Tanemura Shoto     ^TOP Grandmaster Tanemura was born with the name Tsunehisa Tanemura on the 28th of August 1947, in the town of Matsubushi, which is located in Saitama prefecture, Japan. Tsunehisa was his given name, but later he took the name "Shoto" meaning the "Law of the Sword". His father, Sadatsune Tanemura, was the 17th family head of a Samurai line, whose roots extend to those of the Emperors Uda and Seiwa as well as having blood ties to the famous daimyo of the Sasaki and Takeda families. He was an expert in kenjutsu (the art of the sword) and jukenjutsu (the art of the bayonet), as well as various schools of jujutsu (Shizen Ryu system) and Ninjutsu (Takeda system). Being a very traditional father, Sadatsune introduced his son to the martial arts at a young age. The young Tanemura was taught from the age of nine by his father and father's uncle, Kakunosuke Yamazaki, who was an 8th dan in the Onoha Itto ryu. He practiced unarmed techniques and sword almost everyday. The training was always serious. It was conducted out-of-doors and the students went barefoot, regardless of the weather. He was regularly beaten up and knocked unconscious. When he was knocked out, a bucket of icy cold water would be used to revive him. Once awake, he was expected to continue his training immediately. At the age of fifteen, he began to study Shindo Muso ryu Kenpo from the renowned Master Seishiro Saito. It was during these high school days that his quest for true martial arts was beginning take form and blossom. At the age of fifteen, Tanemura sensei also was fortunate enough to be initiated into the famous Asayama Ichiden ryu taijutsu along with Takagi Yoshin ryu jujutsu, Gikan ryu koppojutsu as well as other ancient schools of bujutsu (Japanese martial arts). His training was so concentrated, that he received his menkyo kaiden (full mastership) in Shinden Fudo ryu and Kukishin ryu at the age of twenty. During his university days, Grand Master Tanemura was introduced to Dr. Kinbei Sato. Even though Sato sensei taught martial arts to many people, very few (including Tanemura sensei, at first) knew of Dr. Sato's training with Takamatsu sensei. It wasn't until more than a decade later, that Tanemura sensei (after ending his relationship with another teacher and starting the Genbukan) rediscovered Sato sensei. He was given special kuden (secret oral teachings) and by the winter of 1989, Dr. Kinbei Sato named him as the next Soke (Grandmaster) of Takagi Yoshin ryu, Bokuden ryu, Gikan ryu, and Kukishin ryu. In addition to his classes at the dojo, the Grand Master trained anytime he was free to perfect his skill and techniques. His bujutsu masters were all very strict and closely guarded the secrets hidden within the kata (technique patterns). Each movement was shown only a few times. Then, the students were expected to discover from experience, the special body dynamics which allow the waza (technique) to work in a real situation. To truly master these techniques, Grandmaster Tanemura drilled each technique several thousand times. Eventually, he discovered many kuden points, and made the technique a natural part of his movement. Living nearby woods, rice fields and riverbanks, he used everyplace as his dojo. Having natural objects such as trees, stones, animals always available, he used everything as his training partner. Trees and stones were used to develop punching and kicking power, and served to strengthen the hands and feet. He'd punch and strike a tree until his knuckles bleed and his toes were numb. But, Takamatsu Sensei taught him a much better way to develop an effective defense. Tanemura sensei was told that a true martial artist passes by a crowd unnoticed. If his hands are callused in a certain way, people can tell that he is some sort of martial artist. Even the way that different budoka (modern martial art practitioners) stand or walk, can reveal much about their training habits. In a fight, the less an opponent knows about your strengths and weaknesses, the better chance you have to survive. On clear nights, the Grand Master would also practice with Yari (spear) and Rokushaku Bo (six-foot staff). In a rice field, with the crickets and the praying mantises, he'd thrust for the center of the moon to improve his accuracy, and pierce barely visible leaves, as they swayed in the wind. With animals (usually dogs), it was easy enough to get them to attack. As they'd leap to bite him, he used taisabaki (natural body movements, in this case, evasion) repeatedly, until the animal would simply give up. Grandmaster Tanemura majored in law and graduated from