Koga-ryu
Encyclopedia
Kōka-ryū is a historical school
of ninjutsu
. It originated from the region of Kōka (modern Kōka City
in Shiga Prefecture
). Members of the Koka school of shinobi (ninja
) were trained in disguise, escape, concealment, explosives, medicines and poison; moreover, they were expert in techniques of unarmed combat and in the use of various weapons.
. While the town of Kōka was under the jurisdiction of the Rokkaku (lit. "hexagon") clan, it was a kind of autonomous municipality composed of peasant unions, then called sō (惣). All important decisions in the municipality were made by a majority vote from the union representatives, this kind of system was uncommon for the period in question.
Sasaki Rokkaku of Ōmi Province
, using Kannonji Castle
as a base, started to steadily build up military might. He made light of commands from the Ashikaga shogunate
, and eventually began to ignore the shogun
ate altogether. In 1487, General Ashikaga Yoshihisa
brought with him an army to stamp out this rebellion, and a battle between Ashikaga and Rokkaku’s camps ensued. Ashikaga mobilized daimyo
from several provinces against the castle of Kannonji, the headquarters of the Rokkaku; as a result, Rokkaku Masayori and Rokkaku Takayori (Masayori's son) were forced to flee to the castle of Kōka. The factual accuracy of their escape is debated and it is likely that they gave up the town to avoid a direct confrontation instead.
Ashikaga then moved his base to Anshiyoji of Kurita District and attacked the castle of Kōka. Kōka fell, but the Rokkaku duo escaped again and ordered the Kōka warriors who followed them to mount a heavy resistance against Ashikaga using guerrilla warfare
. Exploiting their geographical advantage in the mountains, the Kōka warriors launched a wide range of surprise attacks against Ashikaga’s forces, and tormented them by using fire and smoke on Ashikaga’s camp during the night. The guerrilla warfare prevented a final showdown, until Ashikaga died in battle in 1489, ending the three-year conflict and sparing the lives of the Rokkaku duo.
The elusive and effective guerrilla warfare used by the Kōka warriors became well-known throughout the whole country. This also marked the first time that the ninja of Kōka were drafted as a regular army by their lord. Previously, they were only mercenaries and it was not uncommon to have warriors from Kōka on both sides of a battle. As a result of this victory, the local samurai
in the 53 families who participated in this battle were called "the 53 families of Kōka".
counterparts. The Kōka had separated the arts so they could practice solely on what was needed for certain situations. Instead of mixing all the teachings, separating them allowed them to focus, yet they used them together in a lethal combination.
Ryu (school)
A Ryū , or ryūha , is a Japanese word referring to a school of thought in any discipline...
of ninjutsu
Ninja
A or was a covert agent or mercenary of feudal Japan specializing in unorthodox arts of war. The functions of the ninja included espionage, sabotage, infiltration, and assassination, as well as open combat in certain situations...
. It originated from the region of Kōka (modern Kōka City
Koka, Shiga
is a city located in the southern part of Shiga Prefecture, Japan....
in Shiga Prefecture
Shiga Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan, which forms part of the Kansai region on Honshu Island. The capital is the city of Ōtsu.- History :Shiga was known as Ōmi Province or Gōshū before the prefectural system was established...
). Members of the Koka school of shinobi (ninja
Ninja
A or was a covert agent or mercenary of feudal Japan specializing in unorthodox arts of war. The functions of the ninja included espionage, sabotage, infiltration, and assassination, as well as open combat in certain situations...
) were trained in disguise, escape, concealment, explosives, medicines and poison; moreover, they were expert in techniques of unarmed combat and in the use of various weapons.
History
The beginnings of the Kōka-ryū may be traced to near the end of the Muromachi periodMuromachi period
The is a division of Japanese history running from approximately 1336 to 1573. The period marks the governance of the Muromachi or Ashikaga shogunate, which was officially established in 1338 by the first Muromachi shogun, Ashikaga Takauji, two years after the brief Kemmu restoration of imperial...
. While the town of Kōka was under the jurisdiction of the Rokkaku (lit. "hexagon") clan, it was a kind of autonomous municipality composed of peasant unions, then called sō (惣). All important decisions in the municipality were made by a majority vote from the union representatives, this kind of system was uncommon for the period in question.
Sasaki Rokkaku of Ōmi Province
Omi Province
is an old province of Japan, which today comprises Shiga Prefecture. It was one of the provinces that made up the Tōsandō circuit. It is nicknamed as .Lake Biwa, Japan's largest lake, is located at the center of the province...
