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**GHP** · 01-15-2016, 04:40 PM

Nakamura Taizaburo's View

The following is from a The Spirit of the Sword, a professionally-translated book by my teacher, Nakamura Taizaburo, in which Takayama sensei's writing is translated:

Originally Posted by Nakamura Taizaburo

Recollections of the Practical Swordsmanship of Takayama Masakichi Sensei

Soon after the end of the War, in 1949 after I had established the Tsurumi
Shiseikan dojo, I had former Imperial Naval Academy swordsmanship
instructor Kuramochi Matao (kyoshi sixth dan) become my
assistant and right hand man. Kuramochi would continue to assist
and cooperate with me in instructing swordsmanship for another
twenty-seven years, even after the shiseikan had closed down, hiring
out schools and other open spaces in which to conduct training.
However, in 1971 he died of cancer.

Before passing away, Kuramochi commented to me that “Nakamura
sensei’s swordsmanship is the same as the battojutsu of
Takayama sensei, who promoted practical battlefield sword methods
to the naval officers while I was at the Imperial Naval Academy.”
Intrigued by this I made investigations and found that one of my
seniors at the Toyama Military Academy knew of him. This led to
Takayama sensei and I meeting a total of three times.

One of these occasions was when I was involved in making the
NHK81 program Ryoma ga yuku [In the Footsteps of Sakamoto Ryoma]
and performed and instructed as a stand-in for Mr. Kitaoji who was
playing Ryoma. They had Takayama sensei come along to the studio,
and we trained together in the Nakamura ryu and Takayama ryu
styles. I also personally received instruction from Takayama sensei.
It turns out that during the Sino-Japanese War Takayama sensei
built up a great deal of experience in actual combat using the sword
on the battlefield, and using this he studied and developed his own
practical cutting methods. There was nobody like him in the kendo
world at that time, and I myself am as nothing when compared to such
efforts and dedication.

After the War, when the occupying forces came ashore on the
homeland, Takayama sensei was indicted as a war criminal for his
slaying of several score Chinese soldiers during the earlier Sino-
Japanese War. However, I hear that he was spared investigation.

The essence of martial arts is dedication to training for one’s whole
life, as long as you have breath left in you. Takayama continued in his
martial studies right up until he passed away and managed to collate
the publication Nihon budo taikei (A Survey of Japan’s Martial Ways)
and write “Takayama ryu toho iai” [“Takayama Ryu Iai Swordsmanship”].

On the occasion of my visit to lecture at the Land Self Defense
Force Officer Candidate Training College in Kurume in 1978, I was
gifted with copies of these publications. I shall refrain from touching
on their content here however, and instead would like to illustrate his
great and exalted practical martial arts research and Takayama sensei’s
enthusiasm and respect for the budo by introducing an extract of his
other fine work, Takayama ryu toho saiko shuisho (A Prospectus for the
Resurrection of Takayama Ryu Swordsmanship) that was written after the
War. May it be of value to all my readers.

From Takayama Ryu Toho Saiko Shuisho [A Prospectus for the Resurrection
of Takayama Ryu Swordsmanship] (Original text)The Takayama ryu was founded in the Maizuru army regiments
and the Maizuru Police Department and is grounded in the local
area of the town of Maizuru, with the support of the Maizuru
Middle School and the other Maizuru educational institutions of
the municipal area of Kyoto. Its teachings have been refined and
perfected under the decisive resolutions of the Imperial army, navy
and air force and assessed and promoted within the Imperial Army
Toyama Military Academy. It has become a part of the educational
syllabus for the army and navy and is taught in all Imperial Army
academies as well as Imperial Navy educational institutions, military
schools, in aviation preparatory training and in the education
of supplementary students and warrant officer cadets from the various
naval branches. It is employed in the battles of the Imperial
Army and Navy and has been further developed on the battlefield.
The Takayama ryu is supported and perfected by the warm enthusiasm
of the entire town of Maizuru and will ultimately protect
Japan as its final defence. It is the sole and unique ultimate way of
the Japanese sword in Japan.

Thus at this critical moment, on the brink of the destruction
of the Japanese people, the Takayama ryu will become the people’s
way of the sword for combat. Bearing the affectionate name
of Takayama ryu battojutsu, it will be used faithfully by all soldiers,
bureaucrats and the common people of our nation, and will
be greatly trusted and valued highly by all in the final conflict to
defend Japan from dissolution. It will also be valued thus in education
as a means to forge the spirit. On the 15th of August 1945 we
failed to gain victory in our battles and must now endure shame
and insult, forced to capitulate beneath the knees of the enemy by
swearing unconditional surrender. The Takayama ryu has endured
through this crushing fate and the destined end of the Great Japanese
Empire alongside the nation and its people. The axis of enemy
forces escalate their pressure and persecution of Takayama ryu
swordsmanship, getting harsher each day, and see us as the sole
party responsible for all of Japan’s kendo.

