De 9 skoler:

• Togakure Ryu
• Gyokko Ryu
• Shinden Fudo Ryu
• Gikan Ryu
• Gyokushin Ryu
• Kumogakure Ryu
• Takagi Yoshin Ryu
• Koto Ryu
• Kukishinden Ryu

Der er ni overordnede kamptraditioner der indgår i Bujinkan Budo træning.

Togakure Ryu
Was founded by Diasuke Nishina who was raised as a vassal of Kiso Yoshinaka in the early 12th century. When Yoshinaka's army was defeated in battle, Diasuke escaped to Iga. There he learned various martial skills such as kosshijutsu and kenjutsu from Kagakure Doshi. It was initially called Togakure Ryu Happo Hiken but has been called by various names since that time. Togakure Ryu is known for its use of tekko, senban nage and shinodake (4-foot breathing tube).

So-o was the name of a monk at a monastery on Mount Hiei-zan. As was a custom in those times he left his home to live for three years in a cave, subjecting himself to the hardship of nature in order to discover truth and enlightenment. It was after a mysterious dream that he formed the Tendai Shugendo sect of Buddhism, and established the headquarters of the Tendai monastery at Hiei-zan. These monks still exist today and some are still engaged in Shugendo, or mountain asceticism: purifying one's self by trial and hardship.

Near to Hiei-zan was a small village called Togakure, in the prefecture of Shinano. Here in approximately 1161, Daisuke Nishina was born into a Samurai family. Sometime during his early life, he studied at the Tendai monastery on Togakure Mountain (Mount Hiei-zan) near his village. These early experiences were to play an important role later when Daisuke was to establish a system of fighting, survival and infiltration.

It is important to understand the events leading up to the creation of Togakure Ryu Ninpo. Daisuke Nishina's father was Yukihiro Nishina, who was a highly ranked samurai in the service of Lord Yoshinaka Minamoto, the cousin of the first Shogun of Japan. When Yoshinaka Minamoto was only an infant, a samurai was sent from a rival family to kill him and his mother. Yoshinaka's mother escaped with him and went secretly to the home of a farmer who was loyal to their family. Yoshinaka was later brought to Kiso village in Shinano, not far from Togakure village.

It was possibly because of this movement that Yukihiro Nishina of Togakure came into his service. Years later, Yoshinaka's family had defeated their rivals and became rulers of Japan. But they saw Yoshinaka as a threat to their leadership, and they turned on him. Yoshinaka Minamoto changed his name to Yoshinaka Kiso, taking the name of the village where he lived, which was a common practice at the time. In 1184, Yoshinaka was attacked by the army of his half-brother... sixty thousand warriors descended quickly upon Yoshinaka's army near Kyoto. The battle was called Awaza no Kassan, and Yoshinaka Kiso was killed by an arrow in his eye. On his side had fought Yukihiro Nishina of Togakure, who was also killed, and his son Daisuke Nishina, who survived.

Daisuke, being on the losing side of this battle, was forced to flee into far-away Iga to escape persecution. There he fled into the remote villages, hidden in the mists of a land of high mountains and thick forests. He changed his name to Daisuke Togakure, after the village of his birth.

While he was in Iga, Daisuke was found by Kagakure Doshi. Kagakure Doshi was a shinobi, and the third soke of Hakuun Ryu, which was one of the original ninjutsu systems developed from the teachings of Ikai (Yi Gai, who brought the roots of koshijutsu from China). It is also possible that Doshi was Daisuke's uncle, and that Daisuke fled to Iga with the intention of finding him.

Daisuke Togakure learned Doshi's warrior teachings, and added them to his own Shugendo beliefs, and the beginnings of Togakure Ryu where forged. But Daisuke was not alone studying under Kagakure Doshi. With him was Shima Kosanta Minamoto no Kanesada. He was a high level samurai retainer who had also fought at the battle of Awaza no Kassan, where he had become a friend to Daisuke and his father. Shima was wounded in the fighting, and was taken by Daisuke to Iga. Shima was to become the second soke of Togakure Ryu. He took the name Daisuke Togakure II after Daisuke's death. His son Goro Togakure, the third soke, is recognized as being the person who actually formed the teachings of Togakure into the Ninjutsu system that we learn today. The 11th, 12th and 13th Soke of the Ryu are named after the main town of Iga, Ueno. Again, it was common in those days to be named after the town or village from which one came. It is therefore likely that the Togakure Ryu was based at or near Ueno at that time. Ueno is in north Iga, but Togakure Ryu mainly operated out of southern central Iga during most of its history.

