“Here we clarify the strongest rule in the belief
of the Samurai. He hated most of all anything dishonest.”
( Taken from the book: Bushido, The Soul of Japan written by Inazo Nitobe )
..........
...A desperate force of about twenty to thirty men, led by a certain Kimura Shigenari, launched a surprise attack, and broke through into the Shogun Tokugawa Hidetada’s camp. The Shogun’s men were thrown into a state of confusion as the assailants, almost incredibly, pressed their way to within a short distance of the Shogun himself.
There, however, they confronted a middle aged Samurai, who was standing calmly in front of the Shogun’s horse. The man stepped forward and, with shocking speed, dexterity, and grace, killed seven of the attackers, giving the Shogun’s guard a chance to regroup and counterattack. Having removed the Shogun from danger, he once again took up his post.
The middle aged Samurai was Yagyu Tajima no Kami Munenori, of the Yagyu Shinkage-Ryu sword school, sword instructor to the Shogun and the man most trusted to be by the Shogun’s side.
The Shogun had watched, as his sword teacher demonstrated swordsmanship to him on the thin line between life and death. He resolved to pay more attention to his teacher’s instructions during practice.
( Excerts taken from the book: The Life-Giving Sword, by Yagyu Munenori.
Translated by William Scott Wilson )
..........
Yagyu Munenori (1571-1649)
A wooden statue of the man accredited with the perfection in the techniques and philosophies of the renowned Yagyu Shinkage-Ryu sword school sits at Hotokuji Temple, Yagyu, Nara.
..........
There is also an official written document that verifies and officially acknowledges, the ancestry and direct link of Kuroda Han, Yagyu Shinkage-Ryu, through Kamachi Genzaburo Shigenami Soke (the 13th Headmaster of our style), to the very beginnings of Kage-Ryu (shadow sword).
Linking back over 600 years, and acknowledging the direct link to them by Hirasawa Sarutobi Kage-Ryu ( Headmaster of the Kage-Ryu sword school), through to Kamachi Genzaburo Shigenami Soke, the 13th Soke (Headmaster) of the Kuroda Han Yagyu Shinkage-Ryu sword school.
..........
Portions of the history below were taken from a wonderfully informative book titled:
Lives of Master Swordsmen, written by Makoto Sugawara.
Other good books on, or relating to, swordsmanship:
1. The Unfettered Mind, by Takuan Soho.
2. The Life-Giving Sword, by Yagyu Munenori.
3. The Demon’s Sermon o the Martial Arts, by Issai Chozanshi.
4. The Sword and the Mind
Translated, with introduction and notes, by Hiroaki Sato.
5. Bushido, the Soul of Japan, by Inazo Nitobe.
..........
History:
No Japanese would hesitate to call the Yagyu Shinkage-Ryu sword school, the most illustrious of all fencing schools in the annuls of swordsmanship.
……….
Although innumerable fencing styles have been created, few have survived to the present with their structure intact and traditions historically verifiable. The Yagyu Shinkage-Ryu however, created a style still traditionally taught in Japanese fencing circles.
……….
Kamiizumi Isenokama Nobutsuna (formerly known as Kamiizumi Hidetsuna) was born in 1508. He is the master swordsman who might be considered as the progenitor of the Yagyu Shinkage-Ryu style. He studied sword techniques with Aisu Koshichiro, a well known master of the Kage-Ryu (shadow) sword school from Tohoku, and has also learnt Kashima Shinto style fencing.
……….
By the time he was at Minowa castle (approx 1561), he had already evolved his own epoch-making style of fencing called the Kage (shadow) sword school.
……….
Until the establishment of his school, all theories about martial arts in the medieval ages were based on technique only. The Kage school pioneered a form of swordsmanship that actively incorporated mental elements into their martial art theories. Even though many of the abstract aspects are hard to understand, the philosophy behind the Kage swordsmanship still attracts attention to this day.
……….
As Kamiizumi Ise no Kami Hidetsuna travelled towards Kyoto testing his style against all comers, and always defeating them, he headed towards Nara to compete against a famous spearsman there called Hozoin In-ei. Once he arrived in Nara, a message was sent to Yagyu Sekishusai Muneyoshi, who was known as the best swordsman in the Kinko district (Osako-Nara, Kyoto region).
……….
