Tenshin Shoden Katori Shinto-ryu
Encyclopedia
is one of the oldest extant Japanese martial arts
, and 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.
was deposed, encouraging him to relinquish control of his household to conduct purification rituals and study martial arts in isolation.
Born in the village of Iizasa in Shimosa Province he moved when young to the vicinity of the famous Katori Shrine, a venerable Shinto institution northeast of Tokyo in what is today's Chiba Prefecture. The Katori Shrine enjoys a considerable martial reputation; even the name of the Shrine's deity includes the sound of a sword cleaving the air - 'futsu'.
After studying swordsmanship he went to Kyoto, where, according to most authorities, he was employed in his youth by the eighth Muromachi shōgun, Ashikaga Yoshimasa
(1436–1490), a devotee of the martial arts. Iizasa was later known as Yamashiro no kami (governor of Yamashiro Province) in accordance with a practice of Muromachi times whereby noted warriors took old court titles. Still later in life Iizasa became a Buddhist lay monk and was known as Chōi-sai, 'sai' being a character that many noted swordsmen chose for their sword name.
When Chōi-sai returned home he offered prayers to the deities of both Katori Shrine and Kashima Shrine, the latter a famous local shrine in nearby Tochigi Prefecture where shrine officials themselves reputedly practised a form of swordsmanship, called 'hitotsu no tachi' (the solitary sword). Even today the Kashima Shrine training hall attracts Kendō practitioners from around the world, and the chief object of interest for visitors is the shrine's sacred sword. Supplementing his considerable skills with assorted weaponry, Chōi-sai was also an expert in Musō Jikiden Ryū Yawaragi, holding the position of seventh head in the history of that ryū. ('Yawara/yawaragi' is the older more correct term for the jūjutsu, unarmed combat, of that period)
Legend says at the age of 60 Chōi-sai 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. He called his swordsmanship style derived from this miraculous dream the Tenshin Shōden Katori Shintō-ryū, the "Heavenly True, Correctly Transmitted Style of the Way of the God of Katori".
This legend is typical of martial arts ryūha and other cultural forms as well. Ryūha founders often attributed their mastery to magical teachings transmitted by Shinto or Buddhist deities, by long-dead historical figures like Minamoto no Yoshitsune
, or by legendary supernatural creatures like the 'tengu', a Japanese goblin commonly depicted with a long red nose.
Ienao died in 1488 at the age of 102.
Iizasa's Tenshin Shōden Katori Shintō-ryū, thus presumably linked to the sacred tradition of both Katori and Kashima Shrines, was transmitted through his own family.
As such in 1960 the school received the first ever "Intangible Cultural Asset" designation given to a martial art. It claims to have never aligned itself with any estate or faction, no matter what stipend was offered. This allowed the ryū to maintain its independence and integrity.
Tenshin Shōden Katori Shintō-ryū was popularised in the west by the extensive research and writings of late Donn F. Draeger
(1922–1982).
The current (2009), twentieth generation headmaster
, is Yasusada Iizasa (飯篠 修理亮 快貞 Iizasa Shūri-no-suke Yasusada). For reasons of health he does not teach his family's system and instead appointed as his current, main representative instructor Risuke Otake
who has a personal dojo close to (Narita City, Chiba Prefecture
).
Iizasa devised a unique method to ensure warriors could train without serious injury and yet maintain a resemblance to 'riai' (integrity of principle) and combative reality. The interactive weapon training of the ryu, in the form of kata-bujutsu (pre-arranged, combative training drills), illustrates this well. What appears to the outsider as merely a block of the opponent's attacking weapon is, in actuality, only a substitute for the part of the attacker's body intended to be cut or struck. Thus, full impact training could be maintained with safety to the practitioners. Furthermore, while the sword was considered to be the central and most important weapon in the Japanese warrior's arsenal of his era, Iizasa designed the scope of his ryu to include a wide range of weaponry. Thereby, he extended the training of his students to the use of other weapon systems as well, in order to be totally familiar with their capabilities and not be surprised on the battlefield by something unexpectedly different.
