Gyokko-ryū

Gyokko-ryū (玉虎流 Gyokkoryū) is a school of kosshijutsu(骨指術) (attacks to muscle and nerve points), shitojutsu (using the thumb and fingers for striking), kenjutsu, and bōjutsu. Gyokko-ryū is sometimes referred to as Gyokko Ryū Ninpo from a ninjutsu component it used to contain. According to the 1968 edition of the Bugei Ryuha Daijiten, Hatsumi is the current Sōke (head master) of the Ryū which was passed to him by his teacher Takamatsu Toshitsugu.

According to the Bujinkan, Cho Gyokko brought the school to Japan from China during the Tang Dynasty and it was handed down from generation to generation. Sakagami Taro Kunishige organized Gyokko Ryū shitojutsu. In the Tenmon period (1532 - 1550), he taught it to Sakyo Isshinsai who created Gyokko Ryū kosshijutsu. Its sister school is the Koto Ryū, also created by him. Both Gyokko Ryū and the aforementioned Koto Ryū were taught by him to Momochi Sandayu, who carried on the traditions within Iga Ryū until the late Tokugawa period (mid 19th Century). Techniques from Gyokko Ryū and Koto Ryū became the foundation for techniques of Togakure Ryū.

The school is roughly divided into three sections: unarmed against unarmed, unarmed against kodachi, and unarmed against sword.

Denkei 傳系

The Denkei (list of previous Sōke) of the Gyokko-ryu, is as follows :

1. 異匀 Ikai (Cho Buren) 1056
2. 牙門道士 Gamon Doshi
3. 牙竜道士 Garyu Doshi
4. 八竜入道 Hachiryu Nyudo
5. 戸沢白雲斎 Tozawa Hakuunsai Hogen 1156-1159
6. 戸沢庄助 Tozawa Shosuke Oho 1161-1162
7. 鈴木三郎重義 Suzuki Saburo Shigeyoshi Joan 1171-1180
8. 鈴木五半 Suzuki Gobei
9. 鈴木 Suzuki Kojiro Mitsu
10. Tozawa Soun Sho O 1288
11. Tozawa Nyudo Geneai
12. Yamon Hyoun
13. Kato Ryu Hakuun Oei 1394
14. 坂上五郎勝重 Sakagami Goro Katsushige Tembun 1532
15. 坂上太郎国重 Sakagami Taro Kunishige Tembun 1532
16. 坂上小太郎源正秀 Sakagami Kotaro Masahide Tembun 1532
17. 僧玉観律師 Sogyokkan Ritsushi Tembun 1532
18. 戸田左京一心斎 Sakyo Ishinsai Tembun 1532
19. 百地三太夫 Momochi Sandayu I Tembun 1542-1555
20. 百地三太夫 二代 Momochi Sandayu Ii Tensho 1573-1591
21. 百地丹波泰光 Momochi Tanba Yasumitsu Bunroku 1595-1615
22. 百地太郎左衛門 Momochi Taro Saemon Genna 1615-1624
23. (unknown)
24. (unknown)
25. (unknown)
26. (unknown)
27. 戸田盛柳信綱 Seiryu Nobutsuna Kwanyei 1624-1644
28. 戸田不動信近 Fudo Nobuchika Manji 1658-1681
29. 戸田観五郎信安 Kangoro Nobuyasu Tenna 1681-1704
30. 戸田英三郎信正 Eisaburo Nobumasa Hoyei 1704-1711
31. 戸田新兵衛正近 Shinbei Masachika Shotoku 1711-1736
32. 戸田新五郎正良 Shingoro Masayoshi Gembun 1736-1764
33. 戸田大五郎近秀 Daigoro Chikahide Meiwa 1764-1804
34. 戸田大三郎近繁 Daisaburo Chikashige Bunkwa 1804
35. 戸田真竜軒正光 Toda Shinryuken Masamitsu B. 1824 - D. 1909
36. 高松寿嗣翊翁 Takamatsu Toshitsugu Uoh B. 1887 - D. 1972
37. 初見良昭 Masaaki Hatsumi B. 1931 – Present

