Ono-ha Itto-ryu
小野派一刀流Sword school of the Ono family, whose founder taught shogun Tokugawa Hidetada. According to the Nihon Kobudo Kyokai, its core is kiriotoshi, victory in a single beat.
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About Ono-ha Itto-ryu
Ono-ha Itto-ryu is a sword school that the Nihon Kobudo Kyokai calls the true stream of Itto-ryu. Per the same source, Ito Ittosai Kagehisa founded Itto-ryu in the Muromachi period, and Ono Jiroemon Tadaaki, teacher of shogun Tokugawa Hidetada, became its second holder. The Encyclopedia Nipponica names Tadaaki as founder of the Ono family school, and the Daijisen Plus dictionary says the school has borne the name Ono-ha only since his third son. The Heibonsha encyclopedia writes that the Ono family, with the Yagyu family, served as sword teachers to the shogunal house. According to the Nihon Kobudo Kyokai, the core of the technique is kiriotoshi: to see through the start of the opponent's cut, not cling to it, and win with a single beat while stepping forward. By the same source, Tadaaki assembled the paired forms for live swords, habiki and wooden swords. The Encyclopedia Nipponica says later representatives of the Ono family expanded the system of forms and the third completed it. Per the Nihon Kobudo Kyokai, the line passed to Sasamori Junzo in the Taisho period and then to Sasamori Takemi. Today both the Nihon Kobudo Kyokai and Nihon Kobudo Shinkokai list it with the 18th holder in Tokyo.
History
The Nihon Kobudo Kyokai states that Ito Ittosai Kagehisa founded Itto-ryu in the Muromachi period and that Ono Jiroemon Tadaaki, teacher of shogun Tokugawa Hidetada, took it over as the second holder. According to the same source, Itto-ryu has many branches, which is why the true stream is called Ono-ha Itto-ryu. The Heibonsha encyclopedia writes that Ito Ittosai founded Itto-ryu at the end of the Sengoku period and that under Tadaaki the school, with Yagyu Shinkage-ryu, became a school that taught shoguns. The Encyclopedia Nipponica states that Tadaaki entered the service of Tokugawa Ieyasu in 1593, became teacher of his heir Hidetada and took his mother's surname. Nipponica gives his years as 1565 to 1628 in one article and as 1547 to 1624 in another. The Daijisen Plus dictionary states that the school has borne the name Ono-ha only since Tadaaki's third son, who taught the third shogun. According to the Nihon Kobudo Kyokai, the true stream later passed to the Tsugaru princely family, returned to the Ono family and through another family reached Sasamori Junzo in the Taisho period. Guy Buyens on koryu.com lists Sasamori Junzo as the 16th and Sasamori Takemi as the 17th holder.
How it differs
The Kokugo daijiten dictionary states that a number of schools later split off from Itto-ryu, among them Ono-ha and Hokushin Itto-ryu. The Encyclopedia Nipponica writes that the founder of Hokushin Itto-ryu, Chiba Shusaku, came from one of the branches of Itto-ryu. Guy Buyens on koryu.com calls Ono-ha Itto-ryu the oldest surviving style of Itto-ryu derived directly from the original school and states that, with Hokushin Itto-ryu, it served as a model for the forms of modern kendo.
Technique
The main feature of the school is, according to the Nihon Kobudo Kyokai, kiriotoshi: to see through the start of the opponent's cut, not cling to it, advance and win with a single beat, cutting down with both arms while stepping forward. By the same source, Tadaaki assembled the paired forms for live swords, habiki and wooden swords. The Encyclopedia Nipponica states that Tadaaki created 25 forms, the second Ono family representative 50, and the third completed the system with 60 forms with the long sword, 9 with the short sword, 8 ai-kodachi and 11 with habiki. The koryu.com guide lists kenjutsu with odachi, kodachi and habiki.
Training
The Encyclopedia Nipponica states that the second Ono family representative introduced protective gloves for uchidachi in the forms. According to Nipponica, the sixth representative in 1796 reduced the number of long-sword forms from 50 to 25 and added two new sets of seven forms. The Nihon Kobudo Kyokai states that Shin Muso Hayashizaki-ryu is also taught alongside Ono-ha Itto-ryu in the Tokyo dojo.
Ranks and progression
The Encyclopedia Nipponica states six grades of transmission, from the first scroll of twelve clauses through middle-grade scrolls and full transmission to the teacher's license and a final scroll given to a single heir only. The Nihon Kobudo Kyokai lists the same scrolls among surviving documents, with several kinds of licenses.
Today
The school is led by the 18th holder in Tokyo, according to both the Nihon Kobudo Kyokai and the Nihon Kobudo Shinkokai, which also lists at the same address a group continuing the legacy of Sasamori Junzo. The koryu.com guide names Sasamori Takemi as head. We have not found the school among cultural properties.
Did you know
The Heibonsha encyclopedia states a later anecdote according to which Tadaaki fought Yagyu Munenori with only a charred log, and itself calls it probably invented. According to the same encyclopedia, Ito Ittosai reportedly fought 33 duels with live swords. The Nihon Jinmei Daijiten Plus dictionary states that Tadaaki was one of the seven spearmen of Ueda.
Frequently asked questions
Who founded Ono-ha Itto-ryu?
The Encyclopedia Nipponica names Ono Jiroemon Tadaaki as the founder. The Daijisen Plus dictionary states that the school has borne the name Ono-ha only since his third son, and the Nihon Kobudo Kyokai lists Tadaaki as the second holder of Itto-ryu.
What is kiriotoshi?
Per the Nihon Kobudo Kyokai, the school's main technique: see through the start of the opponent's cut, do not cling to it, win with one beat while stepping forward.
Why is Ono-ha Itto-ryu associated with the shoguns?
Ono Jiroemon Tadaaki taught shogun Tokugawa Hidetada swordsmanship, and the Heibonsha encyclopedia says the Ono and Yagyu families served as sword teachers to the shogunal house.
Similar styles
Selected by overlap in the style profile, not by historical lineage.