Great article on the Iga-Shu by Sean Askew, originally posted on Facebook on his own account, and their connection to the Bujinkan. Shared with permission.
"During the Warring States Period, an autonomous group called the Iga-Shu (伊賀衆) was more powerful in the Iga region than the Niki clan, the head guardian clan of the region. In the midst of this situation, the Oda clan, which had been expanding its power in the Kinki region, invaded the area. The battle between the Iga warriors and the Oda clan was called the Tensho Iga Rebellion (「天正伊賀の乱」). In the first battle in Tensho 6 (1579), the Iga were victorious, but in the second battle in 1581, Oda Nobunaga attacked with an overwhelming force. The Iga, led by Momota Tobei and Toda Zairoku, holed up in Hijiyama Castle and fought against the Oda forces of Gamo Ujisato and Tsutsui Junkei. The Iga warriors fought hard against the Oda forces, but finally escaped from the castle during the night before Oda's main and final attack. The fact that Momota and Toda knew the day of the main attack highly suggests that they were indeed Iga shinobi or "ninja". Recently, an Iga Ryu ninjutsu tourist shop made stamped seals for the castle of the Iga-shu, the "ninja" of the Warring States period. (picture attached) As Toda Zairoku is considered to be highly likely an ancestor to our Toda Shinryuken Masamitsu (Toda Hisajiro) of the Bujinkan Dojo heritage, I plan to visit the ruins of Momota Tobei's castle and the Toda family estate ruins in Iga this year. Ninpo Ichizoku!!! Sean Askew Dōtō 導冬 (Winter Guide) Bujinkan Kokusai Renkoumyo 2/1/2023 See less — with Kei Askew." Shared from a Facebook post on his personal account. He also has a blog on his dojo's website, BKRBudo.com
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This is a great article written by Sean Askew, shared on his Facebook account. Shared with permission.
"Bad bad evil Koga!!! On April 10th of 2022 the fifth convention of the International Ninja Studies Association began a two-day event in Koka (Koga) City, showcasing the shinobi or "ninja" of the Koka region. Koka. On the first day, research presentations were given by experts at the Koka Historical Ninja Museum in Konan Town, with over 150 people attending to listen to the presentations. Mr. Takahito Fukushima, a member of the city's Community Development Cooperation, gave a presentation on the public's perceived image of the Koka Ninja. In a survey he carried out that involved over 700 people, 57% said that Iga was definitely the homeland of the ninja and only 14% said that Koka was the original homeland. The survey also showed that more than 30% of the people think of the Koka ninja as "evil". He cited the way the Koka ninja were portrayed in the mass media, animations and video games in the 1980s as the background. He analyzed that the generation that encountered these works was heavily influenced by the pattern of depicting Koka as the enemy of Iga. On the other hand, there was also a difference in opinion based on age groups, with those in their 30s and younger, who are familiar with the ninja comic manga "Naruto" and other works, tending not to have a specific image of the Koka ninja as they do not appear in the work. The keynote speaker was Professor Michifumi Isoda, of the International Research Center for Japanese Studies, who has been conducting historical research on the shinobi of Koka City. He introduced the world to the historical reality of the ninja who served the Owari clan during the Edo period. This was revealed through old documents found at the home of a descendant of a Koka shinobi. He explained that they were paid an allowance by the Owari clan and often held sideline jobs as yamabushi. Records show that they were upper class peasants in rank and were valued from the Warring States period (1467-1615) through the Edo period (1615-1868). But how did their image get associated with evil and the enemy of Iga? I think the answer lies in history. In the handwritten makimono for the Togakure Ryu by Takamatsu Sensei, he says that tradition states that the shinobi before the Eisho period in the early 1500's were not known by the Iga Ryu or the Koka Ryu, or by any other ryu's name. Ninjutsu was just ninjutsu and it was passed on in secret. They were simply warriors who lived in Iga and Koka. Both groups were loyal brothers in arms to the imperial court. But during the Eisho period the warriors of Koka sided with Ashikaga Yoshitsune when he went to Omi no Kuni to kill Yoshizumi. The warriors of Iga did not side with Ashikaga and for that reason it naturally caused friction and tension between the two regions. From this time on they were clearly separated into the Iga Ryu and the Koka Ryu. Could it be the remnants of this discord from the Middle Ages that has led to the image of the Koka ninja as the "bad guys"? Evil evil Koka Ninja!!! Sean Askew 導冬Dōtō – Winter Guide Bujinkan Kokusai Renkoumyo (Iga Ryu LOL) 2/6/2023" Shared from a Facebook post on his personal account. He also has a blog on his dojo's website, BKRBudo.com In the late 1990s and early 2000s there was a Bujinkan focused forum, administered by a Japan resident, it was called Kutaki no Mura. At one point, they created a podcast called Kutaki no Ha. Even though the website is no longer around, starting earlier this year the podcast is being uploaded episode by episode to Youtube. For those who are interested, I will post them here to this blog. Podcast #6, Interview with Mike Loonam Part 2: The two characters which comprise the word kosshi go more than skin deep. In fact they go right to the bone. So what is kosshi? In a recent private talk with Soke Hatsumi a fresh feeling to the meaning of this year's theme (Gyokko Ryu Kosshijutsu) was given.
