Toranosuke Shimada

A swordsman from the end of the Edo period. His name was Naochika, and he also went by the pen name Kenzan. He was the fourth son of Shimada Ichiroemon Chikafusa, a low-ranking samurai from the Nakatsu domain in Bungo, and is said to have loved swords from an early age. At the age of 13, he became a disciple of Hori Jirozaemon of the Tonodaito school of swordsmanship, who was the domain's swordsmanship instructor. He distinguished himself here, and traveled to Kitakyushu in 1832 (Tenpo 3), and southern Kyushu the following year. He continued his warrior training in Kinki and the Sanyo road, and headed to Edo in the winter of 1837. The following spring, he met Odani Seiichiro of the Jikishinkage school, became his apprentice, and was granted full mastery of the sword. After 40 years of travelling around the Tohoku region, he became independent and opened a dojo in Asakusa Shinbori, calling himself the Shimada school of the Jikishinkage school. His teaching policy emphasized the spirit of unity of swordsmanship, and among his pupils were Katsurintaro, Makado Katsusuke (Chikuzen), and others.

[Ichiro Watanabe]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

幕末の剣術家。名は直親(なおちか)、硯山（見山）(けんざん)と号した。豊後(ぶんご)中津藩の下級士族島田市郎右衛門親房(ちかふさ)の四男で、幼少より剣を好んだという。13歳のとき、藩の剣術師範役、外他一刀(とのだいっとう)流の堀次郎左衛門のもとに入門。ここで断然頭角を現し、1832年（天保3）北九州、翌年南九州を歴遊、その後も近畿、山陽道に武者修行を続け、37年の冬江戸に向かった。翌年春、直心影(じきしんかげ)流男谷(おだに)精一郎と巡り会い、その内弟子となって免許皆伝を許され、40年の東北歴遊後、独立して、浅草新堀に道場を開き、直心影流島田派と称した。その指導方針は剣心一致の精神を重んじ、門下に勝麟太郎(かつりんたろう)、真角勝輔(まかどかつすけ)（筑前(ちくぜん)）らを出した。

［渡邉一郎］

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