Secrets of Itto-ryu

The first and only English translation of the once secret text on samurai swordsmanship by Sasamori Junzō, headmaster of Ono-ha Ittō-ryū.

Since it was first published in Japan in 1965, the Secrets of Ittō-ryū (Ittō-ryū Gokui) has served as the essential text of Ittō-ryū, one of the oldest and most prestigious schools of samurai strategy and swordsmanship in Japan. Readers unfamiliar with this school and its history will be surprised by how much it influenced the techniques and philosophy of the modern martial arts of kendo, aikido, and others.

The author, Sasamori Junzō, was born into a samurai family a little over a decade after the warrior class was abolished. Well-known in the west as an expert in the sport of kendo, he was also the headmaster of three traditional schools of Japanese martial arts, chief among them Ono-ha Ittō-ryū. This book, Secrets of Ittō-ryū, distills his over seventy years of practice and painstaking study of not only the physical techniques but also the philosophical background and history of this 400-year-old school of fencing.

This book, the fourth in a series, covers:

1. A detailed understanding of the four scrolls containing the "secrets" of the school that form its foundational philosophy and teachings, information not accessible to English speakers until now.
2. The original text of each scroll with detailed explanations of each lesson based on the author's extensive research and practical application.
3. Dimensions and fittings for both the long and short swords used in the school.
4. The author's summary of the key points in the four basic scrolls distilled into ten lessons.
5. Insight into how these lessons shaped the modern martial arts of kendo, Daito-ryū, and aikido, providing essential context which will enrich one's practice in those disciplines.

With extensive notes by the translator, Mark Hague, a long-time student of the author's son Sasamori Takemi and the highest-ranking member of mainline Ono-ha Ittō-ryū outside of Japan, this highly readable translation is sure to become a key reference to those interested in Japanese culture, history, and the martial arts.

A portion of the proceeds of the sales of these books will go to the Reigakudo Foundation in Japan, an organization committed to preserving Ono-ha Ittō-ryū and other martial arts for future generations.

Sasamori Junzō (1886-1976) was the headmaster (sōke) of the ancient Japanese martial arts of Ono-ha Ittō-ryū, Chokugen-ryū naginata, and Shinmusō Hayashizaki-ryū iado. He also achieved the rank of 8th dan in kendo. He gained fame within Japan's martial arts community for his work in keeping the authorities under General Douglas MacArthur from completely banning the practice of kendo during the U.S.' postwar occupation of Japan, efforts that cemented his place in the annals of Japanese history as one of the saviors of Japan's martial arts. His life was much more than just the sword, however. He worked as a reporter for newspapers and political magazines in Japan and the U.S., served as the chancellor of two educational institutions, was a statesman, serving in the legislature, the cabinet, and ministerial posts for over two decades, and founded his own Christian church in Tokyo. Born into a samurai family a little over a decade after the samurai class was abolished, Junzō was a key link between the modern world and Japan's samurai past. Internationally published author and translator. Mark Hague's martial arts career has spanned over 42 years, 19 in Japan. He started training in Ono-ha Ittō-ryū in the Reigakudō under Sasamori Takemi in 2002 and was awarded a Kana license in 2009, making him the highest-ranking practitioner of Ono-ha Ittō-ryū outside of Japan. He continues to practice under the school's current headmaster, Yabuki Yūji, and regularly teaches in Japan, the U.S., and Europe. Additionally, he holds licenses in Daito-ryū Aikijujutsu and dan rankings in several styles of karate. His translations include "Secrets of Ittō-ryū Book One," by Sasamori Junzō, and "Bushido and Christianity," by Sasamori Takemi.

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