Who was Yoshio Fukumoto? I hear bits and pieces about the man, but have yet to discover a fleshed out bio. I understand that he was (hidden) ura soke of Togakure Ryu Ninpo. So he was the flip-side of Hatsumi?
I've not been able to find too much about him. Use of google-jitsu seems only to uncover the Genbukan's claims (which one could probably find in any Genbukan site), or, on a presumably unrelated note, a Sake brewmaster from Hyogo Prefecture here. The closest thing to a bio I've found so far is at http://www.myojo-dojo.com, a Genbukan dojo website. I'd be interested in this too, if anyone has any other information, especially from third-party sources.
This wikipedia page has some discussion on the matter http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Togakure-ry%C5%AB but I find statement in it confusing: I have underlined the parts that I feel show a contradiction. Doesn't the above mean that there are currently 3 grandmasters in Togakure Ryu? On this website of found the following:
It seems to imply that Fukumoto passed on his Sokeship (is that a word?) to Tanemura, and as such is no longer Soke. So there's only two.
Genbukan Newsletter on Fukumoto: Fukumoto Yoshio was born on February 22nd 1921 and lived in Noda City, Chiba Prefecture, as a doctor, specialized in bone disorders. He started learning martial arts under the direction of Ueno Takashi. He became menkyo kaiden (license of complete transmission) in Shinto Tenshin-ryu kenpo and Asayama Ichiden-ryu. Later he joined Takamatsu Toshitsugu’s group in Nara, where he learned Togakure-ryu ninpo, Koto-ryu koppojutsu, Gyokko-ryu kosshijutsu, Shinden Fudo-ryu dakentaijutsu and Amatsu Tatara Shintoism. His father was a Shinto priest of the Wakamiya Shrine. He started learning under Takamatsu Toshitsugu in 1960 and was made a secret shihan (by his own will) formed by Takamatsu Toshitsugu. He passed away on October 4th 1995 at the age of 75. Before he died, he passed all kuden and densho he got from Takamatsu Toshitsugu and Ueno Takashi (including the final secret part of Shinden Fudo-ryu) onto Tanemura Tsunehisa Shoto. (Hatsumi and Fukumoto)
It says I HAS A RAWR Oh wait, this isn't one of those early lolcats? . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sorry, no disrespect intended of course, I just couldn't help myself :Angel:
"Yubi ni kaku-shi o hamete, aite no kyuusho o nerau." "Wearing kaku-shi [a finger-ring-weapon, or multiple such weapons in the picture] on the finger, [he] aims at the opponent's kyûsho [vital point targets]."
I don't know who wrote that, but (and George or Brian or someone else from the Genbukan correct me if I am wrong) as far as I know, and as the Genbukan website says, Mr. Tanemura is Sôke of Togakure Ryû Tanemura-Ha . There is only one Sôke of Togakure Ryû.
Yes Tanemura Sensei is Soke of Togakure ryu Tanemura-ha, based off of his menkyo kaidens from both Hatsumi S. and Fukumoto S.
Does adding "ha" at the end mean that you can call yourself soke of anything? Example, Togakure ruy Senin-ha?
