A BRIEF DISCOURSE ON THE ESSENCE OF GYOKKO-RYÛ 玉虎流 . . .

“Gyokko-ryû Kosshijutsu is a very important school. You have Gyokko-ryû Koppōjutsu and Gyokko-ryû Kosshijutsu. This is actually one part of the scroll. It reads “koppô” of Gyokko-ryû Koppôjutsu. There is also Gyokko-ryû Daken (striking with the fists; 打拳) and Gyokko-ryû Torite (grabbing with the hands; 捕手). It was all dependent on the master of the time, the area, the expertise, and what he liked. Some people are sometimes better in one area then another, just as some are only right handed, some are only left handed. Some are ambidexterous. Some have very good balance. And, the some of Gyokko-ryû could give it the name he wanted, the name of the discipline that he was focused on; could be Koppôjutsu, Kosshijutsu, Daken, etc. It was dependent on the process of his practice. Some had a specialty with iai, some with spear, with the bō, etc. So, there is Koppôjutsu and Kosshijutsu. Some have said that there are no weapons in this tradition. This is not true. This tradition was born from using the spear, longsword (tachi; 太刀), iai (居合), shuriken, the kusari (chain; 鎖), and a way of using the kodachi (small sword; 小太刀). It is a very deep and very old tradition. In the first level, for instance, there are 12 techniques, however, it shouldn’t be looked at like this. There were 28 masters, so for each technique here were many variations. You can even mix the techniques together and find more variations. Toda sensei used to say to Takamatsu sensei, “Shôden wa okuden nari” (初伝わ奥伝なり – the first transmission is the highest transmission). So you need to practice the first level like it is the highest level, the deepest level. The highest level came from the first level; the highest technique came from the basic. You push yourself to rise in quality not in quantity. It’s not about being good or being strong, it is to do it correctly.”

✧ DR. KACEM ZOUGHARI

首実検 KUBIJIKKEN . . .

‘Kubi-jikken’ means ‘kembun’ [visual confirmation and inspection] of whether or not a severed head is really that of the person in question. The collection of enemy heads was a common practice in medieval Japan, developed from war. In the Battle of Sekigahara, the commanders of the Tokugawa army would present the heads of enemy commanders to the shogun. The enemy heads would be counted and examined to check their identities. It was ritualized as a ‘performance review’. Commanders were rewarded for the most heads they collected. Commanders who failed to gather heads were publicly scolded in public. The heads were either buried or publicly displayed on bridges or execution grounds. Women of samurai class were also involved in kubijikken. They were responsible for washing the traditional makeup off the decapitated heads for identification. Commanders of high ranking would blacken their teeth as a display of their status. Women would blacken the teeth of the heads in order to present it as a higher, valuable prize.

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ANECDOTES FROM THE HISTORY OF TOGAKURE-RYŪ . . .

