Tatsumi-ryū

infobox koryu
nationality = Traditional Japanese martial art
school = Tatsumi-ryū Hyōhō
(立身流兵法)


imagecaption =
founder = Tatsumi Sankyo
founder dates = Middle Muromachi period
(1336–1573)
period founded = Eishō Era
(1504–1521)
date founded = Between 1504 and 1521
headmaster = Hiroshi Kato
headmaster dates = born 1944
art1 = "Kenjutsu"
description1 = Sword art - long and short sword
art2 = "Iai"
description2 = Art of drawing the sword - long sword
art3 = "Sōjutsu"
description3 = Spear art
art4 = "Bōjutsu" (within "kenjutsu" training)
description4 = Long-staff ("rokushaku bō", 1.81 meter staff)
art5 = "Naginatajutsu" (within "kenjutsu" training)
description5 = Glaive art
art6 = "Hanbō" (within "kenjutsu" training)
description6 = Short-staff (90 centimeters)
art7 = "Yawara" (including Nihongo|"katsu"|活 and "hojōjutsu")
description7 = armored and un-armored grappling (including resuscitation and rope-tying)
art8 = Nihongo|"Shudan sentōhō"|手段戦闘法
description8 = Esoteric charms, tactics
art9 = Nihongo|"Monomi"|物見
description9 = Scouting, reconnaissance, and observation techniques
art10 =
description10 =
ancestors = None identified
descendants = Tatsumi Shin-ryu

nihongo|Tatsumi-ryū Hyōhō|立身流兵法|Tatsumi-ryū Hyōhō is a traditional school ("koryū") of Japanese martial arts founded in the early 16th century by Tatsumi Sankyo. [ Keeley (1997), p. 144; Skoss and Skoss (1999), p. 70; Bexis (2007), p. 61.]

History

Tatsumi Sankyo was born in what is now Ehime Prefecture, Japan, on Shikoku island. He is thought to have been active as a warrior ("bushi") in the Eishō Era (1504–1520). Tatsumi trained in the martial arts from an early age. As a result, he was never defeated, either on the battlefield or in single combat. [Keeley (1997), p. 144] As a young man, Tatsumi was dissatisfied with mere technical proficiency, or even victory in combat, and secluded himself in prayer to the mountain deity ("kami") Tsumayama Daimyojin. Through intense Nihongo|ascetic training|修行|shugyō, Tatsumi gained enlightenment ("satori") in the sword arts going beyond superficial levels of purely physical achievement. He then formulated the Tatsumi-ryū as a result of his experiences in light of his new understanding. [ Keeley (1997), p. 144.]

cquote|At the time of the Meiji Restoration, a number of well-known swordsmen were members of the Tatsumi-ryu. In particular was Henmi Sosuke, the first head of the kenjutsu training unit of the post-feudal Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department. Yamaoka Tesshu, famous as a swordsman and calligrapher himself, said of Henmi Sosuke, 'Swordsmen are many, but only Henmi uses the true sword.' During that time period, several of the basic kata of the Tatsumi Ryu kenjutsu syllabus, the iai syllabus, and the yawara were adopted by the Metropolitan Police Office. [cite web
last = Armstrong
first = Hunter B.
title = International Hoplology Society
work = Tatsumi Ryu
publisher = The International Hoplology Society, Inc
date = 1998-2007
url = http://www.hoplology.com/weapons_detail.asp?id=4
accessdate = 2007-06-29]

Curriculum

Tatsumi-ryū is a Nihongo|martial art|総合武術|sōgō bujutsu, encompassing many of the classical martial and strategic skills of the Nihongo|martial artist|武芸者|bugeisha. The central weapon of Tatsumi-ryū is the katana, and training to use the sword in combat constitutes the largest part of the curriculum. The use of other weapons, such as the spear ("yari"), glaive ("naginata"), long staff ("rokushaku-bō"), and short staff ("hanbō"), is undertaken with the aim of enabling the swordsman to defeat such weapons. Indeed, the studies of "naginata", "rokushaku-bō", and "hanbō" are classified as part of the swordsmanship ("kenjutsu") curriculum and are not considered as separate areas of study. Therefore in the practice of pre-determined exercises with partners ("kata") these weapons always "lose" to the sword. [Keeley (1997), p. 145; Skoss and Skoss (1999), p. 70; Bexis (2007), p. 61]

