Otsubo style

It is one of the old styles of horsemanship, founded by Otsubo Sukehide (also known as Hirohide and Dozen). It later branched out into many branches, such as the Sasaki style, Ueda style, and Araki style, and became the mainstream of modern horsemanship alongside the Hachijo style. There are various theories about the lineage of Yoshihide's techniques, but broadly speaking, there are several theories that say that he acquired the sophistication of horsemanship through the divine teachings of Kashima, and that he first called his school the Kashima school, which he later renamed the Otsubo school, and that this school is unique in all of history; (2) that Yoshihide learned horsemanship from Ogasawara Shinano no Kami Masanaga (?-1365) in his native Shinshu, and then followed Masanaga's son Nagamoto to Kyoto, where he gained fame in the service of the Muromachi shogunate, and that this school branched off from the Ogasawara school; and (3) that Yoshihide learned the art of riding from Kunikage, a high-ranking official who succeeded Yuyama Nyudo Nakahara Gensho, a resident of Kamakura in Sagami Province, and that he eventually invented the three traditions of riding, obtained the golden whip (proof of the secret technique), and established a leading school.

After Yoshihide, Murakami Kaga no Kami Nagayuki (Tokuzen) inherited the school, and from his school came such talented swordsmen as Yusa Kawachi Nyudo, Yusa Magozaemon, and Saito Bizen no Kami Kunitada (Yoshitsuji).Furthermore, in the late Muromachi period, Saito Aki no Kami Yoshiharu (1500-1572), who is said to have later revived the Otsubo school, presented 30 volumes of sacred writings to Shogun Ashikaga Yoshiteru and was called the unrivaled swordsman in the world.From his school came such masters as Sasaki Omi no Kami Yoshikata, Hosokawa Saemon no Suke Yasumasa (teacher of Ueda Yoshinojo Shigehide), and Araki Shima no Kami Motokiyo, which led to the school spreading to various feudal domains during the Edo period.

[Ichiro Watanabe]

"History of Japanese Equestrianism, Volume 2" (1940, Japan Riding Association) "Japanese Martial Arts Series, Volume 5, Equestrianism" (1982, Dohosha Publishing)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

古流馬術の一つで、流祖は大坪慶秀(すけひで)（一に広秀、道禅と号す）。のちに佐々木流、上田流、荒木流など多くの支流を分岐し、八条流と並んで近世馬術の主流をなした。慶秀の技法の伝系については、いろいろな説があるが、それらを大別すると、(1)鹿島の神伝によって馬術の精妙を得、初め鹿島流と称し、のち大坪流と改めたもので、古今独歩というべきであるとする説、(2)慶秀は生国信州、小笠原信濃守政長(おがさわらしなののかみまさなが)（？～1365）についてこれを学び、政長の子長基に従って京都に上り、室町幕府に仕えて高名をはせたという、小笠原流よりの分岐説、(3)相州鎌倉の住人、湯山入道中原玄性(げんしょう)の伝を継いだ大吏国景より高麗(こうらい)流の馭術(ぎょじゅつ)を学び、ついに馭家三伝を発明して金鞭(きんべん)（極意の証(あかし)）を得、一流を樹立するに至ったとする説などがある。

　慶秀のあと、村上加賀守永幸(かがのかみながゆき)（徳全）がこれを継承し、その門から遊佐河内入道、同孫左衛門、斎藤備前守(びぜんのかみ)国忠（芳連）らの逸材を出し、さらに室町末期には、のちに大坪流中興の祖といわれる斎藤安芸守好玄(あきのかみよしはる)（1500―72）が将軍足利義輝(あしかがよしてる)に伝書30巻を献じて天下無双と称された。その門から佐々木近江守義賢(おうみのかみよしかた)、細川左衛門佐康政(さえもんのすけやすまさ)（上田吉之丞重秀(しげひで)の師）、荒木志摩守元清らの名手を輩出し、江戸時代この門流が諸藩に普及する因をつくった。

［渡邉一郎］

『『日本馬術史　第2巻』（1940・日本乗馬協会）』▽『『日本武術大系第5巻　馬術』（1982・同朋舎出版）』

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