In the carnage and bloodshed of the Sengoku era of Japanese history, there lived three brothers, Takao, Seikō and Kirin, renowned masters of the Togakure-ryū method of combat, assassination, and infiltration, whose exploits are recorded in the surviving chronicles passed down in the modern day to Dr. Masaaki Hatsumi. They were the three men called upon by warlords when an operation was deemed either nearly impossible or considered a suicide mission. All three men were considered geniuses of combat with the rare and innate ability of ‘sui-eishin’ (水影心); the capacity to observe a movement within the chaos of battle, copy it, and improve upon it. It was this ability that made the men of Togakure-ryū infamous throughout the neighboring provinces with stories carried in whispers amongst the local populace.
In 1480, Takayori Rokkaku (六角 高頼) sent the vicious assassin Saburo Mochizuki to kill Seikō to avenge the deaths of several close clan members at the hands of Seikō during the Onin War. Feared for his deadly skill with the long sword, Saburo was also known for his unusual height, strength, and speed of movement in battle.
Aware of Saburo’s dispatch by Takayori by local operatives, Seikō left his residence and moved quickly to meet the deadly assassin at the border that straddled Ōmi and Iga provinces.
When the two assassins met on the lone border road, Saburo drew his sword and stalked Seikō, who mirrored his enemy’s moves with a slight smile.
The two men sized each other up in a glance, after which Saburo attacked ferociously, slashing in while moving with lighting-quick dexterity, his distance and guard morphing continuously.
Aware that he could not beat Saburo if he played into his tactics of constant movement, Seikō adopted a focus of ‘sutemi’.
Lowering his guard while slowing his own mirrored movement, Seikō suddenly gave the impression of losing stamina. At that moment, Saburo closed in for the kill.
In an instant, Seikō pinned Saburo’s foot to the ground with his own foot to stop Saburo’s movement. Then, in a flash, he thrust his katana through both his and Saburo’s foot, pinning his enemy to him.
Saburo shrieked in pain, losing his focus on the kill. In the seconds that followed, Seikō, his mind pushing through the pain, took advantage of the fleeting opening, stabbing Saburo through the neck with a hidden ‘tanto’ (knife). Then, withdrawing the katana from their feet, Seikō then took his head.
Unable to walk well for years, Seikō and his brothers, nevertheless, did not have any further attempts made on their lives by the Rokkaku clan. When Seikō had a young operative secretly deliver Saburo’s head to the entrance to Takayori’s residence, there was a note included that read ‘next time, it will be your head’.
Daimyo, despite their power, drew a good measure of caution In years that followed, whenever the name of Togakure-ryū was mentioned. For they were the men that could not be stopped. The men who could breach any stronghold. The men who could reach any warlord, no matter how well-protected. They were ‘kanja no mono’, the men in between things . . .

✧ BRANDON ALVAREZ

高木揚心流 . . .

“Takagi Yōshin-ryū is a style of jūjutsu. Of course it’s not ninjutsu. That is obvious. Historically, the founder of this style, Takagi Oriemon, practiced a school called ‘Takenouchi-ryū’ (竹内流), one of the oldest and most famous traditions of ‘sōgō bujutsu’ (composite martial arts; 総合武術) of Japan. The reason why I say sōgō bujutsu is because you also have weapons. So, sōgō bujutsu in martial arts means ‘general martial art’ or ‘various martial arts’. From one point, a nucleus, they teach many, many weapons. Takagi Oriemon had learned this method with the second generation, but the problem with the Takenouchi family is that they never gave the inner movement, the deepest understanding, to someone from outside of the family. That was one of the main rules back in the 14th and 16th centuries. But he learned enough to create his own style. He received many things and, with that, he had many matches, fights, and duels with many people. He then went to learn ‘Yagyū Shinkage-ryū’, and from that point he created the school called ‘Takagi Yōshin-ryū’.
What you need to know is that what he created, was not all the techniques in this scroll. You need to wait at least four generations following his lifetime before you start to have something that is possible to pass on. Because in order to be a master, first you need to master something. Then, you need to be able to teach it, talk about it, give it to someone, and to explain to someone. If you can’t explain, you need to find someone who can explain for you. In the martial arts, this is very deep and very difficult. So we need to wait four generations, until the day that Takamatsu-sensei met Mizutani-sensei. And, before this, Takamatsu-sensei had already inherited seven traditions from his grandfather, Toda-sensei. So, already he was skilled in the way of observing and performing techniques in a very special way. Something unique to ninjutsu. Something different. Different in using the mind and different in using the body. So, when he watched and learned Takagi Yōshin-ryū, after only one year he was taught the top level techniques; the ‘gokui’ (essence of the tradition; 極意). He was only seventeen. Of course Mizuta-sensei had different students who received ‘menkyo kaiden’ (full license transmission; 免許皆伝). Both were menkyo kaiden, as it is mentioned in this history section of the scroll. Sometimes these things were bought because, of course, Mizuta-sensei sometimes needed to eat; since his only source of income was martial arts. So, sometimes a master would sell a certificate of transmission. This isn’t too different from nowadays, as well. So Takamatsu-sensei, as he had very beautiful handwriting and had learned Chinese, was the one who wrote the scroll. So. he wrote these scrolls by his sensei’s instruction, and sometimes Mizuta would say, “Write this, but don’t include this part.” So, step-by-step, for example the art of ‘iai’ (drawing the sword; 居合), the art of ‘kodachi’ (short sword; 小太刀), the art of rope, or the jō (approx. four-foot staff; 状), was lost or forgotten. Takamatsu-sensei, though, received the entire transmission of the school.
So you have many branches of Takagi Yōshin-ryū. They have the same name, the same principle, but the way of using the body is completely different. Why? Because, when Takamatsu sensei had learned this tradition, he already knew how to ascertain what was effective and what was not, using what is important and removing what is useless. Of course, this is ‘jūjutsu’. But, through the eyes of ‘ninjutsu’.”