It is told that members of the Hattori clan trained in Togakure Ryu. Hattori Hanzo is the most famous of all Ninja. Also members of the Momochi family also trained in this system, and the 21st Soke of Togakure Ryu was Momochi Kobei, a descendant of Momochi Sandayu, the second most famous ninja and a leading figure of the Iga region.

As with most martial traditions in earlier days, control of the system stayed within the family that founded it, and control of the style passed from father to son. With Togakure Ryu, it continued in this way for the most part until the 1600's. When the immediate family died out, most senior member of the system was Nobutsuna Toda, who was given leadership and became the 24th Soke. When the Toda family took control in approximately 1625, they added their own ninjutsu system of Kumogakure Ryu to it. They also controlled Gyokko Ryu and Koto Ryu, and from that time on, all those martial arts systems were then passed down together.

The 32nd Soke of Togakure Ryu, Shinryuken Masamitsu Toda, was the sword instructor for the Tokugawa Shogunate in the mid 19th century. He resigned his post when he learned that he was teaching men who were then forced to kill other Japanese people. This went against the Law of Togakure Ryu. The 33rd Soke, Toshitsugu Takamatsu, was the last member of the Toda family to control the Togakure Ryu. Within the Tendai Shugendo sect, nearly a millennium after its founding by the monk So-o, the 33rd Soke of Togakure Ryu Toshitsugu Takamatsu was ordained on Mount Hiei-zan.

"Violence is to be avoided, and Ninpo is Bujutsu"

Soke of Togakure Ryu:

• Ikai
• Hogenbo
• Sakabe, Tendo
• Hachiryu, Nyodo - Tenei era - 1110
• Kimon, Hyobei - Ninpei era - 1151
• Kasumigakure, Doshi

1. Togakure (Nishina) Daisuke - Oho era - 1161
2. Minamoto no Kanesada, Shima Kosanta - 1180
3. Togakure, Goro - 1200
4. Togakure, Kosanta
5. Koga, Kosanta
6. Kaneko, Tomoharu
7. Togakure, Ryuho
8. Togakure, Gakuun
9. Kido, Koseki
10. Iga, Tenryu
11. Ueno, Rihei
12. Ueno, Senri
13. Ueno, Manjiro
14. Iizuka, Saburo
15. Sawada, Goro
16. Ozaru, Ippei
17. Kimata, Hachiro
18. Kataoka, Heizaemon
19. Mori, Ugenta
20. Toda, Gobei
21. Kobe, Seiun
22. Momochi, Kobei
23. Tobari, Tenzen
24. Toda, Nobutsuna Seiryu - Kwanyei era 1624 - 1644
25. Toda, Nobuchika Fudo - Manji era 1658 - 1681
26. Toda, Kangoro Nobuyasu - Tenna era 1681 - 1704
27. Toda, Eisaburo Nobumasa - Hoyei era 1704 - 1711
28. Toda, Shinbei Masachika - Shotoku era 1711 - 1736
29. Toda, Shingoro Masayoshi - Gembun era 1736 - 1764
30. Toda, Daigoro Chikahide - Meiwa era 1764 - 1804
31. Toda, Daisaburo Chikashige - Bunkwa era 1804 - ?
32. Toda, Shinryuken Masamitsu - ? - 1907 [b.1824 - d.1909]
33. Takamatsu, Toshitsugu - 1907 - 1968 [b.1887 - d.1972]
34. Hatsumi, Masaaki (Yoshiaki) - 1968 - ... [b.1931 - ]

San-po Hiden [The three secret treasures of Togakure Ryu]:

Senban Shuriken - the four pointed throwing star. This resembled a tool used by carpenters to remove nails, called a kugi-nuki. It was a weapon to harass the enemy to assist in escape.

Shuko - commonly known as climbing claws, they were frequently used on both the hands and feet for combat as well, capable of delivering very serious injuries. They were made of metal bands around the hand and wrist with a strap of leather connecting them. Also called Tegaki.

Shindake- a bamboo tube around 4 feet long, used as an underwater breathing tube and a blowgun.

Sanpo wo uyamae: respect of the three treasures.

Kilde: http://www.geocities.com/remipulwer/Budo/TogakureRyu.html

Gyokko Ryu
It is believed that a Chinese person named Ikai introduced this art to Japan in the 8th century. According to Hatsumi Sensei, that person could also be somebody (kai) from a foreign (i) country. It is assumed that this kosshijutsu was based on Chinese martial arts. Although kosshijutsu means "to be able to knock down an enemy with one finger", it can also signify the "backbone" [spine] of the martial arts.

