Lord Otani Shimousa - Lord Odani Shimousa

…A swordsman who was called the sword saint of the late Edo period. The 13th head of the Jikishinkage-ryu school. He excelled in military science, spearmanship, and other martial arts, as well as calligraphy and painting, and was a swordsman of outstanding culture and character. Seiichiro was his nickname, and his official name was Shimousa no Kami Nobutomo. He also had the names Seisai and Ransai. In 1855 (Ansei 2), when the Shogunate opened the Kobusho, he became its president and a professor, and trained many swordsmen. In 1862 (Bunkyu 2), he was appointed Shimousa no Kami, and later became the flag magistrate and the Kobusho magistrate. His pupils included Shimada Toranosuke, Sakakibara Kenkichi, and Yokokawa Shichiro, and he was a cousin of Katsu Kaishu. He was honest, upright, and gentle, and although he never lost a match against other schools, it is said that he never killed a single person in his life. …

*Some of the terminology explanations that mention "Otokotani Shimousa no Kami" are listed below.

Source | Heibonsha World Encyclopedia 2nd Edition | Information

…幕末の剣聖といわれた剣術家。直心影流13代。兵学，槍術など武芸のほか，書画にも優れ，教養，人格とも抜群の風格ある剣客。精一郎は通称で正式には下総守信友。静斎，蘭斎と号す。1855年(安政2)幕府の講武所開設とともに頭取ならびに教授方となり，多数の剣術家を育成。62年(文久2)下総守叙任，のち御旗奉行，講武所奉行となる。弟子に島田虎之助，榊原鍵吉，横川七郎らがおり，勝海舟とはいとこどうしである。清廉潔白，温厚で，他流試合に敗れたことは一度もなかったが，生涯1人も人を斬らなかったといわれる。…

※「男谷下総守」について言及している用語解説の一部を掲載しています。

出典｜株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典 第２版について | 情報