eishin Ryu claims an unbroken line of transmission from Hayashizaki Jinsuke through twenty two generations to the present day successor, Ikeda Seiko. The name of Muso Jikiden Eishin Ryu came from the name of the seventh generation successor of the art, Hasegawa Chikaranosuke Eishin.

Today, Muso Jikiden Eishin Ryu is practiced by more than 20,000 people around the world. The administration of the system is primarily handled by the Eishin-Ryu Traditions Association (“Seitoukai”), which is headed by the “soke” or the headmaster, and by the All Japan Iaido Federation, which oversees competitions and promotions in different iaido styles.

An annual meeting of the All Japan Iaido Federation takes place in Kyoto, during which iaidoka from all over the country gather to demonstrate their skills. Muso Jikiden Eishin Ryu has found its way overseas, partly through the efforts of Kokusai Budoin, IMAF and various highly graded senseis from the All Japan Iaido Federation, and the number of practitioners outside of Japan is growing on a yearly basis.