Sakakibara Kenkichi

A swordsman from the end of the Edo period to the Meiji period. His name was Tomoyoshi. He was born into a Shogunate retainer from the Oroku region. At the age of 13, he became a disciple of Odani Seiichiro of the Jikishinkage school and quickly distinguished himself. In 1856 (Ansei 3), he became a swordsman at the Kobusho, and at the opening ceremony for the Kobusho, which had moved from Tsukiji to Ogawamachi in 1860 (Man'en 1), he made a name for himself by defeating spearman Takahashi Ise no Kami (later known as Deishu) in an exhibition match. In 1861 (Bunkyu 1), he guarded the visit of Shogun Iemochi to Kyoto, and was trusted by him. In 1864 (Genji 1), he was promoted to swordsmanship instructor rank and to the top rank of both Imperial guards. In 1866 (Keio 2), he was made head of the guerrilla corps due to the Shogunate's military reform, but he soon resigned and set up a dojo at his home in Shitaya Kurumazaka, where he taught swordsmanship exclusively. After the Meiji Restoration, the abolition of feudal domains and the establishment of prefectures, the sword ban law, and other factors caused a rapid decline in swordsmanship, and he was concerned about this, so in 1873 (Meiji 6), he founded a sword-fighting exhibition. He also took overall command of the martial arts exhibition held at Ueno Park in 1878, and then in 1887, he gained fame by demonstrating his helmet-splitting skills at the Imperial Palace residence.

[Ichiro Watanabe]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

幕末～明治の剣術家。名は友善(ともよし)。小禄(しょうろく)の幕府御家人(ごけにん)の出身。13歳のとき直心影(じきしんかげ)流男谷(おだに)精一郎の門に入り、たちまち頭角を現した。1856年（安政3）講武所剣術教授方となり、60年（万延1）築地(つきじ)から小川町に移転した講武所の開場式の際、模範試合で槍術(そうじゅつ)方の高橋伊勢守(いせのかみ)（後の泥舟(でいしゅう)）を打ち込んで名をあげた。61年（文久1）将軍家茂(いえもち)の上洛(じょうらく)を警護して、その信任を受け、64年（元治1）剣術師範役並(なみ)、両御番上席(りょうごばんじょうせき)に進んだ。66年（慶応2）幕府の兵制改革によって遊撃隊頭取(とうどり)に転じたが、まもなく辞任して、下谷車坂(したやくるまざか)の自宅に道場を設け、もっぱら剣術を指南した。明治維新後、廃藩置県・廃刀令などにより剣術が急激に衰微したのを憂え、73年（明治6）撃剣興行を創設した。また78年上野公園の武術天覧には、その総指揮となり、ついで87年伏見(ふしみ)宮邸において兜(かぶと)割りの特技を天覧に供して名声を博した。

［渡邉一郎］

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