Ryu Ha The "Ryu Ha" of the Amatsu Tatara arts represent the traditional techniques from ancient family schools that developed over centuries. Based on different sections of the numerous Dragon & Tiger scrolls, each historical lineage or "ryu" has a particular teaching focus or "ha". These differences stem from a myriad of contributing factors ranging from the occupation and background of the ryu ha's founder to the geographical region in which the ryu ha was developed. Over 2000 years, only the strongest and most effective schools survived to this day. Understanding this, it is easy to appreciate the significance of an unbroken line lasting 58 generations. Even our younger ryu ha started more than 500 years ago, but many progressive teaching refinements have constantly been made. The original kata have always been and will always be the same. The "refinements" in how the art is taught must adapt with the times. Click to view a brief overview of some Ryu Ha taught by Tanemura Sensei.
Gyokko Ryu Kosshi-jutsu We are told that the founder of Gyokko Ryu was Ikai or Cho-Gyokko of China. The Grandmaster Hachiryu Nyudo used a secret weapon called a "Kyoketsu-Shoge" to hit the enemies sword and disarm them (Kyoketsu-Shoge means "running through the mountains and fields"). A Kyoketsu-Shoge is a type of Kusari-Gama (sickle & chain weapon) with a rope made from women's hair ending with a large circular iron weight. Togakure Daisuke, who was the 5th generation grandmaster from Hachiryu Nyudo and founder of Togakure Ryu Ninjutsu used a special secret weapon by adding a secret object to both ends of a Kyoketsu-Shoge (this is Kuden). He could disappear at any time by using this secret weapon. There are also secret techniques in Gyokko Ryu for using two small balls to disappear. Gyokko Ryu's motto is to try to have harmony, even with the enemy and to avoid fighting while keeping a smile. If there is no choice but to fight, then completely knock down the enemy without allowing them to touch you. In training, Gyokko Ryu teaches how to bow with the hand signals of Tenryaku Uchu Gassho Rei which means "Heavens Nature" or "Harmony of Dragon and Tiger". When fighting, there is a special way with the Sansai-no-ho of Tenryaku, Chiryaku and Jinryaku. There are also the hand signals of Kongo Gassho, Suirin Gassho and Kafu Gassho. The same system can also be found in Koto Ryu Koppo-jutsu. Gyokko Ryu has Sandan Kamae system with nine styles of how to punch and use the hands in addition to three styles of kicking. Gyokko Ryu and Koto Ryu have nine rules: 1. Make an effort for the country and embody the meaning of Nin (patience). Practitioners of this Ryu-ha must promise to keep these rules.
Hontai Kukishin Ryu Bojutsu The true Hontai Takagi Yoshin Ryu Grandmaster/Soke will have a Hontai Takagi Ryu Bojutsu Menkyo Kaiden as proof of having full knowledge of the school. Therefore, in a pure sense, you cannot separate Hontai Takagi Ryu Bojutsu from Hontai Takagi Yoshin Ryu Jujutsu. Further proof of being the authentic Grandmaster/Soke is having the Kukishin Ryu Bojutsu Hihohen Densho and Amatsu Tatara Kangi-no-maki scrolls. Takamatsu Toshitsugu awarded the Grandmastership of this tradition to Sato Kinbei in the month of May in the year 1952. In turn, Sato Kinbei awarded the Grandmastership of this tradition (among others) to Tanemura Shoto in the month of October in the year 1989. Hontai Kukishin Ryu Grandmaster Genealogy: Takagi Oriemon – Takagi Umanosuke – Takagi Gennoshin – Ohkuni Onihei – Ohkuni Yakuro – Ohkuni Tarodayu – Ohkuni Kihyoe – Ohkuni Yozaemon – Nakayama Jinnai – Ohkuni Buemon – Nakayama Kazaemon – Ohkuni Kamaji – Yagi Ikugoro – Ishitani Takema – Ishitani Matsutaro – Takamatsu Toshitsugu – Sato Kinbei – Tanemura Shoto
