Togakure Ryu-Ninpo Taijutsu

According to Togakure ryu Ninjutsu Hidensho (a Japanese manuscript of indeterminate authorship, age and provenance currently in the possession of Masaaki Hatsumi,  from Noda-shi, Chiba, Japan), Togakure-ryu was founded about eight hundred years ago by Daisuke Nishina (Togakure), who learned shugendo practices as well as Hakuun ryu ninjutsu from Kagakure Doshi.

According to the Bujinkan, the school contained Yon-po Hiden (Four Secrets): Senban Shuriken (four-pointed throwing star), Shuko and Ashiko (Spiked bands worn on hands (Shuko) and sometimes feet (Ashiko), for climbing), Shinodake (a tube used as a snorkel or blowgun) and Kyoketsu shoge, an unusual blade attached to cord which is in turn attached to a heavy ring, and taijutsu or arts of the whole body.

History According to Togakure ryu Ninjutsu Hidensho

In 1182, during the Japanese Genpei War, at the end of the Heian Period, Minamoto no Yoshinaka, a general from the mountainous Nagano region of Japan, captured the capital city of Kyoto. After this victory, he found himself under attack by his cousin Yoshitsune. When Yoshitsune's troops successfully crossed the Uji river, a key strategic defense for the capital, Yoshinaka withdrew, only to be killed as his horse fell through the ice of a frozen rice paddy.

After Yoshinaka's defeat, one of his samurai retainers, Daisuke Nishina of Togakure Village escaped to the mountains of Iga in south central Japan. Nishina's native village of Togakure is now known as Togakushi, Nagano, and was an early center of Shugendo training. It may be that Nishina engaged in such training, but the records of the Togakure ryu do not mention it. The mountains provided an easy place to hide from the enemy troops, who still searched for Yoshinaka's forces. Daisuke Nishina, who subsequently changed his name to Daisuke Togakure, later became known as the first Soke (family head) of Togakure-ryu ninjutsu.

Ironically, Yoshitsune was later overthrown by his brother Yoritomo. After escaping capture by Yoritomo's forces, he founded the Yoshitsune-ryu of ninjutsu. The Yoshitsune-ryu later died out, along with many other famous ninjutsu ryu.

The ninja families of Iga grew to become a great part of Japan's military history. Lending their support to Tokugawa Ieyasu, they were able to aid in the establishment of the Tokugawa Shogunate and were recruited to many government posts, including police, bodyguards, and intelligence agents.

 (A succession list of previous Sóke)

1. Togakure Daisuke (Oho era 1161) 
2.  Shima Kosanta Minamoto no Kanesada (1180)
3. Togakure Goro (1200)
4. Togakure Kosanta
5.  Koga Kisanta
6. Kaneko Tomoharu
7.  Togakure Ryuho
8. Togakure Gakuun
9.  Kido Koseki
10.  Iga Tenryu
11. Ueno Rihei
12.  Ueno Senri
13.  Ueno Manjiro
14.  Iizuka Saburo
15.  Sawada Goro
16.  Ozaru Ippei
17.  Kimata Hachiro
18.  Kataoka Heizaemon
19.  Mori Ugenta
20. Toda Gogei
21.  Kobe Seiun
22.  Momochi Kobei
23. Tobari Tenzen
24.  Toda Seiryu Nobutsuna (Kwanyei era 1624-1644)
25.  Toda Fudo Nobuchika (Manji era 1658-1681)
26.  Toda Kangoro Nobuyasu (Tenna era 1681-1704)
27.  Toda Eisaburo Nobumasa (Hoyei era 1704-1711)
28.  Toda Shinbei Masachika (Shotoku era 1711-1736)
29.  Toda Shingoro Masayoshi (Gembun era 1736-1764)
30.  Toda Daigoro Chikahide (Meiwa era 1764-1804)
31. Toda Daisaburo Chikashige (Bunkwa era 1804)
32.  Toda Shinryuken Masamitsu (b. 1824 - d. 1909)
33.  Takamatsu Toshitsugu Uoh (b. 1887 - d. 1972)
34. Masaaki Hatsumi (b. 1931 – present)

 The 18 forms of Togakure Bujutsu

1. Taijutsu
2. Ninja Ken
3. Bojutsu
4. Shurikenjutsu
5. Kusarigama
6. Yari
7. Naginata
8. Bajutsu
9. Suiren
10. Kayakujutsu
11. Bo Ryaku
12. Choho
13. Shinobi Iri
14. Intonjutsu
15. Hensojutsu
16. Tenmon
17. Chimon
18. Seishin Teki Kyoyo

 Current Soke

The current Soke of the Togakure-ryu is Masaaki Hatsumi of Noda, Japan. Soke Hatsumi opened this art to the west and trains people world wide.

 Formal Techniques

• Ninpo Taijutsu

Kurai Dori – the postures, unarmed or with shuko.

Example, Hachimonji no kamae: a posture that has the Ninja prepared to throw blinding powder.

Ukemi Gata - falling techniques.

Example, Zenpo Kaiten: forward roll.

Shinobi Gaeshi – includes methods of moving undetected, and of escaping in the case of discovery.

Example, Shige gaeshi: while lying on top of a van (or any raised horizontal surface) the Ninja is spotted, he throws blinding powder and maybe shuriken, then rolls (in a particular way) to the side opposite the enemy and runs off or finds a better hiding place.

Santo Tonko no Kata – vanishing forms: uses blinding powder, shuriken and other devices. These are also used in the case of discovery but this time the opponent attacks.

Example, "Happo kiri gakure gata": surrounded by swordsmen, the Ninja throws shuriken at the front attackers and blinding powder to the rear, then when surrounded by "fog", runs off.

• Ninja Bikenjutsu – methods of using the Ninja sword, which was shorter and straighter than the Katana.

Kurai Dori – sword "postures", as well as five methods of attaching the sword to the body.

Example, Totoku hyoshi: posture for deflecting projectiles.

Iaijutsu - sword drawing.

Example, Katate nuki: drawing the sword with one hand in a particular way.

Biken Kata – sword forms. (The Ninja method of using the sword is unusual and distinct.)

Example, Itto ryu dan: The sword is thrown at the enemy or enemies, the Ninja would either retrieve the sword or just run off.

• Sakkijutsu – developing the ability to sense intentions. This isn't an entire sub-discipline however, but is developed through training in the other disciplines.
• Kyoketsu shoge – the special blade on a long "lead", had no formal techniques.

 Manuscript Tradition

The oldest copy of the makimono of Togakure ryu (which is in the possession of Hatsumi Masaaki) is written on the same physical scroll as the makimono of Gyokko ryu. Four copies of this set of Togakure ryu makimono and densho are known to have been made. The first copy was issued to Fukumoto Yoshio by Takamatsu Toshitsugu on the occasion of the former's attainment of menkyo kaiden. This copy is currently in the possession of Tanemura Shoto. The next copy was issued to Manaka Fumio by Hatsumi Masaaki on the occasion of the former's attainment of menkyo kaiden. A copy was issued to Tanemura Shoto by Hatsumi Masaaki on the occasion of the former's attainment of menkyo kaiden. The fourth copy was issued by Fukumoto Yoshio to Tanemura Shoto on the occasion of the former's attainment of menkyo kaiden under the latter and is a copy of Fukumoto's copy.