Kukishinden Ryu
The founder of this tradition was Yakushimaru Kurando Takazane, a palace guard of Emperor Godaigo in the 1330's. He was awarded the family name of Kuki (nine demons) for his spirited fighting and rescue of the Emperor. In addition to bo, yari, shuriken and unarmed fighting methods, this tradition is well known for its bojutsu and kenjutsu. Due in part to the Kuki family's activities as suigun (navy) they adapted a low fighting posture that permitted better balance on turbulent waters. This tradition is related to Kukishin Ryu which is well known for its bojutsu.

Shinden Fudo Ryu
This ryu was founded by Izumo Kanja Yoshiteru. A characteristic of this ryu is its recognition of shizen ("natural") as the only necessary posture of defense. However, in reality, a person imagines a posture of defense in his mind and places himself on guard. This tradition has two sections of fighting (dakentaijutsu & jutaijutsu) as well as the philosophy of not drawing a sword unless absolutely necessary.

Koto Ryu
This art was founded in the middle of the 16th century by Toda Sankyo Ishinsai who had learned Gyokko Ryu from Gyokkan, a Buddhist monk. Koppojutsu originally came from ancient China and was also called Goho, which was characterized by its use of hidden weapons. The first kanji of koppo (kotsu) means bone, but can have the deeper meaning of "knack".

Gikan Ryu
Founded by Unryu Hangan Gikanbo, Daimyo of Kawachi Province. He developed this art from his lessons in kosshijutsu. The lessons of this tradition are almost totally unknown to the public and many of its secret techniques were handed down from sôke to sôke only.

The Gikan Ryu Koppojutsu is almost totally unknown today to the public. One reason for this is that its secret techniques were handed down only from Soke to the next generation of Soke, often from Father to son. The founder of Gikan Ryu was Uryu Hogan Gikanbo, who lived during the Eiroku Era (1558 - 1570). He was a ruler of Kawachi no Kuni (Osaka) at the clan castle known as Uryujo. He was a true warrior and martial artist who strove to keep Japan at peace. Gikanbo was a specialist of Koppo Jutsu, Hicho Jutsu, and Senban Nage Jutsu. In these ancient times, the term Jujutsu was not used. The styles of this era were normally known as: Kosshi Jutsu, Koppo Jutsu, or Daken Taijutsu. The Gikan Ryu as developed by Gikanbo was heavily influenced by the Chinese style of Cho Gyokko's line (Gyokko Ryu Koppojutsu) and the Ikai line. From the teachings of Gikanbo comes the saying: 'Bufu Ni Sente Nashi (From this side will not come the first strike).

Gikan ryu koppojutsu contains special kicks, punches and throws. It is said that Gikanbo developed a special punch that could break a sword. Grades were awarded through the traditional Japanese menkyo system using scrolls for: Shoden Gata, Chuden Gata, Okuden Gata, Kaiden Gata, and others.
The 10th Soke was known as Uryu Gikanbo and went by the same name as the founder of the Ryu. On August 17th, 1863 Gikanbo fought for the Emperor during the famous battle of Tenchu Gumi no Ran. He was a powerful force in the battle and fought valiantly. After being wounded by a rifle shot, he continued to attack with his one good arm until he was overcome by numerous sword cuts from the enemy. Injured to the point of exhaustion, he retired from the battle to behind a nearby temple. Here he was found by an Iga warrior named Ishitani Matsutaro, who himself was on his way to join the battle. Gikanbo convinced Ishitani that the battle was surely lost and that he should not waste his life. Ishitani tended to Gikanbo's wounds and took him to Iga to recover. Ishitani Matsutaro, already the Soke of Takagi Yoshin Ryu and Kukishin Ryu, was later repaid for his kindness by being taught the Gikan Ryu, becoming the 11th generation Soke.

In the Meiji Era, when Ishitani was 61 he was given employment by the father of Takamatsu Sensei at his match factory. It was from here that Ishitani met and started teaching the young Takamatsu Sensei. Takamatsu Sensei later would receive from Ishitani the Grandmasterships of Takagi Yoshin Ryu, Kukishin Ryu, Gikan Ryu, and many others.
Takamatsu Sensei awarded the Gikan ryu to Akimoto Fumio who was his senior student. This was based through his family's connection to the Gikan Ryu along with the Shoken Ryu of Daken Taijutsu. Unfortunately, his scrolls and densho were destroyed during the 2nd World War. Sadly, Akimoto passed away in 1962.
At this point, there are two different stories that are being told by the followers of two Japanese teachers who claim to be the Sokes of the Gikan Ryu - Hatsumi Massaki and Shoto Tanamura.
Shoto Tanamura, who was at one point a student of Hatsumi Sensei, claims to inherit the Sokeship from Sato Kinbei who supposedly in January of 1963, was awarded the sokeship for Gikan Ryu Koppo Jutsu. As the story accounts, from this time on, any information concerning Gikan Ryu was held exclusively by Sato Kinbei Sensei in the various forms of knowledge, scrolls and texts. Kimbei Sensei for reason unknown chose to keep secret the heritage given to him by Takamatsu Sensei. Sato Kimbei is regarded by Genbukan Schools the 14th Soke of the Gikan Ryu...
Massaki Hatsumi's story is less complicated - After Akimoto's death the the Sokeship came back to Takamatsu who gave it to Hatsumi along other eight Ryus that all together were used to create the Bujinkan Budo Ninpo Taijutsu School.

