Niina Gyokusou Toyoaki

Mugai Ryu Meishi Ha Soke

Niina Toyoaki was born on October 2, 1948 in Oita Prefecture in the town of Tsukumi. He began learning aikido in his youth and then found his teacher in Shinto Musoryu Jodo (staff) and Mugariyu Iaihyodo in his 20s.

He later began working for Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, where he founded the Mitsubishi Aikido Club while continuing his pursuit of other forms of budo. In 1986 he incorporated jo and iaido into the curriculum of the Mitsubishi Aikido Club. In 1987, at the age of 39, he founded the Tokyo Jodo Federation and devoted himself to bringing classical budo to the general public. In 1994, Niina founded Suimokai, an organization devoted to the teaching of iaido, which later split into 15 different organizations and prompted the establishment of the NPO Mugairyu in 2007.

Around this time, Niina created a form of short sword iaido for people with disabled right hands called Gyokushin Shinto-ryu. In 2008 he served as Chairman of the newly formed Mugairyu Foundation. He currently serves as the Chairman of the Steering Committee for Mugairyu Meishiha.
In 1986, Niina was promoted to shihan, master instructor of Mugairyu Iaihyodo and was awarded menkyo kaiden (full transmission license) in 1996. In 1998 he was promoted to hanshi, and in 1999 he was given successorship and permission to establish his own branch of Mugairyu. In 2004, he finally established the Meishiha branch of Mugairyu.

In addition to Mugairyu Meishiha, Niina is the soke of Toseiryu Tanjo (short staff), Gyokushin Shinto-ryu, and Genko Nito-ryu. He also holds 8th dan, hanshi in Shinto Muso-ryu Jodo, Uchida-ryu Tanjo-jutsu, Isshin-ryu Kusarigama-jutsu (chain and sickle), Ikkaku-ryu Jitte-jutsu and Chuwa-ryu Tanken-jutsu (short sword) respectively.