Hyoho Niten Ichi-ryu
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| Koryu 古流 Martial Art | ||
|---|---|---|
| Hyōhō Niten Ichi-ryū | ||
| Founder(s) | ||
| Miyamoto Musashi (宮本 武蔵 | 1584 - 1645 | |
| Date founded | ||
| Early Edo period | Founded between 1614-1640 | |
| Current headmaster | ||
| Soke Iwami Toshio Genshin | 11th Generation | |
| Arts taught in Hyōhō Niten Ichi-ryū | ||
|---|---|---|
| Japanese name | Description | Niten Ichi-ryu designation |
| Kenjutsu 剣術 - odachi, kodachi | Sword art - Long and short sword | Tachi/Kodachi Seiho |
| Kenjutsu - odachi, kodachi | Sword art - Long and short sword used together | Nito Seiho |
| Aikuchi | Knife art | Aikuchi roppo |
| Juttejutsu - Jutte | Truncheon art | Jitte to jutsu |
| Bojutsu棒術 - Bo | Staff art | Bo jutsu |
Hyōhō Niten Ichi-ryū is a style of classical Japanese swordsmanship conceived by the legendary warrior Miyamoto Musashi. Hyōhō Niten Ichi-ryū is mainly known for the two-sword, katana and wakizashi, kenjutsu techniques Musashi called niten'ichi (二天一, "two heavens as one") or nitōichi (二刀一, "two swords as one").
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[edit] Origin
Around 1640, Musashi intended to pass on his art to three successors within his thousand students; specifically, to Terao Magonojo, his younger brother Kyumanosuke, and to Furuhashi Sozaemon. He considered Magonojo to excel in technique but to lack in reflection, whilst Furuhashi excelled in reflection but lacked in technique. Magonojo received the famous treatise, the Go Rin no Sho, on the condition that he read it and then burn it. But Furuhashi borrowed it for a few days and on the orders of Hosokawa Mitsuhisa made two copies- one for Hosokawa and one for himself, which he transmitted under the name of Ihon go rin no sho. The best known edition today is the Hosokawa copy.
Magonojo then yielded the role of successor to his younger brother Kyumanosuke who had received the Hyoho San-jugo from Musashi. It was Kyumanosuke that transmitted to his students this document with seven added instructions called the Hyoho shiji ni kajo.
Shortly before his death, Musashi also wrote the Dokkodo ("Going My Way"). It seems to be a list of rules that one should try to follow in life; in essence each rule has very deep meaning steeped in Buddhist precepts.
[edit] Succession
Terao Kyumanosuke (Motomenosuke) had received the complete transmission of the School of Musashi, with certification and Musashi's two swords. He at first refused to teach and sent what he had received to Musashi's adopted son, Iori. Iori refused the succession, since the honor had not been bestowed upon him. With this, Kyumanosuke then agreed to take over as head - both his and Iori's actions were manifestations of their respect for Musashi.
Succession in the Hyoho Niten Ichi-ryū, (the name given by Musashi towards the end of his life) does not follow a hereditary pattern. It is attested to by the bestowing of two artifacts: a scroll on which is written the name of the techniques and the approach to them that must be transmitted if the school is to be perpetuated truly, and a wooden sword that Musashi made himself, with which he trained and used as a walking stick during the last years of his life.
[edit] Lineage
The lineage chart to date is as follows:
- Miyamoto Musashi Fujiwara no Genshin
- Terao Kyumanosuke Nobuyuki (Second name can be read as Motomenosuke)
- Terao Goemon Katsuyuki
- Yoshida Josetsu Masahiro
- Santo Hikozaemon Kyohide
- Santo Hanbe Kiyoaki
- Santo Shinjuro Kiyotake
- Aoki Kikuo Hisakatsu
- Kiyonaga Tadanao Masami
- Imai Masayuki Nobukatsu
- Iwami Toshio Genshin
[edit] Techniques
Today the following sets of techniques (waza or kata) are transmitted:
- Tachi Seiho - Twelve techniques with long sword.
- Nito Seiho - Five techniques with two swords corresponding to the five forms in the Water Scroll.
- Kodachi Seiho - Seven techniques with a short sword.
- Aikuchi roppo - Six techniques with a knife.
- Bojutsu - Twenty techniques with a staff.
- Jitte to jutsu - Five techniques against a sword.
