Itto Ittosai

[rafael.araujo]

Hello I would like to know if you they know if Itto Ittosai creative of the Itto Ryu was blind? You knows to answer me this. Grateful.

[Cliff Judge]

Haven't read anything to that effect personally. I would doubt it very much.

[DDATFUS]

Meik Skoss wrote a pretty good article on the history of Itto Ryu. In it he talks a little about the story of the founder, but doesn't say anything about Itto Ittosai having been blind. If he had been blind, or even if there were a widely-known legend about him having been blind, I think Meik would have mentioned it in his article.

[rafael.araujo]

Where I find this article? Thanks a lot for answering. Grateful.

[DDATFUS]

The article was originally published in the book Keiko Shokon, published by Diane Skoss. However, I think you can read the whole thing online at this link:

http://www.fightingarts.com/reading/article.php?id=370

[Black and Blue]

Hello I would like to know if you they know if Itto Ittosai creative of the Itto Ryu was blind? You knows to answer me this. Grateful.

There is an excellent book called Lives of Master Swordsmen by Makoto Sugawara. It is hard to find but has a great deal of info on Ittosai and his lineage. I have never read or heard he was blind. Now Zaitochi...thats another story! (g)

Phil Scudieri

[DeanP]

Willam de Lange's book "iaido" (which is about shinkage ryu techniques and history) has a two page write up of Ittosai and Itto Ryu history. No mention of blindness but he did live to be very old so its always possible he went blind.