These are the 8 basic techniques of the Gyokko Ryu from which all Ninjustu techiques, both taijutsu and kobujutsu, stem. It is theorised by the Ninja that ALL MA techniques can stem from the KH, but this is not widely held outside Ninja groups.
We have adapted what is known as the sanshin no kata, blended with the three striking waza of the kihon happo, known as the koshi kihon sanpo, to create a more fundemental and comprehensive use of taijutsu in modern combat.
I will teach seniors the full sanshin kata and koshi sanpo later. Together, these make up a series of 8 techniques, and a new kihon happo in their own right.
(kihon means basic, happo means 8)
The Torite kihon goho is the five basic grappling responses from the gyokko ryu.
In a modern fight the 3 mst common forms of assault are:
collar grab and rear hand punch
rear hand punch
double lapel grab
The kihon happo deals with all 3 of these in a variety of ways so is essential for modern urban combat.
Kihon happo:
against an opponent who steps in with a straight punch, step back to ichiminji kamae back stance
1. drift back, block jodan, striking to uchijakuzawa
2. block jodan, step in and apply shuto
3. block jodan, step in and apply ura shuto
4. block jodan, strike ribs
5. block gedan
6. block gedan, step in with gedan strike
7. block gedan, hichi kamae, snap kick, ura shuto
8. block gedan, seigan, push/stamp kick
The "block" is not a passive block, it is a strike to the uchijakuzwa point inside the forearm.
The shuto is done to the shofu point, the side of the neck.
The gedan strike is done to the ribs, and can be fudoken,
shikan ken or boshi ken.
The snap kick is done with the koshi ball of the foot to the ribs.
The push kick is done to the sternum.
Torite kihon goho:
1. Against lapel grab and punch - jodan uke, omote gyaku
2. Move back to ichimonji, then again with omote gyaku
3. Move back ichimonji, ura shuto, ura gyaku
4. Against double lapel grab - musha dori
5. Ganseki nage
The KH like largo mano or savate courts the long range in the unarmed phase with both striking and grappling responses.
Whether the attacker is striking, grabbing, or attacking with a weapon sometimes it feels natural to move to long range.
Karate kokutsu dachi and ichimonji have a similar origin and use.
To refine this further we now practice each of the 3 "sections" as a set of 5 waza - hi, lo and grab:
The first move in the strike sets is the ichimonji drift itself.
The reason it is a technique in it's own right, as it defends you from the punch and sets up the attack on the arm.
It also sets you up for an escape, using kaiten, shuriken or metsubushi.
We have numbered the drift as waza 0, rather than rename the set.
Jodan punch attack
0. ichimonji drift
1. drift back, block jodan, striking to uchijakuzawa
2. block jodan, step in and apply shuto
3. block jodan, step in and apply ura shuto
4. block jodan, strike ribs
gedan attack
0. ichimonji drift
5. block gedan
6. block gedan, step in with gedan strike
7. block gedan, hichi kamae, snap kick, ura shuto
8. block gedan, seigan, push/stamp kick
Grapple attack
1. Against lapel grab and punch - jodan uke, omote gyaku
2. Move back to ichimonji, then again with omote gyaku
3. Move back ichimonji, ura shuto, ura gyaku
4. Against double lapel grab - musha dori
5. Ganseki nage
n 2012 we have returned to the roots of Ninpo Taijutsu and have been practicing the three striking sets in their original form, as well as the henka
koshi kihon sanpo
ichimonji
hichu
jumonji
these, along with the 5 techniques of the torite kihon goho form the traditional Kihon happo
As Kihon Happo has also been taken to mean "8 infinate", a basis for infinite techniques, it is appropriate for Shinobi Shidoshi to re-interpret them as their dojo develops
The first post in this thread was 2009, 10 years ago when STMA had only been running about 6 months.
At that time I was not directly teaching Ninjutsu at STMA, though we were using the Sanshin and Kihon Happo exercises.
As a Shidoshi I had to decide how I was going to incorporate the Kihon Happo into my school's training program so came up with the adapted 8 for the Koshi Kihon, based on the concept of the attacker retreating in pain from the Ken Kudaki. This was consistent with the DEFANG principle of KALI, which was far more prominent in STMA, both in Weapons and Unarmed, and has been from the start.
FF to 2019, and we are exploring the NINJUTSU Ryuha, of which Kihon Happo is the foundation.
I have decided that we will revisit this concept of KOSHI KIHON in the second half of 2019, as an exercise.
Different Shidoshi and Shihan I have trained in over the years have different methods for exploring the techniques and henka of the Kihon Happo. They also report that in Japan there were different variations and that the format changed over the early years.
The KIHON KOSHI were originally FIVE techniques as were the KIHON TORITE. There was no KIHON HAPPO as there were 10 techniques over 2 levels.
The GYOKKO RYU scrolls list the 5 HI KATA of the KOSHI KIHO as level one, with the TORITE KIHON GOHO as level two. These are then followed by the 3 levels of GYOKKO Ryu that we have been practicing this year - Jo, Chu and Ge.
As a Shidoshi, with my own licenced copy of the scrolls, it is my responsibility to interpret and pass on the Traditions, as I see them, at my own Dojo, the STMA.
So, with that in mind, we will be exploring the 2009 STMA Kihon Happo, as well as carrying on the use of KH and SANSHIN as they appear in the TENCHIJIN, as the proper foundation for GYOKKO RYU.
We are already taking a different approach to WEAPONS, as STMA weapons are based on KALI, on Unarmed Combat, as we base that on KARATE and KEMPO JUJUTSU.
We need to take into account that as well as a KARATE SHIHAN and JUJUTSU SENSEI, I am also a NINJUTSU SHIDOSHI, and this needs to be reflected in the training.
It has only taken me TEN years, from 2009 to 2019, to properly figure this out, including the updates you see above.
I started my NINJUTSU training in the late 80s. My teacher was a South London Police Officer with a Black Belt in Judo who is credited as being the first person in the UK to pass the FIFTH DAN test and become a NINJA SHIDOSHI. I trained under him for most of the last 2 decades of the 20th Century, which included my trips to Japan to train with his (now my) teachers, and the passing of my own 5th Dan test, and Shidoshi licence.
There has always been speculation as to what would be NINJUTSU's place and relevance in the 21st Century. Now we are reaching the end of the second decade of the 21st Century, and about to take the teaching into the third decade, we seem to be as good a place to answer this as anyone else.
And it starts with the KIHON HAPPO.
Kihon Happō Gata, 基本八法型 – eight foundation forms
Kosshi Kihon Sanpō, 骨指基本三法 - striking foundation three methods
Ichimonji no Kamae, 一文字の構 – Straight stance
Hichō no Kamae, 飛鳥の構 – Bird stance
Jūmonji no Kamae, 十文字の構 – Cross form stance
Torite Kihon Gata Gohō, 捕手基本型五法 – hand capture foundation five methods
Omote Kote Gyaku, 表小手逆 – Outside wrist break
Omote Gyaku Ken Sabaki, 表逆拳捌 - Outside wrist break with a punch
Ura Kote Gyaku, 裏小手逆 - Inside wrist twisting break
Musha Dori, 武者捕 - Warrior capture
Ganseki Nage, 巌石投 - Throwing a rock