Formal Techniques Of Gyokko Ryū

The waza (techniques) and kata (forms) of the Ryu are written in the densho (scroll) in a particular order, which is the order that they should be learned, master one before moving on to the other. The densho is organised according to the following levels:

• Ki Gata (The postures of Gyokko Ryū, includes methods of moving within them)
• Torite Kihon Gata and Moto Gata (These are the fundamental techniques that make up the system)
• Joryaku no Maki (Contains various forms, each form contains principles that the practitioner needs to understand)
• Churyaku no Maki (Contains more forms, these are more advanced than Joryaku no Maki forms)
• Geryaku no Maki (Contains very advanced forms)

History and Legend of the Gyokko-ryū

Translated from the Bugei Ryuha Daijiten page 229

玉虎流（骨指術、指頭術、忍法）

Gyokko ryu "Jade Tiger" or "Tiger Sphere tradition" (Kosshijutsu, Shitojutsu, Ninpo)

The ancestry is Toda Sakyo Ishinsai.

Receiving the tradition of Gyokko ryu Shitojutsu from Sakagami Taro Kunishige of the Tenbun era, Toda Sakyo Ishinsai established Gyokko ryu Koshijutsu as well as Koto ryu Koppojutsu, passing them on to Momochi Sandayu, bringing them within the traditions of Iga ryu Ninjutsu of Toda Shinryuken who lived during the end of the Tokugawa regime. It is said that Shinryuken Masamitsu*in the 14th year of the Meiji Emperor, passed away at the age of 90 years.

Also, refer to Koto ryu.

Gyokko ryu Koshijutsu

Tozawa Hakuunsai** - Tozawa Shosuke – Suzuki Saburo Shigeyoshi - (6 generations of Suzuki, not listed) – Sakagami Goro Katsushige – Sakagami Taro Kunishige (Gyokko ryu Shitojutsu) - Bando Kotaro Minamoto no Masahide – Sogyokkan***

Sogyokkan passed the tradition onto four students;

1. Sasaki Gendayu Sadayasu (Kishu) – Sasaki Goro Uemon Teruyori (Gyokkshin ryu Koppojutsu)

2. Suzuki Taizen Taro Chikamasa (Hontai Gyokkshin ryu)…(3 generations not listed) Fukao Kakuma Shigeyoshi (Izumo ryu Koppojutsu)

3. Akimoto Kawauchi Moriyoshi – Uryu Hangan Gikanbo (Gikan ryu Koppojutsu) …Akimoto Taro Yoshihide

4. Toda Sakyo Ishinsai (Koshijutsu / Koppojutsu) – Momochi Sandayu (Tenbun era) – Momochi Sandayu II (Tensho era) – Momochi Tanba Yasumitsu (Keicho era) – Momochi Taro Saemon …(4 generations omitted) -

Translator's Notes

• Toda Shinryuken and Shinryuken Masamitsu are the same person. Toda is the family name, "Shinryuken Masamitsu" is the given name. (See Toda Shinryuken Masamitsu)
• Strangely, same "Hakuun" as in "Hakkun ryu Ninjutsu"
• Sogyokkan and Sogyokkan Ritsushi (see Koto ryu) are the same person.

Translated from the Bugei Ryuha Daijiten page 689

白雲流　(忍)

Hakuun ryu "White Cloud Tradition" (Nin [jutsu])

Said to be founded by Hakuun Doushi in the Youwa era [1181.7.14 to 1182.5.27].

Translated from the Bugei Ryuha Daijiten page 296

五遁十方流（忍）白雲流より

Go Ton Juupou ryu "5 Escapes in Ten Directions Tradition" (Nin [jutsu] )

From Hakkun ryu "White Cloud Tradition"

Translated from the Bugei Ryuha Daijiten page 689

羽黒流　(忍)

Haguro ryu (named after Haguro mountain) (Nin [jutsu])

From the Akita clan.

References

External links

• Gyokko Ryu Jutte Seminar
• Video Website with Bujinkan/Ninjutsu Techniques