Meifu Shinkage-ryû consists of 5 Kanji character (明府真影流). The first Soke (Someya-Sensei) created the name as a message for current and future students.

Each of these characters has it’s own meaning. Let’s take a deeper look at the meaning of each of these characters, and how the combined meaning symbolizes what Meifu Shinkage-ryû stands for.

• Mei (明): Bright, as well as wise, knowledgeable and clever person.
• Fu (府): Fu represents an Organization in which likeminded people are gathered.

• Shin (真): One explanation of shin is Truth.
• Kage (真): Shadow, as well as the back side of objects.

Shinkage (真影) suggests that the truth and its shadow are inseparable, like two sides on any object or any opposite feeling (happy and sad) concept (bright and dark).

• Ryu  (流): Stream. As Otsuka-Sensei explains in his book, many Budo schools sign at the end of their name with this character. The flow represents passing knowledge from a more knowledgeable other to students, as well as their students.

Synthesizing the 5 Kanji teaches students that Meifu Shinkage-ryû is about like-minded people sharing knowledge and learning how to accept that life comes with many truths and shadows. Ultimately, the like-minded participant in Meifu Shinkage-ryû seek to find the truth together in a way that helps the organization as well as the individual practitioner grow mentally, physically, and spiritually.

(Source: Adapted from Meifu Shinkage Ryu by Yasuyuki Otsuka, 2015)