The school also contains a large curriculum for unarmed grappling arts (which Tatsumi-ryū refers to as "yawara", rather than jujutsu). [Keeley (1999), p. 112] The "yawara" syllabus includes training for combat both in and out of armour, and covers a wide range of techniques and situations. Also included in the "yawara" syllabus are the Nihongo|resuscitation techniques|活|katsu and the art of restraining a person with rope-tying techniques ("hojōjutsu"). The curriculum includes also a number of weapons for which there are no kata, but which are referred to in Tatsumi-ryū's scrolls ("makimono"). This includes the truncheon ("jutte"), throwing blade ("shuriken"), iron fan ("tessen"), and weighted chain ("manriki-gusari"). These scrolls also include a number of "case studies" of various situations, esoteric charms, Nihongo|tactics|手段戦闘法|shudan sentōhō, and Nihongo|scouting, reconnaissance and observation techniques|物見|monomi, as well as an array of other teachings about different aspects of warrior culture and philosophy. [Skoss and Skoss (1999) , p. 70]

Authorized teachers

During the Edo Period, Tatsumi-ryū was widely practiced among the samurai of the Hotta clan's domain, which is centered on present day Sakura, Chiba. Today Hiroshi Kato ("Kato Hiroshi", born 1944) is recognized as the 22nd grandmaster (sōke) of Tatsumi-ryū. Outside Japan, Liam Keeley, of Melbourne, Australia, is the only individual who both holds advanced teaching licenses ("mokuroku") for Tatsumi-ryū as well as being an authorized teacher for Tatsumi-ryū. Pierre and Claire Simon (France), Miquel Morancho (Andorra/Spain) and Jaime Gamundí (Spain) are also authorized to teach the Tatsumi-ryū curriculum.

Notes

References

*Bexis, Dennis (2007) "Budo in the 'Burbs: Liam Keeley, student of the Koryu martial arts," [http://www.sportzblitz.net/blitz-martial-arts/magazine.php Blitz] 21(8), pp. 58-62.
*Keeley, Liam (1997) "Kato Takashi: Reflections of the Tatsumi-ryu Headmaster" in Diane Skoss (ed.) [http://koryu.com/store/book1.html Koryu Bujustsu: Classical Warrior Traditions of Japan] (Berkeley Heights, N.J.: Koryu Books), pp. 143-153.
*Keeley, Liam (1999) "The Tojutsu of the Tatsumi-ryu, Murphy's Law, and the K.I.S.S. Principle" in Diane Skoss (ed.) [http://koryu.com/store/ss2.html Sword and Spirit: Classical Warrior Traditions of Japan, Volume 2] (Berkeley Heights, N.J.: Koryu Books), pp. 111-149.
*Skoss, Meik and Diane Skoss (1999) "Field Guide to the Classical Japanese Martial Arts" in Diane Skoss (ed.) [http://koryu.com/store/ss2.html Sword and Spirit: Classical Warrior Traditions of Japan, Volume 2] (Berkeley Heights, N.J.: Koryu Books), pp. 59-87.

External links

Tatsumi-ryu websites
* [http://tatsumi-ryu.com/ Tatsumi-ryu Japanese Homepage] ja icon
* [http://www.users.bigpond.net.au/koryu/index.html Liam Keeley Sensei - Tatsumi-ryu in Australia at the Melbourne Koryu Kenkyukai]
* [http://www.oshinkan.com/activites/tatsumiryu/historique.htm Pierre & Claire Simon - Oshinkan] fr icon

Online articles
* [http://www.hoplology.com/weapons_detail.asp?id=7 Liam Keeley's thoughts on practicing two classical traditions: Chen Style Taijiquan and Tatsumi-ryu heiho]
* [http://www.hoplology.com/weapons_detail.asp?id=4 More information on Tatsumi-Ryu from The International Hoplology Society]