There are 9 schools, or ryuha to give them their Japanese name that are considered Ninja schools
1. TOGAKURE RYU NINPO
2. GYOKKO RYU KOSHIJUTSU
3. KOTO RYU KOPPOJUTSU
4. SHINDEN FUDO RYU DAKENTAIJUTSU
5. KUKI SHINDEN RYU HAPPO HIKEN
6. TAKAGI YOSHIN RYU JUTAIJUTSU
7. KUMOGAKURE RYU NINJUTSU
8. GYOKIJSHIN RYU NINPO
9. GIKAN RYU KOPPOJUTSU
only 3 of these are actually "ninjutsu" or ninpo in the truest sense
the other 6 were MAs practiced by Ninja clan that became complete schools - some are based on Kempo, some of Japanese JJ or Kenjutsu
What makes them Ninja is that they were used by the Ninja against the samurai, tactics preceding techniques as always
It is not necessary to go into any real depth with these schools early in your career, but they may be referred to in class
this is similar to how a shuto is done different in kempo to kyukushin karate to shotokan and why taijutsu's kiten ken is a unique technique not a variation on karate or kempo's shuto
Gyokko Ryu (Jewelled tiger school)
Koshijutsu
The oldest ryuha.
Based on Chinese Kempo, with roots in Tiger Crane, strikes are made to muscles and nerves - a lot of Second Rule. There is also chinese chin na - muscle seizing and tearing.
Closely resembles kung fu, tiger crane, with some dragon, snake.
Taijutsu kihon happo comes from this ryu.
The changing of direction mid flow gives us evasion and distance in defence, adds torque and power in our counters, and makes it hard for the opponent to read us so he in turn can't counter.
Indirect attack.
The 10th Soke of Gyokko Ryu founded the Koto Ryu school of koppojutsu
Shinden Fudo Ryu (Tradition of the immovable god school)
Dakentaijutsu
This closely resembles Kempo Jujutsu.
The hard striking methods are drawn from Chinese Kempo, including low line kicking.
There is also hard grappling method, chin na done like Judo.
The hand and body tool conditioning is not as fierce as Koto Ryu, but still involved hitting trees to toughen the tools, and also ripping bark to develop the "seizing" methods.
There is also the use of trees to practice the taijutsu for throws and locks
This ryu teaches oversized weapons - instead of a simple Bo a ninja would use a whole branch or log, his taijutsu allowing him the movement to weild it
this ryu also made oversized weapons - an axe, a hammer, and a sword, for use with it's taijutsu
This ryu promotes the "principle of nature", was big on training in nature (a lot of Grass Days) and natural body movement
It also uses hojojutsu - the art of using a rope in combat, a lot like a rodeo lasoo
Koto Ryu (Tiger knocking down School)
"to knock the Tiger down with the tips of the fingers"
Koppo Jutsu
Very much like kyukushin karate this method involved linear strikes to break bones
First Rule - hit fucking hard
This ryu adopts training methods seen in Okinawa and later in Japan in kyukushin - wood breaking to perfect the bone breaking methods - striking sand and gravel, then later stone to condition the hands and other striking tools
The 10th Soke of Gyokko Ryu founded the Koto Ryu
This ryu also teaches sword, and uses the four point shaken shuriken
Takagi Yoshin Ryu (Raise the heart to the high trees school)
JuTaiJutsu
This closely resembles Kempo Jujutsu, very much a grappling school with rapid strikes
The throws and chokes of Judo, and the locks and projections of aikido can be seen here - though in a battlefield form, not a mat form
Power and pressure - techniques are applied fast, close and in succession so the opponent has no chance to retreat or counter, breakfall, roll, or escape
Unlike battlefield arts for soldiers, this was an art developed for bodyguards - it was developed inside a building, not outdoors like most koryu, designed for use in a more confined area
This is almost the opposite of Shinden Fudo Ryu which is outdoors in nature KJJ, TYR is indoors and urban KJJ
As this ryu is not battlefield based it takes it's weapon system from the Bojutsu of Kukkishinden Ryu, and the shorter sticks are used to effect in close quarters
The entire syllabus of this ryu forms the unarmed combat of Kukkishinden Ryu
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
Kuki shinden Ryu (Nine demons school)
Happo Hikenjutsu
Weapons
sword, spear, halberd, bo, hanbo,
jutte, tessen kusuri-kama
taijutsu
heiho
military strategy
Started as a battlefield art, techniques brought back by masters who survived to teach
The Bojutsu was devised in battle when the commander's spear broke and he used the staff to defeat the remaining enemy with the kuji kiri 9 cuts method
the Bo of Takagi yoshin ryu is taken from kukishinden
the taijutsu of kukishinden is based on takagi yoshin ryu
Bojutsu in the ryu holds elements of spear and halberd and is used in a deceptive manner
it is similar to other Jo schools of Japan, and differs from the Bojutsu of Okinawa, which is part of Karate and Kempo
shorter sticks include hanbo and tanbo - although there is a part of taijutsu that uses them as close range weapons, similar to a karate weapon
Kenjutsu in this ryu has a signature upward slash at angle 12
it also uses long and short swords, swords in pairs, throwing knife, and bo shuriken
Naginata - halberd - the ryu owes it's creation to the battlefield halberd and the broken halberd that started it's bojutsu
Hanbo - a similar origin in that a warrior's spear was cut in half so he used the half staff. Further developments of the hanbo come from the movements of the sword. It also has a section based on taijutsu kempo.