Kamiizumi Ise no Kami Hidetsuna was 55 years old, and Yagyu Sekishusai Muneyoshi was 35 years old at that time. Yagyu Sekishusai Muneyoshi had a match with Kamiizumi Ise no Kami Hidetsuna’s disciple who used a Fukuro-shinai (several bamboo sticks tied together and then inserted into a long narrow leather bag). This was designed by Kamiizumi Ise no Kami Hidetsuna to allow fencers to exchange blows, without causing any serious injury to each other (this is still in use to this day).
……….
Yagyu Sekishusai Muneyoshi was soundly defeated by Kamiizumi Ise no Kami Hidetsuna’s disciple, twice.
……….
Kamiizumi Ise no Kami Hidetsuna faced him then, and Yagyu Sekishusai Muneyoshi realised that he was in the presence of a true master. He fell to his knees, bowed deeply, and asked to be taken on as a disciple.
……….
Yagyu Sekishusai Muneyoshi brought them to his village and studied under Kamiizumi Ise no Kami Hidetsuna daily for over 2 years, until Kamiizumi Ise no Kami Hidetsuna decided that he had learnt all there was to learn, and awarded him with a Certificate of Initiation into All the Mysteries, and asked Yagyu Sekishusai Muneyoshi to succeed him as master.
( This was in April, 1565 )
……….
The founding of Yagyu Shinkage-Ryu style of swordsmanship should realistically and logically date from the day Yagyu Sekishusai Muneyoshi received the Hiden from Kamiizumi Ise no Kami Hidetsuna.
Keep in mind, those dates above relate to the Yagyu family incorporating Shadow Sword.
……….
Yagyu Muneyori is credited with perfecting the techniques and philosophy that has moulded Yagyu Shinkage-Ryu into the wondrous and fascinating sword style it is today.
……….
Our sword faction is based in Fukuoka, Japan.
Genzaburo Shigenami Shihan was the Soke (Headmaster) of our school for 56 years.
Until his death, he was in charge of many Yagyu Shinkage-Ryu schools throughout Japan.
Genzaburo Shigenami Shihan is credited with forming a more structured method of learning, study, and a more formalised grading syllabus.
Our sword faction, follows the teachings, and proudly display the portrait of Ganzaburo Shigenami Sensei at the front of all our training halls.
……….
of the Samurai. He hated most of all anything dishonest.”
( Taken from the book: Bushido, The Soul of Japan written by Inazo Nitobe )
..........
...A desperate force of about twenty to thirty men, led by a certain Kimura Shigenari, launched a surprise attack, and broke through into the Shogun Tokugawa Hidetada’s camp. The Shogun’s men were thrown into a state of confusion as the assailants, almost incredibly, pressed their way to within a short distance of the Shogun himself.
There, however, they confronted a middle aged Samurai, who was standing calmly in front of the Shogun’s horse. The man stepped forward and, with shocking speed, dexterity, and grace, killed seven of the attackers, giving the Shogun’s guard a chance to regroup and counterattack. Having removed the Shogun from danger, he once again took up his post.
The middle aged Samurai was Yagyu Tajima no Kami Munenori, of the Yagyu Shinkage-Ryu sword school, sword instructor to the Shogun and the man most trusted to be by the Shogun’s side.
The Shogun had watched, as his sword teacher demonstrated swordsmanship to him on the thin line between life and death. He resolved to pay more attention to his teacher’s instructions during practice.
( Excerts taken from the book: The Life-Giving Sword, by Yagyu Munenori.
Translated by William Scott Wilson )
..........
Yagyu Munenori (1571-1649)
A wooden statue of the man accredited with the perfection in the techniques and philosophies of the renowned Yagyu Shinkage-Ryu sword school sits at Hotokuji Temple, Yagyu, Nara.
..........
There is also an official written document that verifies and officially acknowledges, the ancestry and direct link of Kuroda Han, Yagyu Shinkage-Ryu, through Kamachi Genzaburo Shigenami Soke (the 13th Headmaster of our style), to the very beginnings of Kage-Ryu (shadow sword).
Linking back over 600 years, and acknowledging the direct link to them by Hirasawa Sarutobi Kage-Ryu ( Headmaster of the Kage-Ryu sword school), through to Kamachi Genzaburo Shigenami Soke, the 13th Soke (Headmaster) of the Kuroda Han Yagyu Shinkage-Ryu sword school.
..........
Portions of the history below were taken from a wonderfully informative book titled:
Lives of Master Swordsmen, written by Makoto Sugawara.
