This site is an online media that delivers all sorts of trivia about the six Tohoku prefectures, from sightseeing and gourmet spots to local customs, history, and more
It is self-evident that the samurai's primary duty was to fight, and for this reason, numerous martial arts have been devised and refined throughout history
In ancient times, all martial arts were referred to as "the way of the bow and horse," indicating that archery and horsemanship were essential skills, and furthermore, proficiency in various forms of close-quarters combat and hand-to-hand fighting was also required.
As commonly expressed as "the eighteen martial arts," a wide range of combat techniques were systematized, and famous examples include swordsmanship and jujutsu, as well as spear fighting, naginata fighting, and bojutsu, resulting in martial arts that can be used at all distances, from weapons to unarmed combat.
Generally, these martial arts that were established before the Meiji era are collectively called "kobudo" (ancient martial arts), and records show that during the feudal period, many martial arts were taught in each domain, and that their training was mainly carried out by samurai.
Among these ancient martial arts, there are many that are still being passed down through the generations, and you can still see actual demonstrations today
In this article, we would like to introduce some particularly valuable schools of these ancient martial arts that have been passed down in the six Tohoku prefectures
【Miyagi Prefecture: Just like Chinese martial arts?! Yagyu Shingan-ryu martial arts: subduing armored warriors with fierce blows
First, from Miyagi Prefecture,the "Yagyu Shingan-ryu military strategy,"we will introduce
of Nara/Yamato is the most famous school bearing the name "Yagyuthe Yagyu Shinkage-ryu," our school is a comprehensive martial art that teaches a wide variety of techniques, including swordsmanship, jujutsu, bojutsu (staff fighting), and kamajutsu (sickle fighting).
a martial artist from Sendai who lived during the Sengoku periodTakenaga Hayato,. It is said that he studied various schools of martial arts, and in addition, he learned the Yagyu Shinkage-ryu from Yagyu Munenori in Edo before establishing this school.
Atemi is a striking technique that involves punches and kicks, which is also found in judo.
techniques designed for use while wearing armor, and itsfierce striking techniques, which are often described as "unique."is particularly characterized by
Generally speaking, when people think of jujutsu, they tend to think of it as the origin of modern judo, and as such it is composed mainly of grappling techniques such as throws.
Or, recently, due to the influence of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, many people may think of fighting styles such as joint locks and chokeholds on the ground.
However, original judo can also be described as a kind of mixed martial art that encompasses all unarmed combat techniques, including grappling while wearing armor, throwing, striking, chokeholds, and submissions (joint locks).
In traditional Japanese martial arts, striking techniques are"atemi"and are passed down in various schools of jujutsu, but there are not many styles that rely on striking as the decisive factor, unlike karate or kickboxing.
It is no exaggeration to say that one theory in judo is that striking should be performed in conjunction with throws, chokes, and submissions in order to unsettle the opponent.
However, as mentioned above, the Yagyu Shingan-ryu style is notable for the variety and intensity of these striking techniques.
The movements are more reminiscent of Chinese martial arts than judo, and consist of strikes with fists and elbows, sharp footwork like front kicks, and powerful body slams.
In the Yagyu Shingan-ryu school of swordsmanship in Sendai,"28Basic Sword Swings" form the basis of all techniques, from unarmed combat to weapon techniques, and it is said that all techniques are developed through the application of these basic movements.
Techniques for fighting with armored warriors
While the Yagyu Shingan-ryu style is eye-catching with its distinctive strikes, one of its important points is that it is designed for combat while wearing armor.
It is said that the reason why Japanese judo developed grappling techniques such as throws was because there was a need to perform such armored combat, and falling on the battlefield while wearing heavy equipment meant immediate death.
Therefore, it can be said that the flow of throwing and pinning down is the theory of combat techniques in judo, and the Yagyu Shingan-ryu also has a special throwing technique as one of the finishing moves.
This is called "mukuri," and involves lifting the torso part of the enemy's armor from below, attacking the neck with the breastplate, and flipping the enemy over onto his back.
In practice, injury is prevented by a fall that involves a full spin, but if you were actually wearing armor and were hit by this technique and thrown to the hard ground, you would likely suffer a fatal injury.
There is also the image that striking a warrior in armor is ineffective, but the Yagyu Shingan-ryu school is said to have passed down a special technique in which the warrior places his hand on the armor and strikes from above, allowing only the impact to penetrate the enemy.
It can be said that this is a powerful armored martial art with no blind spots in any direction.
A variety of weapon techniques typical of the Sengoku period
As mentioned earlier, the reason Yagyu Shingan-ryu is called "military arts" is because it deals with not only swordsmanship and martial arts but also all kinds of weapons, but let's take a look at some other distinctive techniques.
three-inch stick
It is a type of stick fighting technique that literally uses a three-foot (approximately 90 cm) stick, and is said to have originated from fighting on the battlefield with the remaining handle of a spear or other weapon that was cut off.
In ancient Japanese martial arts, the standard length of a stick is six shaku (approximately 180 cm), and since a three-foot stick is half that length, it is sometimes called a "half stick" in some schools.
Since it is a stick, it naturally does not have a blade, but the power of the strikes and thrusts is immense, and it is known as an exquisite martial art that reflects the techniques of spears and naginata.