The uniqueness of Iizasa's Tenshin Shōden Katori Shintō-ryū is still evident today, in some of the modern variants of the school, in the particular aspects of weapon-wielding, posture, stance, and foot and body movements which make allowance for the fact that the bushi (classical samurai warriors) of his era would be wearing 'yoroi' (armour) weighing around 35 kg, and fighting on uneven terrain. These factors tend to keep the wearer's feet firmly and flat on the ground, and slow down mobility considerably. The distinctive techniques and tactics of this ryū also acknowledge the design of classical Japanese armour, which, although protecting the wearer well, had many 'suki' (openings). The main attacking areas included... under the wrists; inside and behind the legs; the hip area; the space between the 'kabuto' (helmet) and 'do' (chest protector) where the neck arteries and veins could be easily severed. The signature, 'omote' (basic-battlefield) sword technique of the ryū, 'makiuchi-jodan', was created by Iizasa because the bushi could not raise the sword above the head, due to the obstruction of the kabuto, and secondly, notwithstanding that restriction, a very powerful 'chopping' blow from above was still needed to be generated in order to produce the maximum destructive force for when circumstances dictated attacking areas of the 'yoroi' other than the 'suki'.
Other senior instructors presently teaching Tenshin Shōden Katori Shintō-ryū internationally include:
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 wide range of other weapons are being taught as part of the curriculum, but the sword remains the central weapon.
The primary curriculum includes:
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:
In recent years, however, with the relaxing of these rules Otake's Narita-headquartered organisation has achieved significant growth in membership through a crop of recently appointed and soon-to-be-appointed shidosha (country representatives) in a number of European countries, Russia, and South America. A rapidly increasing inflow of visiting foreign enthusiasts spend periods of up to a few weeks at the Hombu (head) dōjō, no longer excluded by the historic rules (2) to (4). Otake's younger son and Shihan
(chief instructor)-in-waiting, Shigetoshi Kyoso, in actively fostering the school's upsurge in accessibility and recent international growth, has made a number of overseas training visits in support of these new branches.
The Tenshin Shōden Katori Shintō-ryū variants headed by other senior Japanese instructors had not laboured under such restrictive policies in the past and have always been readily accessible world-wide for a number of decades. Over that period they had developed significant student followings throughout Europe, Canada, and the Philippines.
Marishiten
is originally the Brahman figure of Krishna
. In later Chinese Buddhist mythology she became the heavenly queen who lives in one of the stars of the Great Bear. She is mostly depicted with eight arms, two of which are the symbols of the sun and the moon.
Most Tenshin Shōden Katori Shintō-ryū variants headed by instructors other than Risuke Otake do not require keppan. However, Risuke Otake regards the making of keppan as a strict requirement for all candidates seeking entrance into his school in order to preserve the secrecy and integrity of the ryū's teachings. Even so, students joining his various overseas branches readily receive instruction from the local instructors until such time as they may be able to travel to Otake's dojo to take keppan. Additional opportunities arise should an overseas dojo be visited by one of the school's senior instructors who has been authorised to take keppan from those members wishing so to do. This was the case in 2007, and again in 2009 when Kyoso Shigetoshi, younger son of Risuke Otake, held an open European seminar and existing participants of varying levels of expertise from the different organisations were 'invited' to take keppan.
Japanese martial arts
Japanese martial arts refers to the enormous variety of martial arts native to Japan. At least three Japanese terms are often used interchangeably with the English phrase "Japanese martial arts": , literally meaning "martial way", , which has no perfect translation but means something like science,...
, and an exemplar of koryū
Koryu
is a Japanese word that is used in association with the ancient Japanese martial arts. This word literally translates as "old school" or "traditional school"...
bujutsu. The Tenshin Shōden Katori Shintō-ryū was founded by Iizasa Ienao
Iizasa Ienao
was the founder of Tenshin Shōden Katori Shintō-ryū which is a traditional Japanese martial art. His Buddhist posthumous name is Taiganin-den-Taira-no-Ason-Iga-no-Kami-Raiodo-Hon-Daikoji....
, born 1387 in Iizasa village (present day Takomachi, Chiba Prefecture), who was living near Katori Shrine
Katori Shrine
The is a Shintō shrine in the city of Katori in Chiba Prefecture, Japan. It is the ichinomiya of former Shimōsa Province, and is the head shrine of the approximately 400 Katori shrines around the country ....
(Sawara City
Sawara
The areas called Sawara in Japan are as follows.*Sawara-ku, Fukuoka, , one of the seven wards of Fukuoka-shi , Fukuoka-ken , Kyūshū...
