Togakure Ryu
(The Hidden Door School)

"The information presented here is based upon the research of me personally, with great help from others (mentioned where appropriate) and has not been verified by, nor received the approval of Hatsumi Soke. It is presented only as the researchers interpretation of history and should not be taken as fact."

· "Violence is to be avoided, and Ninpo is Bujutsu"
· "Sword to be peaceful, and protect family, country and nature"

History of Togakure Ryu Ninjutsu
Mount Hei-zan is where the Enryakuji (headquarters) of Tendai monastery is sited. So-o was a monk at this place, but left to live for three years in a cave as an ascetic. It was after a dream that he formed the Tendai Shugendo sect of Buddhism. These monks today still exist and some are still engaged in the Kaihogyo (the proper name for the thing which everyone is refering to as Shugendo). And it was within this sect in a small village called Togakure (now Togakushi) in the prefecture of Nagano (close to the Nagano/Gunma-ken border) in Jyoshinsetsu National Park in approximately 1165 Daisuke Nishina was born, a Samurai. It is within the Tendai sect that 750 years later the 33rd Soke of the Ryu is supposed to become "an Abbot", on Mount Hiei-zan.
Daisuke was on the losing side of a battle in the 1180s and was forced to flee into Iga. Here he was found by Kain Doshi (possible known as Kagakure Doshi). He adopted Doshi's warrior teachings to his own Shugendo and the beginnings of Togakure Ryu where formed. Togakure Ryu never had a official founding as some martial arts, just Daisuke and Shima who was also alive at the same time and worked with Daisuke. Goro Togakure is recognized as being the person who officially formed the family of Togakure into the Ninjutsu system that we learn today. Of the first 8 generations, 5 had the name of Togakure, as with most martial traditions it possibly passed from father to son. It is said that it continued in this way until the 1600s (?). When the immediate family died out, the chief branch of the clan Toda took over leadership. The 33rd Soke Takamatsu, was the last member of the Toda line. It was interesting to note that the 11, 12 and 13th Soke of the Ryu are named after the main town of Iga, Ueno. It was the tradition in those days to be named after the town or village that one came from.
The 2nd Soke of the Ryu, Shima Kosanta Minamoto No Kanesada was a Samurai retainer having the rank of Kosho, for one of the most powerful Samurai generals Kiso Yoshinaka, who was a general in the Minamoto army. The Minamoto where in time (1185) to become the first hereditary Shoguns. When he was 16, Shima fought against the Tiara family, the rivals of the Minamoto family. That battle took place at Awazu, Yoshinaka was on the losing side. It is thought that Shima was wounded in the battle, and fled to one of the nearby mountainous areas near to the battle site. Shima only did this at the request of Yoshinaka.
Kagakure Doshi, a Ninja of the Hakuun Ryu found Shima and together they fled to Iga. Kagakure was also one of the teachers of Daisuke Togakure, who later on took Shima into his care. The Hakuun Ryu of Ninjutsu was founded by Garyu Doji, but was later completed by Hakuun Doji who later gave the Ryu its name.
32nd Soke of Togakure Ryu, Shinryuken Masamitsu Toda was also a master in the Bikenshin Ryu and was the sword instructor for the Tokugawa Shogunate in the mid 19th century.

Soke of Togakure Ryu
Ikai
Hogenbo
Sakabe, Tendo
Hachiryu, Nyodo Tenei era 1110
Kimon, Hyobei Ninpei era 1151
Kasumigakure, Doshi
1. Togakure (Nishina), Daisuke Oho era 1161
2. Minamoto no Kanesada, Shima Kosanta 1180
3. Togakure, Goro 1200
4. Togakure, Kosanta
5. Koga, Kosanta
6. Kaneko, Tomoharu
7. Togakure, Ryuho
8. Togakure, Gakuun
9. Kido, Koseki
10. Iga, Tenryu
11. Ueno, Rihei
12. Ueno, Senri
13. Ueno, Manjiro
14. Iizuka, Saburo
15. Sawada, Goro
16. Ozaru, Ippei
17. Kimata, Hachiro
18. Kataoka, Heizaemon
19. Mori, Ugenta
20. Toda, Gobei
21. Kobe, Seiun
22. Momochi, Kobei
23. Tobari, Tenzen
24. Toda, Nobutsuna Seiryu Kwanyei era 1624 - 1644
25. Toda, Nobuchika Fudo Manji era 1658 - 1681
26. Toda, Kangoro Nobuyasu Tenna era 1681 - 1704
27. Toda, Eisaburo Nobumasa Hoyei era 1704 - 1711
28. Toda, Shinbei Masachika Shotoku era 1711 - 1736
29. Toda, Shingoro Masayoshi Gembun era 1736 - 1764
30. Toda, Daigoro Chikahide Meiwa era 1764 - 1804
31. Toda, Daisaburo Chikashige Bunkwa era 1804 - ?
32. Toda, Shinryuken Masamitsu ? - 1909
(b.1824 - d.1909)
33. Takamatsu, Toshitsugu Uoh 1907 - 1972
(b.1887 - d.1972)
34. Hatsumi, Masaaki (Yoshiaki) 1968 -
(b.1931)

Happo Bikenjutsu
1. Taijutsu, Hichojutsu, Nawa-waza.
2. Karate, Koppojutsu, Jutaijutsu.
3. Sojutsu, Naginatajutsu.
4. Bojutsu, Jojutsu, Hanbojutsu.
5. Senban nage, Ken Nagejutsu, Shurikenjutsu.
6. Kajutsu, Suijutsu.
7. Chikujo, Gunryaku Heiho.
8. Onshinjutsu, Moku-ka-to-kin-sui Goton Juppojutsu.
9. Kenpo, Kodachi, Juttejutsu, Tessenjutsu.

The 18 forms of Togakure Bujutsu
1.Taijutsu- Unarmed Combat
2.Kenpo / Ninja Ken- Swordsmanship
3.Bojutsu- Staff fighting
4.Shurikenjutsu- Blade throwning
5.Kusarigama- Sycle and chain
6.Yari- Spear
7.Naginata- Halberd
8.Bajutsu- Horsemanship
9.Suiren- Swimming
10.Kayakujutsu- Gunpowder
11.Bo Ryaku- Strategies
12.Choho- Espionage
13.Shinobi Iri- Infiltration
14.Intonjutsu- Lying low
15.Hensojutsu- Disguise
16.Tenmon- Meterology
17.Chimon- Geaography
18.Seishin Teki Kyoyo- Spiritual refinement
+ Kyojitsu Tenkan Ho- Philosophy.

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