Yagyu Shinkage-ryu

The Yagyu Shinkage-ryu school has its roots in the Shinkage-ryu style , created by the famous fencer Kamiizumi Nobutsuna .

At the time of the establishment of the Shinkage-ryu school by master Kamiizumi Nobutsuna , the superiority of style was determined through fights. The main combat stances were different, but for the most part they were very low (in the interests of protecting the body). The idea of ​​victory at all costs was deeply rooted in the schools of that time. Kamiizumi Nobutsuna , creating his own style of fencing, changed the main stance, slightly raising the position of the body. In addition, he changed the way he held the sword. Even the weapon itself was changed: during the period of popularity of the 2-meter-long sword, Nobutsuna preferred a shortened blade. And, which is his most important merit, he improved the methods of teaching fencing, making the study and practice of the “Way of the Sword” much easier. Before him, sword striking techniques were practiced either using a hard boken or using an unsharpened metal sword, which could lead to various injuries. It is the founder of Shinkage-ryu who is credited with creating a fukuro-sinai - a bamboo sword covered in leather, used to fully develop kenjutsu techniques without causing serious bodily harm ^[1] .

Kamiizumi Nobutsuna , being an excellent swordsman and warrior, felt changes in the methods of warfare of that time, and therefore constantly rethought his own developments and techniques. For this reason, he advocated the use of light armor during training, realizing the importance of speed and mobility.

During a trip to Kyoto at the end of 1563, Kamiizumi met Yagyu Munetoshi in the village of Yagyu (near the city ​​of Nara ), where he stayed for six months before moving to the capital in 1564 ^[1] . During one of the trips, Kamiizumi demonstrated the techniques of Shinkage-ryu to the 13th shogun Ashikaga Yoshiteru , who was very pleased and even signed a “certificate of admiration” (the date of signing is unknown), saying that Kamiizumi school has no equal on earth ^{[1] [2 ] ]} . This event led to the fact that Nobutsuna, moving around Kyoto, taught the knowledge of the Shinkage-ryu to various courtiers and members of the nobility of the Ashikaga shogunate ^{[1] [2]} .

Kamiizumi gathered a large number of followers around him. One source claims that during the trip to Kyoto in 1564, the 84th student traveled with him, and the following year, Nobutsuna himself claims in his certificate to Munetoshi that he has about a hundred students ^[1] . Among his most famous students was Yagyu Munetoshi, to whom he transferred his school in 1565 ^[3] (Kamiizumi had no children).

Yagyu Munetoshi, who was a famous master even before meeting his teacher, founded the Yagyu Shinkage-ryu line around 1568 ^[3] { ^[4] . He developed muto techniques (using bare hands against a sword) and it was Munetoshi who applied the name of his family (Yagyu) to the name of his teacher’s school.

Munetoshi's son, Yagyu Munemori (1571 - 1646), becoming the second heir to the school, improved muto techniques, and also developed Iaijutsu methods. He became the founder of the Edo line of the Yagyu Shinkage-ryu school.

After the death of Yagyu Munetoshi in 1606, the school was divided into two parts. His grandson, Yagyu Toshitoshi, took over the management of the Owari branch, while Munanori became the head of the Edo branch.

The school’s 5th soke , Yagyu Toshikane, served as a Tokugawa shogunate as an instructor in Heiho (“war / battle strategies”), making the Yagyu Shinkage-ryu school well known throughout the country ^[3] . He became the one who codified the techniques of the Yagyu Shinkage-ryu in its traditional form. He indicated all the basic methods ( kihon- wadza ) of the school in a document known as Hassei-ho or Sei-ho . Even before the advent of modern kendo , he created a form of free fights using sinai .

Takenaga Hayato, founder of Yagyu Shingan-ryu , studied with Yagyu Munanori and received the gokuy Yagyu Shinkage-ryu from him.

Each Japanese fencing school with great difficulty survived during and after the Meiji restoration (1868). The Yagyu Owari branch continued its activities at the cost of tremendous effort. The nineteenth head of the school, Yagyu Toshitika, taught the Yagyu Shinkage-ryu in the Sineikan Dojo of the Imperial Court at the request of Emperor Meiji himself , who wanted to preserve the traditions of the Yagyu Shinkage-ryu ^[3] .

The 20th keeper of traditions, Yagyu Tosinaga, founded the Yagyu Shinkage-ryu in Tokyo . He made efforts to further disseminate school knowledge. Tosinaga worked as an instructor for Imperial Guard officers, and also conducted workshops at Dai Nippon Butokukai ^[3] . During World War II, the family dojo that existed in Nagoya from the Edo Period burned out. This made it extremely difficult to continue the activities of the Yagyu Shinkage-ryu school in Nagoya . In 1955, Tosinaga opened Tokyo Yagyukai in order to restore the spread of the traditions of the Yagyu Shinkage-ryu ^[3] . He wrote Shoden Shinkage-ryu (The True Shinkage-ryu Transfer), which clearly outlined the history and traditions of the Yagyu Shinkage-ryu school ^{[1] [3]} .