Spear - sojutsu - yari - a difficult weapon to use as it relies on distance and timing. Similar to the Wing Chun pole.
Togakure Ryu (Hidden door school)
Ninjutsu
The primary school for ninja tactics, techniques and tools
biken jutsu - ninja sword - the short straight sword
kenjutsu fighting skills and iaijutsu drawing skills
Yonpo Hiden - the four secrets:
shuriken and metsubishi
shuko claws
shinondake - blowgun/snorkel
shoge - blade and rope/ring
This ryu is 800 years old
The taijutsu for Togakure ryu is taken from GyokkoRyu KoshiJutsu and Koto Ryu KoppoJutsu
taijutsu kenpo uses shuko, and always has options for throwing shuriken and metsubushi
shinobi gaeshi - the taihenjutsu that is used for escape and evasion is based on the sanshin no kata, both in technique, and in the interpretation of the elements godai and gogyo
santo tonko - use of shuriken and metsubushi in vanishing
henso jutsu - disguise and impersonation
sakki - the sensing of intention, as in the shidoshi test
The famous Ninja Hattori Hanzo was from this ryu
When the Toda family inherite the ryu they added their own systems of Kumogakure ryu, Gyokko Ryu and Koto Ryu
Gyokushin Ryu (Heart school)
or Spherical Spirit
Ninjutsu
This is real Iga mountian Ninja stuff - espionage, disguise, invisibility
There was not much focus on fighting style here as the onus is on evasion rather than combat - however in grappling this ryu uses sutemi sacrifice throws to take the enemy down so they can be finished on the ground, below sight lines - this would be used in defence if discovered, and in infiltration to take out a sentry
In a fight you keep your distance and draw the opponent in were he can be dealt with - like the double retreat before shoot, clinch and td
Attack By Drawing
It is summarised that Gyokushin is entirely based on Gyokko Ryu, therefore the Kihon Happo, just a different tactical approach.
There is also a suggestion that, as Takamatsu Sensei was at Kano council for Jujutsu instructors, that the sutemi waza sacrifice techniques of Judo come from Gyokushin.
There is also a modification of the KH in this ryu that allows for powerful bone breaking, meaning this school adresses koppo jutsu as well as jutaijutsu in combat, similar to the koppojutsu of Gikan ryu
This ryu also uses flexible weapons such as kusurifundo chain, and the lasoo, so includes hojojutsu
Kumogakure Ryu (Hidden shine school)
or Hiding In The Clouds
Ninjutsu
very similar to Togakure ryu in it's taijutsu and fighting method
clever use of combination strikes and combination blocks, a very surreptitious way of moving in combat that is hard for the opponent to track and counter
it also uses tobi leaping and jumping in combat method
Uses spear, sword and armour
including a kama-yari, which is also used for climbing and swinging from trees
the tools of this ryu double as both weapons and climbing/infiltration aids
the shoge, kuntai and sugi are examples as are shuko claws
Armoured Ninjas were members of this ryu
a modern example would be kevlar body armour
(or Batman's costume ;D)
ninjas from this ryu would often wear a demon mask - which is both protection and a weapon, and the strike kikaku ken, the headbutt, comes from the use of the mask
the armoured sleeves are from this ryu
members of this ryu were survival specialists
this ryu has a deep spiritual and esoteric sides which includes mindsets, meditation, and possibly hypnosis, with a foundation in both Buddhism and Shinto
the Ninja prayer Shikin Haramitsu Daikomyo comes from this ryu
The 9 schools are passed down to us through Takamatsu Sensei "the last living true Ninja"
Takamatsu's teachers were:
Toda Shinryuken Masamitsu, his grandfather, who taught 6 systems at the Toda family Dojo - Togakure, Gyokko, Koto, Shinden Fudo, Kumogakure, and Gyokoshin.
Ishitani - head of Security at the family's factory in Kobe who passed on Kukishinden and Gikan.