Kazu - Genealogy of Gikan Ryu

1. Akimoto, Kanai Moriyoshi
2. Uryu, Hangan Gikanbo Yeiroku era (1558-1570)
3. Uryu, Yoshimitsu Tensho era (1573-1592)
4. Uryu, Yoshimori Kan-ei era (1624-1644)
5. Uryu, Yoshichika Kambun era (1661-1673)
6. Uryu, Yoshitaka Genroku era (1688-1704)
7. Uryu, Yoshihide Horeki era (1751-1764)
8. Uryu, Yoshimori Kansei era (1789-1801)
9. Uryu, Yoshiaki Tenpo era (1830-1844)
10. Uryu, Yoshiyasu Bunkyo era (1861-1864)
11. Uryu, Gikan Keio era (1865-1868)
12. Ishitani, Takeoi Masatsugu ? ( - ) approx death 1905
13. Ishitani, Matsutaro Takekage ? ( - ) approx death 1911
14. Takamatsu, Toshitsugu Uoh Taisho era (1911-1972) (1888.03.01-1972.04.02)
15. Akimoto, Fumio ? (1962) approx death 1962
16. Hatsumi, Masaaki (Yoshiaki) Showa era (1971-) (1931.12.02-)

Akimoto, Kanai Moriyoshi
He was a student of Sougyoko Kan Ritsushi who was the 12th Soke in Gyokko-ryu Kosshijutsu, and the 3rd Soke in Koto-ryu Koppojutsu. He is the one who founded the teachings that would become Gikan Ryu, he is not considered to be the founder for reasons unknown.

Uryu, Hangan Gikanbo
Area: Kawachi no Kuni
Gikan Ryu was founded by Uryu, Giganbo who was the Daimyo of Kawachi no Kuni (Kawachi castle). This was a family castle known as Uryujo. It is said that his punch was so powerful that he once broke a sword blade in half. He was also a master of Hichojutsu (leaping techniques) and Senban nage (blade throwing). The "bo" in Gikanbo was probably added to his name after his death. It was a custom to add "bo" (dead) to the end of the deceased person's name on people with higher social status. Still today deceased persons with a high social status, often have "Ingo" or "Koji" added to the end of their names on their tombstones.

Uryu, Yoshimitsu
In his later years he became a monk.

Uryu, Gikan
On 27'th August 1863 he was fighting for the emperor's army in a battle called "Tenchigumi no ran." He was shot in his arm by a musket, but he kept fighting with only one arm. When he could, he retired to the safety of a nearby temple. It was here that Ishitani, Takeoi Masatsugu who already was the Soke of Kukishinden-ryu and Hontai Takagi Yoshin-ryu found him. Ishitani told him that the battle was already over. Ishitani helped him to recover, and together they escaped to Iga (Paul Richardson's Book).

Ishitani, Takeoi Masatsugu
As he had helped Uryu, Gikan to safety in Iga, a friendship began. Ishitani was then taught the Gikan Ryu, and later received the Menkyo Kaiden, a diploma that verifies that he has learnt the Gikan Ryu techniques fully. He was also to be the next Soke of Gikan Ryu, added to his own two schools' Kukishinden-ryu and Hontai Takagi Yoshin-ryu. He died somewhere around 1905.

Ishitani, Matsutaro Takekage
He came to Takamatsu family match factory in the early 1900 looking for a job, he got the job as the security chief on the factory. He was an old man using his bokken as a cane. He died in 1911.

