Gyokko Ryu Origins and Koku

Any time one begins to search for the origins of a martial art that is as old as the
Gyokko Ryu, in any country or culture, you will find yourself going deeper and
deeper into myth and legends, rather than factual history. Unsurprisingly this is also
definitely the case with our art, the Gyokko Ryu of Koshijutsu.
As you may already know, the term Ryu means style or school, and these Ryu
were kept very secret. Oftentimes a Ryu may be known only to one or a few
members of the same family or clan. Therefore, to these people the history of their
Ryu was simply taken for granted and was believed as it was taught to them by
their master. They did not doubt its validity. They only needed to survive and live to
fight another day. To do this they needed faith in their art and Ryu, and as expected
this was easier to accomplish when their Ryu had legendary or even divine origins.
The Gyokko Ryu scrolls written by 33rd Soke, or Headmaster of the Ryu, are the
first written record of the history of this Ryu. For about 1,000 years it had been an
oral tradition, a secret to be passed down from master to disciple; generation after
generation. These new scrolls were written from memory, detailing everything
that Takamatsu Soke was taught by his grandfather, the 32nd Soke of the Gyokko
Ryu.
On a few occasions I have had the honor of inspecting and translating some of
these scrolls. In them we can see the mythical origins of this ancient style. The story
begins with a few warrior-wizards named;
Yao Yuhu (Chinese pronunciation) or Yo Gyokko (Japanese pronunciation)
Ikai a.k.a. Zhang Wushen (In Chinese) or Cho Busho (In Japanese)
Gamon Doshi
Garyu Doshi
Hachiryu Nyudo
Tozawa Hakuunsai.
All of these names are very prominent in the records and legends of the Ninja in
Japan. They are heroes whose stories are well known in the plays of the Kabuki
Theater, traditional stories and even comic books.
Yo Gyokko is said to have been the founder of the art known as Shitojustu, while
Ikai or Cho Busho is the one who brought the Gyokko Ryu to Japan from China.
Looking at the Chinese characters used to write Ikais name, we can see that he was
most likely a foreigner to Japan (the I meaning outsider or other and the kai
means to be distributed evenly). It is interesting to note that Ikai in Japanese can
also phonetically mean from overseas. This, of course, was not his true name but
a warrior name or even a pirate name attributed to him. I once heard Hatsumi Soke
say that these men may have gone back and forth between China and Japan on
more than one occasion, developing and spreading esoteric Buddhism (Mikkyo). It is

possible that they may have even had a small naval force. In this period of history,
following the Tang Dynasty of China (618-907 AD) it was very common for Buddhism
to spread throughout Asia with the support of a political/military arm.
When considering such names as Gamon Doshi, Garyu Doshi, and Hachiryu Nyudo
we can see by the use of the characters Doshi and Nyudo in their names that
they were devout Taoists and practitioners of Onmyo-do or the way of Yin and
Yang. So it is safe to assume that our art was heavily influenced by these schools of
thought; Buddhism and Taoism or Onmyo-do as it was known in ancient Japan.
Tozawa Hakuunsai on the other hand was well known in ninja history as being the
master of the legendary Sarutobi Sasuke, Japans version of a Robin Hood type of
character. But, unlike Robin Hood, he is not thought of as being generous to the
poor. It is said that Hakuunsai gave Sarutobi Sasuke a menkyo kaiden or full
mastership in the arts of Ninjutsu and Hichojutsu. Similar to the legends of Robin
Hood, Tozawa and Sarutobi most likely actually did exist. Their feats have more than
probably been highly exaggerated. It is even more likely that these were groups of
men who operated under the same name to give the impression that they could be
in more place than one at the same time.
Hichoijutsu is often misunderstood as the art of flying or jumping but it is actually a
kind of empty-hand fighting art that incorporates a lot of jumping and leaping in its
movements. In the Iga region of Japan it was known as Hicho Karate Koppojutsu
and it was the central martial art for the famous Iga Ninja clans in the 1500s. We
call it the Koto Ryu. But this can be discussed at another time.
Later the Gyokko Ryu was passed down into the Togakure clan of ninja in the Iga
region by Momochi Sandayu, and possibly into many other clans in the area as the
style is very well known as being a jitsuryoku ha or a style with great
effectiveness.
The lineage of past Soke and Menkyo Kaiden holders is as follows, please keep in
mind this list is not to be thought of everyone that existed in the Ryu. These were
the leaders and at times more than one may have led at the same time in various
parts of their region. It is said that the Ryu was somewhat active even through the
peaceful Edo period. Only to nearly completely die out in Toda Shinryuken
Masamitsus lifetime due to drastic changes in Japans government resulting from
foreign influences on the country. Thanks to the efforts of Takamatsu Soke and
Hatsumi Soke the Gyokko Ryu is now enjoying its true Golden Era.
Yo Gyokko (The original founder of Chinese Shitojutsu)
Ikai (The man credited for bringing Shitojutsu to Japan circa 1056 AD)
Gamon Doshi
Garyu Doshi
Hachiryu Nyudo
Tozawa Hakuunsai (The master of Sarutobi Sasuke, circa 1159 AD)
Tozawa Shosuke Oho (circa 1162 AD)

