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Ittō-ryū (一刀流?), meaning "one-sword school", is the ancestor school of several Japanese koryu kenjutsu styles, including Ono-ha, Mizoguchi-ha, Nakanishi-ha, Kogen, Hokushin, and Itto Shoden. is a Japanese Manga series by Hiroaki Samura. The series won an Excellence Prize at the 1997 Japan Media Arts Festival and the Will Eisner Comic For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. is a Japanese word that is used in association with the ancient Japanese martial arts. is the Japanese martial art specializing in the use of the Japanese Sword ( Katana) The style was developed by Ittōsai Kagehisa. 1560 - 1653? was a famous yet mysterious Japanese swordsman rumored to have never lost a battle

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Ono-ha Ittō-ryū

Ono-ha is the oldest of the many Ittō-ryū styles which branched off from Ittosai Kagehisa's original art. It continues to be one of the most influential of the traditional kenjutsu styles today, exerting a major influence, along with Hokushin branch, upon modern kendo's kata, tactics, and aesthetic. or " way of the sword " is the Japanese and South Korean martial art of sword-fighting For other uses see Kata (disambiguation. is a Japanese word describing detailed choreographed patterns of movements practiced either solo or

Ono-ha was founded by Ittosai's immediate successor, Ono Jiroemon Tadaaki (1565–1628), from whence the name of the art is derived. Oral tradition indicates that Ittosai made Tadaaki fight a serious duel with another student, Zenki, in order to establish a successor to the style. Serving as an instructor to both the second and third shoguns, along with Yagyu Munenori of the rival school the Yagyu Shinkage Ryu, Tadaaki was able to continue to give his art wide exposure. is a military rank and historical title in Japan. The Japanese word for "general" it is made up of two Kanji words sho, meaning "commander" ( 1571 - May 11, 1646) was a Japanese Swordsman, founder of the Edo branch of Yagyū Shinkage-ryū, which he learned from his father is one of the oldest Japanese schools of swordsmanship ( Kenjutsu) It was said that Tadaaki was Munenori's superior in swordsmanship, but that his severe character led him to be the less favoured and respected of the two.

Known as a dueling style which focused upon the sword rather than a more multifaceted, multi-weapon, battlefield style, Ono developed a mock sword (see: shinai) in order to reduce training injuries and allow more committed fighting practice. As practiced from the 11th to 20th centuries in Western societies a duel is an engagement in combat between two individuals with matched weapons in accordance with their combat For the village near Anjar Kutch Gujarat India see Shinai village.

From a technical standpoint this style consists of more than 150 techniques for both long and short swords. A is a type of Japanese sword ( nihontō) and often is called a "samurai sword The (meaning "side arm" is a traditional Japanese sword with a Shōtō blade between 30 and 60 cm (12 and 24 inches with an average of 50 cm (20 inches Kiri-otoshi, which translates simply as "cutting down", is still the defining technique, like that of its parent style. Characteristically, practitioners often feel that they have the ability to strike freely due to their technique of cutting down the centre-line during an opponent's cut in order to displace their attacker's sword and gain victory. The style adheres to a philosophy articulated in the phrase "itto sunawachi banto" or "one sword gives rise to ten thousand swords," meaning that a thorough understanding of the fundamental technique of cutting will lead one to understand the myriad variations.

Although formally established as a system for unarmoured fighting, the techniques maintained an awareness of the demands and tactics of armoured fighting, making the techniques adaptable to such circumstances.

The transmission of the system passed out of the Ono family briefly and was maintained by the feudal lord Tsugaru Nobumasa. The second headmaster from this family taught Ono Tadakata, allowing the Ono family to continue preserving the line while the Tsugaru family continued their practice of the art, thereby having two families maintain the main line of the Ona-ha Ittō-ryū tradition thereafter. The Tsugaru family also taught the system to members of Yamaga family, and they worked together to preserve the line of their art.

Sasmori Junzo, a well known and high ranking kendo practitioner, took over the preservation of the system in the Taishō period and his son, Takemi, is presently the 16th headmaster of the system. The, or Taishō era, is a period in the History of Japan dating from July 30, 1912 to December 25, 1926, coinciding with the reign

Mizoguchi-ha Ittō-ryū

Mizoguchi-ha Ittō-ryū was founded by Mizoguchi Shingoemon Masakatsu, who was a student of the second headmaster of Ono-ha Ittō-ryū, Ono Jiroemon Tadatsune, before creating his own style, the Mizoguchi-ha.

