AMATSU TATARA In the Bujinkan Dojo one of the schools that is possibly studied the most is the Kukishinden Ryu. This is mainly through the weapons that we practice. The Taikai over the past few years have been proof of this. 1991 we studied the Jutte, 1992 the sword, 1993, the Bo, 1994 the Yari, and Kodachi, and 1995 Naginata. So just were does the skills of the Kukishinden Ryu come from? They are linked to the Kukishin Ryu of Kumano Prefecture in Japan. Some time around 1688 the Kukishinden Ryu was created as a branch of the Kukishin Ryu, by Okuni Onihei. Okuni held the Menkyo Kaiden in the Kukishin Ryu, and Chosui Ryu, and also later became Soke of the Hon Tai Takagi Yoshin Ryu. Ohkuni called his school ‘Hon Tai Kukishin Ryu Bojutsu’, with the DEN being attached to the end at some later date. Different theories as tot he meaning to the 'DEN' that was added to the end of Kukishin, one of these means Transmission (as in teachings of the Kukishin Ryu), while others say it means a Branch of .... (e.g. Kukishin Ryu). All in all it is still the same as the Kukishin Ryu, but with it's own personal little taints, and querks. The Kukishin Ryu developed during the warring states Era in the 1330's. The Kuki family, a branch family of the Nakatomi, were at the time one of the few families in possession of the Amatsu Tatara Hibumi Hiden Makimono (Amatsu Tatara secret scroll). They took the skills of the Amatsu Tatara and fully adapted them to there personal style, and thus the Kukishin Ryu was born. Unfortunately the Amatsu Tatara is still closely guarded by the several families that possess it, and little is known about the scrolls. However, long before the Kuki family received their set of scrolls, the Amatsu Tatara, had been around a long time. It was in around 550BC in Japan, the Yamato area imperialists were invaded by Buddhist Malays. The imperialist army defeated these Buddhists at Mount Miwa, and after being pardoned the Buddhists moved to the Iki area of Japan. The imperial war council met again to discuss how best to protect their country against future invasions. They decided to compile a book of war strategies, containing the history of Japan, defensive-offensive strategies, martial arts techniques, weaponry, spying, political policies, weather prediction, and astrology.
In 10BC the book was finally completed, and was named the Amatsu Tatara Hibumi no maki Fujiwara no Kamatari worked for 38th Tenno, Tenchi (Emperor Tenchi). In 645AD in the name of the Emperor he quelled a rebellion. For doing this, Emperor Tenchi made him the Prime Minister of Japan, and awarded him a copy of the Amatsu Tatara scroll, which at that time was written in Classical Chinese. March, Tenwa 9 (1640’s!), Fujiwara was to rewrite, and remodel with new information, and skills the Amatsu Tatara.. The one original scrolls were divided into 5 scrolls, which were in turn divided into 36 sections, and 9 subtitles. The most important scrolls were known as: Hibumi Shiron Shinpei Kansei no maki Kansei-ron no maki Seikan-ron no maki Shinri-hen no maki Kanagi-hen no maki (Stick fighting scroll) Hokyo Hiden no maki Tenmon Chimon no maki (Heaven and Earth strategies scroll) Chikujo no maki (Fortification design scroll) Jinei no maki Gunryaku no maki (Strategies scroll) Juho Kajutsu no maki (Ten ways of using fire scroll) KishaJutsu no maki (Archery on horseback scroll) Kenpo Hiso-hen no maki (Swordsmanship) Sojutsu Hibumi no maki (Spearmanship) Naginata Hishohen no maki (Halberd fighting) Bojutsu Hishohen no maki (Staff fighting) Jutaijutsu Kappohen no maki (Grappling arts) Bekkan (Sword fighting) The Amatsu Tatara is made up of many scrolls. The families that possess the Amatsu Tatara each have a different number depending on how each set was written, originally their was 45 Makimono. There are records in the Amatsu Tatara Kushin Hibun which is said to have two scrolls on secret views of the sword and the spear...... Fujiwara no Kamatari was a famous member of the Nakatomi clan. His 37th descendant was Kuki Tadamasa, a Daimyo and Soke of the Kukishin Ryu. The Fujiwara, Nakatomi, and Kuki families are related by blood to one another The Amatsu Tatara is divided into three groups:
1. 2. 3.
