Hokushin Itto Ryu Kenjutsu

[Heath]

Hello all.

Im after some information on Hokushin Itto Ryu Kenjutsu.

My situation is this: Im currently living in Tokyo and have zero experience in the sword arts and the little knowledge I have gained is through research on the internet so Im after your help and words of wisdom please.

Im currently training in Judo however I have recently found a Hokushin Itto Ryu Kenjutsu school which is very close to where I live and I will be going to have a look at a class this Sunday.

What I would like to know is if this is infact a Kendo school or does if differ in some aspect. Also what should I be looking for when I go to view a lesson. The information from what I have been told by some of the locals and what I have read via internet is a little vague so I would love someone with the knowledge to help me out.

Thanks

Heath

[ScottUK]

Hokushin Itto-ryu is koryu kenjutsu - and very different to a kendo class.

I thought HIR was based in Mito though?

[Heath]

Hi Scott, thanks for the reply.

Thats what has me confused,
I have spoke to one Japanese gent who went to this particular school and he refers to it as "the kendo school".
My Japanese skill is pretty poor so maybe that was the easiest way to reference it for me. What are the differences in kendo/kenjutsu as far as what I would learn ?
( I know this is probably a very broad question but please give me a quick summary if you could)

Does anyone have any experience with this style ?

[ScottUK]

http://www.kendo-world.com/forum/sho...o-vs.-Kenjutsu

http://www.kendo-world.com/forum/sho...jutsu-vs-kendo

http://www.kendo-world.com/forum/sho...o-and-Kenjutsu

http://www.kendo-world.com/forum/sho...tsu-Which-One-!

http://www.kendo-world.com/forum/sho...su-lt-gt-Kendo

[Heath]

Great links mate, thanks alot.

Now anyone with experience in this style ?

[Sukeyasu]

Heath,

You're likely talking about the Tokyo Genbukan, which is where I practiced for the 5 years I was most recently in Japan. Briefly put, as a beginner you'll start with the gogyo no kata, done with bokuto, and the 4 basic batto kata, done with replica sword, both seated and standing. That said, because the previous headmaster of our ryuha basically did kendo for all of his life and because our founder Chiba Shusaku largely codified the use and construction of modern bogu, practice with shinai is a big part of our curriculum. After about a year, you'll transition to doing the gogyo no kata in bogu. If you continue after that, you'll move into shinai kenjutsu, basically kendo with a few extra targets.

There's much, much more advanced material, but that's beyond the scope of this post.

Good luck,

Ben Persons

[ryoma]

@Heath: And, did you visit the dojo? If yes, what's your impression and do you train there regularly now?

[dillon]

A lot of Japanese use the terms kendo and kenjutsu interchangeably (kendo does not exclusively refer to the modern kendo that we typically refer to). I believe HIR's website at some point describes part of its practice as as "koryu kendo".

[dillon]

Ben, I have some questions about Genbukan. I sent you a PM (it's easy to miss these so I mention it here). Thanks.

[Saitama Steve]

Hokushin Itto-ryu is koryu kenjutsu - and very different to a kendo class.

I thought HIR was based in Mito though?

Scott,

There is a line of Hokishin Itto-ryu under Kozawa Shihan in Mito.
They have a lot if not all the kumitachi, including the gogyo no kata.

I think they also have the naginata.

Not too sure about the batto element of things though.
All of the practitioners are high ranking kendo yudansha.

[Trismegistos]

Can anyone say something about, how this ryu is related to the "Ono-ha Ittō-ryū"?
I'm practicing Ona-ha Itto ryu for a few months now, and never heard of that other style so far....

[ScottUK]

I am loathe to post a wiki link, but I reckon this may help you a little until better answers are posted:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chiba_Shusaku_Narimasa

[Fred27]

Can anyone say something about, how this ryu is related to the "Ono-ha Ittō-ryū"?
I'm practicing Ona-ha Itto ryu for a few months now, and never heard of that other style so far....

What Scott said.

If you want to see all the Itto-ryus, including Ono-ha which is itself an off-shoot, see this article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hokushin_Itto_Ryu