Takamatsu, Toshitsugu Uoh (1888.03.01 - 1972.04.02)

He learnt Gikan Ryu from Ishitani as well as Kukishinden-ryu and Hontai Takagi Yoshin-ryu) (not to be confused with Takagi Yoshin Ryu, which he learnt from Mizuta Tadefuza), for approximately two years between 1903-1905 until the death of Ishitani. He was already an expert in Togakure-ryu, Gyokko-ryu, Koto-ryu, Shindenfudo-ryu, Gyokushin-ryu and Kumogakure-ryu that he had learnt from his uncle. He was also an expert of Takagiyoshin-ryu from Mizuta Sensei. He learnt the three schools from Ishitani fast and received Menkyo Kaiden. When Ishitani was about to die he called for Takamatsu, he told Takamatsu that he would be the next Soke for the three schools. And that he should also give a copy of the three Densho's from Hontai Takagi Yoshin Ryu to his student, and Takamatsu's friend Kakuno Hachiheita.

Some Dates of Takamatsu's Activities related to Gikan Ryu:

Akimoto, Fumio (November 30th, 1894 - July 20, 1962)

Takamatsu gave the Menkyo Kaiden to several people, this including his best friend and senior student Akimoto, Fumio, but the Soke ship was given only to two of his students - relatevely once in 1962 and then once again in 1970.
Akimoto Fumio was the ferst receiver of the Sokeship. He was a senior student of Grandmaster Takamatsu. Born on November 30th, 1894, he was only a few years younger than Takamatsu. His family were descendents of Taika no Kaishin, a bushi from the Nara era. Akimoto held grandmasterships (Sokeship) in Gikan Ryu Koppojutsu (given to him by Takamatsu sensei in 1962) and Shoken Ryu Dakentaijutsu (which ran through his own family line)- This Ryu probably died with Akimoto's death. Since Shoken Ryu is not one of the Bujinkan schools, not much is known..
Akimoto started training with Takamatsu as a teenager, and studied with him throughout his life. As a young man, Akimoto won a match with the famed judoka Mifune. Later, he entered the Kodokan and was ranked as a 5th dan in Judo.
It is believed that his scrolls were destroyed in the fire bombing of Tokyo in World War II, but this has not been confirmed. Akimoto passed away on July 20, 1962 without a successor. So the Sokeship of Gikan Ryu returned to Takamatsu, and then later passed on to Hatsumi Sensei with the other eight Bujinkan ryu's somewhere between 1968-1971.

Hatsumi, Masaaki (1931.12.02)
Area: Noda
Era: Showa (1968)
Also Soke in... Koto Ryu, Togakure Ryu, Kumogakure Ryu, Shinden Fudo Ryu, Gikan Ryu, Gyokushin Ryu, Kukishin Ryu, Takagi Yoshin Ryu He was born 2'nd December 1931. He was highly ranked in most of the Budo arts, he realized there had to be something else that was not watered down to a sport. He was constatly searching for a good teacher, until he was introduced to Takamatsu 1957. He travelled to his home in Kashihara every weekend for 15 years. Before Takamatsu died he was appointed to be the next Soke in Togakure Ryu and the other 8 schools. In the mid and late 70's as it was introduced to the first westerners the Bujinkan Ninpo Taijutsu Dojo began to take form. In the mid 80's he first went outside Japan to teach to the westerners. 1995 he decided to change the style name to Bujinkan Budo Taijutsu, emphasizing that he had much more than Ninpo to teach. He still lives in Noda (north of Tokyo), he still holds classes in Tokyo and travels abroad to teach several times a year.

Takagi Yoshin Ryu
Traces its lineage back to the 16th century scroll Rinpo Hiden which was studied by Ito Ki-i no Kami. This tradition was founded by Takagi Oriemon Shigenobu. This art developed through the years and has strong links to Takeuchi Ryu, Kukishin Ryu and Hontai Yoshin Ryu. This tradition teaches to always remain calm and flexible like the willow.

Gyokushin Ryu
This art is a branch of kosshijutsu and was founded by Sasaki Goemon Teruyoshi. Characteristics of this tradition include its unique usage of nawa nage (rope throwing) and espionage techniques. The secrets of this tradition have only been hinted about by the current grandmaster.

Kumogakure Ryu
This martial art was founded by Heinaizaemon Ienaga Iga (Kumogakure Hoshi) who was also believed to be the originator of Iga Ryu Ninjutsu. The special skills of this tradition include its use of the kamayari (sickle spear) and kote uchi (forearm striking) techniques. Much of the training in this tradition is said to be likened to the taijutsu and philosophies of escape and evasion techniques in Togakure Ryu.

Other training:
As well as the above mentioned Bujinkan traditions our dojo training also encompasses several other martial traditions as well. For instance, our kusari fundo training comes from Masaaki Ryu, while our daisho sabaki training comes from Takagi Yoshin Ryu, and our black belt level Shinken Gata training is derived from the philosophies and strategies of samurai hundreds of years ago. Some weapon training is derived from Kukishin Ryu and other ryu.