Mazuta - the Soke of Takagi Yoshin Ryu who taught and passed on this ryuha. Takamatsu learnt this art at the Mazuta Dojo, and also trained in it with Ishitani who was a Master, (with Takagi Yoshin forming the unarmed combat of the Kukishinden). However, it is directly from Mazuta that Takamatsu inherits the Soke title and Densho.
TOGAKURE RYU:
Founded by Daisuke Togakure in the 12th Century.
Toda Seiryu Nobutsuna was the 24th Soke of Togakure Ryu when he inherited the school in the early 17th century. This was passed down the Toda family until Toda Shinryuken Masamitsu who passed the school to Takamatsu who became the 33rd Soke.
GYOKKO RYU:
Cho Gyokku left China during the Tang dynasty and arrived in Japan. This could have been anywhere from 7th to 10th Century. The techniques of "Tiger striking" were passed down until the Gyokko Ryu was formed in the 12th Century by the Tozawa family.
Toda Nobutsuna was the 18th Soke of Gyokko Ryu. Masamitsu passed it to Takamatsu, making him 27th Soke.
KOTO RYU:
The Sakagami family, the Toda ancestors, founded this ryuha in the 16th century.
Toda Nobutsuna was the 9th Soke of this school when he inherited it in the 17th century. Masamitsu passed it to Takamatsu, making him 17th Soke.
GYOKUSHIN RYU:
Sasaki, founder of Gyokushin, was from the Gyokko Ryu. Toda Nobutsuna was the 11th Soke. Takamatsu was the 20th Soke.
KUMOGAKURE RYU:
This school was created by the Toda family in the 16th century. Nobutsuna was the 5th Soke, Takamatsu was the 14th.
SHINDEN FUDO RYU:
Izumo founded this school in the 12th century. He also founded the Kukishinden Ryu.
This ryuha, however, is passed down through the Toda family, while Kukishinden comes to us from Ishitani.
This school of unarmed combat is based on the Chinese Kempo that Izumo learned.
Toda Masumitsu was the 25th Soke, with Takamatsu being the 26th.
GIKAN RYU:
This school was founded by Uryu in the 16th century, and passed down through 10 generations until it passed to the Ishitani father and son.
Gikan Uryu was the 10th Soke, last in the family line.
Ishitani became the 11th and 12th Sokes, who passed it to Takamatsu, making him the 13th.
KUKISHINDEN RYU:
This school has it's roots in the Kukishin school. Kuki means Nine Demons, and was the martial name of Kurando, it's founder.
This ryuha was founded by Izumo in the 12th century, and passed down through the Izumo family. He also founded the Shinden Fudo Ryu.
Ishitani were the 25th and 26th sokes, Takamatsu was the 27th.
TAKAGI YOSHIN RYU:
This ryuha was founded by the Takagi family in the 17th century.
Mizuta was the 15th Soke, who passed it to Takamatsu, making him the 16th.
At the TODA family Dojo, Shinden Fudo Ryu was the first art taught to the members.
This Ryuha has both a Dakentaiutsu striking based system like Kempo or Karate, and a Jutaijutsu grappling based system.
It is known that IZUMO, the founder, also founded Kukki Shinden Ryu though the schools were not passed down together. With the DakenTaijutsu and Jutaijutsu in the unarmed range, with the KukkiShinden weapons system, the original family members were complete warriors.
At the Toda dojo, members would learn KOTO Ryu and GYOKKO Ryu together, and then learn TOGAKURE RYU at the advanced level, making them NINJA.
Takamatsu Sensei tells us he learn the Shinden Fudo then Koto then Togakure. The Gyokko Ryu was taught alongside Koto. The schools of Kumagakure and Gyokushin schools were taught in parallel to Togakure, also being schools of Ninjutsu. Takamatsu often referred to himself as "A Warrior of the KOPPO Jutsu Tradition".
These form the 6 schools of the TODA- Den, 3 Samurai and 3 Ninja, passed down to Takamatsu, who became Soke of all 6 once his Grandfather died.
Both Gyokko Ryu and Koto Ryu use a sword, metsubishi, and Shuriken.
The Togakure Ryu masters Shuriken, the SHUKO claws, and the SHOGE weapon, which completes the foundation NINJA weapons cycle.
The Togakure Biken Jutsu, sword method, as well as Katana and Kodachi, includes the Jutte truncheon and Tessen fan come from Kukki Shinden.
The longer Ninja battlefield weaponry, spears and halbereds, etc, come from Kukki Shinden.
ISHITANI was the Soke of the Kukkishinden and it is from him that Takamatsu received his training and the scrolls.
Because Shinden Fudo Ryu was not passed on with the Kukkishiden and vice versa, The Takagi Yoshin Ryu was paired with it, so the weapons system and Unarmed system were practiced together, though kept as two schools.