Other good books on, or relating to, swordsmanship:
1. The Unfettered Mind, by Takuan Soho.
2. The Life-Giving Sword, by Yagyu Munenori.
3. The Demon’s Sermon o the Martial Arts, by Issai Chozanshi.
4. The Sword and the Mind
Translated, with introduction and notes, by Hiroaki Sato.
5. Bushido, the Soul of Japan, by Inazo Nitobe.
..........
History:
No Japanese would hesitate to call the Yagyu Shinkage-Ryu sword school, the most illustrious of all fencing schools in the annuls of swordsmanship.
……….
Although innumerable fencing styles have been created, few have survived to the present with their structure intact and traditions historically verifiable. The Yagyu Shinkage-Ryu however, created a style still traditionally taught in Japanese fencing circles.
……….
Kamiizumi Isenokama Nobutsuna (formerly known as Kamiizumi Hidetsuna) was born in 1508. He is the master swordsman who might be considered as the progenitor of the Yagyu Shinkage-Ryu style. He studied sword techniques with Aisu Koshichiro, a well known master of the Kage-Ryu (shadow) sword school from Tohoku, and has also learnt Kashima Shinto style fencing.
……….
By the time he was at Minowa castle (approx 1561), he had already evolved his own epoch-making style of fencing called the Kage (shadow) sword school.
……….
Until the establishment of his school, all theories about martial arts in the medieval ages were based on technique only. The Kage school pioneered a form of swordsmanship that actively incorporated mental elements into their martial art theories. Even though many of the abstract aspects are hard to understand, the philosophy behind the Kage swordsmanship still attracts attention to this day.
……….
As Kamiizumi Ise no Kami Hidetsuna travelled towards Kyoto testing his style against all comers, and always defeating them, he headed towards Nara to compete against a famous spearsman there called Hozoin In-ei. Once he arrived in Nara, a message was sent to Yagyu Sekishusai Muneyoshi, who was known as the best swordsman in the Kinko district (Osako-Nara, Kyoto region).
……….
Kamiizumi Ise no Kami Hidetsuna was 55 years old, and Yagyu Sekishusai Muneyoshi was 35 years old at that time. Yagyu Sekishusai Muneyoshi had a match with Kamiizumi Ise no Kami Hidetsuna’s disciple who used a Fukuro-shinai (several bamboo sticks tied together and then inserted into a long narrow leather bag). This was designed by Kamiizumi Ise no Kami Hidetsuna to allow fencers to exchange blows, without causing any serious injury to each other (this is still in use to this day).
……….
Yagyu Sekishusai Muneyoshi was soundly defeated by Kamiizumi Ise no Kami Hidetsuna’s disciple, twice.
……….
Kamiizumi Ise no Kami Hidetsuna faced him then, and Yagyu Sekishusai Muneyoshi realised that he was in the presence of a true master. He fell to his knees, bowed deeply, and asked to be taken on as a disciple.
……….
Yagyu Sekishusai Muneyoshi brought them to his village and studied under Kamiizumi Ise no Kami Hidetsuna daily for over 2 years, until Kamiizumi Ise no Kami Hidetsuna decided that he had learnt all there was to learn, and awarded him with a Certificate of Initiation into All the Mysteries, and asked Yagyu Sekishusai Muneyoshi to succeed him as master.
( This was in April, 1565 )
……….
The founding of Yagyu Shinkage-Ryu style of swordsmanship should realistically and logically date from the day Yagyu Sekishusai Muneyoshi received the Hiden from Kamiizumi Ise no Kami Hidetsuna.
Keep in mind, those dates above relate to the Yagyu family incorporating Shadow Sword.
……….
Yagyu Muneyori is credited with perfecting the techniques and philosophy that has moulded Yagyu Shinkage-Ryu into the wondrous and fascinating sword style it is today.
……….
Our sword faction is based in Fukuoka, Japan.
Genzaburo Shigenami Shihan was the Soke (Headmaster) of our school for 56 years.
Until his death, he was in charge of many Yagyu Shinkage-Ryu schools throughout Japan.
Genzaburo Shigenami Shihan is credited with forming a more structured method of learning, study, and a more formalised grading syllabus.
Our sword faction, follows the teachings, and proudly display the portrait of Ganzaburo Shigenami Sensei at the front of all our training halls.
……….