, using Kannonji Castle
Kannonji Castle
The ruins of ' are located on the ridgeline of Mount Kinugasa in the town of Azuchi, Shiga Prefecture, not far from the ruins of Azuchi Castle. At the castle site, the ruins of stone walls, a stone-lined well, and an historical signboard can be found...
as a base, started to steadily build up military might. He made light of commands from the Ashikaga shogunate
Ashikaga shogunate
The , also known as the , was a Japanese feudal military regime, ruled by the shoguns of the Ashikaga clan.This period is also known as the Muromachi period and gets its name from Muromachi Street of Kyoto where the third shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu established his residence...
, and eventually began to ignore the shogun
Shogun
A was one of the hereditary military dictators of Japan from 1192 to 1867. In this period, the shoguns, or their shikken regents , were the de facto rulers of Japan though they were nominally appointed by the emperor...
ate altogether. In 1487, General Ashikaga Yoshihisa
Ashikaga Yoshihisa
was the 9th shogun of the Ashikaga shogunate who reigned from 1473 to 1489 during the Muromachi period of Japan. Yoshihisa was the son of the eighth shogun Ashikaga Yoshimasa....
brought with him an army to stamp out this rebellion, and a battle between Ashikaga and Rokkaku’s camps ensued. Ashikaga mobilized daimyo
Daimyo
is a generic term referring to the powerful territorial lords in pre-modern Japan who ruled most of the country from their vast, hereditary land holdings...
from several provinces against the castle of Kannonji, the headquarters of the Rokkaku; as a result, Rokkaku Masayori and Rokkaku Takayori (Masayori's son) were forced to flee to the castle of Kōka. The factual accuracy of their escape is debated and it is likely that they gave up the town to avoid a direct confrontation instead.
Ashikaga then moved his base to Anshiyoji of Kurita District and attacked the castle of Kōka. Kōka fell, but the Rokkaku duo escaped again and ordered the Kōka warriors who followed them to mount a heavy resistance against Ashikaga using guerrilla warfare
Guerrilla warfare
Guerrilla warfare is a form of irregular warfare and refers to conflicts in which a small group of combatants including, but not limited to, armed civilians use military tactics, such as ambushes, sabotage, raids, the element of surprise, and extraordinary mobility to harass a larger and...
. Exploiting their geographical advantage in the mountains, the Kōka warriors launched a wide range of surprise attacks against Ashikaga’s forces, and tormented them by using fire and smoke on Ashikaga’s camp during the night. The guerrilla warfare prevented a final showdown, until Ashikaga died in battle in 1489, ending the three-year conflict and sparing the lives of the Rokkaku duo.
The elusive and effective guerrilla warfare used by the Kōka warriors became well-known throughout the whole country. This also marked the first time that the ninja of Kōka were drafted as a regular army by their lord. Previously, they were only mercenaries and it was not uncommon to have warriors from Kōka on both sides of a battle. As a result of this victory, the local samurai
Ji-samurai
The ', also known as ', were lords of smaller rural domains in feudal Japan. They often used their relatively small plots of land for intensive and diversified forms of agriculture; the kokujin sought to be as productive and self-sufficient as possible, hoping to gain wealth and power...
in the 53 families who participated in this battle were called "the 53 families of Kōka".
Arts of the Kōka
The Kōka ninja practiced similar arts as their IgaIga-ryu
Iga-ryū 伊賀流 is a historical school of ninjutsu. It became one of the two most well-known ninja schools in Japan, along with the Kōga-ryū. The Iga-ryū originated in the Iga Province in the area around the towns of Iga and Ueno...
counterparts. The Kōka had separated the arts so they could practice solely on what was needed for certain situations. Instead of mixing all the teachings, separating them allowed them to focus, yet they used them together in a lethal combination.
- Angou: Signaling
- Bajutsu: Horsemanship art
- BōjutsuBojutsu, translated from Japanese as "staff technique", is the martial art of using a staff weapon called bō which simply means "staff". Staffs are perhaps one of the earliest weapons used by humankind. They have been in use for thousands of years in Eastern Asia. Some techniques involve slashing,...
: Staff art - Boryaku: Military strategy
- ChimonChi-monis the Ninja discipline of geography....
: Geography - Choho: Espionage
- Gokui atemi sakkatsuho zukai: Secret killing strikes art
- Goton-no-jutsu: Five elements escape methods
- HensōjutsuHensojutsuwas a Japanese martial art skill involving disguise, impersonation, and infiltration.In some ninja clans it was known as the or, "seven ways of going" . A ninja had to appear either as a priest, samurai, merchant, craftsman, performer, puppeteer, or farmer...