Suzuki Saburo Shigeyoshi (circa 1180)

Suzuki Gobei Mitsusada
Suzuki Kojiro Mitsuhisa
Tozawa Soun (circa 1288 AD)
Tozawa Nyudo Genai
Yamon Hyoun
Kato Ryubaiun (circa 1394 AD)
Sakagami Goro Katsushige (circa 1532 AD)
Sakagami Taro Kunishige
Sakagami Kotaro Masahide
So Gyokkan Ritsushi
Toda Sakyo Ishinsai
Momochi Sandayu (circa 1555 AD)
Momochi Sandayu II (circa 1591 AD)
Momochi Tanba Yasumitsu (circa 1615 AD)
Momochi Taro Saemon (circa 1624 AD)
Toda Seiryu Nobutsuna (circa 1644 AD)
Toda Fudo Nobuchika (circa 1681 AD)
Toda Kangoro Nobuyasu (circa 1704 AD)
Toda Eisaburo Nobumasa (circa 1711 AD)
Toda Shinbei Masachika (circa 1736 AD)
Toda Shingoro Masayoshi (circa 1764 AD)
Toda Daigoro Chikahide (circa 1804 AD)
Toda Daisaburo Chikashige (circa 1804 AD)
Toda Shinryuken Masamitsu (born 1824, died 1909)
Takamatsu Toshitsugu (born 1887, died 1972)
Hatsumi Yoshiaki (Masaaki) (1931 present)

Religious Background
As I mentioned earlier, the Gyokko Ryu was influenced heavily by Buddhism and
Onmyo-Do, or ancient Taoism in Japan. This is extremely obvious in many ways. One
is simply the language of the style. Words such as Koku, Kukan, Gogyo, Goshin,
Sanshin, Tenchijin, etc. are often used throughout the styles forms and teaching
principles.
Here I would like to mainly discuss the term Koku as it is the first lesson discussed in
the structured forms. This terms meaning is very simple, yet extremely complex at
the same time. It is Buddhist in origin and originally comes from India. Koku can be
translated as space, empty space or even boundless sky, but its true meaning is
much more mystical and deep in meaning.
The concept of koku is personified by the Buddhist deity Kokuzo Bosatsu, the
deity of wisdom and memory. It is believed that ultimate wisdom, or enlightenment,
is contained or hidden in the womb of space and through the guidance of this
deity one can attain enlightenment by experiencing the wisdom contained in the

