Tenshin Shōden Katori Shintō-ryū

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Koryu 古流 Martial Art
Tenshin Shoden Katori Shinto-ryu 天真正伝香取神道流
Founder
Iizasa Chouisai Ienao 飯篠長威斉家直 c. 1387 - 1488)[1]
Date founded
Middle Muromachi period (1336 to 1573) Founded year 1447 according to its own tradition
Current Headmaster
Headmaster Iizasa Yasusada 20th generation hereditary headmaster
Current representative & head instructor
Shihan Otake Risuke (b. 1926 Received complete license or gokui kaiden in 1967
Arts taught in the Katori Shinto-ryu system
Tachi Jutsu - Sword art
Japanese name Description
Kenjutsu 剣術 - odachi, kodachi Sword art - Long and short sword
Iaijutsu 居合術 - Odachi Art of drawing the sword - Long sword
Ryotojutsu 両刀術 - Nito Sword art - Using both long and short sword at once
Bojutsu 棒術 Staff art
Naginatajutsu (長刀術) Glaive art - (curved spear)
Sojutsu 槍術 Spear art - (straight spear)
Shurikenjutsu 手裏剣術 Spikethrowing art

Tenshin Shōden Katori Shintō-ryū (天真正伝香取神道流) is one of the oldest extant martial arts in Japan, an exemplar of koryū bujutsu. The Tenshin Shōden Katori Shintō-ryū was founded by Iizasa Ienao, born 1387 in Iizasa village (present day Takomachi, Chiba Prefecture), who was living near Katori Shrine (Sawara City, Chiba Prefecture) at the time. The ryū itself gives 1447 as the year it was founded, but some scholars claim circa 1480 is more historically accurate[1].

Iizasa Ienao (飯篠長威斎家直 Iizasa Chōi-sai Ienao) was a respected spearman and swordsman whose daimyō was deposed, encouraging him to relinquish control of his household to conduct purification rituals and study martial arts in isolation. Legend says at the age of 60 he spent 1000 days in Katori Shrine practising martial techniques day and night, until the kami of the shrine, Futsunushi no Mikoto (経津主之命), appeared to him in a dream and handed down the secrets of martial strategy in a scroll named Mokuroku heiho no shinsho. Ienao died in 1488 at the age of 102.

The current (2006), twentieth generation headmaster, is Iizasa Yasusada (飯篠修理亮快貞 Iizasa Shūri-no-suke Yasusada). The representative, and head instructor on behalf of the headmaster is Otake Risuke (Narita City, Chiba Prefecture).

Son of the late Yoshio Sugino (1904-1998), Yukihiro Sugino, is also teaching Tenshin Shōden Katori Shintō-ryū in Yuishinkan Sugino Dojo, Kawasaki, Japan.

Tenshin Shōden Katori Shintō-ryū is the source tradition of many Japanese martial arts, and as such received the first ever Intangible Cultural Asset designation given to a martial art in 1960. It claims to have never aligned itself with any estate or faction, no matter what stipend was offered. This allowed the ryu to maintain its independence and integrity.

Tenshin Shōden Katori Shintō-ryū was popularized in the west by the writings of late Donn F. Draeger.

Contents

[edit] Curriculum

The Tenshin Shōden Katori Shintō-ryū is a comprehensive martial system. This means that unlike modern martial ways such as Kendo or Iaido, which concentrate on one specific area of training, study is made of a broad range of martial skills.

The main emphasis of the school is on Kenjutsu (sword technique). A long range of other weapons are being taught as part of the curriculum, but the sword remains the central weapon.