The basic definition of the characters are BONE & FINGER. So let's look at each character more closely. BONE In earlier times Japan respected the bones of the dead. These were collected from the ash of the dead after a funeral. Traditionally strong bones were also seen as the capacity for one to be able to work in the fields or fight in battle. As Soke pointed out, what makes us human as much as anything is our skeletal structure; without which we would be nothing more than a jellyfish. Our skeleton gives us the advantage of walking bipedally and gripping a weapon for self protection. Fundamental to the make up of Kosshijutsu is the Sanshin No Kata. Explained here as skeleton, soft tissue and skin. Even bone could be expressed in terms of the sanshin as teeth, bone and cartilage. FINGER The five digits of the hand represent the five elements. "Chi" is represented as the little finger through to "fu" as the thumb. The techniques in the Ten Ryaku No Maki or first section of Gyokko Ryu are practiced with the feeling of gravity in mind. The natural force of gravity continually pressing down on us is countered by the skeletal structure whose bones grow naturally to form a strong shape and natural position. This could be expressed as the only true "FORM" of any kamae or technique. Ever wondered why the Kihon Happo is derived from the Gyokko Ryu? Well, as I said the bone represents the three centres (sanshin) of the whole being and the fingers represents the five elements giving us eight. In other words the person within the environment. If one wants to master the kosshijutsu and Kihon Happo then the only way is to "work (practice) one's fingers to the bone!". BUFUSUI IKKAN (The above is an old article written by Andrew Young who lived and trained in Japan for over a decade. Reposted on Facebook by Joe Mauratonio in Bujinkan Forum FB group) In the late 1990s and early 2000s there was a Bujinkan focused forum, administered by a Japan resident, it was called Kutaki no Mura. At one point, they created a podcast called Kutaki no Ha. Even though the website is no longer around, starting earlier this year the podcast is being uploaded episode by episode to Youtube. For those who are interested, I will post them here to this blog. Podcast #6, Interview with Elizabeth Scally: This is a brief interview with Darren Horvath from back in 2017. I've trained in his Hombu class several times in Japan. Always a very fun class, and he is a real mountain of a man! In the late 1990s and early 2000s there was a Bujinkan focused forum, administered by a Japan resident, it was called Kutaki no Mura. At one point, they created a podcast called Kutaki no Ha. Even though the website is no longer around, starting earlier this year the podcast is being uploaded episode by episode to Youtube. For those who are interested, I will post them here to this blog. Podcast #5, Interview with Mike Loonam: In the late 1990s and early 2000s there was a Bujinkan focused forum, administered by a Japan resident, it was called Kutaki no Mura. At one point, they created a podcast called Kutaki no Ha. Even though the website is no longer around, starting earlier this year the podcast is being uploaded episode by episode to Youtube. For those who are interested, I will post them here to this blog. Podcast #4, "The Rainy Day:" In the late 1990s and early 2000s there was a Bujinkan focused forum, administered by a Japan resident, it was called Kutaki no Mura. At one point, they created a podcast called Kutaki no Ha. Even though the website is no longer around, starting earlier this year the podcast is being uploaded episode by episode to Youtube. For those who are interested, I will post them here to this blog. Podcast #3, interview with Adam McColl: In the late 1990s and early 2000s there was a Bujinkan focused forum, administered by a Japan resident, it was called Kutaki no Mura. At one point, they created a podcast called Kutaki no Ha. Even though the website is no longer around, starting earlier this year the podcast is being uploaded episode by episode to Youtube. For those who are interested, I will post them here to this blog. Podcast #2, interview with Thomas Fanzen, Part 2.: |
AuthorShane Sensei is a licensed Shidoshi in the Bujinkan and member of the Shidoshi-Kai. He has trained in the Bujinkan since 1998 and regularly travels to Japan for training. Archives
May 2023
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