Takagi Yoshin Ryu

Takagi Yoshin Ryu is officially called Hontai Takagi Yoshin Ryu or Hontai Yoshin Takagi Ryu or simply Takagi Ryu; the name differs among different teachers. As for the founder, one view has it that it was Takagi Oriemon, and another view has it that it was his son Umanosuke Sadashige. The techniques were passed on from Umanosuke Shigesada to Gennoshin Hideshige and to Okuni Kihei 1 in Ako han, Hyogo prefecture. It is said that techniques of Bojutsu, Naginata and Spear were adopted from Kukishin Ryu when Okuni Kihei was the teacher in chief, and the techniques of both schools have been instructed since then.2

A picture of Takagi Oriemon

A picture of Takagi Umanosuke

Above are the views of Takamatsu Chosui, who learned both Takagi Ryu and Kukishin Ryu. There is, however, a record called Kishomon-Maegaki (a transcription in the Edo period) 3 preserved by the Kuki family, on which the name of Takagi Oriuemon Shigemitsu and his signature is written dated February 2, 1602. There exist other documents which suggest that Takagi Oriuemon was given a "scroll concerning martial arts" from Kukishin Ryu on March 7, 1617. Which suggests the relations of the two schools had started from the time Takagi Ryu was established, rather than from the generation of Okuni Kihei. This Kishomon Maegakinokoto includes the signature of Okuni Kihei Yoshisada (four generations up from Okuni Kihei Nobushige) dated October 3, 1672. There is also a record that Kuki Osumikami Takatomo, the 25th head of the Kukis, received instruction from Oguchi Izumonokami,4 whose name used to be "Okuni Kigenta Tadayoshi" before changing it.5

In terms of techniques, we can see close similarities between them in comparison with the lists of techniques(Mokuroku). The view of Takagi Ryu has it that techniques Yoshin Ryu adopted from Kukishin Ryu were exclusively those of weapons like Bojutsu, Naginata and Spear; but there are close similarities in Taijutsu(Jujutsu in Takagi Ryu) techniques as well; a close study is needed in this field.

With the contribution of Takamatsu Chosui and his master Ishitani Matsutaro who learned both schools of martial arts and gave support to the Soke Kuki before and after the War, the ties between Takagi Ryu and Kukishin Ryu have got much stronger..
Ishitani Matsutaro was born in Akashi, Hyogo prefecture. He was a son of Ishitani Takema Masatsugu, who was a teacher of Takagi Yoshin Ryu. Matsutaro left his house at the early stage of his life and studied under Iba Toyotaro, from whom he learned Kukishin Ryu. It goes without saying that he learned Takagi Ryu from his father. The techniques of Takagiyoshin Ryu were passed on to Sato Kinbei 7 in Tokyo from Takamatsu Chosui, and now Tanemura Shoto instructs them in Tajima, Matsubushi cho, Kita Katsu gun, Saitama prefecture.

The late Teacher Sato Kinbei	The picture of Teacher Tanemura Shoto
－The pictures were provided by Teacher Tanemura Shoto－

Certificate of Kaiden awarded to Shoto Tanemura from Sato Kinbei	Certificate of Kaiden awarded to Sato Kinbei from Takamatsu Chosui
－provided by Shoto Tanemura－

In addition to the Takagi Ryu of the Ishitani lineage8, Teacher Tanemura learned several kinds of Takagi Ryu, among which is the Shitake lineage 8 that is said to be the real techniques passed on by Yagi Ikugoro. Thus perfecting his techniques, we got an impression that Tanemura has learned virtually every aspect of the original form of Takagi Ryu.

For more information, Takagi Ryu has different lineages from the one mentioned above, such as the Takagi Ryu Takamatsu Chosui had learned from Mizuta Yoshitaro 9 before Chosui learned from Ishitani Matsutara, and other Takagi Ryu handed down in Akou, Kobe regions.

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[ Notes ]
1	The middle name can be read "Onihei."
2	According to Takamatsu Chosui, an anecdote regarding the relationship of Kukishin Ryu with Takagi Ryu goes as follows: "Because of the untimely death of Nagatonokami Moritaka's son Kuki Sadataka, who was supposed to be appointed head of Kukishin Ryu instead of the bed-ridden oldest son Yoshitaka, Kuki Kihei took over the position. Later on, he became a mountaineering ascetic and traveled across Japan. Kihei happened to meet Takagi Umanosuke's son Gennoshin in Akou, Hyogo prefecture and competed their skills. Takagi exceeded in Yawara(Taijutsu) and Kihei in Bojutsu. Jujutsu has been handed down as Takagi Ryu and Bojutsu, Spear, and Naginata techniques have been handed down as Kukishin Ryu."(Watatani Kiyoshi and Yamada Tadashi. Bugei Ryu-ha Daijiten Tokyo: Tokyo Copy )
3	A note of pledge submitted to the Soke or a teacher when one is admitted to a school of martial arts. "Maegaki" is a document with sentences declaring one's loyalties to the school with a signature on it.
4	He was a retainer of a court noble, Nakayama family. There is a record that he introduced Sir Tadamitsu to the loyalists such as Takeichi Hanpeita, Hirai Syuji and others when Sir Tadamitsu organized Tenchu-gumi.
5	Chosui, Takamatsu. The 36th volume of Nakatomi Hisho : Kuki Jutaijutsu Kappo Hen-no-maki. It is Kukijutaijutsu Kappouhen no maki, the 36th volume of Nakatomi Hisyou by Chosui Takamatsu.
6	The 36th volume of Nakatoki Hisho "Kuki Jutaijutsu Kappohennomaki" compiled by Takamtsu Chosui
7	Teacher Sato Kinbei was awarded Menkyo Kaiden in Kukishin Ryu Bojutsu and Takagi Yoshin Ryu Jujutsu by Teacher Takamatsu in 1952.
8	The revised version of "Bugei Ryuha Daijiten" (pub. by Tokyo Copy) says "Ishibashi so-and-so" and "Ishibashi Takagi Ryu," which is incorrect. This should be Ishizaki Yasutarou Yoshimitsu, who was a student of Inoue Kumataro Kiyonaga that learned Takagi Ryu from Yagi Ikugoro. There is a view that the Ishizaki family had no Dojo and the techniques were exclusively handed down in the family, which is untrue. A list that recorded the names of his students exist, a list that was made in cerebration of Iwasaki Yasutaro's 61th birthday. After his death his grave was built by his students, on which names of them are said to be inscribed according to Teacher Shoto Tanemura.
9	Teacher Mizuta Yoshitaro was Ishizaki Yasutaro's student at first. The list of students' name preserved by the Ishizake family says that "Mizutani founded his own Ryu-ha after getting the Certificate of Menkyo."