Hosei University. But instead of becoming a lawyer, he wanted a career that allowed him to be out on the streets using his Ninpo and Jujutsu knowledge to protect and help others. When the Grand Master was just deciding what to do with his life, he was involved in a terrible accident. A truck crushed his tiny car, and the injuries Tanemura sensei sustained (including large pieces of glass in his face) looked so bad, that someone mistakenly reported that he had died. In the hospital, forced to consider that his brief life might soon be over, Tanemura Sensei asked for Heaven's help. He promised to change several selfish things about himself, and dedicated the rest of his life to protecting others and teaching them to protect themselves. At the age of twenty-two, he joined the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department. From traffic cop to detective, his work as an officer enabled him to utilize and test all he had learned in the dojo. His skill was called upon on many occasions, and not once did it fail him. Observing his talent, his superiors allowed Tanemura Sensei to teach Ninpo and Jujutsu to policemen at a special martial arts club. Later, he officially became a professor at the police academy. After fifteen years of service, he felt in his heart the need to preserve true martial arts in the whole world (not just Japan). So he resigned his job as a Lieutenant to carry out this mission. Soon after leaving the police department, he founded his Genbukan Ninpo Bugei Dojo and organized the Federation. On November 28th, 1984, Grand Master Shoto Tanemura started with just a handful of students in his Matsubushi dojo. Now his, black belt instructors teach thousands of dedicated martial arts in over 15 countries as well as the Grand Master having personally taught seminars worldwide. Takamatsu Toshitsugu     ^TOP Toshitsugu Takamatsu, whose birth name was Jutaro and real name Hisatsugu, later changed his name to Toshitsugu. He was commonly known as the Mouko no Tora (Mongolian Tiger), and took the names: Yokuou, Chosui, Kikaku, Shojuken, Garakuta Bujn, Kozan and Kyosha. He was born on March 10, 1889 in Hyogo prefecture as the first son of Takamatsu Gishin (Daiajari of Shingon Buddhism, leader of Gishin religious organization, owner of a match factory and politician), and passed away at the age of 85 on April 2, 1972 at his house in front of Kashihara shrine in Kashikara city, Nara prefecture. His posthumous name is Junshokakuju Zenjomon. Takamatsu Sensei took the path of the martial-way at the age of 9, and practiced under Ishitani Matsutaro, Toda Shinryuken Masamitsu, and Mizuta Yoshitaro Tadafusa. He acquired the inner secrets of Hontai Yoshin Takagi ryu ju-jutsu, Kukishin ryu bo-jutsu, Tenshin Hyoho Kukishinden bujutsu, Gikan ryu koppo-jutsu, Shinden Fudo ryu jutaijutsu, daken-taijutsu, Shinden Tatara ryu taijutsu, Gyokko ryu kosshi-jutsu, Koto ryu koppo-jutsu, Tokakure ryu Ninpo and others, thus receiving complete transmission as the next generation. Since the summer of 1910, at the age of 21, Toshitsugu entered the Maya mountain in Kobe to continue his rigorous practice dwelling in the mountains by the Kame no Taki water fall. He acquired spiritual transmission together with various inner secrets from the outstanding ascetic Tamaoki. This strengthened his mind and body. Soon after leaving the mountain, Toshitsugu moved to Tien Qing in Quing Guo (China), and encountered life and death situations in true fighting when he walked from Manzhou to Beizhi. He won a match with Zhang Zi Long who was a Shaolin specialist. Later they became friends and maintained a good relationship. Toshitsugu also won a tournament for the purpose of selecting a chairman for the newly established Nippon Minkoku Seinen Butou-kai (Japanese Martial Arts Federation in China). After the tournament, Toshitsugu, as a chairman, taught the martial arts of Jujutsu to several thousand people. In 1919, Toshitsugu returned to Japan and became a head-monk at a mountain temple of esoteric Buddhism in the Yamato district. Utilizing the power of esoteric Buddhism, he helped people who then respected him as a saint. Also, Toshitsugu took care of his foster mother Nao, without the help of others. Later, after she passed away, he cleansed her body. Since 1921, Toshitsugu showed great respect to, and established a strong friendship with the 21st generation family-head Kuki Takaharu. It was similar to his father Gishin who maintained good relationships with the Kuki family. Toshitsugu was permitted to read and copy the inner secrets of Kuki Nakatomi. His devotion to copying