View of the sea current - Kankairyu

One of the existing schools of Japanese swimming. In 1854 (Ansei 1), Miyahatsutaro Nobunori, a samurai of Oshi Domain (Saitama Prefecture), invented this style of swimming when he felt the importance of long-distance swimming while traveling around the country. It is based on the frog-legged breaststroke, and its distinctive feature is that it allows one to swim long distances on the water and reach one's destination relatively without getting tired. Therefore, the swimming style is very natural and effortless. The name Kankai is said to have originated when Todo Takakatsu, a senior official of the Todo Domain in Tsu (Mie Prefecture), praised Miyahatsutaro Nobunori's swimming style, saying, "Kankai is like land." It became a subject at the Todo Domain's school, Yuzokan, and was taught for 60 days in the summer. There are various swimming styles, including flat swimming, nukite swimming, and katami swimming, but the focus is on long-distance swimming, and traditional ocean crossings are one of its distinctive features.

[Kosuke Sasajima]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

現存する日本泳法の一流派。1854年（安政1）に、忍(おし)藩（埼玉県）藩士宮発太郎信徳(みやはつたろうのぶのり)が諸国漫遊の途次、遠泳の重要性を感じて編み出した泳ぎで、蛙足(かえるあし)平泳を基本としており、その特色は長距離の水上を遊泳し、比較的疲労せずに目的地に達することができる点にある。したがって、泳法はきわめて自然であり無理がない。観海の流名は、宮発太郎信徳の泳法に対し津（三重県）藤堂藩の閣老藤堂高克(たかかつ)が「観海如陸」と賞したことに始まるという。藤堂藩の藩校有造館の教科となり、夏期60日間教授された。泳法には平泅(ひらおよぎ)、抜手(ぬきて)、半身泅(かたみおよぎ)などがあるが、遠泳を主としており、古式沖渡りは特色の一つ。

［笹島恒輔］

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