Koto Ryu Koppo-jutsu In 663 September, a Son-Jinshi-Rigi who was the general of King Kyokurin (‘Inn’ Kingdom) fought in battle with ‘Kudara’ (a part of ancient Korea). The king Jorei of Kudara was defeated and was forced to flee to ‘Korai’ (a part of ancient Korea). Military General (Shogun) Cho-Busho of ‘Kudara’ evaded capture and fled to Japan (Iga area) with his followers. He was the expert of Kosshi-jutsu, Hicho-jutsu, Senban-Nage-jutsu, Naginata-jutsu, Toda-jutsu and Kankoku Juhakkei. He diffused these martial arts to Japan. The famous samurai Sakanoue Tamuramaro was a direct descendant of Cho-Busho. In 1156, Minamoto Shikibunojo Tomoyuki who was a general of Minamoto Tameyoshi Shogun was defeated in battle and retreated to Mount Iwao in Iga. General Tomoyuki changed his name to Hougen Sennin and he put on the school name as Koto Ryu Koppo-jutsu from the legendary story of Cho Gyokko punching and knocking down a tiger. Koto Ryu Koppo-jutsu was taught to the Iga Ninja as secret martial arts from Momochi Sandayu during Tensho Era (1573-1591). The genealogy of this school:
Kukishin Ryu Bojutsu Shobukyoku Kohshiro Kiba taught the system to Ichioh Ohba (Takeda Ryu Aiki Jujutsu 43rd Grandmaster). Ichioh Ohba taught the system to Kinbei Sato (44th Takeda Ryu Grandmaster). Kinbei Sato was awarded the Grandmastership directly by Toshitsugu Takamatsu. Kinbei Sato taught the system to Shoto Tanemura and taught him the Takeda Ryu final Kuden and secret Shoto Tanemura was given the Kukishin Ryu Bojutsu Shobukyoku Grandmastership by Masaji Kimura who was also a senior Instructor of Toshitsugu Takamatsu's. These amazing techniques and patterns have not been shared with the public in over 60 years! Grandmaster Tanemura has decided the time has come to show the true patterns of the system to the public, and in doing so, share an insight into the spirit of Toshitsugu Takamatsu.
Kukishinden Happo Biken Jutsu (Taijutsu)(Tanemura-ha)
In the Eiji Era (1141), Izumo Kaja Yoshiteru was a famous expert of Koppo Daken-jutsu, Jumping cutting Biken, Chinese Yawara and Bisento Jutsu etc… Yoshiteru was of course an expert of his own Kukishin Ryu school as well. However, not content with his level of skill, he committed himself to even more intense training, three years of which he spent in a mountain cave called "Inome Dokutsu" (dokutsu meaning cave). During this time he underwent special spiritual training, climaxing in a nine-day period in which he was enlightened from the Spirit with techniques of the Martial God. These special techniques allowed him to cast away devils. He gave these special spiritual techniques the name of "Shinriki Nenkatsu Jutsu" and in turn named his school as "Kukishinden Happo no Hijutsu". The 10th generation grandmaster Arima Kawachi-no-suke Masayoshi renamed the school "Kukishin-Ryu Happo Biken-no-jutsu". This Ryuha (school) has nine parts of Daken-Taijutsu, Bo-jutsu, So-jutsu (Yari), Naginata-jutsu, Bisento-jutsu, Jo-jutsu, Jutte-jutsu, Kisha-jutsu, Biken-jutsu, and includes Ka-jutsu (fire techniques), Senban-nage-jutsu (shuriken), Gunryaku etc… Happo infers the eight martial arts (Taijutsu, Bojutsu, Sojutsu etc…). The 14th generation Soke Kazama Shinkuro Hidechika named the Ryuha "Kukishinden Happo Biken-jutsu". His sword techniques were fantastic, miraculous even, which prompted him to refer to his Ken-jutsu as Biken-jutsu (Bi read also as Hi, meaning secret). His Biken-jutsu was never defeated. The 27th generation Soke Takamatsu Toshitsugu said; “Daken-Taijutsu means Daken-jutsu together with Taijutsu. The source and most important part of Budo is Taijutsu. Without a good combination of Tai (Body), Waza (techniques) and Seishin (spirit/mind/soul), one will not be skillful when using a sword, spear or Yari etc. It is most important to have a harmonious balance of Tai, Waza and Seishin…” Generations:
