NIHON KORYU BUJUTSU

HAKKO RYU

Shodai Soke Ryuho Okuyama

 

 

 

Shodai Soke Ryuho Okuyama, was born in 1901 in

Yamagata Prefecture. His given name

was Okuyama Yoshiji.

He graduated from the Tokyo Seiji Gakko

(Tokyo School of Political Science) and

in 1927 he moved to Asahikawa,

 Hokkaido where, along with

Mr. Namikoshi Tokujiro, they established

a medical clinic (Mr. Namikoshi was later to

establish the now famous

Nihon Shiatsu School in Tokyo).

During his early life, Shodai Soke traveled

extensively from his base in Asahikawa studying

many of the martial and

medical systems.

During that period, the

best way to find qualified

teachers of Jujutsu was to

find good doctors of

oriental medicine. Included in his martial studies

 were Daito Ryu Aiki Jujutsu (which he studied in

Hokkaido primarily from Kyoju Dairi Matsuda

(Toshimi) Hosaku and later  from

Daito Ryu Soke Takeda Sokaku,

 

Seigo Ryu Jujutsu

(he studied in Kyoto), Hasegawa Koryu Kenjutsu

 (sword style studied in Hokkaido),

Nitoryu Kenjutsu (sword style studied in the

 Kumamoto area), Sojutsu (spear combat),

Jojutsu (stick combat studied in

 the mountains of Niigata), Kyujutsu (archery studied

in Yamagata Prefecture),

Shurikenjutsu (throwing

weapons studied in the

mountains of Niigata),

as well as other

lesser-known systems. In all, he studied

under twenty teachers of various Bujutsu Ryu.

At the same time, he had the opportunity to

study with leading masters of traditional

Japanese medicine including circulation

(meridian-in/yo) theory, Shiatsu finger pressure

medicine, acupuncture,

massage, and traditional

herbs and diet.He eventually

became an instructor

 of Daito Ryu Aikijujutsu,

 but in 1939 he broke away

 from Sokaku 

 

Takeda Sensei, calling what the art he taught

"Meishido".

 

 

The Founding of Hakko Ryu Jujutsu

 

Finally, on June 1, 1941 he held the

"Hakkoryu Kaiso Hokokusai"                   

(Ceremony Proclaiming to the Kami

(Gods) the Founding of Hakkoryu).

Hakkoryu was born. 

Moving to the Kanda district of Tokyo,

he established the Hakkoryu Kobujuku

(Private School for the Classical Military

 Art of Hakkoryu) where he operated

 a popular training hall while also

providing direct instruction to the police.

 

When the Allied bombings of Tokyo

became too severe, eventually burning

the dojo, he and his followers fled the city

 and joined the Mount Haguro

sect of Shugendo (a mixture of

esoteric Buddhism and Shintoism) in Yamagata

Prefecture. There he was to stay, study, and teach

until around 1947, at which time he moved to

 Omiya City, Saitama Prefecture and

established the Hakkoryu So Hombu Dojo,

sometimes referred

to as the Hakkoryu Juku Hombu Dojo.

The dojo has been in this location ever since.

The name "Hakkoryu" is based on a

philosophical Japanese view

of the color spectrum as being divided

 into nine bands of light.

The eighth shade is infrared,

which is invisible

 to the naked eye but

extremely powerful, as

are Hakkoryu techniques.

The number eight in Japan also has

associated with it numerous philosophical

 and religious meanings.                      

 

                                                      

 

 

 

 

    

 

 

 

Photos of Soke and Mimurodo sensei are copyright , source: Roland Jean Maroteaux                  

 

This is the official portrait of

Soke Ryuho Okuyama

that is used at the Shomen

at the Hombu Dojo in Japan and around the world.