History Secret miracle religion Martial arts
In the past it was prohibited on pain of death for anyone in possession of the Amatsu Tatara to disclose it's contents. As such it's existence became almost legend, and these secrets documents were passed form one generation to another only through the family line. In a few cases branch families received copies, and kept these within their own lineage. At some point the secrets of the Amatsu Tatara were revealed, and many Ryu-ha imparted some of these once secret techniques into their own. When the original scrolls was rewritten 108 different were written. Four sets were made (each set contained approximately 27 scrolls). Fujiwara Kamatari originally gave the Amatsu Tatara to four families, the Nakatomi, Abe, Mononobe, and Otomo. Each set of scrolls are named after the family they were presented to and as such are known as follows: NAKATOMI FAMILY: Amatsu Tatara Nakatomi Hibumi OTOMO FAMILY: Amatsu Tatara Kishin no Hibumi MONONOBE FAMILY: Amatsu Tatara Hisshin Ginkoroku ABE FAMILY: Amatsu Tatara Rinpo Hiden The combined collection is called Shinmei Shino Hiden. As Fujiwara no Kamayari was a member of the Nakatomi family, and the Kuki family originates from the Nakatomi, so it is inevitable that the Kuki family would also be in possession of the Amatsu Tatara. When the Kuki family received the Amatsu Tatara they added their own Shugendo teachings, and Mikkyo (Esoteric teachings). Unfortunately all of the Kuki families scrolls were destroyed by the American firebombing of Tokyo in World War 2. Luckily the Soke of the Kukishinden Ryu, Takamatsu Toshitsugu who was also a Shihan in Kukishin Ryu had been permitted by the 21st Soke of Kukishin Ryu, Kuki Takaharu in 1920, to copy and make notes of the Kuki
families Amatsu Tatara,. So when the scrolls were destroyed Takamatsu Shihan completely rewrote the Amatsu Tatara which he presented to them in 3rd April 1949. The Takamatsu family was related to the Kuki family, and also held a copy of the Amatsu Tatara, thus making Takamatsu’s job much easier The Amatsu Tatara of the Abe family, the Amatsu Tatara Rinpo Hiden, forms the basis for the techniques of the Hon Tai Takagi Yoshin Ryu Jutaijutsu. The teachings of the Amatsu Tatara Hisshin Ginkoroku of the Mononobe family forms most of the basis for Ninjutsu, and is comprised of 20 scrolls. The highest teachings are in the Ryuko Maki (Dragon-Tiger scroll). All of this has been separated and can now be found in the Gyokko Ryu, Gikan Ryu, Koto Ryu, Kukishin Ryu, Takagi Yoshin Ryu, Shindenfudo Ryu (Through Abe Muga, Soke Shindenfudo Ryu). Following is a small selection of skills that can still be found in a few of the Ryu-ha that have become connected to the Amatsu Tatara at some point. Takagi Yoshin Ryu - Amatsu Tatara Rinpo Hiden Kasumi Ogi / Sode Zutsu - How to make and use a small cannon Hiyaku Bo Yose Ho - How to fit two Bo Kukishin Ryu - Amatsu Tatara Nakatomi Hibumi Kumo Kiri Hiho - How to change a fine day into cloud or rain Rikujintsu Hiho - Super senses (5 senses) Fudo Kanashibara no jutsu -Special Kuji Kiri for Frieze Kiai Kishi no jutsu - How to kill with Kuji Kiri and Kiai Togakure Ryu (Hakuun Ryu) - Amatsu Tatara Hisshin Ginkoroku Onshin Tongyo no jutsu - How to disappear Suicho Hakka no jutsu - How to make a special candle for use in the water With regards to Takamatsu Toshitsugu Shihan of the Kukishin Ryu, and the Amatsu Tatara. The Takamatsu family comes from Matsugashima in Ise prefecture. The family were ranked as Daimyo (lords) and ruled from the Hosokubi castle. Takamatsu Masatoshi received from Fujiwara family the Amatsu Tatara at the Atsuta shrine. The Ishitani family of Kukishinden Ryu fame, were related by blood to the Takamatsu family and as such once worked for the Takamatsu family as retainers. In the beginning of the 20th Century one of the Ishitani family returned to the Takamatsu family and in family tradition worked as security for them. As with all schools there are break away fractions, and groups. What follows is a list of those that are from the Kukishin Ryu, and Amatsu Tatara.
At present there are two people in Japan licensed by Takamatsu in the Amatsu Tatara. They are Hatsumi Masaaki, and Fukumoto Yoshio. Both live in Noda, Chiba prefecture. Kukishin Ryu Kukishin Ryu Bojutsu Kukishin Ryu Dakentaijutsu Kukishin Ryu Happo Bikenjutsu Kukishinden Happo Bikenjutsu Kukishinden Ryu Happo Hikenjutsu Kukishinden Hyoho Hon Tai Kukishin Chosui Ryu Hon Tai Kukishin Ryu Betsu Den Kukishin Ryu Minaki Den Kukishin Ryu Bojutsu Nakatomi Hyoho Tenshin Hyoho Tatara Shinden Ryu Shinden Tatara Ryu Takagi Yoshin Ryu Takagi Ryu Hon Tai Yoshin Ryu
Photo: Takamatsu Toshitsugu: 9th Dan Hanshi, Kukishin Ryu Soke of the following Ryu-ha Togakure Ryu Ninpo Taijutsu Gyokko Ryu Kosshijutsu Koto Ryu Koppojutsu Gikan Ryu Koppojutsu Gyokushin Ryu Ninpo Kumogakure Ryu Ninpo Shindenfudo Ryu Dakentaijutsu Kukishinden Ryu Happo Hikenjutsu Hontai Takagi Yoshin Ryu Jutaijutsu, Hontai Takagi Yoshin Ryu Jujutsu, Menkyo Kaiden in Shinto Muso Ryu Jojutsu
HISTORICAL LINE OF THE AMATSU TATARA FUJIWARA NO KAMATARI ........................................................................|.................. | | | TAKEUCHI MARO | | | TANAKI FUHITO ..................| |............................................ | | | | 13 GENERATIONS AKIMOTO OTOWAKAMARU 7 GENERATIONS | | | TAKAMATSU MASATOSHI 6 GENERATIONS KUKI YAGORO SUMITAKA | | | 3 GENERATIONS AKIMOTO TOKIYOSHI 11 GENERATIONS | | | | 15 GENERATIONS ISHITANI MATSUTARO TAKAMATSU GISHIN | |
|
|
|.......................................................
|
|
| | | TAKAMATSU TOSHITSUGU | | |...............................................................................................................| | (Other students)
|
| HATSUMI MASAAKI
| AKIMOTO FUMIO
Historical research by Paul Richardson 5th Dan Bujinkan Budo Taijutsu, Bujinkan Lincoln Dojo England
