Muto Ryu

A school of swordsmanship founded by Yamaoka Tesshu in March 1880 (Meiji 13). Tesshu, commonly known as Tetsutaro, had loved swordsmanship since childhood and was skilled enough to be appointed as the swordsmanship caretaker of the Kobusho (Japanese military training school) at the age of 20. In 1863 (Bunkyu 3), he became a disciple of Asari Matashichiro Yoshiaki and learned the secrets of Nakanishi-ha Itto-ryu. He also devoted himself to Zen, studying under such renowned monks as Gan'o, Seijo, Tekisui, and Kosen, and is said to have attained enlightenment in both swordsmanship and Zen, reaching an invincible state. In 1884, he was bestowed the secrets of the correct tradition and the Ono family's traditional Kamewarito (bottle-breaking sword) by Ono Nario, the orthodox Itto-ryu master, and the school's official name was Itto Shoden Muto-ryu. In November of the previous year, he built a new 8 x 3.5 ken kendo hall in the backyard of his house in Yotsuya, and named it Shunpu-kan. Those who gathered there included many talented people, including Nakajo Kinnosuke, Kominami Ikichi, Takahashi Michitaro (Dorofune no Iki), Hasegawa Unpachiro, Nakata Makoto, Tamon Masafumi, Matsudaira Kanji, Koibuchi Masamichi, Nakamura Sadaemon, Kagawa Zenjiro, Koteda Yasuda, Kitagaki Kunimichi, and Yanagida Genjiro. His training method was focused on training the mind rather than winning or losing, and was well-known for its strictness.

[Ichiro Watanabe]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

1880年（明治13）3月、山岡鉄舟が創始した剣術の一流派。鉄舟は通称鉄太郎、幼少のころから剣を好み、20歳のとき講武所(こうぶしょ)剣術世話役にあげられるほどの腕前であったが、1863年（文久3）浅利又七郎義明(あさりまたしちろうよしあき)の門に入って中西派一刀流の奥義を得た。また禅学に打ち込み、願翁、星定、滴水、洪川らの名僧に参禅し、剣禅ともに悟道して無敵の境地に到達したという。1884年一刀流正統小野業雄(おのなりお)より正伝の奥秘と小野家伝の瓶割刀(かめわりとう)を授けられ、正式の流名を一刀正伝(いっとうしょうでん)無刀流と称した。その前年11月、四谷(よつや)の自邸裏庭に8間に3間半の剣道場を新築し、春風館(しゅんぷうかん)と命名した。ここに集まる者は中条金之助(ちゅうじょうきんのすけ)、小南(こみなみ)易知、高橋道太郎（泥舟の息）をはじめ長谷川運八郎、中田誠実、多門正文(たもんまさぶみ)、松平莞爾、鯉淵(こいぶち)正道、中村定右衛門、香川善次郎、籠手田安定(こてだやすさだ)、北垣国道(きたがきくにみち)、柳多(やなぎだ)元治郎ら多士済々(たしさいさい)であった。その修行法は勝敗よりも精神を練ることを専一とし、その厳しさには定評があった。

［渡邉一郎］

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