Daken Taijutsu

打券体術
DAKEN TAIJUTSU

The Daken-taijutsu techniques in our tradition has it’s source from the 澄水流 Chōsui-ryū founded by 名和三郎元基長 Nawa Saburō Motonaga (Kamakura period late 12th century – 1333) whose origins trace back to 大伴古麻呂 Ōtomo no Komaro (Nara period 592 –710) that was rooted in the teachings of 馗神 Kishin of the Amatsu Tatara preserved by the 大伴氏 Ōtomo family.

At the 元弘の變 Genko incident (1331-1334) the young emperor 後醍醐天皇 Go-Daigo-tennō (1288–1339) the 96th emperor of Japan was in trouble. There was a civil war brewing between the Emperor and the Shogunate, in June 1336 he was held hostage. 大国鬼三太清澄 Ōkuni Kisanata Kiyosumi the 7’th grandmaster of Kukishinden Happōbiken and the leader Ryūshin (薬師丸蔵人 Yakushimaru Kurando) saved Go-Daigo.

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 helping Go-daigo. From this he created the 馗神澄水流 Kijinchōsui-ryū. This was because the techniques of Atekomi (striking) originated at times when armor was worn and became outdated.

Each level is built up on the previous level. In the first level techniques are simpler and the opponent doesn’t resist so much. In each following level the opponent is also getting better and makes better attacks. From the middle of 王空電の型 Ōkuden Kata and the whole 調潜型 Shirabe Moguri Kata the opponent attack’s freely as he like.

This demands that the practitioner have studied the previous techniques thoroughly so that he can do each technique good under a stressful situation.

The Taijutsu had many different names through the history. In ancient times, it was also called 天津鞴韜九鬼柔体術 Amatsu Tatara Kuki Jūtaijutsu, and in the era of 石谷松太郎隆景 Ishitani Matsutarō, it was also called 無心無想流 Mushin Musō-ryū.

But Takamatsu Toshitsugu supplemented and organised it as 九鬼神流柔術 Kukishin-ryū Jūjutsu and transmitted it to his first disciple, 木村正治 Kimura Masaharu. Also Ōkuni Kisanata Kiyosumi the 7’th grandmaster of Kukishinden Happōbiken (which is our school) received the Amatsu Tatara scrolls from the Nawa clan with the Dakentaijutsu techniques. I’m not sure how similar the techniques are between the different branches.

In the early 1800’s 一柳数馬 Ichiyanagi Kazuma the 18’th Sōke of 九鬼神流柔術 Kukishin-ryu Jūjutsu and his successor 一柳織部 Ichiyanagi Oribe from the Ichiyanagi clan had modified the old Dakentaijutsu techniques to be more suitable for the modern age without the Yoroi. They called this 真剣体術虎の巻 Shinken Taijutsu Tora no Maki. This new system was transmitted to Ishitani, Takamatsu and Hatsumi.

The 真剣体術 Shinken Taijutsu techniques is called 虎の巻 Tora no Maki (not widely known and practised in the Bujinkan Dojo). There is five Kamae, Kihon Kata and five levels simply called 初段 Shodan, 二段 Nidan, 三段 Sandan, 四段 Yondan and 五段 Godan. There is 12 techniques in each level.