Life of Nakayama Hakudo

[birch]

Im sorry - one inaccuracy, not dialog / interview with Kenji Hamaji, but with Koichi Hamaji.

[birch]

Hi,
great article about chiburi from Richard Stonnell.
http://kenshi247.net/blog/2011/09/05...th-of-chiburi/

There are some qoutes about Nakayamas opinions.

[birch]

Source: Suitable Swords for Iai and Test-Cutting by Nakamura Taizaburo
http://www.dragon-tsunami.org/Dtimes/Pages/articleh.htm

I had the considerable opportunity to meet the great master Nakayama Hakudo (Hiromichi) sensei and was able to hear his insight about the length of a sword. Nakayama sensei said that subtracting 3 shaku (90 cm) from one's own height was a good rule-of-thumb; the resulting difference would be a good sword length. From my height of 5 shaku 4 sun (164 cm), I subtracted 3 shaku. Therefore, a good length for my sword would be 2 shaku 4 sun (73 cm).

Source: A Brief History of Toyama Ryu by Guy H. Power
http://www.webdiva4hire.com/kenshink...tory_text.html

Nakayama Hakudo, a legendary kendo and iaido master in his own lifetime, taught at the Toyama Academy. One reference lists a notice announcing that Nakayama would be giving a lecture or class or Omori Ryu iaido 4:

It is documented that Nakayama taught Omori Ryu iai forms at the Toyama Military Academy in May, 1922, before he professed his own style, Muso Shinden Ryu Batto Jutsu.

Future Reminder:
A pamphlet of Master Nakayama's
Instruction on Omori Ryu iai forms is
Offered for the benefit of taking notes.
Captain Kano

Unfortunately the article did not specify whether Nakayama was a guest lecturer or a full-time instructor. Another famous kendo master, Takano Sasaburo, was the Academy's chief fencing master during this time period.

Source: A Brief History of Toyama Ryu by Guy Power Sensei
http://www.smaa-hq.com/articles.php?articleid=14

In 1925, The Toyama Academy established Toyama Ryu iaido. Five forms employing both left and right kesa giri (downward diagonal cut) were created, adapted from standing techniques of Omori Ryu and Eishin Ryu iaido. 3 Although both Omori and Eishin Ryu do not incorporate the kesa giri, research was conducted on sword battle results of the 1877 Satsuma Rebellion which indicated that 90% of the dead and severely wounded were struck by kesa giri. At about this same period, Nakayama Hakudo Sensei taught at the Academy. I do not know how long his tenure was, but at least one reference 4 lists a notice announcing that Nakayama Hakudo Sensei would be giving a lecture/class on Omori Ryu iaido.

Source: Thoughts on Iaido by Nakamura Taizaburo
http://www.yachigusaryu.com/blog/lin..._on_iaido.html

After the war I had the distinct honor on three occasions to meet sensei Nakayama Hakudo(1). He was from Ishikawa prefecture and told me that in the year of Taisho five (1917), he traveled to Tosa in Kochi prefecture to ask the Muso Jikiden Eishin Ryu headmaster for permission to receive instruction, only to be refused entry simply because "he is from other prefectures."

However, later in his life they decided to initiate him into the teaching, allowing him to present a petition on the condition that he not teach what he learned. The situation surrounding the transmission of teachings was like this even during the Taisho period (1912-1925). In short, without trying to find fault with old techniques, the predecessors of the old tradition of sword techniques (koryu toho) should preserve the techniques as nontangible cultural assets. The successors are, in my opinion, responsible for passing the tradition of techniques to the next generation.

[birch]

Writer Kenji Tokitsu in his book about Miyamoto Musashi writes a small note about Nakayama Hakudo.
He writes, that sensei Nakayama spent one day in Hayashizaki iai shrine (near Yamagata) for his keiko. He practised iai all day there and he drew the sword in ten thousand times. He practised without pause and sleeping, he drunk a rice soup only, which was close to him.

[b8amack]

he drunk a rice soup only, which was close to him.

In his moustache!

[birch]

In his moustache!

My english is not very good but I will try to formulate the sensences better.

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To the current post:
I buyed the book about kendo kata from Kendo-World two months ago. Kendo Kata: Essence and Application by Inoue Yoshihiko, Hanshi 8th dan, Kata Committee, All Japan Kendo Federation. Translated by Alex Bennett, photos by Ikeda Emiko. http://www.kendo-world.com/forum/con...nd-Application

In the book are few historical notes about kendo kata from Nakayama sensei - he was member of commission, which formulate kendo kata. The book contains some photos with Takano Sasaburo (I thing) and Nakayama Hakudo - they demonstrated parts of kodachi kendo kata.

Back to the amazing book Kendo Kata: Essence and Application - It is the best english book about sword budo when I read. There are the lot of explanations about essences and reasons of kendo kata techniques. Sensei Inoue explains the deep theoretical background of kendo kata related to some issues from budhism, confucianism and shinto. He compare the "kendo kata official manual" from history and from today. Very good price of the book now.