Nakayama Hakudo and Jodo

[Fred27]

What was Nakayama Hakudo's contributions/improvements to Jodo? As I recall, he supposedly tried to reform/modify/improve on Jodo in one way or another, but I can't recall reading any kind of details other than that the attempt(s) was not successful for (to me) unknown reasons.

Any reply apreciated.

[Kim Taylor]

As I understand it, and I'm not an expert in the field by any means, Nakayama Hakudo studied with Uchida Ryogoro who went to Tokyo before Shimizu Takaji did by many years. (Earlier generation, you'll find an annoted lineage here http://ejmas.com/jnc/jncart_taylor_0900.htm)

The last years of Nakayama's teaching life were spent in the dojo of Danzaki Tomoaki, and the folks in that dojo, according to one of my sensei who studied iai there for several years, also practiced jodo. He wouldn't know if it was "mainline" or "modified" but I suspect it was likely what was taught there by Nakayama.

According to Matsui Kenji (you can get a ref. to that book at the link above) the jodo practiced by Nakayama's group was slightly different than that practiced now.

Just speculation on my part but I'd doubt that Nakayama wanted to improve or change anything he was taught. I suspect he taught as he was taught and as he remembered. He traveled from Tokyo to Kochi to learn iai, and he learned jodo from a fellow who had left Fukuoka a generation before Shimizu and Otofuji started teaching, so I would expect that his iai and his jodo would be different than what ended up as "mainstream", hence his MJER became MSR and his jodo may be different (I'll take Matsui's word on that, he would know) but I doubt he himself ever claimed to be creating anything different. The fact that Nakayama introduced Shimizu to the Tokyo police force also seems to argue against any desire by Nakayama to improve jodo, one would hardly be improving on an art and introduce an exponant of the old ways to the local police force as a teacher of that art.

Looking back at that article I am surprised I claimed that Shiriashi Hanjiro was the sole instructor through the Meiji period, I've just said that his contemporary Uchida was teaching in Tokyo at the same time, and that teaching came down to this day at least in Nakayama's dojo. I suppose I was speaking in terms of the "headmaster lineage" and Uchida was not included in that lineage.

If this is an important question you could write to Matsui and ask, or check with someone in the Danzaki dojo, I would assume it's still going although Danzaki s. has died. You could also ask Mitsuzuka Takeshi who studied with Nakayama as well and who, I believe, used to teach jodo in the States although I think the San Shin Kai in the US is now strictly iaido.

Kim Taylor

[Fred27]

Excellent! I am in your debt.
<bow>

Originally Posted by Kim Taylor

As I understand it, and I'm not an expert in the field by any means, Nakayama Hakudo studied with Uchida Ryogoro who went to Tokyo before Shimizu Takaji did by many years. (Earlier generation, you'll find an annoted lineage here http://ejmas.com/jnc/jncart_taylor_0900.htm)

The last years of Nakayama's teaching life were spent in the dojo of Danzaki Tomoaki, and the folks in that dojo, according to one of my sensei who studied iai there for several years, also practiced jodo. He wouldn't know if it was "mainline" or "modified" but I suspect it was likely what was taught there by Nakayama.

According to Matsui Kenji (you can get a ref. to that book at the link above) the jodo practiced by Nakayama's group was slightly different than that practiced now.

Just speculation on my part but I'd doubt that Nakayama wanted to improve or change anything he was taught. I suspect he taught as he was taught and as he remembered. He traveled from Tokyo to Kochi to learn iai, and he learned jodo from a fellow who had left Fukuoka a generation before Shimizu and Otofuji started teaching, so I would expect that his iai and his jodo would be different than what ended up as "mainstream", hence his MJER became MSR and his jodo may be different (I'll take Matsui's word on that, he would know) but I doubt he himself ever claimed to be creating anything different. The fact that Nakayama introduced Shimizu to the Tokyo police force also seems to argue against any desire by Nakayama to improve jodo, one would hardly be improving on an art and introduce an exponant of the old ways to the local police force as a teacher of that art.

Looking back at that article I am surprised I claimed that Shiriashi Hanjiro was the sole instructor through the Meiji period, I've just said that his contemporary Uchida was teaching in Tokyo at the same time, and that teaching came down to this day at least in Nakayama's dojo. I suppose I was speaking in terms of the "headmaster lineage" and Uchida was not included in that lineage.

