Toda Seigen a renowned swordsman during the Sengoku Period

Sengoku period

The or Warring States period in Japanese history was a time of social upheaval, political intrigue, and nearly constant military conflict that lasted roughly from the middle of the 15th century to the beginning of the 17th century. The name "Sengoku" was adopted by Japanese historians in reference...

 in 16th century Japan. Seigen was reputed as a master of the Chūjō-ryu style of sword fighting, excelling in the 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...

 art. It is thought that Toda Seigen was the teacher of the famous swordsman Sasaki Kojirō

Sasaki Kojiro

was a prominent Japanese swordsman widely considered as a Kensei, born in Fukui Prefecture. He lived during the Sengoku and early Edo periods and is most remembered for his death while battling Miyamoto Musashi in 1612.-History:...

. However, it is not truly known if such information is true, with some rather believing that Kojirō was trained by one of Seigen's students, Kanemaki Jisai

Kanemaki Jisai

was a master of the Chujo-ryū fighting style. He was a student of Toda Seigen and teacher to Itō Ittōsai .-Cultural Influence:...

. However, one account has said that during Kojirō's childhood, he "...received the instruction of Toda Seigen, a master of the school of the short sword, and having been the partner of his master, he excelled him in the wielding of the long sword. After having defeated his master's younger brother he left him to travel in various provinces. There he founded his own school, which was called Ganryū." Seigen followed in his own death during some year in the 1590s.