Tombokai Pretoria

We are a sub-branch of the Yokohama Mugaikai, within the Shiryukai under Konishi Soke. Our affiliation allow students an opportunity to train directly under our teachers in Japan and to participate in the annual Mugai Ryu Taikai.

 

The founder of Mugai ryu,Tsuji Gettan was born in 1649, in the Miya-mura-aza village area of Masugi, Kōga-gun district of Ōmi modern day Shiga Prefecture. At age 13,he left the village for Kyoto to study Yamaguchi-ryū swordsmanship unde Yamaguchi Bokushinsai Morimasa and at the age of 26, after receiving Menkyo Kaiden, a teaching license, made straight for Edo (modern day Tokyo) to further hone his skills.

 

He then opened a Yamaguchi-ryu Dojo in Edo Koishikawa. With strong thoughts of mastering the “way”, he soon went to the Kyūkōji temple in Azabu Sakurada-cho in order to study Zen and Classical Chinese literature under Zen monk Sekitan Ryouzen. At the age of 45, he reached enlightenment and received from his Zen teacher a formal poem taken from the Buddhist scriptures as an acknowledgment and proof of his accomplishment. As the name of Tsuji Gettan became known far and wide, his pupils grew in number. Of these students, Ogasawara Nagashige, Sakai Tadataka and Yamanouchi Toyomasa became feudal lords, and entrusted Tsuji Gettan with the care of thousands of students.

 

Tsuji Gettan Sukemochi was unmarried, and devoted his whole life to the pursuit of Kenjutsu and Zen until falling ill at the age of 79, and finally passing away on June the 23rd, 1727. He was buried in the Nyorai-ji Temple, Shiba-Takanawa (modern day Shinagawa.)

 

Following his death, through his grandnephewTsuji Uheita, and his adopted son, Tsuji Kimata, Mugai-ryu became taught all over Japan, particularly in the Tosa Domain and the Himeji Domain (modern day Shikoku and Hyogo Prefecture respectively). At this time, the successors of Mugai-ryu also inherited Jikyo-ryu Iai from the Kenjutsu instructors of the Sakai family in the Himeji domain, the Takahashi  Clan.

 

Takahashi Kyutaro Koun, born in July of 1879, learned Mugai-ryu Hyohou, Jikyo-ryu Iai and Tsudaichiden-ryu Kenjutsu from his father, the famous Kenjutsu instructor, Takahashi Takenari Tetsuo. In 1887, he was employed as the Metropolitan Police Force’s dedicated Kenjutsu master. Takahashi Kyutaro Koun, Tosa Mugai-Ryu’s Kawasaki Zenzaburo and Takano Sasaburo of Nakanishi-ha Itto-ryu were then collectively known as the Metropolitan Police Force’s “Three Prodigy Sons” of Kenjutsu.

 

In 1903, Takahashi Kyutaro became the first ever Kenjutsu instructor of the Kobe High Commercial School (Modern day Kobe University) while also holding the position of chief instructor at the Hyogo Butokukai. Thereafter, Nakagawa Shinichi, a student enrolled in Kobe High Commercial School and took over Takahashi’s duties as full-time instructor.

 

Nakagawa Shinichi Shiryu then inherited the Kata of “Mugai-ryu Hyoho(Kenjutsu)” and “Mugai-ryu Iai”  from Takahashi Kyutaro, and compiled the two to establish a new form, giving it the name “Mugai Shinden Mugai-ryu Iai Hyodo.”

 

Without appointing a direct successor, Nakagawa Shinichi Shiryu passed away on the 2nd of January 1981 at the age of 86. He was then jointly succeeded by six individuals who received Menkyo Kaiden Scrolls (scrolls containing all the hidden mysteries of Mugai-ryu) from him. Due to the passing of the other five individuals entrusted with the Menkyo Kaiden, Konishi Misakazu Ryuoh is currently the legitimiate 16th soke of Mugai Shinden Mugairyu Iaihyodo.