Kukishin Ryu Bojutsu Shobukyoku Kohshiro Kiba taught the system to Ichioh Ohba (Takeda Ryu Aiki Jujutsu 43rd Grandmaster). Ichioh Ohba taught the system to Kinbei Sato (44th Takeda Ryu Grandmaster). Kinbei Sato was awarded the Grandmastership directly by Toshitsugu Takamatsu. Kinbei Sato taught the system to Shoto Tanemura and taught him the Takeda Ryu final Kuden and secret Shoto Tanemura was given the Kukishin Ryu Bojutsu Shobukyoku Grandmastership by Masaji Kimura who was also a senior Instructor of Toshitsugu Takamatsu's. These amazing techniques and patterns have not been shared with the public in over 60 years! Grandmaster Tanemura has decided the time has come to show the true patterns of the system to the public, and in doing so, share an insight into the spirit of Toshitsugu Takamatsu.
Shinden Fudo Ryu Daken-Taijutsu
According to legend In the Toh Era under the rule of Chusou Shinryu, during an auspicious new year, a Cho Shousou rose up with an army of several hundred soldiers and savagely attacked a village. Amidst this violence, En-no-Kyojo stood up and with Fudoshin (unmoved heart, immovable spirit) and a smile, she valiantly defended against the army with unarmed techniques and was able to heroically rescue the village people. En-no-Kyojo taught to Ryu Enpi (Kokuido Kenji). Ryu Enpi was the specialist of not only Daken-Jutsu but also Ken-Jutsu and So-Jutsu. It seems that he had learned ancient Japanese swords techniques (Wa-Ken). In the Eikyu Era (1113 – 1118), these martial arts came into Japan, and were taught to Izumo Kajya Yoshiteru (Minamoto Hachiman Shichiro Tamenari). After two generations in the Kenkyu Era (1190 – 1199), these martial arts were passed on to Mizuhara Kurou Yoshinari, who was a chief of Mutsu Mizuhara castle. According to tradition, he was a son of Minamoto-no-Kuro-Yoshitsune. Yoshinari was the expert of Daken-Taijutsu, Ba-jutsu, So-jutsu and Kenpo (Iai). His Iai was so special that it was compared to a lightning strike. In the Seicho Era (1428 – 1429), Shinmon Kokajya Yoshikane put on the ryuha name as Kijin Fudo Ryu Daken-Taijutsu. During the Tensho Era (1573 – 1592), Abe Muga of Edo (present day Tokyo) put on the ryuha name as Shinden Fudo Ryu Daken-Taijutsu. Abe Muga learned Ninjutsu from Koga Tarouhyoe Ozunu and Ohtsuka Daikuro Tadahide of Iga. Abe had the nickname’ Tengu Taro’. In the Meiji Era (1868 – 1912), Toda Shinryuken Masamitsu opened a Dojo of Shinden Fudo Ryu in Kobe and made efforts to popularize this tradition. Toda Shinryuken was the maternal grandfather of Takamatsu Toshitsugu. Takamatsu Toshitsugu was taught from the age of nine years old by Toda Shinryuken and received grandmaster ship. Shinden Fudo Ryu Daken-Taijutsu system is organized according to Ten-no-Kata (Ikken Hasso), Chi-no-Kata (Biken Issyun) and Shizen-Shigoku-no-Kata, and has Omote-Gata 38 patterns and Ura-Gata 56 patterns. Further, there are 8 Gokui of Toda Shinryuken and many supplementary Kuden. The genealogy of this school:
