Ninpo Taijutsu

In the book "Essence of Ninjutsu" by Masaaki Hatsumi it is mentioned that Iga Heinabe Yasukiyo, another student of Gamon Doshi. Was given a piece of land, Iga Hattori in the Iga region as thanks for the help he gave Minamoto Yoritomo (1147-1198) in the fight against the Taira clan. He is supposed to have built a castle, which became the origin to Iga Heinabe. But since Iga Heinabe Yasukiyo was supposed to have lived in the late 11th century and Minamoto Yoritomo in the late 12th century.

On the other hand, IGA Heinabe Yasukio seem to be the basis of the knowledge that IGA Heinai Zaemon Nojo Ieanaga, his descendant in the 12:th generation, used when he founded a school, also named IGA RYU, but which later had its name changed to Kumogakure Ryu Ninpo. There is another story that states that Ise Saburo Yoshimuro allied with Minamoto Yoritomo's brother Yoshitsune in the flight from Yoritomo. This is more in line with the dates in history, even if it's not verified yet.

All the different Iga Ryu had their own linage of Soke (family head), but Iga Ryu as whole also had a lineage of persons that was in a leading role, called Jonin. It is not unusual to find names that also was a Soke in other Iga Ryu. Below is an approximate list of the Iga Ryu Jonin until the end of 16th century. The mentioned year is not exact or the year they was grandmasters but the year they was active.

· Gamon Doji - Jiryaku period, 1065-1068
· Garyu Doji - Shoho period, 1074-1076. Founded HAKUUN RYU
· Unryu Doji - Shoho period, 1074-1076
· IGA Heinabe - Yasukio Eicho period, 1096
· Tozawa Hakuunsai - Heiji period, 1159. Founded GYOKKO RYU
· Ise Saburo Yoshimoro - Heiji period, 115
· Togakure Daisuke - Shogen period, 1207-1210. Founded TOGAKURE RYU
· Kumogakure Gen-an - Kencho period, 1249-1255
· Tozawanyodo Gen-eisai - Shouou period, 1334-1335
· Hachimon Hyouun - Kouryaku period, 1379-1380
· Kuryuzu Hakuun - Oiei period, 1394-1427
· Tozawa Ryutaro - Chokyo period, 1487-1488
· Momochi Sandayu I - Tenmon period, 1532-1554
· Iga Heinai Saemon no jo Ianega - Tenmon period, 1532-1554. Founded KUMOGAKURE RYU
· Kamihattori Heitaro Koreyu - Tenmon period, 1532-1554. HATTORI HANZO's Fam.
· Nakahattori Heijiro Yasuyori - Tenmon period, 1532-1554
· Shimohattori Heijuro Yasunori - Tenmon period, 1532-1554
· Momochi Sandayu II - Tensho period, 1573-1591

There is a difference between each Ryu and the organization around the same sphere of interests, in IGA region as whole. For example Gyokko Ryu, Togakure Ryu and Hakuun Rty, which were different systems of specialties and methods, were only tools used to protect the Iga region.

The different knowledge systems that belonged to Iga Ryu was developed and protected by a total of 45 families.

Tozawa * Fujiwara * Minamoto * Taira * Kuriyama * Momochi * Ishitani *
Hattori * Izumo * Kimura * Ohkuni * Tsutsumi * Arima * Hata * Kazama *
Mizuhari * Hanbe * Shima * Togakure * Sugino * Ise * Sakagami * Narita *
Oda * Hisahara * Ooyama * Mori * Abe * Ueno * Suzuki * Otsuka * Ibuki *
Kaneko * Kotani * Kashiwabara * Shindo * Iida * Kataoka * Kanbe * Fukii *
Sawada * Kimata * Toyata * Toda * IGA

The Toda family is also interesting, except for having the lineage for Kumogakure Ryu, they also inherited Togakure Ryu in the 17th century from the Hatori family who in turn inherited Togakure Ryu when the headline of Toda family had all died. Toda who was one of the leading families in IGA was also close connected to the Tozawa family.