empty space or ethereal void all around us. The name is often translated as
boundless space treasury or warehouse of the void as his wisdom is said to be
as limitless as the universe itself.
Kukai, the founder of the Shingon sect of Buddhism in Japan is said to have chanted
Kokuzo Bosatsus mantra throughout his youth and eventually he had a vision
telling him to make a pilgrimage to China for further study in esoteric Sanskrit texts
that were not understood in Japan at that time. He left Japan in 804 AD in a
government expedition to China consisting of 4 large ships with many other monks
(including the famous monk Saicho), scholars, warrior generals and ambassadors.
During a great storm on the way to China, one ship turned back for Japan and
another was lost at sea.
Upon finally arriving to China, Kukai excelled in his studies and later returned to
Japan as the eighth patriarch of esoteric Buddhism or Mikkyo. He was considered a
genius in many respects. In a very short amount of time he mastered esoteric
Buddhism rituals and meditation, learned Sanskrit and its Siddham script which
played an important role in the development of Shugendo or mountain asceticism.
This script was also important to the spread of Buddhism from northern India
through Tibet and Nepal and all along the Silk Road.
One of Kukais greatest gifts to Japan was his teachings on the concept of Koku.
That wisdom and enlightenment was something that could be grasped by anyone
from the empty space all around us, as long as they knew the secret esoteric rituals
and meditations including many mudra or spiritual hand positions and mantra
or chants. The most common mantra for Kokuzo is On Basara Aratana Kan. Om
Basara Aratana Un which is chanted to gain wisdom, intelligence and to
accomplish tasks, another is Nobo Akyasha Gyrabaya, Om Arikya Mari Bori
Sowaka which translates as; I Wish to the whole universe, OM, and with total
dedication pray that all human beings prosper and flourish.
The most important thing to understand regarding Koku is that the mind and space
are one. It is our bodies and impure thoughts that separate the two. For any
practitioner of the Gyokko Ryu, daily meditation on Koku is essential along with
practicing the Kihon Happo of Buddhism, the noble eightfold path. Just like Soke has
taught us to return to the Kihon Happo of the Gyokko Ryu when we feel lost in our
training, the Buddha has given humanity the Kihon Happo of Buddhism.
The Noble Eightfold Path describes the way to the end of suffering and the path to
enlightenment, as taught by Siddhartha Gautama. It is a basic path to ethical and
mental development with the goal of freeing the individual from attachments and
delusions. In the end this finally leads to understanding the truth about all things.
1. Right View
Right view simply means to see and to understand things as they really are. Right
view is not necessarily intellectual, the same as wisdom is not just a matter of
intelligence. It begins with the reality that all beings are subject to suffering and it

ends with a complete understanding of the true nature of all things. Since our view
of the world forms our thoughts and our actions, a correct or right view yields
correct thoughts and correct actions.
2. Right Intention
Right view refers to wisdom while right intention refers to the kind of mental energy
that controls our actions. Right intention is best thought of as a vow to yourself for
ethical and mental self-improvement. The Buddha taught three types of right
intentions:
1. Renunciation, which is to resistance the pull of the desires
2. Good will, meaning resisting feelings of anger and stubbornness
3. Lastly, the intention of harmlessness, meaning not to think or act cruelly,
violently, or aggressively, and to develop compassion towards others
3. Right Speech
Right speech is the first principle of ethical conduct in the eightfold path. Ethical
conduct is viewed as a guideline to moral discipline, which supports the other
principles of the path. This aspect is not self-sufficient, however, essential,
because mental purification can only be achieved through the cultivation of
ethical conduct. The importance of speech in the context of Buddhist ethics is
obvious: words can break or save lives, make enemies or friends, start war or
create peace. Buddha explained right speech as follows: 1. to abstain from false
speech, especially not to tell deliberate lies and not to speak deceitfully, 2. to
abstain from slanderous speech and not to use words maliciously against others,
3. to abstain from harsh words that offend or hurt others, and 4. to abstain from
idle chatter that lacks purpose or depth. Positively phrased, this means to tell
the truth, to speak friendly, warm, and gently and to talk only when necessary.
4. Right Action
The second ethical principle, right action, involves the body as natural means of
expression, as it refers to deeds that involve bodily actions. Unwholesome
actions lead to unsound states of mind, while wholesome actions lead to sound
states of mind. Again, the principle is explained in terms of abstinence: right
action means 1. to abstain from harming sentient beings, especially to abstain
from taking life (including suicide) and doing harm intentionally or delinquently,
2. to abstain from taking what is not given, which includes stealing, robbery,
fraud, deceitfulness, and dishonesty, and 3. to abstain from sexual misconduct.
Positively formulated, right action means to act kindly and compassionately, to
be honest, to respect the belongings of others, and to keep sexual relationships
harmless to others.
5. Right Livelihood
Right livelihood means that one should earn one's living in a righteous way and
that wealth should be gained legally and peacefully. The Buddha mentions four
specific activities that harm other beings and that one should avoid for this
reason: 1. dealing in weapons, 2. dealing in living beings (including raising
animals for slaughter as well as slave trade and prostitution), 3. working in meat

