School history

Brief history of the Hyoho Niten Ichi Ryu

The lineage of Hyoho Niten Ichi Ryu that we follow was initiated by the famous Samurai Miyamoto Musashi (1584-1645) and transmitted to one of his main disciples, Terao Kyumanosuke Nobuyuki. Today, 12 generations of disciples later, the techniques are practiced and transmitted in a direct and unbroken line, currently represented by the master Yoshimochi Kiyoshi (12th successor of the school).

Since the ninth generation the school is based in the city of Usa, Oita Prefecture, Japan. The school was brought to this city by the teachers Kiyonaga Tadanao and Gosho Motoharu, disciples of the eighth Soke Aoki Kikuo.

Aoki Soke was also the successor of the Sekiguchi Ryu School of Iaijutsu. Gosho Sensei was one of his closest disciples and in 1955 received from Master Aoki the Menkyo Kaiden (highest rank) in Niten Ichi Ryu and Sekiguchi Ryu.

Later, in 1961, Gosho Sensei received from his master the appointment of Shihan and Soke Daiken (deputy successor) of the 9th generation of the Hyoho Niten Ichi Ryu and Sekiguchi Ryu. Kiyonaga Tadanao became the 9th Soke. Another pupil, Yonehara Kameo, was chosen as 15 ° Soke the Sekiguchi Ryu.

In 1976, Soke Kiyonaga died suddenly without leaving a designated successor. While a successor was not chosen, the Shihan Gosho Motoharu was responsible for the school. After eight months, the family of the Soke Kiyonaga appointed posthumously as 10th Soke Imai Massayuke, a long time student of the school. Shihan Gosho Motoharu continued as head coach to convey the school teachings and techniques to the 10th Soke and to the other disciples.

In the following years the Shihan Gosho Motoharu transmitted the content of the school to Imai and to Soke Kiyonaga Fumiya, the son of the ninth Soke and next successor. Later, Soke Imai promoted a change in the school techniques, different from what than had been practiced so far. The Shihan Gosho Motoharu continued teaching the original Hyoho Niten Ichi Ryu to his son, Yoshimochi Kiyoshi, and other disciples, preserving the shape of the school techniques as passed by Aoki Soke. In 1999 the Master Gosho certified Yoshimochi Sensei with Menkyo Kaiden, attesting to the full transmition of the school's teachings.

In 2003, Imai Massayuke decided to end the use of Soke title in the school and have three successors of 11th generation called Daijuichi. Besides Master Kiyonaga Fumiya, there was a representative from another part of Japan and Taiwan. Two ceremonies of passage were made in Japan, where the main relic of school, Musashi Sensei's Bokuto (wooden sword), was symbolically passed to the successors. The Bokuto is now in possession of the sanctuary city of Usa and is available for 11th and 12th generation successors for limited periods of time and must then return to the temple.

In 2004, Master Kiyonaga Fumiya, the original representative of the 11th generation, son of Kiyonaga Tadanao (9th Soke) and disciple of Gosho Sensei, died. His disciples from Japan and Brazil asked Shihan Gosho Motoharu to once again again assume the leadership of the group, returning to the original form and teachings of the school.

From 2005 to 2007, the school remained alive in Oita in the family line of the Shihan Gosho Motoharu, called Gosho Ha Hyoho Niten Ichi Ryu. In 2007, the Oita Kendo Federation formally requested that Gosho Sensei and the Kiyonaga family restored the Seito line (main line) of the school in Oita. The Kiyonaga family declared Yoshimochi Kiyoshi, son of Gosho Sensei and his successor in Gosho Ha Hyoho Niten Ichi Ryu, as Junidai (12th successor) of Seito Hyoho Niten Ichi Ryu, following the line of Kiyonaga Fumiya.

Thus the two lines of the school (Gosho Ha and Seito) were reunited under the leadership of Yoshimochi Kyoshi Sensei 12 ° successor.

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Gosho Sensei (behind) with the 8th Soke, Kikuo Aoki Sensei and the Soke's wife.



Yoshimochi Kiyoshi, 12th successor of Hyoho Niten Ichi Ryu and Ishii Toyozumi Sensei in front of the succession stone, which are engraved the names of Musashi Sensei's successors.

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