, Chiba Prefecture
Chiba Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kantō region and the Greater Tokyo Area. Its capital is Chiba City.- History :Chiba Prefecture was established on June 15, 1873 with the merger of Kisarazu Prefecture and Inba Prefecture...
) at the time. The ryū
Ryu (school)
A Ryū , or ryūha , is a Japanese word referring to a school of thought in any discipline...
itself gives 1447 as the year it was founded, but some scholars claim circa 1480 is more historically accurate.
Foundation
Iizasa Ienao (飯篠 長威斎 家直 Iizasa Chōi-sai Ienao, c.1387–c.1488) was a respected spearman and swordsman whose daimyoDaimyo
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...
was deposed, encouraging him to relinquish control of his household to conduct purification rituals and study martial arts in isolation.
Born in the village of Iizasa in Shimosa Province he moved when young to the vicinity of the famous Katori Shrine, a venerable Shinto institution northeast of Tokyo in what is today's Chiba Prefecture. The Katori Shrine enjoys a considerable martial reputation; even the name of the Shrine's deity includes the sound of a sword cleaving the air - 'futsu'.
After studying swordsmanship he went to Kyoto, where, according to most authorities, he was employed in his youth by the eighth Muromachi shōgun, Ashikaga Yoshimasa
Ashikaga Yoshimasa
was the 8th shogun of the Ashikaga shogunate who reigned from 1449 to 1473 during the Muromachi period of Japan. Yoshimasa was the son of the sixth shogun Ashikaga Yoshinori....
(1436–1490), a devotee of the martial arts. Iizasa was later known as Yamashiro no kami (governor of Yamashiro Province) in accordance with a practice of Muromachi times whereby noted warriors took old court titles. Still later in life Iizasa became a Buddhist lay monk and was known as Chōi-sai, 'sai' being a character that many noted swordsmen chose for their sword name.
When Chōi-sai returned home he offered prayers to the deities of both Katori Shrine and Kashima Shrine, the latter a famous local shrine in nearby Tochigi Prefecture where shrine officials themselves reputedly practised a form of swordsmanship, called 'hitotsu no tachi' (the solitary sword). Even today the Kashima Shrine training hall attracts Kendō practitioners from around the world, and the chief object of interest for visitors is the shrine's sacred sword. Supplementing his considerable skills with assorted weaponry, Chōi-sai was also an expert in Musō Jikiden Ryū Yawaragi, holding the position of seventh head in the history of that ryū. ('Yawara/yawaragi' is the older more correct term for the jūjutsu, unarmed combat, of that period)
Legend says at the age of 60 Chōi-sai spent 1000 days in Katori Shrine practising martial techniques day and night, until the kami
Kami
is the Japanese word for the spirits, natural forces, or essence in the Shinto faith. Although the word is sometimes translated as "god" or "deity", some Shinto scholars argue that such a translation can cause a misunderstanding of the term...
of the shrine, Futsunushi no Mikoto
Futsunushi
In Japanese mythology, Futsunushi is a kami of swords and lightning. He is a general of Amaterasu....
(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. He called his swordsmanship style derived from this miraculous dream the Tenshin Shōden Katori Shintō-ryū, the "Heavenly True, Correctly Transmitted Style of the Way of the God of Katori".
This legend is typical of martial arts ryūha and other cultural forms as well. Ryūha founders often attributed their mastery to magical teachings transmitted by Shinto or Buddhist deities, by long-dead historical figures like Minamoto no Yoshitsune
Minamoto no Yoshitsune
was a general of the Minamoto clan of Japan in the late Heian and early Kamakura period. Yoshitsune was the ninth son of Minamoto no Yoshitomo, and the third and final son and child that Yoshitomo would father with Tokiwa Gozen. Yoshitsune's older brother Minamoto no Yoritomo founded the Kamakura...
, or by legendary supernatural creatures like the 'tengu', a Japanese goblin commonly depicted with a long red nose.
Ienao died in 1488 at the age of 102.
Iizasa's Tenshin Shōden Katori Shintō-ryū, thus presumably linked to the sacred tradition of both Katori and Kashima Shrines, was transmitted through his own family.