Masahide was the 12th generation from Shigemura Grouhyoue Masatane. Masatane’s elder brother Shigemura Kamon-no-suke Goryouhyouesuke, a very famous individual, fought with the later to be Shogun Ashikaga Takauji. He passed away in 1338. Masahide was given the sacred secret heirloom scroll of the Amatsu Tatara Hyoutei-no-maki (Shinpi Hyohen-no-maki). Masahide traveled the length and breadth of Japan on a ‘Musyashugyou’ pilgrimage (A warrior’s journey of training and mastery). Masahide arrived at Utsunomiya of Shimotsuke (Tochigi prefecture) and found lodging in a farmer’s house. Residing there he had occasion to meet the farmer’s 18-year-old son. The young man’s name was Zenbei, and Masahide could tell that ‘Zenbei’s eyes and attitude’ evinced a unique disposition and character. Thus moved by the boy, Masahide decided to teach him martial arts. Zenbei was an extremely intelligent and talented young man with a special affinity for the martial arts. Masahide again set out on a Musyashugyou pilgrimage with Zenbei, as Master and discovered disciple. They arrived at Nezumidani of Asahigadake in Dewa (Toyama and Yamagata prefecture). There, Masahide discovered a young boy named ‘Kichibei’ who possessed the skill of knocking down birds by shooting small stones. Masahide included this boy Zenbei as his student also, and taught him martial arts. Masahide went back to Houki-no-Kuni and taught martial arts to the two boys. Three years later, the two boys (‘Zenbei’ and ‘Kichibei’) were given Gokui (Mastership class). Later, Zenbei lived in Utsunomiya, and he changed his name to Fukui Heiemon. He was the founder of his own school named‘Shinto Munen Ryu Taijutsu/Kenjutsu/Sojutsu’. Kichibei changed his name to ‘Asahina Goro Minamoto-no-KIchihei’. He too, was the founder of his own school named ‘Shinden Fudo Ryu Taijutsu / Bojutsu / Kenjutsu / Sojutsu.’ Shinden Fudo Ryu Taijutsu is called Shinden Fudo Ryu Ju-Taijutsu also. This school’s curriculum includes: ‘Kamaekata’ 5 patterns, ‘Shoden-Gata’ 27 patterns, ‘Chuden-Gata’ 11 patterns, ‘Okuden-Gata’ 45 patterns (fundamental patterns 5 and Henka each 5 ways) and several ‘Gokui Kuden’. Also there is ‘Betsuden’ (A seperate special secret system): ‘Shoden’ 13 patterns, ‘Chuden’ 15 patterns and ‘Okuden’ 12 patterns. The Genealogy of this school:
Tenshin Hyoho Kukishin Ryu Bojutsu
On May 4th of the 3rd year in the Tensho Era (1534), daimyo Takeda Katsuyori’s army fought against the combined forces of daimyo Oda Nobunaga and daimyo Tokugawa Ieyasu, at Narashino, Aichi prefecture. The genealogy is as follows: Yakushimaru Kurando Takamasa – Ohuchi Minbu Yoshikane – Ohuchi Goroumaru Katsushige – Hatakeyama Saburohyoe Masayoshi – Ohkuni Kawachinokami Yoshiie – Ohkuni Onihei Hisayoshi – Arima Daisuke Tadaaki – Arima Kawachinosuke Masayoshi – Kuriyama Ukon Nagafusa – Hosoya Shinpachiro Yukihisa – Kimura Ittosai Josui – Kimura Yoshinari Gessui – Ohkuma Shima Masanobu – Iba Toyotaro – Ishitani Matsutaro Tadaaki – Takamatsu Toshitsugu Kikaku – Kimura Masaji Masakatsu – Tanemura Tsunehisa Shoto
Tenshin Hyoho Kukishin Ryu Bojutsu
On May 4th of the 3rd year in the Tensho Era (1534), daimyo Takeda Katsuyori’s army fought against the combined forces of daimyo Oda Nobunaga and daimyo Tokugawa Ieyasu, at Narashino, Aichi prefecture. The genealogy is as follows:
|
||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ©.Genbukan, K.J.J.R., Amatsu Tatara are Copyright, Grandmaster Shoto Tanemura, 1997 site by imrama |
Gyokko Ryu is a famous school of Kosshi-jutsu (called "Shito-jutsu" in older times) and is also known as Gyokko Ryu Ninpo - which was the source of Haku-un Ryu Ninpo from Iga. Gyokko Ryu is also the oldest school of Kosshi-jutsu and is the source of almost all Ninpo Taijutsu. Takamatsu Sensei taught that Koto Ryu Koppo-jutsu, Gyokushin Ryu Koppo-jutsu, Gikan Ryu Koppo-jutsu, Iga Ryu and Koga Ryu all descended from Gyokko Ryu.
