Hyōhō Niten Ichi-ryū Kenjustu
Hyōhō Niten Ichi-ryū, which can be translated as Two Heavens as One, is a school of strategy created by Miyamoto Musashi during the early Edo period in the 1600's. Known for it's simultaneous use of both the katana (long sword) and the wakizashi (short sword), the school also teaches the use of the katana, wakizashi, bo (long staff), and jutte (truncheon).
Miyamoto Musashi
Shinmen Musashi no Kami Fujiwara no Genshin (c.1584 - 1645), the son of Shinmen Munisai, is recognized as one of Japan's greatest warriors and strategists. Shinmen Munisai was a vassel of the Shinmen clan and had taught Musashi the sword and jitte, as a child. Over the years Musashi-sensei would not just master the ability to use two swords (long and short sword) at the same time, he would gain proficiency in the bo, and jujitsu.
At the age of 12, Musashi-sensei would fight his first duel against Arima Kihei and from there he would continue to participate and win over 60 duels. Some of the most famous being his duel against the Yoshioka school and some time later against Sasaki Kojiro. Aside from his duels, he participated in numerous military campaigns and would later use his approach to strategy in other skills like architecture, scuplting, painting, writing, tea ceremony, and metal work.
His treatise on strategy, Go Rin no Sho (Book of Five Rings), and Dokkodo (Way of Walking Alone) are some of the writings he left to his students for them to be able to continue his school of Hyōhō Niten Ichi-ryū.
Kajiya Takanori
12th Soke (Headmaster)
Kajiya Takanori-sensei first started learning Hyōhō Niten Ichi-ryū under Imai Masayuki Nobukatsu (10th soke), and continued his training under Iwami Toshio Harukatsu (11th soke). Before learning Niten Ichi-ryū, Kajiya-sensei had spent years training in Itto-ryu, Iaido, shurikenjutsu, and jujutsu.
On November 24, 2013 the Soden-shiki (transmission of leadership) ceremony was conducted in front of the Kokura monument to Miyamoto Musashi, Seishin-chokudo stele, in the Chishen Kaiyushiki Garden of Kokura Castle. Iwami-soke formally passed on the leadership to Kajiya-sensei by presenting the title and responsibility of soke, a Menkyo Kaiden (full transmission of the school licence), and Miyamoto Musashi's Jisso-Enman bokuto which is beleived to be the last remaining original item made by Miyamoto Musashi in exsistence.
Hyōhō Niten Ichi-ryū Lineage
1. Miyamoto Musashi Fujiwara no Genshin (Founder)
2. Terao Kyumanosuke Nobuyuki
3. Terao Kyoemon Katsuyuki
4. Yoshida Josetsu Masahiro
5. Santo Hikozaemon Kiyoaki
6. Santo Hanbei Kiyoako
7. Santo Shinjuro Kiyotake
8. Aoki Kikuo Hisakatsu
9. Kiyonaga Tadanao Masazane
10. Imai Masayuki Nobukatsu
11. Iwami Toshio Harukatsu
12. Kajiya Takanori Kougen (Current Headmaster)