✧ DR. KACEM ZOUGHARI

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道場訓 . . .

 

 

‘DŌJŌ KUN’ 道場訓, or ‘RULES OF THE DŌJŌ’ (Better thought of as ‘RYÛHA KYÔKUN’ 流派教訓 or ‘Moral Lessons Of The Traditions’)
by Shinryuken Masamitsu Toda
戸田真龍軒正光, 1830-1912

一、忍耐は、先ず一服の間とぞ知れ
1) Nintai Wa, Mazu Ippuku No Ma Tozo Shire (Know that patience begins with taking a moment’s pause.)
二、人の道は、正義也と知れ
2) Hito No Michi Wa, Seigi Nari To Shire (Know that the path of humanity is justice.)
三、大欲と楽と依怙の心を忘れよ
3) Taiyoku To Raku To Iko No Kokoro Wo Wasureyo (Forget feelings of deep desire, longing for comfort, and reliance.)
四、悲しみも恨みも自然の定めと思い、唯だ不動心の悟りを得可し
4) Kanashimi Mo Urami Mo Shizen No Sadame To Omoi, Tada Fudoshin No Satori Wo U Beshi (One must think of sorrow and malice as fates set by nature and strive only to inquire the enlightenment of imperturbability.)
五、心常に忠孝の道を離れず、深く文武に志す可し
5) Kokoro Tsune-ni Chuko No Michi Wo Hanarezu, Fukaku Bunbu Ni Kokorozasu Beshi (One’s heart never straying from loyalty and filial duty, one must deeply engage oneself in study and the martial arts.)

明治二十三年春 戸田真龍軒正光
Meiji-nijusan-nen Toda Shinryuken Masamitsu (Spring, 1890 – Toda Shinryuken Masamitsu)

三見 . . .

SANKEN (三見), which translates literally as ‘the three glances’, is a term that was used by various highly-skilled swordsmen of the Yagyû clan in Japanese history. It indicates the three-fold action of vigilant and highly focused observation of the enemy’s mental state, physical posture, and method of initial engagement, the moment when weapons are crossed in battle. The way in which the enemy holds his weapon is one facet of this intense observation and gives immediate insight as to whether the opponent is nervous, composed, weakened, strong, highly skilled, or inexperienced. Thus, one gains an edge on the engagement and can therefore take the proper initiative and course of action in combat.

✧ KACEM ZOUGHARI

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DR. KACEM ZOUGHARI – SHINDEN FUDŌ-RYŪ BATTŌ 神伝不動流 抜刀

http://www.onmitsukage.com

神伝不動流史論

強弱柔剛あるべからず
Kyôjaku jyûgô aru bekarazu,

故にこの心から離れ
Yue ni kono kokoro kara hanare,

空という一字に悟り
Kû to iu ichiji ni satori,

体また無しとして之に配す
Tai mata nashi ni shite kore ni haisu

“You should not have only strength or weakness, suppleness or hardness.
Therefore, remove such thoughts from your heart.
Awaken yourself to the shape of the character Ku (void).
Rest yourself in the body that became Mu (nothingness).”

