Yashikaru Izuwa

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[edit] Yashikaru Izuwa

Image:YoshirouIshikawa.jpg‎

Izuwa Yashikaru, from MartialArts(C) Magazine

Izuwa Yashikaru is a known actor, martial artist and spiritual active. Born in Kyoto, Japan by the birthname, Yoshirou Ishikawa (義郎石川) on November 9, 1984. Since his birth he was taught Kenjutsu and many other japanese martial art styles by former Sensei-Katsurou Ishikawa (先生勝郎石川), who opened the Hinate Dojo in 1923 and died in 1986. Sensei-Yoshirou now runs, teaches and live at the Hinate Dojo located in Kyoto, Japan.

Sensei and Spiritual Teachings

Yoshirou is known as a spiritual teacher in the japanese arts styles, he has won many Samurai awards from the Genji, Fujiwara and many more. He only has a hand full of students and not much can successfully fore-pass his "tests" upon joining the Hinate Dojo in relates into the Traditional ways, otherwise known as the Bushidō (武士道), other known as the Way of the Samurai. His Dojo is specialized in top class professional training in the japanese styles of:

  • Kenjutsu (剣術): Kenjutsu is the Japanese martial art specializing in the use of the Japanese sword katana. Generally, kenjutsu takes the form of partnered practice exercised through kata (pre-arranged forms, as opposed to competition, solo, or freestyle practice).Kenjutsu is the core means by which koryū train their students to employ the Japanese swords against a variety of classical weapons, while indoctrinating the student in the combative mindset of the school. Therefore, kenjutsu can be seen as an integral aspect of all classical Japanese sword school curricula.
  • Kendo (剣道,Kendō): "Way of the Sword", is the Japanese martial art of fencing. Kendo developed from traditional techniques of Japanese swordsmanship known as kenjutsu. Kendo is a physically and mentally challenging activity that combines strong martial arts values with sporting-like physical elements. Practitioners of kendo are called kendōka (剣道家, kendōka), meaning "one who practices kendo", or kenshi (剣士, kenshi), meaning "swordsman".
  • Battōjutsu (抜刀術): Battojutsu is a Japanese term meaning techniques for drawing a sword. It is often used interchangeably with the terms iaijutsu, battōdō, or iaidō, although each term does have nuances in the Japanese language and different schools of Japanese martial arts may use them to differentiate between techniques (e.g. standing or sitting techniques). The emphasis of training in battōjutsu is on cutting with the sword. All terms are somewhat more specific than kenjutsu or kendō which more broadly means simply sword techniques, and is often used to refer to techniques where the sword is already out of the saya.
  • Jujutsu (柔術,Jūjutsu): Jujutsu literally meaning the "art of softness", is a Japanese martial art consisting of grappling and striking techniques. Jujutsu evolved among the samurai of feudal Japan as a method for dispatching an armed and armored opponent in situations where the use of weapons was impractical or forbidden. Due to the difficulty of dispatching an armored opponent with striking techniques, the most efficient methods for neutralizing an enemy took the form of pins, joint locks, and throws. These techniques were developed around the principle of using an attacker's energy against him, rather than directly opposing it, and came to be known as jujutsu. There are many variations of the art, which leads to a diversity of approaches. Jujutsu schools (ryū) may utilize all forms of grappling techniques to some degree (i.e. throwing, trapping, joint locking, holds, gouging, biting, disengagements, striking, and kicking). In addition to jujutsu, many schools taught the use of weapons.
  • Iaijutsu (居合術): Iaijutsu is often translated roughly as the "art of mental presence and immediate reaction", is the Japanese martial art of drawing the sword. At least one author makes the distinction that, strictly speaking, iaijutsu consists exclusively of the portion of combat where the sword is drawn, and that any further techniques are technically classified as kenjutsu.
  • Iaido (居合道,Iaidō): Iaido is a Japanese martial art associated with the smooth, controlled movements of drawing the sword from its scabbard, striking or cutting an opponent, removing blood from the blade, and then replacing the sword in the scabbard. While new students of iaidō may start learning with a wooden sword (bokken) depending on the teaching style of a particular instructor, many of those who study iaidō use an unsharpened sword (iaitō). Advanced practitioners of iaidō use a sharpened metal sword (shinken). Because iaidō teaches the use of actual metal weaponry, it is almost entirely based on the teaching of forms, or kata. Multiple person kata do exist within some forms of iaido, but the iaidōka (practitioners of iaidō) will usually use bokken for such kata practice. Iaidō does not include direct competition or sparring of any kind. Because of this non-competitve aspect, and iaidō's emphasis on precise, controlled, fluid motion, it is sometimes referred to as "moving Zen."
  • Sojutsu (槍術,Sōjutsu): Sojutsu meaning "art of the spear" is the Japanese martial art of fighting with the Japanese spear (槍,yari).
  • Aikido (合気道,Aikidō): Aikido is a Japanese martial art developed by Morihei Ueshiba as a synthesis of his martial studies, philosophy, and religious beliefs. Aikido is often translated as "the Way of unifying (with) life energy" or as "the Way of harmonious spirit." Ueshiba's goal was to create an art that practitioners could use to defend themselves while also protecting their attacker from injury. Aikido is performed by blending with the motion of the attacker and redirecting the force of the attack rather than opposing it head-on. The aikidoka (aikido practitioner) "leads" the attacker's momentum using entering and turning movements. The techniques are completed with various throws or joint locks. Aikido can be categorized under the general umbrella of grappling arts.
  • Kyudo (弓道:きゅうどう,Kyūdō): Kyudo literally meaning "way of the bow", is the Japanese art of archery. It is a modern Japanese martial art (gendai budō).It is estimated that there are approximately half a million practitioners of kyūdō today. Kyūdō is a rare sport in the sense that it is not dependent on age or sex. If the practitioner is dedicated, male or female, they can learn at almost any age. It's never too late to learn kyūdō. Although one could learn Kyūdō at any point in their life, it can take a lifetime to perfect.
  • Kuji-in (九字印): "Nine Syllable Seals," is a specialized form of Buddhist meditation. It is derived from the Diamond Universe Nine Assemblies mandala of Shingon Buddhism. It is also used by other Buddhist sects. The Buddhist took it from the Taoists and practitioners of Shinto and Chinese traditional religion; who also practice in folk-magic throughout East Asia. Technically the word "Kuji-in" refers only to the hand postures (mudra) and their related incantations (mantra). The related practice of making nine cuts--five horizontal and four vertical, alternating--in the air with the finger or on paper with a brush is known as "kuji kiri," nine syllable cuts. In Japanese folk-magic and Onmyodo, the nine cuts are often made over writing or a picture, to gain control of the object named or pictured. Thus, a sailor wishing to be protected from drowning might write them over the kanji for "sea" or "water". The Kuji-in practice symbolizes that all the forces of the universe are united against evil; because of this, it was often used by the common people for luck when traveling, especially in the mountains.