If this is an important question you could write to Matsui and ask, or check with someone in the Danzaki dojo, I would assume it's still going although Danzaki s. has died. You could also ask Mitsuzuka Takeshi who studied with Nakayama as well and who, I believe, used to teach jodo in the States although I think the San Shin Kai in the US is now strictly iaido.

Kim Taylor

[Brian Dunham]

I know that Mitsuzuka Sensei used to teach Jo in Europe, but if he taught it in the US, it was in the early 80's. I have been involved with San Shin Kai since the late 80's and have never seen Jo done at any SSK activities. It would be difficult to communicate with Mitsuzuka Sensei now. As I understand it, his health prevents him from spending any time at the dojo, and he rarely leaves his home.

[Fred27]

If this Mitsuzuka Sensei has taught Jo in Europe then most likely my Sensei has heard of him. Gonna ask my sensei about Mitsuzuka Sensei tonight if I remember.

[Brian Dunham]

In "Jodo: The Way of the Stick(la voie du baton)" by Pascal Krieger, there is a bit on Mitsuzuka Sensei's initial teaching in France(page 453) and even a photo of him doing Sakan(page 455). I never saw Mitsuzuka Sensei do Jodo(We only study his Iai in SSK) but I have been told that both he and his wife are high grades(ZNKR) in Jodo.
In Kendo World Magazine(Vol 2,No 4) there is an excellent article by Antony Cundy on the Shindo Munen Ryu(Kenjutsu). The article has a fair amount of information on Nakayama Sensei, and even some on his training in SMR. There is a photo of the current head of Shindo Munen Ryu demonstrating an odd version of Kuritsuke,said to be from Nakayama's unique line of SMR.
Also,there is an old documentary on Morihei Ueshiba and Nakayama Hakudo(I think you can get it on DVD from Mugendo Budogu) that has footage of Nakayama doing Iai at a couple different ages, and also doing several SMR waza. An older version that I have also has some great footage of Junichi Haga doing MSR Shoden and Chuden.

[Brian Dunham]

One additional thought. Mitsuzka Sensei,as I understand it,was originally a student of Kendo at Nakayama Sensei's dojo. It was in 1955,only 3 years before Nakayama's death, that Mitsuzuka Sensei began studying Iai. It was even later,I believe, that he took up Jo. It would be interesting to see what turns up, but I don't think his Jo is the same as Nakayama Sensei's. Anybody know if Danzaki Sensei did Jo?

[Tim Mailloux]

Brian,
I will see DiAnne sensei on saturday morning and will see what she knows about Mitsuzuka sensei's jodo. To be honest this is the first I have ever heard of him doing jodo. I have only heard of his kendo and iai.

By the way, DiAnne sensei is going to Japan in the fall and will be seeing Mitsuzuka sensei. Apparently he isn't taking visitors anymore becuase of his health, but when he heard that DiAnne sensei was coming to Japan he agreed to see her.

[Brian Dunham]

Tim,
I would be interested in hearing what you learn. Sylvain Sensei talked about it a little, but didn't train in Jodo himself.
It doesn't surprise me that he agreed to see her. I think he always had a soft spot for both her and Paul.

[Fred27]

Originally Posted by Tim Mailloux

Brian,
I will see DiAnne sensei on saturday morning and will see what she knows about Mitsuzuka sensei's jodo. To be honest this is the first I have ever heard of him doing jodo. I have only heard of his kendo and iai.

By the way, DiAnne sensei is going to Japan in the fall and will be seeing Mitsuzuka sensei. Apparently he isn't taking visitors anymore becuase of his health, but when he heard that DiAnne sensei was coming to Japan he agreed to see her.

