Togakure Ryu

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The Togakure ryu is a ninjutsu ryuha that is claimed to have been founded about eight hundred years ago by Daisuke Nishina (Togakure), who learned shugendo practices as well as hakuun ryu ninjutsu from Kagakure Doshi.

The school contained Yon-po Hiden (Four Secrets): Senban Shuriken (four-pointed throwing star), Shuko and Ashiko (Spiked bands worn on hands (Shuko) and sometimes feet (Ashiko), for climbing), Shinodake (a tube used as a snorkel or blowgun) and Kyoketsu shoge, an unusual blade attached to cord which is in turn attached to a heavy ring, and taijutsu or arts of the whole body.

Contents

[edit] History

In 1182, during the Japanese Genpei War, at the end of the Heian Period, Minamoto no Yoshinaka, a general from the mountainous Nagano region of Japan, captured the capital city of Kyoto. After this victory, he found himself under attack by his cousin Yoshitsune. When Yoshitsune's troops successfully crossed the Uji river, a key strategic defense for the capital, Yoshinaka withdrew, only to be killed as his horse fell through the ice of a frozen rice paddy.

After Yoshinaka's defeat, one of his samurai retainers, Daisuke Nishina of Togakure Village escaped to the mountains of Iga in south central Japan. Nishina's native village of Togakure is now known as Togakushi, Nagano, and was an early center of Shugendo training. It may be that Nishina engaged in such training, but the records of the Togakure ryu do not mention it. The mountains provided an easy place to hide from the enemy troops, who still searched for Yoshinaka's forces. Daisuke Nishina, who subsequently changed his name to Daisuke Togakure, later became known as the first Sōke (family head) of Togakure-ryu ninjutsu.

Ironically, Yoshitsune was later overthrown by his brother Yoritomo. After escaping capture by Yoritomo's forces, he founded the Yoshitsune-ryu of ninjutsu. The Yoshitsune-ryu later died out, along with many other famous ninjutsu ryu.

The ninja families of Iga grew to become a great part of Japan's military history. Lending their support to Tokugawa Ieyasu, they were able to aid in the establishment of the Tokugawa Shogunate and were recruited to many government posts, including police, bodyguards, and intelligence agents.

[edit] Sōke

The current Sōke of the Togakure-ryu is Masaaki Hatsumi of Noda, Japan. Sōke Hatsumi opened this art to the west and trains people world wide.

The Togakure Ryu is yet to be verified as a legitimate koryu by either the Nihon Kobudo Shinkokai (Society for the Promotion of the Japanese Classical Martial Arts) or the Nihon Kobudo Kyokai (Japanese Classical Martial Arts Association).[citation needed]

[edit] Formal Techniques

Kurai Dori – the postures, unarmed or with shuko.
Example, Hachimonji no kamae: a posture that has the Ninja prepared to throw blinding powder.
Ukemi Gata - falling techniques.
Example, Zenpo Kaiten: forward roll.
Shinobi Gaeshi – includes methods of moving undetected, and of escaping in the case of discovery.
Example, Shige gaeshi: while lying on top of a van (or any raised horizontal surface) the Ninja is spotted, he throws blinding powder and maybe shuriken, then rolls (in a particular way) to the side opposite the enemy and runs off or finds a better hiding place.
Santo Tonko no Kata – vanishing forms: uses blinding powder, shuriken and other devices. These are also used in the case of discovery but this time the opponent attacks.
Example, "Happo kiri gakure gata": surrounded by swordsmen, the Ninja throws shuriken at the front attackers and blinding powder to the rear, then when surrounded by "fog", runs off.
  • Ninja Bikenjutsu – methods of using the Ninja sword, which was shorter and straighter than the Katana.
Kurai Dori – sword "postures", as well as five methods of attaching the sword to the body.
Example, Totoku hyoshi: posture for deflecting projectiles.
Iaijutsu - sword drawing.
Example, Katate nuki: drawing the sword with one hand in a particular way.
Biken Kata – sword forms. (The Ninja method of using the sword is unusual and distinct.)
Example, Itto ryu dan: The sword is thrown at the enemy or enemies, the Ninja would either retrieve the sword or just run off.
  • Sakkijutsu – developing the ability to sense intentions. This isn't an entire sub-discipline however, but is developed through training in the other disciplines.
  • Kyoketsu shoge – the special blade on a long "lead", had no formal techniques.

[edit] Manuscript Tradition

The oldest copy of the densho of Togakure ryu (which is in the posession of Hatsumi Masaaki) is written on the same physical scroll as the densho of Gyokko ryu.

[edit] Schools

Togakure-ryu is taught only in the syllabuses of the Bujinkan, Genbukan, To-Shin Do, and Jinenkan. These schools also encompass other samurai arts that they focus on.

[edit] Sources

[edit] External links

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