Momochi was one of the most famous families and Momochi Sandayu was without doubt the most famous Ninja leader, together with Hatori Hanzo. Momochi Sandayu and three of his followers were in the 16th century Soke in both Gyokko Ryu and Koto Ryu. They had inherited the schools from the Sakagami family. In the 17th century Gyokko Ryu, Koto Ryu, Kumogakure Ryu and Togakure Ryu would all become under the Toda family by Toda Seiryu Nobutsuna. Later also Gyokushin Ryu was brought into the Toda family.
Here is a list of some of the Ryu that have been part of the Iga Ryu and the Iga province's traditions...

Hakuun ryu * Togakure ryu * Kumogakure ryu * Genjitsu ryu * Tenton
Happo ryu * Goton Juppo ryu * Kadone ryu * Kukishinden ryu * Gyokko ryu
* Koto ryu * Rikyoku ryu * Tsuji Ichimu ryu * Hattori ryu * Taki ryu *
Yoshimori ryu * Uchikawa ryu * Gikan ryu * Gyokushin ryu * Takino ryu *
Sawa ryu * Gen ryu * Momochi ryu * Ryumon ryu *

This is not a complete list; there were other Ryu that have disappeared through history. Another interesting point worth a note is that Iga Ryu and Kumogakure Ryu who is listed among the single Ryu, is in principle the same Ryu. Since Iga Ryu changed its name to Kumogakure Ryu.

Both the Gikan Ryu and Gyokushin Ryu were developed from Gyokko Ryu. According to the "Bugei Ryuha Daijiten" the Gyokko Ryu contains Koshijutsu, Shitojutsu, and Ninpo. The Gyokko Ryu also incorporates Tenmon Chimon, Saryaku Hiden (Koshijutsu Kata) Baku-in Sanpo Hiden (Kuji) and the idea of Shinshin Shingan. . The Gyokko Ryu is the oldest of the nine schools of the Bujinkan. The Togakure Ryu is next, even though it had more generation leaders than the Gyokko Ryu (some did not live to long). The following shows the initial founders that mark the formal beginning of the teaching of the Koshijutsu in Japan.

Lineage: Cho GyokkoCho Buren Chan Busho (Ikai) Gamon Doshi Garyu Doshi .

Gyokko Ryu: Garyu Doshi Hachiryu nyoda Tozawa Hakuunsai (Formal founder of the Gyokko)

· Koto Ryu Koppojutsu: There are several theories that all link this Ryu to the Gyokko Ryu, just differently. The "Bugei Ryuha Daijiten" says that the Koto Ryu comes from the Koshijutsu of the Gyokko Ryu. It was founded in the middle of the 16th century by Toda Sakyo Ishinsai, who learned Gyokko Ryu from Gyokkan, a Buddhist monk (found in the book "Hiden Ninja Submission".)

· Togakure Ryu Ninpo: Garyu Doshi Kimon Hei Bei Hakuun Doshi Kain Doshi Togakure Daisuke. In "Hiden Ninja Submission". Togakure Ryu Ninpo Taijutsu is a branch of the Koshijutsu.

· Kumogakure Ryu Ninpo: Garyu Doshi Yasukiyo Heinai Iga Heiraizaemon Ienaga Iga (Kumogakure Hoshi) who is believed to be the founder of Iga Ryu Ninpo.

· Gikan Ryu Koppojutsu: A branch of the Gyokko Ryu Koshijutsu as mentioned by both the "Bugei Ryuha Daijiten" and Hatsumi Sensei ("Hiden Ninja Submission")

· Gyokushin Ryu Ninpo: Stated in "Hiden Ninja Submission" to be traced back to the Koshijutsu. The "Bugei Ryuha Daijiten" also traces it back to the Koshijutsu.

· Shinden Fudo Ryu Dakentaijutsu: Garyu Doshi Izumo Kanja Yoshiteru (founder of the Ryu) Masaaki Hatsumi states in the book "Hiden Ninja Submission" that this Ryu can be traced back to the Koshijutsu.

· Kukishinden Ryu: Garyu Doshi Izumo Kanja Yoshiteru (the founder of the Ryu; the founder of Shinden Fudo Ryu Dakentaijutsu.) This Ryu has major influences outside of its link to the Koshijutsu.

Copyright © 2007 Ninpo Taijutsu