No it doesn't. According to Tanemura Sensei you would need a Menkyo Kaiden in a ryu-ha. Here is an old article from Bufu Magazine that elaborates his feelings on the subject. <<There was not a Dan-Kyu system for traditional martial arts once upon a time, there was only a Menkyo system by scroll. The Dan-Kyu system started from about 1887. In Menkyo (scroll) system is Shoden (Mokuroku), Chuden (Chu-Gokui), Okuden (Gokui), Menkyo (Shinan Menkyo) and Kaiden (Inka). This is the normal case. I will explain more in case of Takagi Yoshin Ryu. This Ryu-Ha was opened by Oriemon Takagi during 1644 to 1654. Second generation Umanosuke Takagi fixed system completely with the theory using the mind of the willow and In-Yo. This Ryu-Ha was named as the "Hontai Yoshin Ryu Takagi Ryu Jujutsu". Then the fourth generation Onihei Ohkuni changed it to Kukishin Ryu Bo-Jutsu from Takagi Ryu Bo-Jutsu. Grandmaster Takamatsu Toshitsugu Sensei called this Ryu-Ha as the "Hontai Takagi Yoshin Ryu". Oriemon system used as the Takagi Ryu techniques from Tatara Shinden Shintoism, Kenko Ryu So-Jutsu (Yari), Muto Ryu So-Jutsu, Yagyu Ryu Kenpo, Ueda Ryu Ba-Jutsu (horse riding), ... because he held Menkyo Kaiden (Grandmastership) for that. As a Ryu-Ha rule, next generation Grandmaster is only one. That is Soke. Other Menkyo Kaiden Masters are Shike (special Master family). If other Menkyo Kaiden Master wants to keep that Ryu-Ha name, he can not say he is Soke and he has to be called Shike or other title name. If he wants to call himself Soke/Soshi as new Ryu-Ha, he has to system up new style and he can do so because he already has some traditional Ryu-Ha Menkyo Kaiden. If someone opened new Ryu-Ha without being given correct Ryu-Ha Menkyo Kaiden, he is irregular and nobody can believe him. Shihan was from Okuden or Shinan Menkyo persons title as a traditional rule. But nowadays be called Shihan from about 4th Dan or from 6th Dan. Or sometimes be called as a Shihan eventhough Soke. Nowadays, this is confusing. Hontai Takagi Yoshin Ryu Jujutsu scroll system are Shoden Mokuroku no Maki, Chugokui no Maki, Gokui no Maki, Menkyo no Maki, Kaiden Ryuko no Maki, Kukishin Ryu Bojutsu Menkyo no Maki, Kukishin Ryu Bojutsu Kaiden no Maki and Tora no Maki (Tiger Scroll), ... . The 13th generation Grandmaster was Ikugoro Yagi. He was a Samurai of Ako castle (Hyogo Prefecture). In 1841 he lost job (became Ronin) and he went to Akashi City. He opened a Dojo there and taught Takagi Ryu Jujutsu and Kukishin Ryu Bojutsu. He gave Menkyo Kaiden to 3 persons who were Takema Ishitani, Kumataro Inoue and Togoro Fujita. They were 14th generation. Takamatsu Sensei was the 16th generation of Ishitani line and Fujita line. He gave Grandmaster Sato Kinbei Sensei the 17th generation of Ishitani line as Hontai Takagi Yoshin Ryu Ju-Jutsu, with Amatsu Tatara Scroll and Tora no Maki. Grandmaster Sato Kinbei Sensei gave to Grandmaster Tanemura Shoto Sensei as 18th generation of this line. Grandmaster Takamatsu Toshitsugu Sensei gave to Grandmaster Ueno Takashi Sensei next generation of Fujita line as "Hontai Takagi Yoshin Ryu Ju-Jutsu". And Grandmaster Takamatsu Toshitsugu Sensei gave to Grandmaster Hatsumi Yoshiaki Sensei too next generation of Fujita line as "Hontai Takagi Yoshin Ryu Ju-Taijutsu". Ueno and Hatsumi said their generation was 19th because they counted from So Unryu and Kiinokami Ito before Orimon Takagi. Hatsumi was a student of Ueno. Sato Kinbei was elder student rather than Ueno under Takamatsu Sensei. Grandmaster Tanemura Shoto Sensei received Grandmastership of Inoue line and he mastered Mizuta line too. Nowadays there are other Soke in Ako and Kobe and some person line separated for Takagi Ryu, Hontai Yoshin Ryu and Kukishin Ryu. Like this, if no decision is made about the next generation Soke, many Soke appear. Grandmaster Tanemura Tsunehisa Shoto Sensei (Bu-Fu Magazine)>>
Thanks Fudo, that is a great post, but it will take some time for me to sort it out in my mind. Am I the only one confused?
I believe i'm correct in saying that in this respect the word karate means "Chinese hand" as opposed to "Empty hand"?