and understanding of the inner secrets helped the research of Izumo hiki (another secret Tatara scrolls). On February 11, 1921, viscount Kuki Takaharu established the Kodosenyokai. In October of 1929, he also built a dojo at the foot of Takamikura mountain. He called this dojo Kuki Shobukyoko and devoted his time teaching and further developing of Kuki Shinpo, Kukishin ryu bo-jutsu, and Kukishin ryu jujutsu. Takamatsu Toshitsugu especially adjusted Kukishin-ryu bo-jutsu and jujutsu from Tenshin Tatara Kn\angi-den bo-jutsu, Kusshoragi-den daken-taijutsu, Hontai Takagi Yoshin ryu and others. Toshitsugu, as a daihanshi and a Hossi, focused on speading, developing and teaching successors of Kukishin-ryu. As a result of the air raids in 1945, most of the Kuki family documents were burned and lost. Thus Takamatsu Toshitsugu recopied the inner secrets from his own copy added explanations and dedicated it to the Kuki family on April 3, 1949. In may of 1950, Toshitsugu Takamatsu established Kashihara Shobukai in Nara prefecture. In the post-War era Takamatsu spent his time developing successors to his martial tradition. At the same time, he often sponsored Magokuro-kai-musubi tsudoi meeting and lectures about Amatsu Tatara, especially Izumo Shinpo, and reared many martial artists and religious leaders. Among his disciples were Masaji Kimura, Fumio Akimoto, Kimbei Sato, Takashi Ueno, Yoshiaki Hatsumi (Ueno's personal student) and others. Time Line: 1908- Received Menyko Kaiden for Shinden Fudo ryu, Koto ryu, and Togakure ryu from Toda Shinryuken 1909- Toda dies 1910- Ishitani dies 1914- Establishes Japanese martial arts federation in China 1919- Returns from China 1919- Kimura becomes student of Takamatsu 1919- Becomes tendai priest 1920- Takamatsu Sensei copies Kuki clan scrolls 1938- Takamatsu Sensei grants Kimura menkyo kaiden for Kukishin ryu bojutsu and jujutsu 1945- Kuki clan scrolls destroyed during WW 2 1949- Presented new scrolls to Kuki family 1952- Takamatsu Sensei grants Sato Kimbei menkyo kaiden for Takagi Yoshin ryu and Kukishin ryu 1962- Akimoto dies 1963- Takamatsu Sensei grants Sato Kimbei menkyo kaiden for Gikan ryu 1972- Takamatsu Sensei dies Kimura Masaji     ^TOP If Fumio Akimoto was considered the senior student of Takamatsu Sensei, then his second most accomplished student would have to be Masaharu Kimura. Born in Meiji 34, Kimura lived to the age of 99. At the age of 17, he joined the Dojo of Takamatsu who at this time was teaching Jujutsu of the Takagi Yoshin lineage, and the famous Kukishin ryu Bojutsu. Takamatsu had only three rules for his students at this time: no liquor, no smoking, and no fighting. Living close by, Kimura was able to train almost everyday with Takamatsu. It is possible that no other student of Takamatsu has had more training with the Grandmaster. During these early years, Kimura would often spar with Takamatsu. At the age of 36, Kimura received from Takamatsu menkyo kaiden in Jujutsu and Bojutsu. In 1991, Shoto Tanemura met Kimura and became his student. Sato Kimbei     ^TOP Grandmaster Tanemura originally met Kinbei Sato as a university student, but it was not until 20 years later that he would discover that Sato had also been a student of Takamatsu. Born in 1926, Sato started his study of budo at the age of 11 with his family art of Daiwa ryu jujutsu. Over the years, he earned menkyo kaiden in various Japanese arts, including: Daito ryu, Takeda ryu, Araki Shin ryu, Yagyu Shingan ryu, Asayama Ichiden ryu, Isshin ryu, and Tenjin Shinyo ryu. As a board member of the Japanese Classcial Budo Federation (Kobudo Shinkokai), Sato is recognised by the Japanese martial art community as an accomplished martial artist. He was also the President of the All Japan Chinese Kenpo Federation. Shortly after the Second World War, Sato became a student of Takamatsu. In 1957 Takamatsu awarded him grandmastership/ menkyo kaiden for Hon Tai Kukishin ryu and Hon Tai Takagi Yoshin ryu (Ishitani line). With the death of his senior student: Akimoto in 1962, Takamatsu was obligated to find a new successor for the Gikan ryu of which Akimoto had been grandmaster. Takamatsu chose Sato Sensei to carry on the Gikan ryu and awarded him the title and scrolls as the new grandmaster of the art in 1963. Sato Kinbei was also an accomplished martial artist of the Chinese traditions. As the personal student of the noted Ba Gua stylist Li Zi Ming, Sato was made the 4th generation grandmaster of Kakkesho. In 1989, Sato passed on the grandmasterships for Hon Tai Takagi Yoshin ryu, Hon Tai Kukishin ryu, and Gikan ryu to his student, Shoto Tanemura.