With Takagi Yoshin substituting for the grappling of the missing Shinden Fudo JuTaijitsu, Ishitani still needed a hard "Karate" to take the place of the missing DakenTaijutsu of the Shinden Fudo. This was the inspiration for Ishitani mastering the Gikan Ryu Koppo Jutsu.
GIKAN Ryu was based on Gyokko Ryu, where Uryu studied. However it is a hard KOPPO Jutsu system, developed similarly to how the TODA family developed KOTO Ryu, basing it on Gyokko. This is similar to how different schools and styles of KARATE developed in different regions.
It is interesting to speculate about different historical developments had Shinden Fudo Ryu and Kukkishinden Ryu been passed down together, so both TODA and ISHITANI would have had a similar training path.
Would Takagi Yoshin Ryu have stayed with the Mizuto line, and what would have become of Gikan Ryu for example.
As it stands the Takagi Yoshin is particularly interesting to us as it is the Indoor Body Guard system, as opposed to the Outdoor Battlefield system.
SHINDEN FUDO RYU, in the absence of the Kukki Shinden system, still passes on some unique battlefield training methods
YARI - spear
NAGINATA - halberd
ONO - war axe
O TSUCHI - war hammer
As expected the use of the over size weapons is based on the TAIJUTSU movements and Sabaki
This school also practices the HOJO Jutsu rope methods
KUKKISHINDEN weapons include
SO JUTSU - Yari spear
NAGINATA - Halberd
BISENTO - long weapon
BOJUTSU - staff
HANBOJUTSU - half staff
KATANA sword
KODACHI short sword
JUTTE truncheon
TESSEN fan
TAOKE NO JUTSU is the art of overcoming an enemy from a distance, mastered by battlefield Commanders of high rank and Generals - also known to the NINJA JONIN
The GYOKUSHIN Ryu, as a school of Ninjutsu, makes special use of Hojo rope, as well as the lassoo, and the KUSARI chain weapons - Kusari Fundo and Manriki Gusari
The KUMOGAURE Ryu a school of NINJUTSU, has specialised climbing tool such as the Kama Yari, which is also a weapon. It was used in the SUI MIZU Water method for climbing the sides of wooden ships. It can also be used in the MOKU Wood method for moving between trees. As a weapon it is specifically used for fighting swordsmen
The ippon sugi noburi - single cedar climbing tool - is a specialised climbing tool and weapon.
The armour, including Demon mask and armoured sleeves, comes from this Ryuha.
Though the TAIJUTSU comes from Togakure and therefore Gyokko, this school makes more use of jumping while fighting. Use if made of double blocks and double strikes in the fighting techniques.
Considering the Shinden Fudo Ryu, with its two systems, added to the Gyokko and Koto schools, this gives us four schools to source and train from
GYOKKO Ryu KOSHI Jutsu
KOTO Ryu KOPPO Jutsu
Shinden Fudo DAKEN Taijutsu
Shinden Fudo JU Taijutsu
Building a complete comprehensive Unarmed Combat structure
ISHITANI was the Soke of the Kukkishinden and it is from him that Takamatsu received his training and the scrolls.
Because Shinden Fudo Ryu was not passed on with the Kukkishiden and vice versa, The Takagi Yoshin Ryu was paired with it, so the weapons system and Unarmed system were practiced together, though kept as two schools.
With Takagi Yoshin substituting for the grappling of the missing Shinden Fudo JuTaijitsu, Ishitani still needed a hard "Karate" to take the place of the missing DakenTaijutsu of the Shinden Fudo. This was the inspiration for Ishitani mastering the Gikan Ryu Koppo Jutsu.
GIKAN Ryu was based on Gyokko Ryu, where Uryu studied. However it is a hard KOPPO Jutsu system, developed similarly to how the TODA family developed KOTO Ryu, basing it on Gyokko. This is similar to how different schools and styles of KARATE developed in different regions.
The KUKISHINDEN DAKENTAIJUTSU fits in well with the techniques of the 5 systems listed above, some similarities can be seen, as well as some new concepts.
Now when we add in the TAKAGI YOSHIN JUTAIJUTSU techniques we now have a complete system for the ISHITANI Den.
TODA Den:
GYOKKO Ryu KOSHI Jutsu
KOTO Ryu KOPPO Jutsu
Shinden Fudo DAKEN Taijutsu
Shinden Fudo JU Taijutsu
Plus the NINJA Unarmed methods of TOGAKURE Ryu, and the two NINJA Schools GYOKUSHIN and KUMOGAKURE , the movements of which all come from the Gyokko Ryu
ISHITANI Den:
KUKKISHINDEN Ryu DAKEN Taijutsu
TAKAGI YOSHIN Ryu JU Taijutsu
GIKAN Ryu KOPPO Jutsu - refined from the existing methods of GYOKKO and KOTO Ryu
