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An Interview with Yukiyoshi Takamura

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An Interview with Yukiyoshi Takamura AN INTERVIEW WITH YUKIYOSHI TAKAMURA by Stanley Pranin Aikido Journal #117 Having undergone special training in Shindo Yoshin-ryu jujutsu as a boy, Yukiyoshi Takamura left Japan while a teenager and eventually settled in San Jose, California, USA. He operated a dojo in California in the 1960s and 70s choosing to provide rigorous training to a small group of dedicated students. His art, now called Takamura-ha Shindo Yoshin-ryu, embodies the philosophy and spirit of an earlier era of Japan adapted to a Western setting. Takamura's deep insights into the essence of martial arts will surprise and stimulate modern budo practitioners. Despite my grandfather's great respect for Totsuka, he left the Yoshin-ryu after meeting a For our readers who student of Matsuoka named Ishijima. Shigeta are unfamiliar with the eventually received a menkyo kaiden (teaching Shindo Yoshin-ryu license) in Shindo Yoshin-ryu around 1895. system, would you talk Matsuoka and Shigeta both trained in about its origin and Jikishinkage-ryu under Kenkichi Sakakibara so characteristics? they developed a close friendship. My Shindo Yoshin-ryu was grandfather did not intend to start his own founded by a Tokugawa school but had effectively done so by the early clan retainer, 20th century. This became known as the Ohbata Katsunosuke Matsuoka school. He built his own dojo with the help of a in 1868. Matsuoka Sensei studied Yoshin-ryu, friend named Hasegawa in the Asakusa district Hokushin Itto-ryu, Jikishinkage-ryu, Tenjin of Tokyo. Shinyo-ryu jujutsu, and Hozoin-ryu. He based Shindo Yoshin-ryu is well-known in the Shindo Yoshin-ryu on Yoshin-ryu, but added Japanese karate world because Wado-ryu jujutsu concepts from other schools as well. He kempo (karate) founder Hidenori Otsuka believed that the Yoshin-ryu concept of passive received a menkyo kaiden in Shindo Yoshin- defense was incomplete and needed the balance ryu. A common misconception of most Wado- of positive heiho or tactics. The original ryu practitioners is that Hidenori Ohtsuka Japanese characters of Shindo Yoshin-ryu were became the headmaster of Shindo Yoshin-ryu. "new willow spirit," but they soon were changed While he did receive a menkyo kaiden in Shindo to "sacred willow spirit." Yoshin-ryu, several others did as well resulting The original Shindo Yoshin-ryu curriculum in several schools. The original (Matsuoka) line could be more correctly considered a bujutsu succeeded through Motoyoshi Saruse to Tatsuo than jujutsu as many weapon techniques are Matsuoka and still exists today in Japan. included in the curriculum (mokuroku). Sensei, when did you begin your training in However, the popularity of judo and the waning martial arts? interest in weapons training resulted in much of their influence being lost by the early 20th I don't know for sure. My memories of being in century in the mainline martial arts traditions. the dojo go back very far. Both my father and grandfather made me train while a young boy. I Several of the roots of our school begin in the was already accustomed to being in my early years. My grandfather Shigeta Ohbata was grandfather's dojo so I probably started actual originally a Yoshin-ryu student of Hikosuke training around five or six years old. Totsuka like Matusoka. Totsuka was evidently quite fantastic. My grandfather trained at his Were you taught by your father and dojo before he met Matsuoka Sensei. In his day, grandfather? Totsuka was thought to be the match of anyone. Yes. As I mentioned, my grandfather received a An absolutely wonderful technician. In his teaching license from Katsunosuke Matsuoka. prime, it is said he was unbeaten by anyone He, in turn, taught my father. My father and including opponents much larger than him. grandfather both taught me. Matsuhiro Namishiro Sensei continued my instruction after had once been so bold but had lived to become the death of my father and grandfather. more humble. The young tough sort of slinked out of the door as Sensei explained how hard it Would you tell us more about Namishiro was to get a wife looking like he did. Namishiro Sensei? Sensei bellowed with laughter after the guy left. He was one of my grandfather's most talented He was quite a sight! students and my father's closest friend. He also Earlier you discussed the origins of the trained extensively in Shinkage-ryu kenjutsu and Takamura school. There seems to be an Shindo Muso-ryu jojutsu. He had the greatest influence of Shinkage-ryu kenjutsu as well. influence on my sword technique. Although my grandfather trained in Jikishinkage-ryu under Yes, the influence of Namishiro Sensei left a Kenkichi