Yoshioka-ryū

Yoshioka-ryū is a koryū Japanese sword-fighting martial art and is part of the Kyohachi-ryū. The Yoshioka-ryū became famous during the latter half of the 16th century when Yoshioka Kenpo (founder of Yoshioka-ryū) was assigned to be the sword instructor of the Ashikaga shoguns in Kyoto.

The Yoshioka-ryū was founded in the first half of the Tenmon period (1532 - 1554) by Yoshioka Kenpo (Kenbo). Yoshioka Kenpo was originally a dyeworker and his family was famous for a special method to produce a unitary dark blue tone which could be produced in the same nuance every time. The tone was named after Yoshioka Kenpo and was called "Kenpo-zome". Kenpo mastered his swordsmanship and developed his own fighting style which Kenpo led back to Kiichi Hogen's style and teachings. Yoshioka Kenpo was renowned for his skills with the sword and became the official instructor of the shogun Ashikaga Yoshiharu (reigned from 1521 - 1545) in Kyoto.

But it is said that Yoshioka Kenpo had no honorable death. It is said that Kenpo was hurt incidentally with a stick by a Noh actor during a performance at the Shogun's castle. Kenpo left the scenery humiliated. The shame for not being able to defend himself from the incidental attack of the actor was too great for the sword master and instructor of the shogun. Soon after, Kenpo came back and killed the actor in public with a sword which he had smuggled into the castle under his clothes. Since the usage of weapons of any kind was strictly forbidden at the court on pain of death, Kenpo was declared a criminal and pursued. Before Yoshioka Kenpo was killed, he killed many of his pursuers.

However, Yoshioka Kenpo had built the foundation for one of the most famous Kenjutsu ryū (sword fighting styles) of Kyoto, led by his children and grandchildren. However, the Yoshioka-ryū did not last longer than four generations.

When the Shogun Ashikaga Yoshiteru (reigning from 1546 - 1565) once started a comparison fight between the Yoshioka and Shinmen Munisai (father of Miyamoto Musashi), Shinmen Munisai won 2:1. This battle caused a crucial feud between both families. Just one generation later, Miyamoto Musashi's wins against Yoshioka Seijuro and Yoshioka Denshichiro, and his assassination of Yoshioka Matashichiro ended the feud and led to the decline of the Yoshioka in 1604 (according to Nitenki, a student of Miyamoto Musashi).

Trivia

In the novel "Miyamoto Musashi" by Eiji Yoshikawa, Yoshioka Seijuro and Denshichiro are portrayed as being Kenpo's sons.

The Yoshioka are also portrayed in the "manga" Vagabond by Inoue Takehiko. The manga strip is based on Yoshikawa's novel.

References

Miyamoto Musashi - Life and Writings

External links

* [http://www.tenshukaku.de/kyohachi.htm http://www.tenshukaku.de/kyohachi.htm] (German)