I, Takayama Masakichi, have now done all that I can and all that must be done and taken on
the full burden of responsibility. Having discarded the rank equivalent
to general that was bestowed upon me by the Imperial military,
as well as the recognition from the military for my Takayama ryu
and my tenth dan hanshi rankings for kendo, iai and jukendo, I
have returned to the unadorned and undecorated state into which I
was born. I have resigned myself to the indelible shame and dishonour
left in the history of Japan’s martial arts of seeing out our defeat
as an instructor of said marital arts to the nation during the War. I
had taken on the whole responsibility for Japan’s kendo, deciding
to take my own life to atone for our ingnominous defeat. However,
I was ordered from above to desist in my suicide to atone and have
been left with the destiny of passing on the Takayama ryu that has
shone as an example of greatness in contributing to our nation in
its time of crisis and protecting Japan from dissolution. Japan shall
most certainly rise again.

In preparation for such a time I have come
to the realisation that I must now retreat to live in the mountains
around Kuju in Kyushu as little more than a beggar and endure the
unendurable. Based on my unshakeable faith that, despite Japan
having been broken, the martial arts of Japan will always remain
unchanging, I now dedicate myself to showing my humble support
for those who died and praying for the safety and protection
of their spirits. I am emboldened by the fact that there will be a day
when I can see all of the honoured dead again and have lived on in
the warmth of the town of Kuju for twenty-six long years, watching
with a heavy heart as the world beneath the heavens of Japan
changes, like the light of a revolving lantern. Knowing not where I
should live to be granted the reunion with my comrades that is my
only reason for living, the emotions of my whole life are the tears
of an old man that flow endlessly like a fountain. I feel this sorrow
deeply in my liver and seeping into my bones, and I have no words
to express my respect. I can only cry at the weight of emotion in
these tragedies.

The Takayama ryu that had nobly defended Japan
to the last was destroyed by those in control, who were engulfed
in the bitter ideologies of defeat prevalent after the War was lost,
while conversely sports kendo using bamboo shinai was placed on
a pedestal of honour as physical education. This created the new
foundations for the development of Japanese kendo and resigned
the Takyama ryu to the fate of being ousted for all time. However,
in such a dire situation one’s sincerity can move heaven and earth,
and a path to salvation was opened with discussions and examinations
of the worth of the Takayama ryu being made in the nation’s
highest institutions of physical education for national defence.

The Takayama ryu was once again acknowledged, with full permission
to teach it being given, and the Takayama Research Dojo has also
received extensive support. I have dedicated the remaining time I
have in my life, however short this may be, to using the Takayama
ryu to contribute to Japan’s kendo world. As a single man of the
sword, I cannot begin to express my joy at this opportunity, an
opportunity that I had given up on even in my dreams. I am also
keenly aware of the weight of this great responsibility that I have
again been given.

I shall continue to use the essence of kendo as a practical martial
art—to teach kendo for spiritual training in these times of peace.
Now, as an old man, I humbly and sincerely ask that you understand
my devotion and give the Takayama kenkyukai the same
warm and spirited support and encouragement that it received
during the War. Alongside my declaration to restore the glory of
kendo, I would humbly request your support and assistance for the
reemergent Takayama ryu swordsmanship with all my heart from
here in the mountains of Kuju.

Former martial arts instructor to all of Japan during the war years
and representative for Takayama Ryu Toho: Takayama Masakichi.
I would also like to express my great and heartfelt appreciation and
thanks to Mr. Chihara Yoshio, a graduate of the former Imperial Navy
Military Academy and native of Kyoto; Mr. Oike Shotaro, also from
Kyoto; Mr. Ukizu Masaya from Wakayama; Mr. Nakamura Nobuhiro
from Ibaraki; and Koyama Isami sensei from Maizuru for their assistance
when, in 1977, I requested materials from the research of the
Takayama ryu for publication in the pages of the magazine Nippon Budo.

--Nakamura Taizaburo

--Guy

**Geoff Ward** · 01-16-2016, 01:15 AM

I'm glad to see this information being gathered together in one place. As research into the various types of Gunto continues, I believe the Sub Categories will also become more finely tuned and the things that were until recently lumped into the category of "Army" or "Navy" will be examined more closely,refined and expanded upon. As more material and information becomes available through digitized archives and records I would not be surprised to begin seeing information surfacing regarding the use of stainless or anti rust steel being used by the Army as well as the Navy even though it might be as a private purchase or custom order item.In any case Time will tell...
Thanks to all for the additional information, perspective and translations you all so kindly provide That means you especially Guy!

Regards,Geoff

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