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| Tsukahara Bokuden | |||||
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 Statue of Tsukahara Bokuden (Kashima City, Ibaraki Prefecture) | |||||
| Born | Tsukahara Shin'emon Takamoto c. 1489, first year ofEntoku Hitachi Province (nowIbaraki prefecture), Japan | ||||
| Died | 11 February 1571(1571-02-11) (aged 81–82),Genki (era) Kashima (nowKashima City), Hitachi Province, Japan | ||||
| Native name | 塚原 卜伝 | ||||
| Other names | Yoshikawa Asako (infant name) → Tsukahara Takami (塚原高幹?) → Buden (number) | ||||
| Residence | Japan | ||||
| Style | Kashima style ofkenjutsu | ||||
| Other information | |||||
| Children | Mikishige (幹重) son | ||||
| Notable students | Ashikaga Yoshiteru;Kitabatake Tomonori;Hosokawa Fujitaka;Imagawa Ujizane;Kamiizumi Nobutsuna;Yamamoto Kansuke and more. | ||||
| Japanese name | |||||
| Kanji | 塚原 卜伝 | ||||
| Hiragana | つかはら ぼくでん | ||||
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Tsukahara Bokuden (塚原 卜伝; 1489 – March 6, 1571) was aswordsman of the earlySengoku period. He was described as akensei (sword saint). He was the founder of a newKashima style ofkenjutsu, and served as an instructor ofShōgunAshikaga Yoshiteru andIse provincial governordaimyōKitabatake Tomonori.[1]
Bokuden was born into the Yoshikawa family within theHitachi Province ofHonshu. The family was one of fourKarō families serving the Kashima clan; one of the cadet branches of theImperial House of Japan (descendants of theImperial Prince Kazurahara (葛原親王; 786–853)).Bokuden was adopted by the Tsukahara family, an offshoot of the Kashima clan; he was styled as Tsukahara Bokuden Takamoto. Earlier in his life, his name wasTsukahara Shin'emon Takamoto.
Bokuden learned theTenshin Shōden Katori Shintō-ryū from his adopted father and later honed his skills by engaging inmusha shugyō (warrior's ascetic training), traveling throughout Japan and training with most of the skillful and knowledgeable swordsmen of the day. Tsukahara Bokuden was the classic knight-errant; a rich nobleman, he travelled the Japanese countryside, often with a full entourage. He later systematized the teaching of theKashima area's local martial arts, including such approaches to combat asKashima no tachi andIchi no tachi. After allegedly receiving a divine inspiration fromTakemikazuchi no kami, thedeity ofKashima Shrine, he named his martial system asKashima Shintō-ryū. He also, for a brief period, called his systemMutekatsu-ryū ("winning without hands").
In one anecdote recorded in theKōyō Gunkan, Bokuden was challenged by a mannerless ruffian. When asked about his style, Bokuden replied that he studied the "Style of No Sword". The ruffian laughed and insultingly challenged Bokuden to fight him without a sword. Bokuden then agreed to fight the man without his sword but suggested they row out to a nearby island onLake Biwa to avoid disturbing others. The ruffian agreed, but when he jumped from the boat to the shore of the island, drawing his blade, Bokuden pushed the boat back out, leaving the ruffian stranded on the island. Bokuden explained: "This is my no-sword school".Bruce Lee was so fond of this story, that inEnter the Dragon (1973) he teaches a bully a lesson about "Fighting without Fighting", when he offers to leave ajunk and sail to an island.[2]
There is a fictional story that the youngMiyamoto Musashi challenged Bokuden to a duel during a meal. When Musashi struck first, Bokuden parried the blade using the potlid from the meal as a shield (as depicted in a nishiki-e byTsukioka Yoshitoshi). As Tsukahara Bokuden had died in 1571, 13 years before Musashi's birth in 1584, the meeting is an apocryphal myth.
According to modern Japanese author and practitioner ofJapanese martial arts,Tokitsu Kenji, Tsukahara fought his first duel to the death at the age of 17. Through his lifetime, he fought another 19 duels and in 37 battles. He was wounded 6 times but only by arrows. His death toll is estimated to have been 212 kills.
Bokuden died of natural causes in 1571. His grave at Temple Baiko of Suga (須賀の梅香寺) is inKashima,Ibaraki. Those devoted to the art of Japanese sword-fighting, would makepilgrimages to theKashima Shrine because it is considered the spiritual home ofkenjutsu.
These are traditionally considered students of Bokuden:
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