Hoki Ryu

Current Disciplines: Iaijutsu, Kenjutsu Jujutsu
Founder: Katayama Hoki No Kami Fujiwara No Hisayasu (1574-1650)　(片山伯耆守藤原久安)
Date Founded: Late Muromachi period

Description

Historically, Ikkan-ryu (一貫流）, later Hoki-ryu (was a Kansai based budo that had dojo in Kyoto, Osaka, Hiroshima and eventually spread down to Kumamoto, in Kyushu.

Hoki-ryu originally was a sogo-bujutsu (comprehensive martial art) which included disciplines such as kenjutsu, iaijutsu, jujutsu (Kogusoku Koshi No Mawari), bojutsu, jojutsu, naginatajutsu and sojutsu. The original Ikkan-ryu was said to have over a hundred technqiues developed in it's system of martial technique.

Although a number of current and past shihan of the ryuha have cliamed some sort of lineage to Hayashizaki Jinsuke Shigenobu (林崎甚助重信) a number of historical documents and physical techniques show this to be somewhat unlikely. According to research of historical by a number of budo historians, researchers and even the Katayama family, Katayama Hoki No Kami Fujiwara no Hisayasu was the half-brother of Takenouchi-ryu founder, Takenouchi Nakazudaiyuu Hisamori. When researching the ryuha's densho, which are very well preserved and show techniques via pictorial form, the resemblence is very close to Takenouchi-ryu technique. This includes names of kata, as well as certain paradigms contained therein.

Katayama Hoki Hisayasu No Kami Fujiwara was invited to an audience with Emperor Goyozei in 1610 and demonstrated his skill as a swordsman, for which the emperor awarded Katayama Hoki the title of Jugo-Ika Hoki No Kami (従五位下伯耆守). Katayama was subsequently commissioned by the Toyotomi family as a hatamoto and kenjutsu shinan (剣術指南）for Hideyoshi's son, Hideyori. During the seige of Osaka castle durijng the Summer campaign of 1615, Toyotomi Hideyori was killed in action, leaving Katayama Hoki without situation.

Katayama Hoki became an itinerant traveller, teaching and spreading his art to shikoku, aki and suo provinces before choosing to settle in Iwakuni in Oshu, where his descendants still reside to this day. Katayama's eldest son, Hisakatsu (久勝) went to Edo and founded his own ryuha, Katayama Shindo-ryu (片山心動流) and Katayama's second son, Hisataka (久隆) went on to succeed the ryuha as the second hereditary headmaster.

During the 1700's the 4th headmaster of Hoki-ryu, Katayama Hoki Hisanori have a Higo bushi, Hoshino Kakuemon (星野角右衛門) authority to open a dojo. The Hoshino family was also involved in Shiten-ryu Kumi-uchi (四天流組討), Hyoho Niten Ichi-ryu (兵法二天一流) and Yoshin-ryu Naginatajutsu (楊心流長刀術)

Hoki-ryu Today

Hoki-ryu iaijutsu is taught today in Kyoto, Osaka, Hiroshima, Kanagawa and in Kumamoto. Although originating from the Hoshino line of teaching, each line is independant of each other, and have subtle differences in their technique and syllabus content.

Sources

Yamada, Kiyoshi & Watatani, Tadashi. 1978. Bugei Ryūha Daijiten. Tokyo Copy Shuppansha.
Nihon Kobudo Kyokai Ron. 1994. Nihon Kobudo Soran. Shimazushobo
Watatani, Kiyoshi. 1972. Bugei Ryuha Hyakusen. Akita Shoten.