The 21st head of the school, Nobuharu, took over the leadership of Yagyukai in 1966. He was engaged in teaching activities and lectured at Yagyu-kai branches in Tokyo, Nagoya and Osaka until his death in 2007 ^[3] . In his place as the school’s heir in the same year, Yagyu Koichi Tosinobu, who currently manages the organization ^{[3], took over} .

The Yagyu family is divided into two branches: Edo Yagyu and Owari Yagyu.

The main line of knowledge transfer of the school is as follows ^[5] :

1. Kamiizumi Nobutsuna , founder of Shinkage-ryu .
2. Yagyu Tajima-no-kai Taira Munetoshi , founder of the Yagyu Shinkage-ryu, received transmission in 1566 ;
3. Yagyu Hegonoseku Taira Toshitoshi;
4. Owari Gondainagon Minamoto Yoshinao;
5. Yagyu Hyogo Taira Toshikane;
6. Owari Gondainagon Minamoto Mitsutomo;
7. Owari Gontunagon Minamoto Tsunanobu;
8. Yagyu Hyogo Taira Tosinobu;
9. Owari Gontunagon Minamoto Yoshimichi;
10. Yagyu Rokurobe Taira Toshitomo;
11. Yagyu Hyoshuke Taira Toshiharu;
12. Owari Saysyotuzo Minamoto Haruyuki;
13. Yagyu Mataemon Tyra Toshiyuki;
14. Yagyu Hyoshuke Taira Toshihisa;
15. Owari Gondainagon Minamoto Naritomo;
16. Yagyu Sinroka Tyra Toshimasa;
17. Yagyu Tujiro Taira Toshishige;
18. Owari Gondainagon Minamoto Yoshikumi;
19. Yagyu Sangoro Taira Toshitika;
20. Yagyu Kinji Taira Tosinaga;
21. Yagyu Nobuhara Tyra Toshimichi;
22. Yagyu Koichi Taira Tosinobu, became a Soke in 2006 .

Edo Line ^[6] :

1. Yagyu Tajima-no-kami Taira Munemori;
2. Yagyu Jubei Taira Mitsuyoshi;
3. Yagyu Hida-no-kami Taira Munefuyu;
4. Yagyu Tsushima-no-kami Taira Muneari;
5. Yagyu Bizen-no-kami Taira Toshikata;
6. Yagyu Tajima-no-kami Taira Toshihira;
7. Yagyu Tajima-no-kami Taira Toshimine;
8. Yagyu Noto-no-kami Taira Tosinori;
9. Yagyu Hida-no-kami Taira Toshitoyo;
10. Yagyu Tajima-no-kami Taira Toshikira;
11. Yagyu Hida-no-kami Taira Toshiyoshi;
12. Yagyu Tsushima-no-kami Taira Toshimune;
13. Yagyu Tajima-no-kami Taira Toshimasu;
14. Yagyu Toshihisa;
15. Yamane Muneichiro and Saito Jizaburo;
16. Otani Genshu;
17. Sono Seigo.

In addition to the above lines, there are separate branches of the Yagyu Shinkage-ryu, such as:

Line Arakido ^[7] :

1. Otsuba Sino, a student of Yagyu Toshitika and Tosinaga;
2. Muto Masao;
3. Kajitsuka Yasushi.

Syunpukan ^[8] :

1. Kanbe Kinsichi, a student of Yagyu Toshitika;
2. Kato Isao;
3. Kang Shogiro Ken.

Kogensyakai ^[8] :

1. Yagyu Kantaro, student of Yagyu Nobuhara;
2. David Alonso, a student of Yagyu Nobuhara;
3. Takakazu Matsumoto;
4. Kenichiro Matsumoto.

Marobasikai ^[8] :

1. Watanabe Tadatoshi, a student of Yagyu Toshitika and Tosinaga;
2. Watanabe Tadashige.

• William de Lange. Famous Samurai: Ono Tadaaki. - Floating World Editions, 2012 .-- 90 s. - ISBN 978-1-891640-66-7 .
• William de Lange. Famous Samurai: Yagyu Munenori. - Floating World Editions, 2012 .-- 88 p. - ISBN 978-1-891640-67-4 .
• Tadashige Watanabe. Shinkage-Ryu Sword Technique. - Sugawara Martial Arts Institute, 1993 .-- 150 p. - ISBN 9780870409264 .
• Makoto Sugawara, John Stevens. Lives of Master Swordsmen. - East Publications, 1999 .-- 241 p. - ISBN 9784915645174 .

• Official site of Yagyu Shinkage-ryu Heho