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John Lindsey
1st October 2003, 06:18
Here is some information on Yukio Mishima's martial art training:

June 1958 began Kendo under Kendo Kyoshi 7th Dan Masami Yoshikawa, assistant instructor, Higashi Chofu Police Station

December 1958 practicing Kendo in the basement exercise hall of Daiichi Seimei under Kendo Kyoshi 7th Dan Takayuki Yamamoto

August 1959 resumed receiving instruction in Kendo under Yoshikawa Sensei

April 1961 Kendo Shodan

March 1963 Kendo 2nd Dan

Nov 1965 Begins to study the art of iai at the Himonya Police Station in Meguro.

May 1966 Mishima is promoted to the rank of 4th-dan in kendo.

Aug 1966 In Kumamoto he meets Seishi Araki, editor-in-chief of Nihon Dangi, whom he asks about the deeds and final resting places of the samurai involved in the Shinpuren Incident of 1877. While there, he also receives kendo lessons in the Ryujo-kan Training Hall and is able to spend some time speaking with the widow of the late Zenmei Hasuda


Feb. 1967 Mishima is promoted to the rank of shodan (1st-dan) in iai (swordsmanship).
At about this time, Mishima also begins studying karate at the Japan Karate Society (in Tokyo's Suidobashi district) under Chief Instructor Masatoshi Nakayama.

Nov. 1967 Publications: Mishima publishes the dialogue (with Tsuneari !!!uda) "The Martial Arts and Literature: Their Philosophies of Death" in Ronso Journal (vol.1, No.11)

Sep. 1968 Mishima begins practicing karate together with some of the students he met during the Ground Self-Defense training sessions.

Feb 1969 At about this time, Mishima furthers his study of iai (swordsmanship) under Master Takayasau Saito and is promoted to the rank of shodan (1st dan) after only three months.


April 1969 Mishima participates in the World Kendo Championship held in Tokyo's Nihon Budo-kan.

June 1970 Mishima participates, together with members of the Shield Society, in the 13th All-Japan Karate Championships at the Budoka in Tokyo's Kudan district. He is promoted to the rank of shodan (1st-dan) in karate.

hyaku
1st October 2003, 06:25
Pity his Kaishakunin did not get in a bit more practice!

Hyakutake Colin

John Lindsey
1st October 2003, 06:41
Yes, and the guy who finally did it was trained in kendo?

Earl Hartman
1st October 2003, 21:35
I once saw some ridiculous homo-erotic beefcake pictures of Mishsima "doing" iai (posing) clad only in a fundoshi, a hinomaru hachimaki, and copious amounts of oil. It seemed pretty obvious that, aside from not being very good, he was a screaming narcissist who was pretty light in his waraji.

fifthchamber
2nd October 2003, 14:53
Hello Mr. Lindsey..
Have you seen the photos taken of Mishima at a Tai Kai for Togakure Ryu Ninpo shortly before his death? I believe that there is a good picture in the copy of "Hiden" magazine that featured a large section on Hatsumi Masaaki and the history of the Bujinkan and Takamatsu Sensei...March last year?
Perhaps Tanemura Sensei knows more about the details...But there is not a great deal mentioned in the"Hiden" article. There was also a brief mention of a "Ninja Taikai" in "The Life and Death of Yukio Mishima" by Henry Scott Stokes...But again, no details at all....He didn't train in Ninpo but it might be interesting to get any more details about this involvement...
Regards.

John Lindsey
2nd October 2003, 15:31
Here is the picture that you requested :). I just happened to have that issue...

I have no idea what this was about.

Shimura
3rd October 2003, 18:48
Pardon my ignorance, but who was Takayasu Saito and what is his affiliation with the sword arts? Many thanks