Takagi
Yoshin Ryu
Willow heart
School
The Takagi
Yoshin Ryu was founded by Oriemon
Takagi who was born in 1625 and died in 1711.
Before founding the Ryu, he was defeated in a match
against Yagyu Tajima-no-Kami who was skilled in the techniques of the Yagyu Ryu.
Following this
defeat, he spent thirty seven days
training on Mount Kurama in the hope that he could
understand why he had lost the match. It is said that
on his final day on Mount Kurama, Takagi had a
dream where he was being attacked by a fierce tiger
which he managed to kill by aiming his spear at it's
eyes. This dream led Takagi to realize the importance
of the eyes. He later had a rematch with Yagyu and
managed to beat him by aiming his sword at Yagyu's eyes.
In the Seventeenth Century, there was a match between Gennoshin Hidetoshi Takagi
of the Takagi Yoshin Ryu and Okuni Shigenobu of the Kukishinden Ryu. Gennoshin
won the match in Jujutsu whereas Okuni won the match in Bojutsu. As a result of
this match, a friendship developed between these two Ryu and when Gennoshin
died, the Ryu was handed over to Okuni which led to the Takagi Yoshin Ryu and
the Kukishin-den Ryu being handed down together to subsequent generations.
The school is
made up of several levels
Shoden Omote no Kata - 13 techniques
Shoden Ura no Kata - 21 techniques
Chuden no Sabaki Gata - 10 techniques
Chuden no Tai no Gata - 15 techniques
Okuden no Kata - 15 techniques
Eri Shime Gata - 08 techniques
Moguri Gata - 11 techniques
Mutodori - 07 techniques
Daisho Sabaki Gata - 14 techniques
Hatsumi Sensei is currently the 17th Soke of the Takagi Yoshin Ryu.