production and butchery, and 4. selling intoxicants and poisons, such as alcohol
and drugs. Furthermore any other occupation that would violate the principles of
right speech and right action should be avoided.
6. Right Effort
Right effort can be seen as a prerequisite for the other principles of the path.
Without effort, which is in itself an act of will, nothing can be achieved, whereas
misguided effort distracts the mind from its task, and confusion will be the
consequence. Mental energy is the force behind right effort; it can occur in either
wholesome or unwholesome states. The same type of energy that fuels desire,
envy, aggression, and violence can on the other side fuel self-discipline, honesty,
benevolence, and kindness. Right effort is detailed in four types of endeavors
that rank in ascending order of perfection: 1. to prevent the arising of un-arisen
unwholesome states, 2. to abandon unwholesome states that have already
arisen, 3. to arouse wholesome states that have not yet arisen, and 4. to
maintain and perfect wholesome states already arisen.
7. Right Mindfulness
Right mindfulness is the controlled and perfected faculty of cognition. It is the
mental ability to see things as they are, with clear consciousness. Usually, the
cognitive process begins with an impression induced by perception, or by a
thought, but then it does not stay with the mere impression. Instead, we almost
always conceptualize sense impressions and thoughts immediately. We interpret
them and set them in relation to other thoughts and experiences, which
naturally go beyond the truth of the original impression. The mind then posits
concepts, joins concepts into constructs, and weaves those constructs into
complex interpretative schemes. All this happens only half consciously, and as a
result we often see things obscured. Right mindfulness is anchored in clear
perception and it penetrates impressions without getting carried away. Right
mindfulness enables us to be aware of the process of conceptualization in a way
that we actively observe and control the way our thoughts go. Buddha
accounted for this as the four foundations of mindfulness: 1. contemplation of
the body, 2. contemplation of feeling (repulsive, attractive, or neutral), 3.
Contemplation of the state of mind. And 4. Contemplation of the phenomena.
8. Right Concentration
The eighth principle of the path, right concentration, refers to the development
of a mental force that occurs in natural consciousness, although at a relatively
low level of intensity, namely concentration. Concentration in this context is
described as one-pointedness of mind, meaning a state where all mental
faculties are unified and directed onto one particular object. Right concentration
for the purpose of the eightfold path means wholesome concentration, i.e.
concentration on wholesome thoughts and actions. The Buddhist method of
choice to develop right concentration is through the practice of meditation. The
meditating mind focuses on a selected object. It first directs itself onto it, then
sustains concentration, and finally intensifies concentration step by step.
Through this practice it becomes natural to apply elevated levels concentration

also in everyday situations.

It is clear that our art is full of Buddhist concepts so lets take a look at what role
do these ideas play in our art as a form of combat.