Itto Shoden Muto-ryu

Itto Shoden Muto-ryu (一刀正伝無刀流) is a school of Japanese swordsmanship "(kenjutsu)" created by Yamaoka Tetsutaro Takayuki, more commonly known as Yamaoka Tesshu.

He studied a number of ryu over the years, most notably Ono-ha Itto-ryu and Nakanishi-ha Itto-ryu. Tesshu received the full transmissions of both the Nakanishi line and the Ono-ha Itto-ryu from their respective headmasters. In creating his own line of transmission, he named it the Itto Shoden Muto-ryu to emphasize that he was passing on the correct transmission of Itto-ryu principles and techniques. The term "muto" (No-Sword) refers to Yamaokas stated realization that the difference between Sword and Self, and between oneself and one’s opponent is illusory and that the underlying unity of all is the most important thing in swordsmanship.

The school practice "shugyo", (austere) training of swordsmanship, which put into test one's mental and physical capacity to the greatest levels. Today, there are very few exponents of Yamaoka’s school. Itto Shoden Muto-ryu is now practiced in Kanazawa, Ishikawa Prefecture. Murakami Yasumasa, who learned from a late Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Ishida Kazuto, is the sixth generation head of the school.

External links

[http://www.thejapanesesword.com/articles/Tesshu.htm Yamaoka Tesshu article by Paul Martin]