*Shameless bump*

[bushikan]

Nakayama Hakudo practiced recieved a Menkyo Kaiden from Uchida Ryogoro, and became the first Hanshi of Jodo. Nakayama Hakudo only gave one Menkyo Kaiden in Jodo and that was give to his son Nakayama Zendo (as well as Menkyo Kaiden in Shindo Munen Ryu Kenjutsu making him the 16th soke of Shindo Munen Ryu Kenjutsu and the third headmaster of the Yushinkan). Nakayama Zendo passed both Menkyo Kaiden and the Yushinkan to Saeki Souichirou (17th soke of Shindo Munen Ryu Kenjutsu) Saiki then passed them and the Yushinkan to Ogawa Takashi Sensei (18th soke of Shindo Munen Ryu Kenjutsu) and my current teacher. Jodo is practice is slightly diffrent I'm not exactly sure how diffrent because the Yushinkan is the only place I practice Jodo. However, Mr. Skoss has informed me that there is a difference between the practices. Also we do not practice Tantojutsu, Kusarigamajutsu, Hojojutsu, or anyother arts practiced by Shimizu's line. Nakayama Hakudo's focus was Kenjutsu, Jodo, Iaijutsu, and Kendo all three of these are taught at the Yushinkan. Also before being accepted into the Yushikan I practiced Muso Shinden Ryu Iaido under Scott Whalley who studied 13 years under Mitsuhari Kanai sensei Mitsuzuka Takashi. When I practied iai in the Yushinkan for the first time, Ogawa Sensei asked me who I practiced under (previously mentioned) and who my teacher practiced under? I responded with "Mitsuzuka Takashi". Ogawa Sensei who has been practicing in the Yushinkan for over 60 years exclusively (under Nakayama Zendo and Saeki Souichirou), and did not know who Mitsuzuka Takashi was. The Yushinkan has a small amount of students in the 80's we had roughly over 20 students compared to around 40 now. Also the Muso Shinden Ryu as taught by Mitsuzuka Takashi is different from the way it is practiced by the Yushinkan. Ogawa Sensei said that it was quote "diffrent from the original" the Yushinkan teaches not only the iai but also the iai kumitachi refered to as Hasegawa Eishin Ryu Seiai, also the application of the iai the is diffrent. Another inconsistantly happened when I showed them Shindo Munen Ryu Iaido as practiced by Mituszuka's Sanshinkai. (A demonstration of these forms can be seen on video as offered by Roger Wehrhahn Shihan)
The 12 forms named:
1. Iwanami
2. Ukefune Gaeshi
3. Noaroshi Gaeshi
4. Utsusemi
5. Matsukaze
6. Zangetsu Hidari
7. Zangetsu Migi
8. Doto Gaeshi
9. Raito Gaeshi
10. Yoto
11. Into
12. Inazuma Gaeshi
These are not the iai practed in Shindo Munen Ryu. Shindo Munen Ryu consists of a robust iai curriculim larger than Muso Shinden Ryu. It consists of Suwari iai (shoden, chuden, and okuden) and Tachi iai (shoden, okuden, and kyoden). Due to the school's philosophy no kata of Shindo Munen Ryu iai or kumitachi have names they are refered to only as Iponmae, nihonmae, sanbanmae.... (1,2,3,... and so on) the only things that have names are the sections dividing them (ex. shoden, chuden, and so on...). Mitsuzuka Sensei practiced under Nakayama Hakudo 2 years prior to his death. But so did 3/4ths of all kendoka outside of the Yushinkan. Police (which Mitsuzuka was), military, politicians, and other influential figures commonly practiced under Nakayama Hakudo in large groups. The majority of practitioners of Muso Shinden Ryu in Tokyo do not know who Mitsuzuka Takashi is. Nothing against him from what I understand from Scott Whaley Sensei Mitsuzuka Takashi's demonstrations were very impressive. I have the highest respect for Mitsuzuka Takashi, if it was not for him spreading Muso Shinden Ryu I and many others may not have ever practiced swordsmanship. Sorry for the essay but I wanted to clear up two things up in one awnser.
Hope this helps

[Brian Dunham]

Bushikan,
E-budo rules require you to sign all posts with your real name.
With that out of the way, perhaps nobody you spoke with knows Mitsuzuka Takashi,because his name is actually Takeshi.
I do appreciate the info on Nakayama Hakudo and Shindo Munen Ryu, though I was well aware that the Shindo Munen Ryu Iai that we practice is not the same as what you study.

[Fred27]

Yes a big thank you all for the info provided.

[t.matsutaka]

You can see Nakayama Hakudo doing Jodo, Kendo Kata and Iaido on youtube here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KLCAe...elated&search=

[bushikan]

Nice find, thats Nakayama Hakudo and his son Zendo (aka. Yoshimichi) preforming jodo. There is a dvd which shows the longer version of the performance: http://www.budovideos.com/shop/custo...cat=366&page=4