✧ FROM THE SHINDEN FUDŌ-RYÛ SHIRON (神伝不動流史論)

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A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE ART OF BATTÔ-JUTSU

The term ‘battô-jutsu’ (抜刀術), or ‘nukutô no jutsu’, literally translated as ‘the art to extract the blade’, indicates the practice which consists of drawing the sword and to cross, avoid, or strike, all within in a single movement, without the enemy being able to see or feel one’s initial intention. Relations between the various traditions of battô-jutsu and the first three sword traditions of Japan (Nen-ryû, Kage-ryû, & Kashima-ryû), postulate that this art existed already within these three founding sword schools. Many chronicles describe such sword luminaries as Bizen No kami, Bokuden, Hidetsuna, & Muneyoshi, as well as their disciples, as excelling in the art of iaijutsu. However, the techniques were a collection of various and often vague principles for using the body that led to a freedom of interpretation. The first tradition which did specialize and codify this art into a precise methodology was founded by Hayashizaki Jinsuke (1542 -?) at the beginning of the Edo period. Hayashizaki transmitted his method to only three disciples. One would go on to become his successor and the other two would eventually found their own traditions. During second half of the Edo period, the schools resulting from Hayashizaki-ryû used the term of ‘iai’ (居合), rather than the term of ‘battô-jutsu’. There exists a score of terms which all are read as ‘Iai’, but are translated broadly as the action of ‘engaging and fighting an approaching enemy’. ‘Iai’ means ‘to link’ and ‘to be’, which can therefore be translated as ‘linking the intention and the movement in a moment when the technique must be carried out’. The large majority of the techniques of iai-jutsu, found in traditions born during the second half of the Edo period, were practiced starting from sitting positions, where the movements were extremely restricted.

✧ DR. KACEM ZOUGHARI

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EFFORTS OF SECRECY & THE VALIDITY OF RYŪ-HA

Through the years many have questioned the validity of certain martial traditions, especially those related to the ninpō arts. When researched in depth, ‘walls’ are constantly hit when attempting to gather any viable information concerning events and solid historical facts on these ryū-ha and the men of their genealogy. Such abrupt ‘dead-ends’ of research efforts usually occur around the late Edo period of Japanese history (the mid to late 1800’s). This holds true also for any viable information on the past masters of these traditions. But why? When attempting such research, one must take into account the nature of the ryū-ha in question. Many traditions, especially those related to ninjutsu, survived due to an intense cloak of secrecy that was never compromised. This meant that the true name of the tradition was only known to the soke, or headmaster, and his eventual successor. Any name given to the public was a false name, used as a deceptive front and sometimes changed often. This still holds true today. Names such as Gikan-ryū, Togakure-ryū, & Shinden Fudo-ryū, for instance, are cover names used to hide the true title of the tradition. This explains why any research into the history of these given names ends up in utter futility on the part of the historian or researcher. This is also the case for past masters that are difficult to investigate. Names such as ‘Shinryuken Toda’ and even ‘Toshitsugu Takamatsu’ were ‘nom de plum’, or pen names, used to hide their true identity, past, and relations. Often, these men had several identities to help them maneuver quietly and undetected through dangerous times, such as the late Edo and early Meiji eras, for example. This protected not only the individual and the knowledge they held, but their families as well. Remember, these men were utter and true masters of illusion, disinformation, and psychological warfare. The proof of this is in the convincing of researchers or those of the ‘by the book’ mentality that the traditions and masters in question were either made-up or never truly existed, because no concrete evidence can be found to prove otherwise. Yet, as history has proven, just because evidence cannot be found does not mean that it does not exist. It simply is in the secretive hands of the headmaster of the tradition, kept safe from the hands of people of ill-intent, opportunists, deceptive con artists, and the public at large, and shown only in part to those who truly practice and sacrifice to help keep the tradition alive.

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