Gyokko Ryū

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Gyokko-ryū (玉虎流 Gyokkoryū) is a school of kosshijutsu(骨指術) (attacks to muscle and nerve points), shitojutsu (using the thumb and fingers for striking), kenjutsu, and bojutsu. Gyokko-ryū is sometimes referred to as Gyokko Ryū Ninpo from a ninjutsu component it used to contain.

According to Bujinkan sources, Cho Gyokko brought the school to Japan from China during the Tang Dynasty. It was handed down from generation to generation. Sakagami Taro Kunishige organized Gyokko Ryū shitojutsu; in the Tenmon period (1532 - 1550), he taught it to Toda Sakyo Isshinsai who created Gyokko Ryū kosshijutsu. Its sister school is the Koto Ryū, also created by Toda. Both Gyokko Ryū and the aforementioned Koto Ryū were taught by Toda to Momochi Sandayu, who carried on the traditions within Iga Ryū until the late Tokugawa period (mid 19th Century). Techniques from Gyokko Ryū and Koto Ryū became the foundation for techniques of Togakure Ryū.

The school is roughly divided into three sections: unarmed against unarmed, unarmed against kodachi, and unarmed against sword.

[edit] Formal Techniques Of Gyokko Ryū

The waza (techniques), kata (forms), etc are written in the densho (scroll) in a particular order, which is the order that they should be learned, master one before moving on to the other. The densho is organised according to the following levels:

Ki Gata (The postures of Gyokko Ryū, includes methods of moving within them)
Torite Kihon Gata and Moto Gata (These are the fundamental techniques that make up the system)
Joryaku no Maki (Contains various forms, each form contains principles that the practitioner needs to understand)
Churyaku no Maki (Contains more forms, these are more advanced than Joryaku no Maki forms)
Geryaku no Maki (Contains very advanced forms)