References on Anazawa ryu and Suzuka ryu

[Cron]

Dear all,

I´m looking for references (books, articles in books, etc.) in Japanese on Anazawa ryu and Suzuka ryu.

Any hint would be appreciated!

Thanks,
Micha

[Guy Buyens]

I used to make some notes on different schools whenever I read about them but these notes are brief, so nothing you probably don’t know:

Anazawa-ryu: sogo bujutsu (mainly naginata and bo) founded around 1580 by Anazawa Tonomonosuke Morihide, himself student of Katori Shinto-ryu but later also Isshin ryu (bojutsu)

Suzuka-ryu: according to Ellis Amdur, a powerful and dynamic naginata school but discontinued (last soke was Sakurade Tomi)

So you better ask Ellis, since I forgot where I took these notes from.

[Ellis Amdur]

the naginata renmei has a film from the mid-1960's of fifteen naginata (or sogo-bujutsu using naginata) schools. It was kept in a safe in the main-office. I was only able to see it due to the order of a very powerful member (Higashi sensei of Jikishinkage-ryu). The film was 16mm, on a huge reel, and when I tried to view it, found that it was folded over and twisted. I unspooled the entire thing and respooled it. For all I know, it is very possibly still buried in the safe, never watched again. OTOH, perhaps it has been transferred to DVD. Anyway, there was film of Suzuka-ryu (really wonderful) - Sakurada sensei made her only student hamon. She died without a successor. Anazawa-ryu was also on the tape - that faction, at least, was very disappointing - Two women wrapped in kimono, without hakama, so their legs were bound. Their techniques were closer to kembu than anything else. Certainly not the Anazawa-ryu of the Aizu-Joshitai in the Boshin senso. Of the other ryu on the tape: TSKSR, Kashima Shinto-ryu, Araki-ryu, Yoshin-ryu, Tendo-ryu, Jikishinkage-ryu, Suio-ryu, Toda-ha Buko-ryu, Muhen-ryu, Chokugen-ryu, Seiwa-ryu (a revived school). Higo Ko-ryu and one more which I cannot recall.

[Cron]

Dear Mr.Amdur,

thanks for your reply and the information. I remember you once posted them in another forum.

With main office you mean the one in Hyogo? Maybe we should give it a try to rediscover that film.

Best,
Michael Reinhardt

[Ellis Amdur]

Actually, it was in an office in Yoyogi, if I recall correctly. Perhaps after all this time, they transferred it to DVD - but given the attitudes I encountered there, it may still be in the safe, deteriorating. I wonder what the best approach would be to them. I've got an idea - if you are interested, pvt mail would be better.