Sakakibara and taught this art to my large impact on the Takamura school. He was a father, the majority of my instruction was in great teacher and his expertise in Shinkage-ryu Shindo Yoshin-ryu. I learned very little sword really influenced my training. His grasp of the technique, from my father and grandfather. My martial concepts and secrets of Shinkage-ryu are grandfather evidently considered the passing of obvious within our school, especially at the his Shindo Yoshin-ryu teaching license to be upper levels of instruction. Although my father extremely important. He intended to pass it to and grandfather both studied Jikishinkage-ryu, it my father upon his return from victory in the was Shinkage-ryu through Namishiro Sensei war against America. However, sometime in that most influenced my kenjutsu. It was only 1944, the reality of what was happening in the natural that many of these concepts would be Pacific War must have led him to realize that my incorporated into the Takamura school. father might never return home. Did both your father and grandfather perish When I was only sixteen years old my during in the war? grandfather formally presented me with a Yes. My father, Hideyoshi Ohbata, was a high- menkyo kaiden at the dojo. This was entirely ranking army officer and reportedly died on symbolic as I was in no way proficient enough Saipan late in the war. My grandfather vanished to deserve such a license. He privately instructed in one of the firestorms that raged in Tokyo Matsuhiro Namishiro Sensei to complete my during the American bombing campaigns. We training if he and my father did not survive the believe he was in the Asakusa area staying with war. Confirming his greatest fears, both he and a friend when he was killed. This area of Tokyo my father died in 1945. was completely destroyed by the bombing. One Wasn't your grandfather afraid that morning he was supposed to attend a meeting Namishiro Sensei might also die in the war? including the press and local politicians. He did not show up which was very unusual. The call No. Prior to the war, Namishiro Sensei was immediately went out and many of his friends severly injured in an accident during kenjutsu including his students started searching for him. practice. He was completely blinded in his left Many of his friends had connections with the eye. This injury left him unfit for military police and the search for him was intensified but service but did not seem to affect his martial he was never found. It was a great loss. ability. Upon his recovery he was as good as ever. We often tried to take advantage of his You mentioned that your grandfather's dojo compromised vision, but it was as if he could was located in Asakusa... see better without his eye. He occasionally wore Yes, Asakusa is in the north part of Tokyo. I an eye patch of sorts. The sliced-open eye socket think the dojo was located between Sensoji and made for a gruesome reminder of the the Otori Shrine. A wealthy man named seriousness involved in kenjutsu training. Hasegawa helped my grandfather build it. He Occasionally, he would remove the eye patch was involved in the construction business and and insert a wooden eye with a slice painted on was also a student. By the time I was training he it to frighten his opponents during a match. I was no longer around, but my grandfather remember one time when a young tough entered mentioned him often. The dojo was destroyed the dojo in military uniform saying that he could during the bombing raids. I never saw it cross a bokken with anyone. Namishiro Sensei afterwards but Namishiro Sensei did. Tears were flipped his eye patch up and exclaimed that he streaming down his face when he returned. He said nothing could be saved, not even my mention of the heiho totsuzen-totsuken concept. grandfather's swords. This refers to the strike from the subconsciousness, so fast that you youself are Was the dojo ever rebuilt? not aware you have made it. It exists in only the No. Several years ago we tried to find the most dangerous and superior swordsmen. It is a location of the original dojo, but everything is so technique of true masters. different now. It was impossible to tell where I don't know very much about Sokaku Takeda the exact location was. Even the streets are all Sensei either. I believe he was an live-in student different now. A few landmarks told me that I of Sakakibara Sensei, but I don't think my was very close, but again everything was so grandfather and Takeda Sensei trained in the changed. The last time I saw my grandfather's dojo at the same time. If so, my grandfather dojo I was only about 15 or 16 years old. You never mentioned it. My memory is not so good see, we left Japan soon after the dojo was on these things.
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