Kōga-ryū

Kōka-ryū (甲賀流, literally “the Kōka School” and originally pronounced Kōka-ryū) is a school of ninjutsu. It is one of the most well-known schools of ninjutsu, along with Iga-ryū.Fact|date=September 2008 It originated from the town of Kōka, modern Kōka City in Shiga Prefecture. While the town of Kōka was under the jurisdiction of the "Rokkaku" (lit. "hexagon") clan, it was a kind of autonomous municipality composed of peasant unions, then called "sō" (惣). All important decisions in the municipality were made by a majority vote from the union representatives, this kind of system was uncommon for the period in question.Fact|date=September 2008

Members of the Koka School of shinobi were trained in disguise, escape, concealment, explosives, medicines and poisons, they were trained in techniques of unarmed combat and in the use of various weapons such as shuriken and ninjatō swords.Fact|date=September 2008 Ninja swords were shorter than the katana worn by Samurai. The ninja used scaling hooks for climbing and supposedly used special "water-walking shoes" and the ninja tabi's. The Shinobi of the "Kōka-ryū" were divided into three classes: high shinobi "(Jonin)", middle shinobi "(Chunin)" and low shinobi "(Genin)".

History

Near the end of the Muromachi period, Sasaki Rokkaku of Ōmi Province, using the castle of Kannonji as a base, started to steadily build up military might. He made light of commands from the Ashikaga shogunate, and eventually began to ignore the shogunate altogether. In 1487, General Ashikaga Yoshihisa brought with him an army to stamp out this rebellion, and a battle between Ashikaga and Rokkaku’s camps ensued.

Ashikaga mobilized daimyo from several provinces in the castle of Kannonji, the headquarters of the Rokkaku; as a result, Rokkaku Masayori and Rokkaku Takayori (Masayori's son) were forced to flee to the castle of Kōka.The factual accuracy of their escape is debated and it is likely that they gave up the town to avoid a direct confrontation instead.Ashikaga then moved his base to Anshiyoji of Kurita District and attacked the castle of Kōka. Kōka fell, but the Rokkaku duo escaped and ordered the Kōka warriors who followed them to mount a heavy resistance against Ashikaga using guerrilla warfare.Exploiting their geographical advantage in the mountains, the Kōka warriors launched a wide range of surprise attacks against Ashikaga’s forces, and tormented them by using fire and smoke on Ashikaga’s camp during the night.

The guerilla warfare prevented a final showdown, until Ashikaga died in battle in 1489, ending the three-year conflict and sparing the lives of the Rokkaku duo. The elusive and effective guerilla warfare used by the Kōka warriors became well-known throughout the whole country. As a result of this victory, the local samurai in the 53 families who participated in this battle were called "the 53 families of Kōka".

This also marked the first time that the ninja of Kōka were drafted as a regular army by their lord. Previously, they were only mercenaries and it was not uncommon to have warriors from Kōka on both sides of a battle.

These three are the only widely propagated sources of Koka Ryu

*Banke Shinobiden group; Teach Koka and Iga Ninjutsu in Japan, Jinichi Kawakami and his top student Yasushi Kiyomoto claim to be the last practitioners of Banda-Ha Koga Ryu Ninjutsu.Fact|date=September 2008
*Koga Ryu Wada Ha; Taught by Fujita Seiko- the 14th headmaster of Koka-ryu Wada-ha ninjutsu. Fujita was a martial artist and instructor at the Nakano spy school during World War 2, he wasg sent to China on a mission. His death in 1966 ended the tradition. [Fujita Seiko by Phillip Hevener ISBN-10 1436301769]
*Tomo Ryu Shinobijutsu (Koka Ryu Tradition); Currently taught by An-Shu Christa Jacobson, a World Martial Arts Hall of Fame winner.Fact|date=September 2008 The only non-Japanese to be awarded Menkyo Kaiden in Tomo Ryu Shinobijutsu.Fact|date=September 2008 With over 6,000 students in over 15 different countries Anshu Christa Jacobson is regarded as having the largest Koga Ninjutsu organization in the world taught under the school banner called Budo Ryu Ninjutsu Dojo. [http://www.budoryuninjutsu.com]

Arts of the Koga Shinobi

The Koga Ninja practiced similar arts as their Iga counterparts. The Koga had separated the arts so they could practice solely on what was needed for certain situations. Instead of mixing all the teachings, separating them allowed them to focus, yet they used them together in a lethal combination.

*Goton-no-jutsu: Five elements escape methods
*Taijutsu: Body Art
*Taihenjutsu: Moving Body Art
*Kyushojutsu: Vital Point Art
*Gokui Atemi Sakkatsuho Zukai: Secret Killing Strikes Art
*Kenjutsu: Sword Art
*Iaijutsu: Sword Drawing Art
*Kukushi Bukijutsu: Hidden Weapons Art
*Kyujutsu: Archery Art
*Bojutsu: Staff Art
*Jojutsu: Short Staff Art
*Sojutsu: Spear Art
*Naginatajutsu: Staff Blade Art
*Kusarigamajutsu: Chain Sickle Art
*Hojutsu: Gunpowder and Fire art
*Suirenjutsu: Water Survival Art
*Suijutsu: Swimming Art
*Bajutsu: Horsemanship Art
*Hensojutsu: Chameleon Art
*Shinobi-irijutsu: Stealth and Entering Methods Art
*Intonjutsu: Escaping and Concealment Art
*Hojojutsu: Rope Tying Art
*Shruikenjutsu: Throwing Weapon Art
*Karumijutsu: Body Lightening Art
*Hichojutsu: Jumping Art
*Angou: Signaling
*Jouhou Kaishuu: Information Gathering
*Kyuba: Mounted Archery
*Boryaku: Military Strategy
*Choho: Espionage
*Tenmon: Meteorology
*Chimon: Geography
*Seishin Teki Kyoko: Spiritual Refinement
*Zanshin: Clear Mental awareness

See also

* Ninja

References