Hyōhō Niten Ichi-ryū

{| border="1" cellpadding="2" width="300" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" style="float:right;clear:right;"
-! colspan="3" bgcolor="#CCCEEE"| Arts taught
-
width="150" | Japanese name
width="150" | Description
width="150" | Niten Ichi-ryu designation
-
width="150" | Kenjutsu 剣術 - odachi, kodachi
width="150" | Sword art - Long and short sword
width="150" | Tachi/Kodachi Seiho
-
width="150" | Kenjutsu - odachi, kodachi
width="150" | Sword art - Long and short sword used together
width="150" | Nito Seiho
-
width="150" | Aikuchi [http://www.daedalusdesign.co.uk/hosted/heijoshin/content-en/disciplines-ken-curriculum.htm Heijoshin Dojo - HNIR Dojo affiliated with the HNIR leader: Iwami Toshio Gensho] #1] [http://www.hyoho.com/inuag.html - Hyoho Niten Ichiryu information-portal run by HNIR "Menkyo Kaiden" Hyakutake Colin] #2]
width="150" |
width="150" | Aikuchi roppo
-
width="150" | Juttejutsu - Jutte#1] #2]
width="150" | Truncheon art
width="150" | Jitte to jutsu
-
width="150" | Bōjutsu棒術 - Bo
width="150" | Staff art
width="150" | Bo jutsu
-

Nihongo|Hyōhō Niten Ichi-ryū|兵法二天一流, which can be loosely translated as "the school of the strategy of two heavens as one", is a style of classical Japanese swordsmanship conceived by the famous warrior Miyamoto Musashi. Hyōhō Niten Ichi-ryū is mainly known for the two-sword - katana and wakizashi - kenjutsu techniques Musashi called "Niten Ichi" (二天一, "two heavens as one") or "Nitō Ichi" (二刀一, "two swords as one").

Origin

Around 1640, Musashi intended to pass on his art to three successors from among his thousand students; specifically, to Terao Magonojo, his younger brother Kyumanosuke and to Furuhashi Sozaemon. He considered Magonojo to excel in technique but to lack in reflection, while Furuhashi excelled at reflection but lacked technique . Magonojo received the famous treatise, the "Go Rin no Sho", on the condition that he read it and then burn it. But Furuhashi borrowed it for a few days and on the orders of Hosokawa Mitsuhisa made two copies- one for Hosokawa and one for himself, which he transmitted under the name of "Ihon go rin no sho". The best known edition today is the Hosokawa copy.

Magonojo then yielded the role of successor to his younger brother Kyumanosuke who had received the "Hyoho San-jugo" from Musashi. It was Kyumanosuke who transmitted this document to his students with seven added instructions called the "Hyoho shiji ni kajo".

Shortly before his death, Musashi also wrote the "Dokkodo" ("Going My Way"). It seems to be a list of rules that one should try to follow in life; in essence each rule has very deep meaning steeped in Buddhist precepts.

uccession

Terao Kyumanosuke (Motomenosuke) had received the complete transmission of the School of Musashi, with certification and Musashi's two swords. He at first refused to teach and sent what he had received to Musashi's adopted son, Iori. Iori refused the succession, since the honor had not been bestowed upon him. With this, Kyumanosuke then agreed to take over as head - both his and Iori's actions were manifestations of their respect for Musashi.

Succession in the Hyoho Niten Ichi-ryū, (the name given by Musashi towards the end of his life) does not follow a hereditary pattern. It is attested to by the bestowing of two artifacts: a scroll on which is written the name of the techniques and the approach to them that must be transmitted if the school is to be perpetuated truly,#2] and a wooden sword that Musashi made himself, with which he trained and used as a walking stick during the last years of his life#2] , today in possession of the Usa city Shinto Shrine.

Dispute

The Gosho-ha Hyoho Niten Ichi ryu disputes the lineage and that Iwami Toshio Gensho is the sole legal representative of Hyoho Niten Ichi-ryu.

Lineage

The lineage to date is as follows:
# Shinmen Miyamoto Musashi-No-Kami Fujiwara no Genshin
# Terao Kyumanosuke Nobuyuki (Second name can be read as Motomenosuke)
# Terao Goemon Katsuyuki
# Yoshida Josetsu Masahiro
# Santo Hikozaemon Kyohide
# Santo Hanbe Kiyoaki
# Santo Shinjuro Kiyotake
# Aoki Kikuo Hisakatsu
# Kiyonaga Tadanao Masami
# Imai Masayuki Nobukatsu
# Iwami Toshio Gensho / Kiyonaga Fumiya / Chin Kin (Taiwan)
# Yoshimoti Kiyoshi (successor of Kiyonaga Fumiya)

Techniques

Today the following sets of techniques ("waza" or "kata") are transmitted:
# Tachi Seiho - Twelve techniques with long sword.
# Nito Seiho - Five techniques with two swords corresponding to the five forms in the Water Scroll.
# Kodachi Seiho - Seven techniques with a short sword.
# Bōjutsu - Twenty techniques with a staff.
# Aikuchi roppo#1] #2]
# Jitte to jutsu - Five techniques against a sword.#1] #2]

According to Gosho Motoharu Hanshi, the Aikuchi roppo was constituted by free nito forms using fukuro shinai, not formalized kata. [http://www.nitenichiryu.jp/niten.htm#techniques Hyoho Niten Ichi Ryu site under Yoshimochi Kiyoshi] ] However this waza was not taught by Musashi and is a later addition.

The Jitte techniques, also according to Gosho Hanshi, are modern addition, and were not practiced in the time of the eight headmaster, Aoki Kikuo. The techniques taught had a direct relation and followed the order of the grades in the ryu [http://www.nitenichiryu.jp/niten.htm#techniques Hyoho Niten Ichi Ryu site under Yoshimochi Kiyoshi] ] :

Shoden: Itto Seiho
Chuden: Kodachi Seiho
Okuden: Nito Seiho
Menkyo: Bojutsu
Menkyo Kaiden: All the curriculum of the ryu plus have a deep knowledge of the founder teachings.

= See also =
Gosho-ha Hyoho Niten Ichi ryu

References

External links

* [http://www.hyoho.com/ Hyoho Niten Ichiryu information-portal run by HNIR Menkyo licence-holder Hyakutake Colin]
* [http://www.nitenichiryu.jp Site of Hyoho Niten Ichi Ryu under Yoshimoti Kiyoshi]
* [http://www.kampaibudokai.org/Niten.htm Hyoho Niten Ichi Ryu claimed lineage]