Iizasa Ienao

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Iizasa Ienao (飯篠家直 Iizasa Ienao) (c. 1387 - 1488)^[1] was the founder of Tenshin Shōden Katori Shintō-ryū which is an old style Japanese koryū martial art. His name is sometimes written as Iizasa Chōisai Ienao (飯篠長威斉家直 Iizasa Chouisai Ienao), and his Buddhist posthumous name is Taiganin-den-Taira-no-Ason-Iga-no-Kami-Raiodo-Hon-Daikoji.^[2]

He was a respected spearman and swordsman who served the Chiba family in what is today Chiba Prefecture. When his home town was destroyed he began wandering the land until he settled down near the Katori Shrine and founded the Tenshin Shōden Katori Shintō-ryū circa 1447.

[edit] References

• Otake, Risuke (1977). The Deity and the Sword - Katori Shinto-ryu, Vol 1, Japan, Japan Publications Trading Co. ISBN 0-87040-378-8 (Original Japanese title for all three volumes in this series is Mukei Bunkazai Katori Shinto-ryu)
• Hall, David Avalon. Marishiten: Buddhism and the warrior Goddess, Ph.D. dissertation, Ann Arbor: University microfilms, p. 274-292 are about TSKSR
• Skoss, Diane (editor) (1999). Sword & Spirit, Classical Warrior Traditions of Japan, vol 2., p. 67-69
• Watatani, Kiyoshi (1967). (Zusetsu) Kobudōshi, Tokyo

[edit] Notes

1. ^ The TSKSR itself gives 1387 as the birth year of its founder. See Deity and the Sword, Vol 1 p. 16-17. Watatani (1967) speculates 1417-1420 is more historically correct.
2. ^ Deity and the Sword, Vol 1 p. 16-17.