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Togakure Ryu Ninpo Tanemura Ha

According to legend, Ninpo/Ninjutsu was founded by Ikai (Ikoh), who was a Shogan in the old Korean Koma Era. In the first year of the Chinese Kohyu era (1049) he battled together with the Mongol Kitten-Ka army against the Chinese Soh King Army, but he was defeated and escaped to Ise in Japan, where he lived in a cave in the Iga Mountains. Ikai Shogan was an authority on Hicho-jutsu and Ongyo-no-jutsu, and it was a recorded fact that by using a special Kiai, he could jump to a height of 6 metres.

It is my honest opinion that Ninjutsu is deeply tied to the Amatsu Tatara line. This is the true fact of the matter, for example I know of 4 kinds of old scrolls held by the clans of Ohtomo, Mononobe, Abe, and Nakatomi. These scrolls are titled: Otomo family “Amatsu Tatara Kishin no Hibumi – Hyohen no Maki and Kyoho no Maki” , Mononobe family “Amatsu Tatara Hisshin Ginkoroku – Ryusen no Maki” , Abe family “Amatsu Tatara Rinpo Hiden – Shingan no Make” and Kuki family “ Amatasu Tatara Nakatomi Hibumi – Nakatomi Kamitsukasa Hihohen”.
Whilst living in the Iga mountains , Ikai Shogan taught Gamon Doshi, who taught Garyu Doshi, who in Jinpyo Heiji Era (1151-1160) established the Hakuun Ryu Ninpo system. Garyu Doshi taught Hachiryu Nyudo, who was an expert of Kosshi-jutsu. Hachiryu Nyudo taught the system to Kinmon Heibei and Tozawa Hakuunsai (otherwise known as Tozawa Kaneuji, a retainer of Minamoto Tameto). Tozawa Hakuunsai taught the system to Hakuun Doshi.

Tozawa Hakuunsai was one of the main pioneers of Hakuun Ryu Ninpo, with its focas on Gen-justu (illusionary techniques). It is especially famed for the Demon Waza known as: Inki, doki, Fuki, and Kaki. This Ninjutsu was thought of as ‘Mystical Ways’.

Hakuun Ryu Ninpo isthe parent of Togakure Ryu Ninpo.Techniques found in Gyokko Ryu, Koto Ryu, Gikan Ryu, Kumogakure Ryu, Kasumi Ryu rely greatly on those from Hakuun Ryu Ninpo. It was by the order of Hakuunsai and Hakuun Doshi that use of the name Ryu was halted.

In the Ohbo Era (1161-1163) Hakuun Doshi, taught Kain Doshi, who transmitted the teachings on to Togakure Daisuke. Daisuke taught Shima Kosanta Minamoto No Kanesada, who later started to use teachers name thus becoming the 2nd generation Head known as Togakure Daisuke. When Kanesada was 16 years old he was a retainer of Shogan Yoshinaka. Whilst fighting bravely in battle in July of 1161, he became seriously injured and passed out. Reviving later he made his way to the Iga Mountains where he was saved and taught Ninjutsu by Kain Doshi, Kanesada’s uncle and the 1st Togakure Daisuke. The second generation Togakure Daisuke (Kanesada) became famous as a Togakure Ryu Ninja.

After the battle between the North and the South Emperors, many of the defeated soldiers took refuge in those same mountains and their input into Iga and Koga revolutionised Ninjutsu.

Gamon Dosho always used the expression: “For the Martial Artist a heart of spiritual harmony is most important! I refuse toteach one that has no harmony and peace in his soul.” The first sentence written in the Togakure scrolls states: “Do not kill people, either escape or disappear” and to get this one must learn “flower heart and bamboo spirit “, “God’s Heart God’s Eyes”, ”unification of mind, spirit and body”, in addition to the entire (Nin) virtues. Tozawa Hakuunsai said: “Banpen Fugyo”- be unshaken Whatever happens (Fudoshin).
           
After the second world war, Takamatsu started to re-create the Ninjustu part of Tenshin Hyoho, but stopped and then made Togakure Ryu Ninpo open to the public. He taught this system to some of his students.
           
In secret, Takamatsu gave the Fukumoto Yoshio the highest secret part of Ketsu Inn special Kuji Kiri and he taught Kimura Masaji the last and highest kuden of Bikenjutsu. These secret parts are only ever taught to one person at any time. Tanemura Shoto was taught by Hatsumi Masaji (Yashiaki), Fukumoto Yoshio and Kimura Masaji, ect and he used all of these teachings to establish Togakure Ryu Ninpo Tanemura –Ha on the date 28th November 1984 including all of those special secret Kuden.
           

 

The Togakure Ryu systems are Seishin-Touitsu-ho, Tenmon Chimon, Henso-jutsu, Ninja Rikugu no Ho, Ninja Shigoku no Hiho, Sokushin Sosoku Ho, Tongyo no Jutsu, Hiyaku Ho, Shinsin Onshin Ho, Kyojutsu Tenkan Ho, Tai-jutsu,Syuko-jutsu, Senban Nage Jutsu (Shuriken), Kujikiri Hiden (Jumon Ketsu-Inn), Happo Biken, ShinshinShingan no Ho, ect.


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

© Genbukan, K.J.J.R., Amatsu Tatara are Copyright, Grandmaster Shoto Tanemura, 2008