Jinkama
This technique uses a sickle, a tool that was once used to cut grass and build camps on the battlefield, as a weapon. Other schools also have techniques that use sickles, but the Yagyu Shingan-ryu style uses a sickle that is shaped like a crowbar with a short, thick blade.
Jinbaori
A jinbaori is a flat, conical hat worn by foot soldiers instead of a helmet, and is generally made by applying layers of lacquer to thin iron plates, leather, or Japanese paper.
In addition to being used as armor, it was also used to draw water and as a pot, and the Yagyu Shingan school has passed down techniques for using it as a weapon.
Techniques include holding the jinbaori like a shield to deflect the opponent's sword, or getting close and thrusting with the tip of the cone or striking with the edge.
Nose twisting
This is a stick about 50cm long with a looped string attached to one end. When a horse becomes violent, the loop is passed through the nose and twisted to subdue it.
It is said that it was carried on the battlefield to control military horses, making it a rare technique for using it as a weapon.
Although it has a strong element of self-defense, the techniques share some similarities with short-handled weapon techniques such as the kodachi and jitte, which are used to get close to the opponent.
【Fukushima Prefecture: The secret sword of Aizu, "Itto-ryu Mizoguchi-ha Swordsmanship," which was passed down at the risk of one's life
Next, from Fukushima Prefecture,the "Ittō-ryū Mizoguchi-ha Kenjutsu,"we will introduce
When it comes to Itto-ryu, the famous Ono-ha Itto-ryu, which served as an instructor for the Tokugawa Shogunate along with the Yagyu Shinkage-ryu, is well known, and our school is one of the branches that descend from that school.
At the Nisshinkan, the Aizu domain schoolthe "Aizu Five Schools"were practiced. Among them, the Itto-ryu Mizoguchi school was a secret school that was not allowed to be taught outside the domain, and was only permitted to be studied by the lord or high-ranking samuraithe "Otome-ryu" (. It was
The secret technique passed down using fire tongs was in danger of being lost during the Boshin War
Due to its secrecy, only a limited number of people have kept the story, and it is said that it was in danger of being lost during the Battle of Aizu during the Boshin War.
The person who passed down the tradition at that time(ritual suicide)was a man named Kayano Nagaharu, a senior retainer of the Aizu domain, but he was forced to commit seppuku
On the day of his seppuku, Kayano suddenly stood up in the middle of his final meal and, using bamboo tongs, taught the secrets of the Itto-ryu Mizoguchi school to his relative, Ibuka Takuemon, who was under house arrest in the same Edo mansion.
That"Sayu Tenka Demi no Hidachi" (Secret Sword Technique of Left and Right Transformation)was the paired sword technique known as
A unique sword stroke with large swings to the left and right
Originally, there were many forms of Itto-ryu Mizoguchi-ha, but currently only five techniques for the odachi and three for the kodachi are handed down.
However, the Odachi has a normal "Omote" and a modified "Ura", which allows for a wider variety of techniques.
As the name "Saiyo Tenka" suggests, the sword strokes, which are swung from side to side as the sword passes by, are particularly eye-catching, and the finishing move is characterized by the sword moving all the way around to the opponent's back and slashing almost from behind.
The five odachi swords are named after the five elements, Earth, Fire, Wood, Metal, and Water, and are used to attack the opponent's weaknesses with smooth, flowing movements.
There are many branches of Itto-ryu, but one of the reasons why the Mizoguchi school is said to be unique is because of these large movements to the left and right.
Itto-ryu is characterized by frontal techniques that appear almost linear to the viewer, and among these is the famous "kiriotoshi" technique, in which the sword is placed directly against the opponent's slash to counter it, and there are practitioners of modern kendo who continue to study this technique.
Therefore, the Mizoguchi school, which is a "single-sword style" but has a strong element of movement to the left and right, can be said to be a valuable school in the lineage of swordsmanship history.
The Itto-ryu Mizoguchi school of swordsmanship was passed down at the risk of people's lives from the end of the Edo period through to the Meiji Restoration, but surprisingly, its existence was only made public in 1968 (Showa 43).
In September of that year, at the East-West Kendo Tournament held in Fukushima Prefecture, the first-ever public demonstration was held by Wada Shinhanshi (8th dan, then president of the Aizu Kendo Federation) and Yoshikawa Tadakyoshi (7th dan).
The Itto-ryu Mizoguchi school is a secret sword of Aizu, and successive successors have been strictly warned not to let others see it or talk about it.
When Wada Hanshi was taught this technique as a boy by his father, Wada Matashiro, who was once a member of the Byakkotai, he was told to keep it a secret.
However, as time passed, there was growing concern that the tradition would be lost, so they decided to break the ban and hold a public demonstration. As a result, the Mizoguchi school has survived to the present day, and swordsmen who continue to hone their skills are protecting and passing on the secret sword techniques of Aizu.
to Enjoying Life.
" - Honorable Mention for "The Land of Star Readings" at the 3rd Misato Western Treasury Literary Awards.
A Visual Guide
competition. - "Swordsman's Communications" at the 9th Historical and Period Novel Grand Prizes, "Exhilarating! Entertainment Swordsman Award" (book publication project in progress).
- 5th Dan in Iaido, 4th Dan in Jodo.
