As with all Ryuha the core weapon of Kukishin is the sword
Ishitani was the 26th Soke
Takamatsu was the 27th Soke
Dai Shihan Iwata Yoshio, student of Hatsumi is now 29th Soke as we complete the last quarter of the new Century
We know the story about the Sword being used at angle 12 at that battle and this being considered the "signature move" of Kukishin
In KALI terms, in the LARGO style, this would be angle 10
We know the story about the spear breaking to leave the Ninja with the Bo and how he used the Kuji move sequence to survive
So BO in Kukishin was developed as a system for what to do when the spear breaks
This passes down to the JO and HANBO
Years ago I heard discussion that the Bo was the core weapon of Kukishin
This is of course not true as nobody went into battle with a stick, they went with a spear, which then broke
And of course the full name of the school style is Kukishinden Happo Hiken Jutsu - HIKEN being Secret Sword
With each generation adding to the DENSHO scrolls, we can see where there was a dominant development in BO over existing SWORD in the Kukishinden under the SOKE and SHIHAN at that time
These things happen in peacetime in every Ryuha
Which brings us to the HANBO
It would be a severe weapon break, pretty much the spear being cut in half to create a Hanbo
The Ninja who had this break would most likely discard the stick "half" and keep the "blade bit"
This also lead to development of the NAGIMAKI - a hanbo with a Katana blade - the experiments with the variants and possibilities
So the development of HANBO was deliberate as the "walking stick" length weapon - which would be a good tool as part of a Ninja disguise
This can be seen in parallel again with the KALI LARGO stick and the SAVATE CANNE
The Bo staff was a "peasant" weapon, carried in the country
The Hanbo, a walking cane, was a "Gentleman's" weapon, carried through the city streets
And of course we see the walking stick in Bartitsu in Old London
The HANBO Densho and it's GATA directly influence the DAKENTAIJUTSU and this is obvious
So unusually we see the Hanbo as the weapon, a stick blunt weapon, being the main influence of the Unarmed Combat of this Ryuha
- opposed to the other Ryu such as Koto Ryu and Gyokko Ryu where the Taijutsu, the KOPPO and KOSHI respectively, can be seen as parallel to the Togakure Ninjato, the Shinobi Gatana
And we see the Jutte rather than the short sword and/or knife as the blunt stick tool used at close range, and the use of the Tessen, which then apply to all short range clubs, then in parallel with KALI SERRADA
While Gyokko, Koto and Togakure come down to us from the TODA line, along with Shinden Fudo Ryu, the Kukishin school comes to us from Ishitani, as does Gikan Ryu
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As I have written and spoken about elsewhere, I have thoughts and feelings about the Ryuha I know and how they have been passed to Shihan who I know, and those I don't
I wrote how SENO Shihan would have been ideal as Soke of Kukishin
On the Kukishin thread, as we go into 2025 and are covering HANBO and DAKENTAIJUTSU, I have updated my notes on the school
I endorse Ishizuka as Soke of Gyokko Ryu
I endorse Nagato as Soke of Shinden Fudo Ryu
I have trained with both these Shihan at Taikai and can see no better choice
I have trained with Nogucho at TaiKai and I do endorse his appointment as Soke of Koto Ryu, and he is the best current choice, I stand by what I say that he would have been the ideal Soke for Takagi Yoshin Ryu if Manaka had been around to inherit Koto Ryu
I have trained with Manaka at Taikai, he is a Major in the Japanese Defence Militia, a fearsome and powerful Ninja Warrior and his Jinenkan school is an impressive Ninja school in it's own right
I wrote about Tanemura and how I admire his Genbukan school. and how I believe he would be the ideal Soke for Togakure
As it stands, Tanemura claims to be Gikan Ryu Soke for the reasons written - and no doubt he knows how to apply and teach this school
In my personal future development in Kukishinden, I will not be seeking training from the new appointed Soke
As I intend to train with Ishizuka, Noguchi, Nagato, and also Manaka and Tanemura, or rather CONTINUE training with them, I will seek instruction in Kukishinden from them and, most likely their own senior students and successors
For the schools of Takagi Yoshin, Gikan, Komogakure and Gyokushin, I will most likely do the same
I wrote how SENO Shihan would have been ideal as Soke of Kukishin
On the Kukishin thread, as we go into 2025 and are covering HANBO and DAKENTAIJUTSU, I have updated my notes on the school
I endorse Ishizuka as Soke of Gyokko Ryu
I endorse Nagato as Soke of Shinden Fudo Ryu
I have trained with both these Shihan at Taikai and can see no better choice
I have trained with Nogucho at TaiKai and I do endorse his appointment as Soke of Koto Ryu, and he is the best current choice, I stand by what I say that he would have been the ideal Soke for Takagi Yoshin Ryu if Manaka had been around to inherit Koto Ryu
I have trained with Manaka at Taikai, he is a Major in the Japanese Defence Militia, a fearsome and powerful Ninja Warrior and his Jinenkan school is an impressive Ninja school in it's own right
I wrote about Tanemura and how I admire his Genbukan school. and how I believe he would be the ideal Soke for Togakure
As it stands, Tanemura claims to be Gikan Ryu Soke for the reasons written - and no doubt he knows how to apply and teach this school
In my personal future development in Kukishinden, I will not be seeking training from the new appointed Soke
As I intend to train with Ishizuka, Noguchi, Nagato, and also Manaka and Tanemura, or rather CONTINUE training with them, I will seek instruction in Kukishinden from them and, most likely their own senior students and successors
For the schools of Takagi Yoshin, Gikan, Komogakure and Gyokushin, I will most likely do the same
