九鬼神流八法秘剣術
KUKISHIN-RYÛ HAPPÔ BIKENJUTSU

In the first year of 皇祐 Huang You (1049–1054 AD), 異匀 Ikai (I Yún) from Xinjiang was on the losing side in the war against 宋仁宗 Emperor Renzong in eastern China. He fled into exile, eventually reaching Ise in Japan, and settled in a cave in 伊賀国 Iga Province. He, along with a group of warriors who most likely accompanied him, is considered the origin of most of the schools in the Bujinkan.

出雲冠者義照 Izumo Kanja Yoshiteru (Eikyū era, 1113 (born?)) is credited as the founder of this lineage and of Shindenfudō-ryū.

Legend has it: 出雲冠者義照 Izumo Kanja Yoshiteru rebelled against Regent 藤原忠通 Fujiwara no Tadamichi during the 保元 Hōgen era (1156–1159). After the Minamoto clan’s defeat in the 平治の乱 Heiji Rebellion of 1159, he fled and eventually reached 猪目洞窟 Inome Dōkutsu / Me Cave in 出雲市 Izumo. In that cave lived a Chinese monk who had fled from Tang China carrying a 鉄棒 Tetsubō (iron staff). This monk was a former Tang general and master of martial arts. Yoshiteru is said to have studied military science under him and mastered the 眉尖刀術 Bisentō-jutsu (brow-tip blade art) among other arts.

The 2nd Soke 出雲小四郎照信 Izumo Koshirō Terunobu (fl. mid-12th century, ~1140s–1160s) Transmitted early taijutsu and weapon foundations post-Yoshiteru’s exile.

The 3rd Soke 出雲又四郎照秀 Izumo Matajirō Teruhide (fl. late 12th century, ~1170s–1190s) Continued the cave-training lineage; associated with early dakentaijutsu adaptations.

The 4th Soke 出雲文五義照 Izumo Bungō Yoshiteru (fl. early 13th century, ~1200s) Focused on integrating Shugendō elements; bridge to Minamoto clan’s involvement.

The 5th Soke 出雲冠者義隆 Izumo Kanja Yoshitaka (fl. early 14th century, ~1300–1330s) Perfected nine-weapon methods (九つの器); active during Nanboku-chō wars’ prelude.

The 6th Soke 出雲冠者義輝 Izumo Kanja Yoshiteru (fl. mid-14th century, ~1330s–1350s) Consolidated Happō Biken during Emperor Go-Daigo’s era; pre-Yakushimaru transition.

The 7th Sōke, 大国鬼三太清澄 Ōkuni Kisanta Kiyosumi (fl. 1336), helped save 後醍醐天皇 Emperor Go-Daigo (the 96th Emperor of Japan) in June 1336 together with 薬師丸隆真 Ryūshin Yakushimaru (Yakushimaru Kurando). Ryūshin was awarded the family name 九鬼 Kuki by the Emperor for saving his life. Ōkuni received the 天津蹈輪秘伝秘話之卷 Amatsu Tatara Hiwa no Maki scroll from the 名和氏 Nawa clan as a reward for his assistance to Go-Daigo. I believe it was from this point that our tradition was largely restructured and shaped, incorporating the knowledge contained in these ancient scrolls.

The 8th Sōke, 堤伯耆守律山 Tsutsumi Hakushimori Ritsuzan (fl. mid-14th century, ~1350s–1370s) Early Kuki retainer; transmitted during Ashikaga shogunate conflicts.

The 9th Sōke, 栗山右近源長臥房 Kuriyama Ukongen Nagafusa (fl. late 14th century, ~1370s–1390s) Minamoto branch holder; focused on yari (spear) and naginata.

The 10th Sōke, 有馬河内介正義 Arima Kōchinosuke Masayoshi (fl. early 15th century, ~1400s) Arima clan link; active in regional wars, emphasizing kenjutsu.

The 11th Sōke, 大国小源太幸久 Ōkuni Kogenta Yukihisa (fl. mid-15th century, ~1450s) Originator of Kukishinden jōjutsu (short staff); during Muromachi unrest.