The weapons practiced include:

Tachi Jutsu

  • Kenjutsu (剣術; sword technique)
    • Omote no Tachi - (4 kata)
    • Gogyo no Tachi - (5 kata)
    • Gokui Shichijo no Tachi - (3 kata)
  • Iaijutsu (居合術; sword drawing and cutting - covering both kneeling and standing forms)
    • Iai Jutsu - (6 kata)
    • Tachi Iai Jutsu - (5 kata)
    • Gokui no Iai - (5 kata)
  • Ryōtōjutsu (両刀術; both long and short swords at once)
    • Ryoto - (4 kata)
  • Kodachi) (小太刀術; short sword)
    • Gokui no Kodachi - (3 kata)

Bojutsu (棒術; staff)

  • Omote no Bo - (6 kata)
  • Gogyo no Bo - (6 kata)

Naginatajutsu (長刀術; glaive - curved spear)

  • Omote no Naginata - (4 kata)
  • Gokui Shichijo no Naginata - (3 kata)

Sōjutsu (槍術; straight spear)

  • Omote no Yari - (6 kata)

Shurikenjutsu (手裏剣術; spike throwing)

The Gogyo and Gokui kata are only taught to advanced practitioners after many years of fundamental practice.

Other, more advanced areas of study of the school include:

  • Yawara-jutsu (grappling and knife fighting)
  • Ninjutsu/Shinogi (intelligence gathering and analysis)
  • Chikujojutsu (field fortification art)
  • Gunbai-Heihō (strategy and tactics)
  • Tenmon Chirigaku (astronomy;geomantic divination)
  • In-Yo kigaku (philosophical and mystical aspects derived from Mikkyo - esoteric Buddhism).

[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.

[edit] References

  1. ^ Watatani, Kiyoshi (1967). (Zusetsu) Kobudōshi, Tokyo
  • Amdur, Ellis (2002). Old School: Essays on Japanese Martial Traditions, Edgework, p. 21-45
  • Draeger, Donn F. The Martial Arts and Ways of Japan series, 3 volumes.
  • Friday, Karl F (1997). Legacies of the Sword, the Kashima-Shinryu and Samurai Martial Culture, University of Hawaii Press, p. 26 & 93, ISBN 0-8248-1847-4
  • Hall, David Avalon. Marishiten: Buddhism and the warrior Goddess, Ph.D. dissertation, Ann Arbor: University microfilms, p. 274-292.
  • Hurst 111, G. Cameron (1998). Armed Martial Arts of Japan, Swordsmanship and Archery, Yale University Press, p. 46-49 & 58, ISBN 0-300-04967-6
  • Mol, Serge (2001). Classical Fighting Arts of Japan, A Complete Guide to Koryu JuJutsu, Kodansha International, p. 43 & 151, ISBN 4770026196
  • 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)
  • Otake, Risuke (1977). The Deity and the Sword - Katori Shinto-ryu Vol. 2, Japan, Japan Publications Trading Co. ISBN 0-87040-405-9
  • Otake, Risuke (1977). The Deity and the Sword - Katori Shinto-ryu Vol. 3, Japan, Japan Publications Trading Co. ISBN 0-87040-406-7
  • Ratti, Oscar & Westbrook, Adele (1973). Secrets of the Samurai, A Survey of the Martial Arts of Feudal Japan, Charles E. Tuttle Co. ISBN 0-8048-0917-8
  • Skoss, Diane (editor) (1997). Koryu Bujutsu, Classical Warrior Traditions of Japan, Koryu Books, vol 1, ISBN 1-890536-04-0
  • Skoss, Diane (editor) (1999). Sword & Spirit, Classical Warrior Traditions of Japan, Koryu Books, vol 2, p. 67-69. ISBN 1-890536-05-9
  • Skoss, Diane (editor) (2002). Keiko Shokon, Classical Warrior Traditions of Japan, Koryu Books, vol 3, ISBN 1-890536-06-7
  • Sugino, Yoshio & Ito, Kikue (1977). Tenshin Shoden Katori Shinto-ryu Budo Kyohan (A Textbook of Tenshin Shoden Katori Shinto-ryu Martial Training; originally published in 1941).
  • Warner, Gordon & Draeger, Donn F. (1982). Japanese Swordsmanship: Technique And Practice, ISBN 0834802368
  • Watatani, Kiyoshi (1967). (Zusetsu) Kobudōshi, Tokyo

[edit] External links

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