: Camouflage art - Hichojutsu: Jumping art
- HojōjutsuHojojutsuHojōjutsu or Nawajutsu, is the traditional Japanese martial art of restraining a person using cord or rope.Encompassing many different materials, techniques and methods from many different schools, Hojojutsu is a quintessentially Japanese art that is a unique product of Japanese history and...
: Rope tying art - HojutsuHojutsu, the art of gunnery, is the martial art of Japan dedicated to firearms usage.-Schools:* Inatomi-ryū* Geki-ryū* Ogino-ryū* Tanegashima-ryū* Tatsuke-ryū* Seki-ryū* Bue-ryū* Morishige-ryū* Yō-ryū* Takashima-ryū-External links:* www.hojutsu.com...
: Gunpowder and fire art - KusarigamajutsuKusarigamajutsuis the art of using the Japanese weapon kusarigama.Kusarigamajutsu is featured in several separate martial arts such as Koga Ha Kurokawa Ryū Heiho Ninjutsu, Suio Ryū and Shintō Musō-ryū...
: KusarigamaKusarigamaThe is a traditional Japanese weapon that consists of a kama on a metal chain with a heavy iron weight at the end. The kusarigama is said to have developed during the Muromachi period...
art - Kyushojutsu: Vital points art
- IaijutsuIaijutsu, the art of drawing the Japanese sword. One of Japanese martial disciplines in education of the classical warrior .-Etymology:"Iaijutsu" was known before the Tokugawa period but it is unclear exactly when the term "iaijutsu" first came into use, or when exactly drawing the katana from its...
: Sword drawing art - IntonjutsuIntonjutsuIntonjutsu is the ninja art of "disappearing" and has many walking and stealth techniques. It also comprises wilderness survival, field craft, and Shinobi-aruki ....
: Escaping and concealment art - JōjutsuJodo, meaning "the way of the jō", or is a Japanese martial art using short staffs called jō. The art is similar to bōjutsu, and is strongly focused upon defense against the Japanese sword. The jō is a short staff, usually about 3 to 5 feet long...
: Short staff art - Jouhou kaishuu: Information gathering
- Karumijutsu: Body lightening art
- KenjutsuKenjutsu, meaning "the method, or technique, of the sword." This is opposed to kendo, which means the way of the sword. Kenjutsu is the umbrella term for all traditional schools of Japanese swordsmanship, in particular those that predate the Meiji Restoration...
: Sword art - Kukushi bukijutsu: Hidden weapons art
- Kyuba: Mounted archery
- KyujutsuKyujutsuis the traditional Japanese martial art of wielding a bow. Although the samurai of feudal Japan are perhaps best known for their swordsmanship with a katana , kyūjutsu was actually considered a more vital skill for a significant portion of Japanese history...
: Archery art - NaginatajutsuNaginatajutsuis the Japanese martial art of wielding the . This is a weapon resembling the medieval European glaive. Most naginatajutsu practiced today is in a modernized form, a gendai budō, in which competitions also are held.-Debated origins:...
: NaginataNaginataThe naginata is one of several varieties of traditionally made Japanese blades in the form of a pole weapon. Naginata were originally used by the samurai class in feudal Japan, and naginata were also used by ashigaru and sōhei .-Description:A naginata consists of a wooden shaft with a curved...
art - Shinobi-iriShinobi-iriare ninjutsu techniques for silent movement and climbing for covert infiltration....
jutsu: Stealth and entering methods art - Seishinteki kyōyō: Spiritual refinement
- ShurikenjutsuShurikenjutsuis a general term describing the traditional Japanese martial arts of throwing shuriken, which are small, hand-held weapons used primarily by the shinobi in feudal Japan, such as metal spikes bō shuriken, circular plates of metal known as hira shuriken, and knives .Shurikenjutsu was usually taught...
: Throwing weapon art - SojutsuSojutsu, meaning "art of the spear" is the Japanese martial art of fighting with the Japanese .-Origins:Although the spear had a profound role in early Japanese mythology, where the islands of Japan themselves were said to be created by salt water dripping from the tip of a spear, as a weapon the first...
: Spear art - Suijutsu: Swimming art
- Suirenjutsu: Water survival art
- Taihenjutsu: Body moving art
- TaijutsuTaijutsuis a Japanese blanket term for any combat skill, technique or system of martial art using body movements that are described as an empty-hand combat skill or system. The term is commonly used when referring to a traditional Japanese martial art but has also been used in the naming of modern martial...
: Body fighting art - TenmonTenmonis the ninja art of understanding and using meteorology as a strategic weapon. It allowed ninja to foresee weather changes and to use them as an advantage. By knowing nature's changes, animal behaviour, or atmospheric signs, one could use rainy weather or a hot sunny period as strategic elements to...
: Meteorology - Zanshin: Clear mental awareness