The 12th Sōke, 木村一刀斎兼介 Kimura Ittōsai Kanesuke (fl. late 15th–early 16th century, ~1480s–1510s) Sword master (ittōsai = “one-sword recluse”); integrated kodachi techniques.

The 13th Sōke, 有馬大助忠明 Arima Daisuke Tadamaki (fl. early 16th century, ~1510s–1540s) Arima revival; active in Sengoku skirmishes.

The 14th Sōke, 風間新九郎秀近 Kazama Shinkurō Hidechika (fl. mid-16th century, ~1540s–1570s) During Tenbun/Eiroku eras; naval adaptations for Kuki suigun (water army).

The 15th Sōke, 大国鬼平重信 Ōkuni Kihei Shigenobu (fl. late 16th century, ~1570s–1600s), is credited with founding 九鬼神流 Kukishin-ryū in the early Edo period, a school best known for its bōjutsu (staff fighting). He held a friendly match against 高木源之進英重 Takagi Gennoshin Hideshige, the 3rd Sōke of Takagiyōshin-ryū. They discovered that Takagiyōshin-ryū excelled in jūjutsu while Kukishin-ryū excelled in weapon techniques, and agreed that each school should adopt elements from the other. A few years later, Gennoshin fell ill and died young.
Ōkuni, now Sōke of both Kukishin-ryū and Takagiyōshin-ryū, kept both traditions alive. He passed Takagiyōshin-ryū to his son 大国八九郎伸俊 Ōkuni Yakuburō Nobutoshi and Kukishin-ryū to 大戸根左近康正 Ōtone Sakon Yasumasa. Both lines preserved the essence of jūjutsu and weapon techniques intact.

The 16th Sōke, 大戸根左近康正 Otone Sakon Yasumasa (fl. early 17th century, ~1600s) Early Edo; post-Sekigahara stabilization.

The 17th Sōke, 大戸根源八康秀 Ōtone Genpachirō Yasuhide (fl. mid-17th century, ~1630s–1660s) Focused on shuriken and taijutsu amid domain splits.

The 18th Sōke, 大戸根源五郎康平 Ōtone Gengorō Yasuhira (fl. late 17th century, ~1660s–1690s) Genroku-era holder; refined eight secret sword methods.

The 19th Sōke, 淡路入道近康 Awaji Nyūdō Chikayasu (fl. early 18th century, ~1700s) Monk-warrior; Shōtoku-era adaptations.

The 20th Sōke, 鞍馬小太郎玄進 Kurama Kotarō Genshin (fl. mid-18th century, ~1730s–1760s) Kurama mountain ascetic influence; Meiwa-era.

The 21th Sōke, 大国出雲守重広 Ōkuni Izumomori Shigehiro (fl. late 18th century, ~1760s–1790s) Izumo revival; An’ei-era.

The 22th Sōke, 杉野重平太兼光 Sugino Jūheita Kanemitsu (fl. early 19th century, ~1800s) Bakumatsu prelude; Tempo-era.

The 23th Sōke, 久原源十郎義種 Hisahara Genjūrō Yoshitane (fl. mid-19th century, ~1830s–1860s) Late Edo; Kaei/Ansei eras.

The 24th Sōke, 久原小太郎信義 Hisahara Kotarō Nobuyoshi (fl. late 19th century, ~1860s–1890s) Meiji Restoration; early modernization.

The 25th Sōke, 石谷武甥正次 Ishitani Takeoi Masatsugu (fl. late 19th–early 20th century, ~1860s–1905; d. 1905) Taught Takamatsu; Hyōgo province; integrated with Takagi Yoshin-ryū.

The 26th Sōke, 石谷松太郎隆景 Ishitani Matsutarō Takakage (fl. late 19th–early 20th century, ~1870s–1911; d. 1911) Father of Takeoi; key transmitter to Takamatsu; died young in Akita.

The 27th Sōke, 高松寿嗣翊翁 Takamatsu Toshitsugu Uō, inherited the Takagi line from 水田芳太郎忠房 Mizuta Yoshitarō Tadafusa in 1901 and, a few years later, the Kukishin line from 石谷松太郎隆景 Ishitani Matsutarō Takekage. Thus, after more than 200 years of separation, both lines were reunited under one master.