This system was originally referred to as Takagi Ryu Bojutsu from the 1st generation Grandmaster, Takagi Oriemon, to the 3rd, Takagi Gennoshin. However, the 4th generation Grandmaster, Ohkuni Onihei combined Hontai Kukishin Ryu Bojutsu with the Hontai Takagi Yoshin Ryu Jujutsu to form a complete system which drew upon the strengths of each school.
Ri-Houtei of ‘To’ (China) was an acclaimed female expert of Kosshi-jutsu, Hicho-jutsu and Senban-Nage-jutsu. Ri-Houtei taught to Cho-Gyokko, also a woman, all of the martial arts. Cho was the pioneer of the Gyokko Ryu Kosshi-jutsu. Cho-Gyokko taught to Cho-Buren all of these martial arts. Cho-Buren taught to his son Cho-Busho (Ikai) all of the martial arts. After that, Cho-Buren became naturalized in the ancient kingdom of ‘Inn’ within ‘To’ (China).
This Kukishin Ryu Bojutsu Shobukyoku system was founded by Toshitsugu Takamatsu in the year 1919. Takamatsu's student Instructor, Kohshiro Kiba, later published a book on this system which gained it some popularity.
This school was originally known as "Kukishin-Ryu Happo Biken-no-Jutsu", or sometimes "Kukishinden Happo-no-Hijutsu".
This Kukishin Ryu Bojutsu Shobukyoku system was founded by Toshitsugu Takamatsu in the year 1919. Takamatsu's student Instructor, Kohshiro Kiba, later published a book on this system which gained it some popularity.
In China during the Toh-Era, there lived a woman named En-no-Kyojo (En was an ancient Kingdom in Toh, Kyo was the capital city of En, no is of) who was renowned as the expert martial artist of Koppo-jutsu, Daken-jutsu, Shorin-Ken and Hicho-jutsu.
Shigemura Masahide was the chief priest of the Shinto shrine Nawa Jinja. He lived in Houki-no-Kuni (Tottori Prefecture) Mt. Ohyama and was renowned for his excellence in both literary and martial pursuits.
In the 1st year of the Engen era (1336) on August 28th, Yakushimaru Kurando Takamasa, who was the 37th generation from a famous bloodline starting with Fujiwara Kamatari, helped Emperor Godaigo escape from Kazan palace.
In the 1st year of the Engen era (1336) on August 28th, Yakushimaru Kurando Takamasa, who was the 37th generation from a famous bloodline starting with Fujiwara Kamatari, helped Emperor Godaigo escape from Kazan palace.
Yakushimaru Kurando Takamasa – Ohuchi Minbu Yoshikane – Ohuchi Goroumaru Katsushige – Hatakeyama Saburohyoe Masayoshi – Ohkuni Kawachinokami Yoshiie – Ohkuni Onihei Hisayoshi – Arima Daisuke Tadaaki – Arima Kawachinosuke Masayoshi – Kuriyama Ukon Nagafusa – Hosoya Shinpachiro Yukihisa – Kimura Ittosai Josui – Kimura Yoshinari Gessui – Ohkuma Shima Masanobu – Iba Toyotaro – Ishitani Matsutaro Tadaaki – Takamatsu Toshitsugu Kikaku – Kimura Masaji Masakatsu – Tanemura Tsunehisa Shoto