The teaching of Ito, Nito, Kodachi,Bo and Jujitsu will be continued. Also Jutte which had been discontinued for some time.

Present dojo in Japan under the direction of Soke are in Kokura and Fukuoka. practice at Soke's dojo in Usa has been discontinued.

Internationally we of course hope that more and more people will show an interest in the Ryu and Musashi's tradition.

We have groups in Canada, the Philippines, Finland, UK, France Australia etc.

Miyamoto Musashi Fujiwara no Genshin
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Terao Kyumanosuke Nobuyuki (Second name can be read as Motomenosuke)
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Terao Goemon Katsuyuki
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Yoshida Josetsu Masahiro
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Santo Hikozaemon Kyohide
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Santo Hanbe Kiyoaki
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Santo Shinjuro Kiyotake
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Aoki Kikuo Hisakatsu
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Kiyonaga Tadanao Masami
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Imai Masayuki Nobukatsu

Iwami Toshio Gensho (Harukatsu)

©Hyakutake-Watkin 2004

Iwami Toshio Gensho was inaugurated as Hyoho Niten Ichiryu Seito Ju-Ichidai.

The ceremony was opened by Hyakutake -Watkin a Menkyo holder of the ryu and Shihan of the Kageryu. This was followed by speeches by dignitaries welcoming the Ryu back to Kokura.

One of the speakers was the present generation descendant of Musashi's third son Miyamoto Iori. He talked of the well documented history of Musashi living in Kokura. Before coming there he had adopted Iori as his third son. Iori was employed as a retainer of the Ogasawara Tadazane.

The ceremony was continued with speeches of recognition and acceptance by soke and successor and the handing over of the Menko Kaidensho Makimono and Miyamoto Musashi's Jisso Enman no Bokuto.

The bokuto which has always been handed down through generations from Sohke to Soke is designated as a national treasure. From now on it is now held by Usa Jingu (Usa Shrine). The Ninth Soke Kikuo Tesshin Aoki had taken it to Taiwan where he had lived for some time before WW2. The outbreak of war forced him to return to Japan but he had left it there for fear of losing it.

The Ryu has always been greatly indebted to the student in Taiwan who returned it to Japan some years after the war.

Succession in the Hyoho Niten Ichiryu, the name designated by Musashi towards the end of his life does not follow a hereditary pattern. It is attested by the conferral of two artifacts. A scroll on which is written the name of the techniques and the approach to them that must be transmitted to perpetuate the school. A wooden sword that Musashi made himself, with which he trained and used as a walking stick during the last years of his life. The main atribute to succession is of course the physical and education transmission handed down from teacher to student, learned over most of a lifetime and with it the deep understanding of Musashi's Mu that accompanies his waza. Those who do not understand and possess Musashi's Mu have not chance of advancement or succession!

Today the following techniques are transmitted:

Tachi Seiho - Twelve waza with long sword.

Nito Seiho - Five waza with two swords corresponding to the five forms in the Water Scroll.

Kodachi Seiho - Seven waza with a short sword. Aikuchi roppo - Six waza with a knife.

Bo jutsu - Twenty waza with a staff.

Jitte to Jutsu - Five waza against a sword.

On the left is the lineage chart. The line is clear and concise with a specific method of handing things on in practice documentation and artifacts, details of which are not for publication. A case of what we know and for others to perhaps wonder unless they become a part of that very process. Others that are aware of such a process and documentation are Japan's recognized associations such as Kobudo Kyokai in affiliation with Nippon Budokan and Kobudo Shinkokai. Needless to say any other so called ha or group could attempt to join such an association "if" they could produce relevant artifacts and documentation to back up their claim and show a living practical tradition that actually related to those documents.

Throughout the generations certain students have also been acknowledged by previous Soke during their life leading towards final succession. These have gone on and away from the actual lineage and in many cases have added their own techniques and methods of training. Generally the term Ha or family is used in this case. But this has had no,bearing as to who was chosen in finality to continue the line.

Even to this day it would be possible to establish a Ha. But it would be have no use unless close contact can be kept with future successors. The ultimate purpose like any other ryu is to try and bring people together not break and fragment the line. A ha is a "ha", a lineage a "lineage". So for obvious reasons they are not mentioned here. However they can be seen published elsewhere by people trying to establish links and add authenticity or relevance to a particular Genbudo. Most of all the ryu is "Living Tradition". The only way to find anything about it in detail is to join and do it rather than mere supposition from reading books. The linage is NOT hereditory!

Musashi's wish was to perpetuate his art to three successors within the thousand students around 1640. To Terao Magonojo, his younger brother Kyumanosuke and to Furuhashi Sozaemon. He considered Magonojo to excelled in technique but lacked in reflection. Furuhashi excelled in refection but lacked in technique. Magonojo received the Gorin no Sho on the instructions that he read it and burned it. But Furuhashi borrowed it for a few days and on the orders of Hosokawa Mitsuhisa made two copies. One for Hosokawa and one for himself that he transmitted under the name of Ihon Gorin no Sho. The best known artifact today is the Hosokawa copy.

Magonojo then yielded the role of successor to his younger brother Kyumanosuke who had received the Hyoho San-jugo from Musashi. It was Kyumanosuke that transmitted to his students this document with seven added instructions called the Hyoho Shiji ni Kajo.

Terao Kyumanosuke (Motomenosuke) had receive complete transmission of the School of Musashi receiving certification and Musashi's two swords. He at first refused to teach and rightly sent what he had received to Musashi's adopted son Iori. Iori refused as the succession and warriors honour had not been bestowed upon him. With this Kyumanosuke took over as head with both his and Iori's actions were manifestations of Musashi's respect.

Kyumanosuke's fourth son who had been renamed Shinmen Bensuke received full transmission but died at the age of forty five. And so we come to today with the two artifacts, the continuance of a tradition and perpetuation of a ryu. But looking at the initial short history it is easy to see that although three successors are named it is often left to fate which one or more will continue.

In Musashi's time the transmission of written text was rare. Rejection of transmission by means of writing reflects the recognition of a real intuitive comprehension on a personal level. The purpose of a ryu is to be able to communicate to others something that one has a deeply understood oneself and not what one has read. However recommended reading would have to be Gorin no Sho, Hyoho Shiji ni Kajo and Dokkodo to get the full picture.

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