Daken Taijutsu (Unarmed fighting techniques) Kodachijutsu (Short sword techniques) Bikenjutsu (Sword techniques) Hanbojutsu (Fighting with 3 Shaku stick)a Bojutsu (Fighting with 6 Shaku stick) Sojutsu (Fighting with the Yari (spear)) Naginatajutsu (Fighting with the halberd)

The 28th Sōke, 初見良明 Hatsumi Masaaki, began training under Takamatsu Sensei in 1957 at the age of 26 and continued until Takamatsu Sensei’s death in 1972. He was the only student present at the funeral. Hatsumi Sensei became the inheritor of nine traditional schools and founded the Bujinkan Dōjō in honour of his teacher.

There are many branches of Kukishin-ryū still alive in Japan. Several of these branches were brought together by Takamatsu Sensei during the 20th century and later passed on to Hatsumi Sōke.

I believe that within the Kukishin-ryū of the Bujinkan Dōjō there are in fact elements from multiple historical branches. Kukishin-ryū was, and remains, a very complete school that covers strategy, philosophy, religion, and of course unarmed combat as well as the use of all kinds of weapons.

In the Bujinkan system, Kukishin-ryū is perhaps best known for its extensive weapons techniques — sword, spear, halberd, and staffs of various lengths — but there is far more to the school. Below is a list of the major sections of Kukishin-ryū techniques we train.

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傳系 DENKEI

1. 出雲冠者義照	Izumo Kanja Yoshiteru (Eikyū Era 1113–1118 AD)
2. 出雲小四郎照信	Izumo Koshirō Terunobu (~1140s–1160s)
3. 出雲又四郎照秀	Izumo Matsushiro Teruhide (~1170s–1190s)
4. 出雲文五義照	Izumo Bungo Yoshiteru (~1200s)
5. 出雲冠者義隆	Izumo Kanja Yoshitaka (~1300–1330s)
6. 出雲冠者義輝	Izumo Kanja Yoshiteru (~1330s–1350s)
7. 大国鬼三太清澄	Ōkuni Kisanata Kiyosumi (1336)
8. 堤伯耆守律山	Tsutsumi Hakushi Mori Ritsuzan (~1350s–1370s)
9. 栗山右近源長臥房	Kuriyama Ukongen Nagafusa (~1370s–1390s)
10. 有馬河内介正義	Arima Kochinosuke Masayoshi (~1400s)
11. 大国小源太幸久	Ōkuni Kogenta Yukihisa (~1450s)
12. 木村一刀斎兼介	Kimura Ittosai Kanesuke (~1480s–1510s)
13. 有馬大助忠明	Arima Daisuke Taddaki (~1510s–1540s)
14. 風間新九郎秀近	Kazama Shinkuro Hidechika (~1540s–1570s)
15. 大国鬼平重信	Ōhkuni Kihei Shigenobu (~1570s–1600s)
16. 大戸根左近康正	Otone Sakon Yasumasa (~1600s)
17. 大戸根源八康秀	Ōtone Genpachi Yoshihide (~1630s–1660s)
18. 大戸根源五郎康平	Ōtone Gengoro Yasuhira (~1660s–1690s)
19. 淡路入道近康	Awaji Nyudo Chikayasu (~1700s)
20. 鞍馬小太郎玄進	Kurama Kotaro Genshin (~1730s–1760s)
21. 大国出雲守重広	Ōkuni Izumo Mori Shigehiro (~1760s–1790s)
22. 杉野重平太兼光	Sugino Juheita Kanemitsu (~1800s)
23. 久原源十郎義種	Hisahara Genjuro Yoshitane (~1830s–1860s)
24. 久原小太郎信義	Hisahara Kotaro Nobuyoshi (~1860s–1890s)
25. 石谷武甥正次	Ishitani Takeoi Masatsugu (~1860s–1905)
26. 石谷松太郎隆景	Ishitani Matsutaro Takekage (~1870s–1911)
27. 高松寿嗣翊翁	Takamatsu Toshitsugu Uō  (b.1887–d.1972)
28. 初見良明	Hatsumi Masaaki (b.1931-Present)
29. 岩田義雄	Iwata Yoshio (?-Present)