Ito Masamori, a student of Mizoguchi's, visited the Aizu clan and taught Edamatsu Kimitada an incomplete version of the art. is an area comprising the westernmost third of Fukushima Prefecture in Japan. Ikegami Jozaemon Yasumichi, a student of Edamatsu, was sent by the daimyo (feudal lord) to study the sword methods to be found in Edo (present-day Tokyo). The ( were powerful territorial lords who ruled most of Japan from their vast hereditary land holdings literally bay - Door, " Estuary " edo once also spelled Yedo or Yeddo, is the officially, is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan and located on the eastern side of the main island Honshū. Combining methods learned there with the original teachings of Mizoguchi-ha Ittō-ryū, he created a distinct Aizu line of the Mizoguchi-ha school with many significant differences in technique. This is the line that survives today, as the original line has disappeared.

Watching a demonstration of the Mizoguchi-ha Ittō-ryū it easily distinguishable from its parent art, the Ona-ha Ittō-ryū, and the Nakanishi-ha and Itto Shoden Muto-ryū. The kata used in these styles bear a close resemblance to each other. The Mizoguchi-ha at times looks like an entirely different art rather than just a different branch of the Ittō school, although employing some similar tactics. Many of the kata seem more overtly instructive in their orientation, teaching tactics to the left and then to the right.

The curriculum consists of five long-sword and three short-sword techniques with omote (outside/surface) and ura (inner/more sophisticated) versions. Being a traditional school of the Aizu clan, which was based in Fukushima, it is currently maintained by the Fukushima prefecture and local kendo federations.

Interestingly, although Takeda Sokaku, the founder of Daito-ryu, claimed to maintain the traditional teachings of the Aizu clan, according to his son, Tokimune, the core of his approach to the sword, although modified, was based upon the Ona-ha Ittō-ryū rather than Mizoguchi-ha. Takeda Sokaku (武田 惣角 Takeda Sōkaku, October 10, 1859 &ndash April 25, 1943) was known as the founder of a school of Jujutsu originally called, is a Japanese martial art that first became widely known in the early 20th century under the Headmastership of Takeda Sokaku

Nakanishi-ha Ittō-ryū

Nakanishi-ha Ittō-ryū was founded by Nakanishi Chuta Tanesada who studied under either the 5th or 6th generation headmaster of Ono-ha Ittō-ryū, before establishing his own style. His son revolutionized practice by implementing the use of shinai, a bamboo mock sword, in conjunction with bogu, a protective armor. For the village near Anjar Kutch Gujarat India see Shinai village. is specially developed protective armour used in a number of Japanese martial arts most notably Kendo and Naginata. (Shinai were already used in Shinkage-ryū, Nen-ryū, and Tatsumi-ryū by this time. ) Using the equipment to allow swordsmen to practice techniques freely and engage in sporting matches, foreshadowing the rise of modern kendo, led to the rapid popularity of the Nakanishi branch of Ittō-ryū.

Stylistically the Nakanishi branch is said to more closely resemble its source, the Ona-ha Ittō-ryū, than do any other branches of the Ittō-ryū. The kata practiced on the surface appear to be identical in form but differ in such aspects as timing, breathing, and use of distance.

The Nakashima branch is marked by its wide stances and deliberate movements, which confer a feeling of power and dignity. This style, like the Ona-ha Ittō-ryū, employs the use of the heavily padded glove known as the "onigote," to allow forceful finishing strikes practiced as the denouement of each kata.

Many famous swordsmen have emerged from this ryū, some founding schools of their own. Some of the more prominent among them were:

Takano, as a well known educator, was able to introduce swordsmanship into the public school system in Japan and was instrumental to the development of the Nihon Kendo Kata.

Kogen Ittō-ryū

Kogen Ittō-ryū was founded by Henmi Tashiro Yoshitoshi, a student of Sakurai Gosuke Nagamase, who in turn was an exponent of the Aizu branch of Mizoguchi-ha Ittō-ryū

Hokushin Ittō-ryū

Hokushin Ittō-ryū founded in the late Edo period (1820's) by Chiba Shusaku Narimasa (1793 or 1794–1856). The, also referred to as the Tokugawa period (徳川時代 Tokugawa-jidai) is a division of Japanese history running from 1603 to 1868 Year 1820 ( MDCCCXX) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap year Chiba Shusaku Narimasa ( 千葉周作) (1794 in Kese Village (now part of Kesennuma in Miyagi Prefecture) Japan - 1856 was the founder of the Year 1793 ( MDCCXCIII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Year 1794 ( MDCCXCIV) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Year 1856 ( MDCCCLVI) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Leap year Another famous master is Ito Kashitaro.

Itto Shoden Muto-ryū

Main article: Itto Shoden Muto-ryu

Itto Shoden Muto-ryū was founded by Yamaoka Tetsutaro Takayuki, better known as Yamaoka Tesshu, an exponent of Ono-ha Ittō-ryū and Nakanishi-ha Ittō-ryū, in both of which he received a license of full transmission. Itto Shoden Muto-ryu (一刀正伝無刀流 is a school of Japanese Swordsmanship ( kenjutsu) created by Yamaoka Tetsutaro Takayuki more

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