Modern history
Tenshin Shōden Katori Shintō-ryū is the source tradition of many Japanese martial arts. Several famous swordsmen (including Tsukahara Bokuden and Matsumoto Bizen no kami Masanobu) who learned directly from Chōi-sai or his immediate followers became founders of their own schools, with either the same name (Shintō, written with a variety of other characters) or different names: Kashima Shintō-ryū (Bokuden-ryū), Kashima-ryū, Kashima shin-ryū (founded by Matsumoto), Arima-ryū, Ichiu-ryū, Shigen-ryū, and others.As such in 1960 the school received the first ever "Intangible Cultural Asset" designation given to a martial art. It claims to have never aligned itself with any estate or faction, no matter what stipend was offered. This allowed the ryū to maintain its independence and integrity.
Tenshin Shōden Katori Shintō-ryū was popularised in the west by the extensive research and writings of late Donn F. Draeger
Donn F. Draeger
Donald 'Donn' Frederick Draeger was an expert practitioner of Asian martial arts, an author of several martial arts books, and a United States Marine...
(1922–1982).
The current (2009), twentieth generation headmaster
Soke (martial arts)
, pronounced , is a Japanese term that means "the head family [house]." In the realm of Japanese traditional arts, it is used synonymously with the term iemoto...
, is Yasusada Iizasa (飯篠 修理亮 快貞 Iizasa Shūri-no-suke Yasusada). For reasons of health he does not teach his family's system and instead appointed as his current, main representative instructor Risuke Otake
Risuke Otake
' , full name ', is a Japanese martial artist. He is a long time shihan of Tenshin Shōden Katori Shintō-ryū bujutsu, which he learned as a disciple of the previous teaching master Hayashi Yazaemon from the time he entered the school at the age of 16, in 1942...
who has a personal dojo close to (Narita City, Chiba Prefecture
Chiba Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kantō region and the Greater Tokyo Area. Its capital is Chiba City.- History :Chiba Prefecture was established on June 15, 1873 with the merger of Kisarazu Prefecture and Inba Prefecture...
).
Iizasa devised a unique method to ensure warriors could train without serious injury and yet maintain a resemblance to 'riai' (integrity of principle) and combative reality. The interactive weapon training of the ryu, in the form of kata-bujutsu (pre-arranged, combative training drills), illustrates this well. What appears to the outsider as merely a block of the opponent's attacking weapon is, in actuality, only a substitute for the part of the attacker's body intended to be cut or struck. Thus, full impact training could be maintained with safety to the practitioners. Furthermore, while the sword was considered to be the central and most important weapon in the Japanese warrior's arsenal of his era, Iizasa designed the scope of his ryu to include a wide range of weaponry. Thereby, he extended the training of his students to the use of other weapon systems as well, in order to be totally familiar with their capabilities and not be surprised on the battlefield by something unexpectedly different.
The uniqueness of Iizasa's Tenshin Shōden Katori Shintō-ryū is still evident today, in some of the modern variants of the school, in the particular aspects of weapon-wielding, posture, stance, and foot and body movements which make allowance for the fact that the bushi (classical samurai warriors) of his era would be wearing 'yoroi' (armour) weighing around 35 kg, and fighting on uneven terrain. These factors tend to keep the wearer's feet firmly and flat on the ground, and slow down mobility considerably. The distinctive techniques and tactics of this ryū also acknowledge the design of classical Japanese armour, which, although protecting the wearer well, had many 'suki' (openings). The main attacking areas included... under the wrists; inside and behind the legs; the hip area; the space between the 'kabuto' (helmet) and 'do' (chest protector) where the neck arteries and veins could be easily severed. The signature, 'omote' (basic-battlefield) sword technique of the ryū, 'makiuchi-jodan', was created by Iizasa because the bushi could not raise the sword above the head, due to the obstruction of the kabuto, and secondly, notwithstanding that restriction, a very powerful 'chopping' blow from above was still needed to be generated in order to produce the maximum destructive force for when circumstances dictated attacking areas of the 'yoroi' other than the 'suki'.
Other senior instructors presently teaching Tenshin Shōden Katori Shintō-ryū internationally include:
- Yukihiro Sugino, 9th Dan, son of the late Yoshio Sugino, 10th Dan (杉野 嘉男 Sugino Yoshio, 12 December 1904–1998) at Yuishinkan Sugino Dojo (Kawasaki, JapanKawasaki, Kanagawais a city located in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan, between Tokyo and Yokohama. It is the 9th most populated city in Japan and one of the main cities forming the Greater Tokyo Area and Keihin Industrial Area....