In Japanese, the nine syllables are: Rin (臨), Pyō (兵), Tō (闘), Sha (者), Kai (皆), Jin (陣), Retsu (列), Zai (在), Zen (前). If the nine cuts are then made, as is sometimes done, the syllable Kō (行) is sometimes spoken.

Note that the syllables are shortened forms, and there are also longer, Sanskrit mantra that go with the same mudra.

The hand postures are as follows: Jumon is On baishiraman taya sowaka. Mudra is dokko.

臨 (Rin): Hands together, fingers interlocked. The middle fingers are raised and pressed together. Jumon is On isha naya in tara ya sowaka. Mudra is daikongo.

兵 (Pyō): Hands together, fingers interlocked (often on the inside). Index finger and thumb raised and pressed together, middle fingers cross over index fingers and their tips curl back to touch the thumbs' tips, the middle-fingers' nails touching. Jumon is On jite rashi itara jiba ratanō sowaka.

闘 (Tō): Hands together, index fingers interlocked, middle fingers crossed over them. Ring and pinky fingers are raised. Tips of ring fingers pressed together, tips of pinkies pressed together, but both sets of ring and pinky fingers are separated to form a V shape or bird beak. Jumon is On haya baishiraman taya sowaka.

者 (Sha): Hands together, middle fingers interlocked, ring fingers crossed over them. Index finger, pinky and thumb raised, like American Sign Language "I love you". Jumon is On nōmaku sanmanda basaradan kan.

皆 (Kai): Hands together, fingers interlocked. Jumon is On aga naya in maya sowaka.

陣 (Jin): Hands together, fingers interlocked, with the fingertips inside. Jumon is On hirota ki shanoga jiba tai sowaka.

列 (Retsu): The vajra mudra. Left hand in an upward-pointing fist, index finger raised. Right hand grips index finger, and thumb is pressed onto left index's nail. Jumon is On chirichi iba rotaya sowaka.

在 (Zai): Hands spread out in front, with thumb and index finger touching. Jumon is On a ra ba sha nō sowaka.

前 (Zen): Hands form a circle, thumbs on top and fingers on the bottom, right hand overlapping left up to the knuckles.

Movie Action Star

Yoshirou has recently been featured in the japanese hit movie, Azumi, playing the role as Kenji Hiroshima, the bad samurai that went against Azumi but turned good at the end. He also voiced characters in video games;

Developer: Game Republic

Platform: PlayStation 2

Rated: Mature

-He voiced the Character, Taira no Kagekiyo (平景清)-

Developer: Rumiko Takahashi

Showtimes: Weekly Shōnen Sunday

Rated: Teen

-The Main Voice of the Character, Sesshomaru (殺生丸, Sesshōmaru)-

Developer: Masami Shimoda

Showtimes: Fuji TV

Rated: Teen

-The Main Voice of the Character, Suzuki-

Afilliation Against All Odds

Although he may be known as a skilled martial artist and movie action star, he is also known to be afilliated with Yakuza (ヤクザ) also known as Gokudō (極道), he was known to be affilliated with the Yamaguchi-gumi of Kobe, Japan. His uncle, Kunio Inoue (井上 邦雄,Inoue Kunio), blessed him in around age eight while he moved to Kobe after his father, Hiro Ishikawa, was killed in a yakuza related drive-by shooting in 1987. Yoshirou still is affilliated with the Yamaguchi-gumi today in criminal activities.

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