Gikan Ryu (Regard for justice school)
Koppojutsu
a bone breaking method with low stances and powerful First Rule strikes
Pairs with Koto Ryu as an early form of hard karate
It has the precept of Sentenashi, no first attack, meaning it is a self defence system
The founder of Gikan Ryu was a student of Gyokko Ryu and it is an adapted Kihon Happo that uses First Rule and bone breaking rather than Second Rule and kyusho pain strikes
eg a thai kick to the leg causes a dead leg, attacks the muscle, and drops the opponent - with the right training you could develop the power and focus to break the bone
eg ikkyo is an immobilisation and takedown - but could be developed to break the arm at the elbow
Based on KH this ryu uses distance to draw the opponent in and then destroys him with bone breaking strikes
If Gyokku Ryu resembles Shorin Ryu karate, this ryu and Koto Ryu resembles Shorei Ryu karate
Similar to Koto Ryu in it's kamae, footwork, kicks, punches and throws, characterised as being dynamic and powerful.
This ryu comes to us not from the Toda family, but from Ishitani, from whom we get the Kukishinden Ryu weapons school. Ishitani knew Takagi Yoshin Ryu Jutaijutsu and passed it to Takamatsu as the Unarmed Combat of Kukishinden, who was also learning it directly from it's Soke, Mazuta, whom he inherited the Soke title from.
As Takagi Yoshin Ryu is a soft Jutaijutsu system, Ishitani needed a hard striking Karate system, a koppojutsu method, so he studied Gikan Ryu and inherited the school, becoming Soke.
A Ninja who had Kukkishinden weapons, Takagi jujutsu and Gikan Koppojutsu would be a complete warrior, as Ishitani was known to be.
We can view the 3 Ishitani-den methods almost as one complete school, as taught at the Ishitani dojo, just as we can view the 6 Toda-den methods as one school. Together they make up the 9 methods of the Takamatsu-den school.
Gikan Ryu KOPPOJUTSU
Regard for Justice School
Shoden Gata
Chuden Gata
Okuden Gata
Kaiden Gata
Menkyo Kaiden