). - The International organisation founded by the late Goro Hatakeyama, 9th Dan (17 August 1928 - 8 December 2009), former head instructor under the late Yoshio Sugino, headquartered in his Yokohama Dojo (Kanagawa, Japan).
- Tetsutaka Sugawara, a former senior student who was issued an instructor license in 1986 by Risuke Otake, at the Sugawara Martial Arts Institute (Tokyo, Japan).
Curriculum
The Tenshin Shōden Katori Shintō-ryū is a comprehensive martial system. This means that unlike modern martial ways such as KendoKendo
, meaning "Way of The Sword", is a modern Japanese martial art of sword-fighting based on traditional Japanese swordsmanship, or kenjutsu.Kendo is a physically and mentally challenging activity that combines strong martial arts values with sport-like physical elements.-Practitioners:Practitioners...
or Iaido
Iaido
is a modern 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...
, 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
Kenjutsu
, 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 technique). A wide range of other weapons are being taught as part of the curriculum, but the sword remains the central weapon.
The primary curriculum includes:
| Arts | Forms | |
|---|---|---|
| Sword arts (tachijutsu) |
Sword combat (kenjutsu Kenjutsu , 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... ) |
4 Forms: |
| 5 Forms: | ||
| 3 Forms: | ||
| Sword drawing (iaijutsu Iaijutsu , 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... ) |
6 Forms: | |
| 5 Forms: | ||
| 5 Forms: | ||
| Two swords (両刀術 ryōtōjutsu) |
4 Forms: | |
| Short sword (kodachi Kodachi A , literally translating into "small or short tachi ", is a Japanese sword that is too long to be considered a dagger but too short to be a long sword... ) |
3 Forms: | |
| Staff art (bōjutsu Bojutsu , 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,... ) |
6 Forms: | |
| 6 Forms: | ||
| Glaive Glaive A glaive is a European polearm weapon, consisting of a single-edged blade on the end of a pole. It is similar to the Japanese naginata and the Chinese Guan Dao.... art (naginatajutsu Naginatajutsu is 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:... ) |
4 Forms: | |
| 3 Forms: | ||
| Spear art (sōjutsu Sojutsu , 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... ) |
6 Forms: | |
| 2 Forms: | ||
| Spike-throwing (shurikenjutsu Shurikenjutsu is 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... ) |
7 Forms: | |
| 8 Forms: | ||
| 9 Forms: | ||
| Jujutsu Jujutsu Jujutsu , also known as jujitsu, ju-jitsu, or Japanese jiu-jitsu, is a Japanese martial art and a method of close combat for defeating an armed and armored opponent in which one uses no weapon, or only a short weapon.... |
36 Forms: | |
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:
- NinjutsuNinjutsuor may be:*the arts associated with espionage and assassination in feudal Japan, see Ninja*modern schools of martial arts claiming to be based in these traditions, see Modern Schools of Ninjutsu*fictional depictions, see Ninja in popular culture...
/Shinobi (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 MikkyoMikkyoMikkyō is a Japanese term that refers to the esoteric Vajrayāna practices of the Shingon Buddhist school and the related practices that make up part of the Tendai school. There are also various Shingon- and Tendai-influenced practices of Shugendō...
- specifically the esoteric Shingon school of BuddhismBuddhismBuddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
)
Membership
Historically, the Tenshin Shōden Katori Shintō-ryū variant headed by Risuke Otake applied stringent limitations on prospective members. These, as detailed in Otake's formal Shinbukan Dōjō Rules, include:- 1. Nyūmon (入門) (admittance) is restricted to those prepared to take keppan (血判) (blood oath) and pay the prescribed nyūmon-ryo (entrance fee);
- 2. Persons of foreign nationality interested in joining must reside in Japan;
- 3. Upon leaving Japan, the applicant must not teach in any way;
- 4. Persons practising other martial arts will not be accepted.
