Shinden Fudo Ryu Taijutsu
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.
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:
Shigemura Kamon-Hyoe Masahide - Asahina Goro Minamoto-no-KIchihei – Ohtone Sakon Yasumasa - Toda Shinryuken Masamitsu – Takamatsu Toshitsugu
© Genbukan, K.J.J.R., Amatsu Tatara are Copyright, Grandmaster Shoto Tanemura, 2008
