We study the sword arts of the Toyama Ryu and Nakamura Ryu as well as derived techniques from Tenshin ryu Hyouho.
Toyama-ryū (戸山流) was established in 1925 by a committee of senior experts of several sword traditions for the curriculum of the Rikugun Toyama Gakko.
Some of the Descendant schools derived from Toyama Ryu:
Morinaga-ha, Nakamura-ha, Yamaguchi-ha, Katsujinken Hyouho
After the Meiji Restoration, officers in the Japanese army were required to carry Western-style sabres. During the 1920s Japan went through a phase of Militant Nationalism that lasted until defeat in the Second World War. By adopting the katana, the traditional sword of the samurai, the Japanese were allying themselves with the samurai military tradition. Adopting the katana also served to calm discontent among the more politicized sections of the army who had been outraged at mechanization (another lesson learned from World War I) which had de-emphasized the role of infantry and cavalry.
In 1925, since not all officers had sufficient background in kenjutsu to deploy these weapons in combat, a simplified form of sword technique was devised that emphasized the most essential points of drawing and cutting.
The army iai-battō kata differ from those of many koryū sword schools in that all techniques are practised from a standing position. Also, this modern ryū has a strong emphasis on tameshigiri, or “test-cutting.
Nakamura-ryū Happōgiri Battōdō (中村流八方切り抜刀道) is a battō style created by Nakamura Taizaburō (1912–2003)
Nakamura Taizaburō (中村 泰三郎) was born in 1912 in Yamagata Prefecture. He resided in Tsurumi, Yokohama, where he presided over the International Iai-Battōdō Federation and taught battōdō for the Kakuseikai until his death in 2003.
Nakamura was awarded 10th dan hanshi battōdō by the International Martial Arts Federation, 7th dan kyoshi by the All Japan Kendō Federation, 8th dan hanshi, Jukendō and 8th dan hanshi, Tankendō. In 1973 he was awarded the Order of the Sacred Treasure in recognition for his services in promoting the martial arts.
Nakamura developed battōdō while teaching kenjutsu in northern China. He was inspired by the idea that the eiji happō (the eight principles of writing kanji) could be applied to swordsmanship. He began to organize his understandings into a system of practical swordsmanship in which non-martial techniques were discarded (much like the practical Toyama-ryū of the early 20th century).
In sensei’s own words,
“While teaching kenjutsu in northern China I was inspired with the thought that eiji happo, the eight rules of calligraphy, could be applied to swordsmanship. As I practiced the ei character (this is to calligraphy what do-re-me is to music) I saw in my mind that these eight strokes of the brush traced the trajectories of the sword when cutting. The first brush stroke, soku, is the thrust of the sword tip; the second stroke, roku, is the left and right horizontal cut; the third stroke, do, is the vertical cut; and so on.
When I gazed at the finished ei calligraphy, I could actually see the eight cuts of the sword. Through my years of learning and teaching fencing I had sensed that there were few cuts in swordsmanship. When I contemplated the ei character, I was made to realise that there are only eight distinct cuts possible; any other technique, whatever artistic name it may have, is only a variation of the theme.” (1).
“This realisation was the beginning of my deeper understanding of swordsmanship. Eiji happo transformed to happo giri, which is auspicious since the Chinese character ei means eternal. Also, the number eight is both a lucky and auspicious symbol in Chinese numerology, indicating prosperity and implying myriad. Therefore, the eight ways of cutting are myriad and eternal.”
The system is further based on Nakamura’s studies whilst teaching Toyama-ryū: bringing the sword blade to a halt after a cut, parrying, progressing to the next combative posture using the sword’s kinetic energy. It also makes use of what, through his researches, Nakamura found absent from many other schools of iaidō, kendō, and battōjutsu: the kesagiri, a cut he thought extremely useful.
The principles of Nakamura Ryu swordsmanship:
- Circular trajectory (enkeisen) and cutting angle(Hasuji)
- Correct grip (tenouchi)
- Natural footwork (Ashisabaki)
- Ability to stop the sword securely and transfer energy from one technique to another.(Chakin Shibori)
Nakamura Ryu is not a kata driven system. Eventhough the system incorporates kata in its curriculum, their purpose is to illustrate the principles of the system in motion.
This system of swordsmanship appears on the outside(omote) to be very simple, but combining all the principles into perfection is a life long pursuit.
Finally we incorporate some derivative techniques from the Tenshinryu Hyouho group. They are modern Bujutsu practitioners with an impressive lineage and a comprehensive Bujutsu system, derived from Yagyu Munenori’s teachings.
We are not formally affiliated with the group.
Check out their impressive techniques here – Tenshinryu
The Ronin Katsujinken Dojo 
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