In recent years, however, with the relaxing of these rules Otake's Narita-headquartered organisation has achieved significant growth in membership through a crop of recently appointed and soon-to-be-appointed shidosha (country representatives) in a number of European countries, Russia, and South America. A rapidly increasing inflow of visiting foreign enthusiasts spend periods of up to a few weeks at the Hombu (head) dōjō, no longer excluded by the historic rules (2) to (4). Otake's younger son and Shihan
Shihan
- Title of "Master" is a Japanese Honorific Title, Expert License Certification used in Japanese martial arts for Master Level Instructors. The award of the Expert License Certification is if designated by the qualification by virtue of endorsement by the [A] Association of Chief Instructors or [B]...
(chief instructor)-in-waiting, Shigetoshi Kyoso, in actively fostering the school's upsurge in accessibility and recent international growth, has made a number of overseas training visits in support of these new branches.
The Tenshin Shōden Katori Shintō-ryū variants headed by other senior Japanese instructors had not laboured under such restrictive policies in the past and have always been readily accessible world-wide for a number of decades. Over that period they had developed significant student followings throughout Europe, Canada, and the Philippines.
Keppan
Historically, before beginning any training in Tenshin Shōden Katori Shintō-ryū, every prospective pupil had to sign an oath of allegiance to the school. The method was to make keppan (blood oath) in support of the following kisho or kishomon (pledge). This oath was a written one with the prospective member being required to sign his name in his own blood. The applicant would prick or cut a finger or sometimes the inner arm and with the blood drawn, sign the following pledge:
On becoming a member of the Tenshin Shōden Katori Shintō-ryū which has been transmitted by the Great Deity of the Katori Shrine, I herewith affirm my pledge that:
- I will not have the impertinence to discuss or demonstrate details of the ryū to either non-members or members, even if they are relatives;
- I will not engage in altercations or misuse the art against others;
- I will never engage in any kind of gambling nor frequent disreputable places.
- I will not cross swords with any followers of other martial traditions without authorization.
I hereby pledge to firmly adhere to each of the above articles. Should I break any of these articles I will submit to the punishment of the Great Deity of Katori and the Great Deity Marishiten. Herewith I solemnly swear and affix my blood seal to this oath to these Great Deities.
Marishiten
Marishi-Ten
In Mahayana and Vajrayana Buddhism, Marici is known as the goddess of the heavens, goddess of light, and a solar deity. Also known elsewhere as , Marisha-Ten , and Mólìzhītiān Púsà . She is believed to be one of the Twenty Heaven Celestials...
is originally the Brahman figure of Krishna
Krishna
Krishna is a central figure of Hinduism and is traditionally attributed the authorship of the Bhagavad Gita. He is the supreme Being and considered in some monotheistic traditions as an Avatar of Vishnu...
. In later Chinese Buddhist mythology she became the heavenly queen who lives in one of the stars of the Great Bear. She is mostly depicted with eight arms, two of which are the symbols of the sun and the moon.
Most Tenshin Shōden Katori Shintō-ryū variants headed by instructors other than Risuke Otake do not require keppan. However, Risuke Otake regards the making of keppan as a strict requirement for all candidates seeking entrance into his school in order to preserve the secrecy and integrity of the ryū's teachings. Even so, students joining his various overseas branches readily receive instruction from the local instructors until such time as they may be able to travel to Otake's dojo to take keppan. Additional opportunities arise should an overseas dojo be visited by one of the school's senior instructors who has been authorised to take keppan from those members wishing so to do. This was the case in 2007, and again in 2009 when Kyoso Shigetoshi, younger son of Risuke Otake, held an open European seminar and existing participants of varying levels of expertise from the different organisations were 'invited' to take keppan.
Further reading
- 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
External links
- One on One with Såzen Larsen Kusano Sensei (Sugino branch, Katori Shinto Ryu) Part One: About Yoshio Sugino Sensei
- One on One with Såzen Larsen Kusano Sensei (Sugino branch, Katori Shinto Ryu) Part Two: About Katori Shinto Ryu, Zen, and Training
- One-on-One with Såzen Larsen Kusano Sensei, 2009. Part One: The Nature of Japanese Swordsmanship
- One-on-One with Såzen Larsen Kusano Sensei, 2009. Part Two: About Katori Shinto Ryu
- One-on-One with Såzen Larsen Kusano Sensei, 2009. Part Three: About Kamae
- One-on-One with Såzen Larsen Kusano Sensei, 2009. Part Four: Fundamental Concepts
- Through the Mists of Time, Part 1 For the other articles in this series, go to: The Iaido Newsletter