Hakkō-ryū (八光流) or Hakkō-ryū Jujutsu (八光流柔術) is a school or 'style' of jujutsu related to Daito-ryu founded in 1941 by Okuyama Ryuho (1901–1987) a student of Sokaku Takeda and a practitioner of shiatsu. Many techniques of this school are very similar to those of the Daito-ryu Aikijujutsu.
The school is now headed by his son who took the name Okuyama Ryuho. The headquarters or hombu dojo is located in Ōmiya-ku, Saitama, Saitama Prefecture.
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Hakkoryu comes from the Japanese language meaning "The Style of the Eighth Light." In the color spectrum there are seven color bands. It was believed that there was also an eighth very narrow invisible band: the Eighth Light. Schools of Hakkoryu Jujutsu exercise strategies that avoid conflict as much as possible, and employ techniques that do not use strength, but instead use techniques that work against the body's natural motions and movements to take down the opponent. These techniques are not very visible, but effective and strong, just like the eighth light.
Okuyama was an instructor of Daito Ryu Aikijujutsu which he studied from two people Kyoju Dairi Matsuda (Toshimi) Hosaku[1] and later Takeda Sokaku himself. In 1938 Okuyama finished his studied with Takeda and published a martial art text called Daito-ryu Goshinjutsu (The Daito System of Self-Protection), later Okuyama founded the Dai-Nippon Shidokai (Greater Japan Way of the Samurai Association)[2] and began teaching what he called Daito Hiden Shido(Secret Daito-Ryu Way of the Samurai). Okuyama's first Dojo was located in Asahikawa and was called Nippon Shidokai Ryubukan, in 1939 he moved to Kanda and opened another dojo called Dai Nihon Shidokai, this marked the beginning of the split from Daito Ryu, by this time Takeda was very old and his son Tokimune was still very young, seeing no place for advancement in the Daito Ryu school, and being a skilled medical and martial person,[3][4] Okuyama began to form his own system based on Daito Ryu Jujutsu and Daito Ryu Aiki no jutsu.
The Hakkoryu Kaiso Hokokusai (ceremony proclaiming the founding of Hakkoryu) was held on June 1, 1941[5] at the Shiba Tenso Jinja (Shinto shrine in the Shiba district of Tokyo), on that date Hakko ryu was formed and Okuyama took the pen name Ryoho (spin of the Dragon). The Hakkoryu Kobujuku (private school for Hakkoryu study) was located in Kanda district of Tokyo, during world war II the allied Bombing grew to close, Okuyama and his family fled and joined the Mount Haguro sect of Shugendo (a mixture of Buddhism and Shintoism) in Yamagata Prefecture. The Hakkoryu Kobujuku was burned down during the bombing of Tokyo. In 1947 he moved to Omiya City (Saitama City) and founded the Hakkoryu So Hombu Dojo (Hakkoryu Juku Hombu Dojo), this is still the home city of Hakkoryu today.
While Hakkoryu techniques are closely related to Daito Ryu it is the influence of Oriental medicine[6][7] and a strict moral code that distinguishes the style. The Koho Shiatsu system is taught to its members at the higher levels. The jujutsu system's emphasis is placed on pressure points and manipulation of the opponent's body through both the skeletal structure and the body's meridians, this helps give Hakkoryu its trade mark of looking weak but being very powerful in application.
The techniques of Hakkoryu are passed on in the form of Kata or waza sets known as Gi. Each kata has a number of Omote (surface) techniques that must be learned before the student can progress on to the next level. Each level also contains Kihon waza, which introduce the core principles of Hakkoryu to the student; the Omote techniques are not to be changed but only handed down to the next generation etc. They are as follows:
Besides the Omote, Kihon, and Gensoku Of Hakkoryu, some subjects obviously include such concepts as:
After Yondan the system uses the older Koryu Menkyo license, a student must be invited By Okuyama to train with him in the Menkyo waza sets, to obtain an invitation the student must be referred by a Shihan in good standing with the Hombu, upon getting an invitation, the student would travel to Japan and live with the Okuyama family for a period of time and then receive Menkyo training.[8]
Hakkoryu is governed by an autocratic nature, Hakkoryu Jujutsu and Koho Shiatsu medicine[9] systems belong solely to the Okuyama family. Okuyama has total authority, while he is advised by senior Shihan and councils, his word is final. Hakkoryu demands total loyalty, you can not study another martial art at the same time, you can only study Hakkoryu, those studying something else are asked to leave, this rule has been hard for some to take but especially for non-Japanese, which has resulted in the expulsion of many over the years. There are only a few people outside of Japan that are in good standing with the hombu and are recognized as legitimate Shihan and teachers. An example of one not recognized is Hakko Denshin Ryu. Okuyama states that "Some may use the word "Hakko" in the names of their systems. Interested parties are advised that many have no relationship to Hakkoryu. The desire for legitimacy of such affiliation without the accompanying training, efforts, sacrifice, responsibilities, limitations, and burdens actual membership requires, this is true of those who have never had any training or affiliation at all with Hakkoryu."
Hakkoryu is a distinct and separate tradition from the more recently formed Hakko Denshin Ryu and Hakko Densho Ryu.[10]
Shorinji Kempo founder Doshin So (宗道臣, 1911–1980) was a student of Hakkoryu.