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Gikan Ryu Koppojutsu was founded by Uryu Gikanbo, who was the Daimyo (feudal warlord) of Kawachi no Kuni (Kawachi Castle). It is said that Uryu Gikanbo's punch was so powerful that he once broke a sword blade in half.
Takamatsu Toshitsugu orginally awarded this system to Akimoto Fumio, who became the 14th soke. Akimoto met an untimely death from an illness around 1962, and he left no successor. The system therefore came back to Takamatsu Sensei. He passed the style onto Masaaki Hatsumi, who is the current soke, as listed in the Bugei Ryu-ha Daijiten.
One of the special teachings of Gikan Ryu is "Bufu ni sente nashi" (From this side there is not the first strike). This ryu contains many special kicks, punches and throws. We have been told that the makimono scrolls do not contain step by step instructions of techniques. There are no formal kata in the Gikan ryu. The techniques are created based on the skill of the exponent, and are a combination of the body's movement and the methods of kicking and striking from the ryu. The methods are taught orally.Kamae
Shiten no Kamae
Hachiku no Kamae
Ichimonji no Kamae
Sanposhin no Kamae
Hira Ichimonji no Kamae
Soke of Gikan Ryu
Uryu Hangan Gikanbo Yeiroku Era (1558-1570)
Uryu Yoshimitsu Tensho Era (1573-1592)
Uryu Yoshimori Kan-ei Era (1624-1644)
Uryu Yoshichika Kambun Era (1661-1673)
Uryu Yoshitaka Genroku Era (1688-1704)
Uryu Yoshihide Horeki Era (1751-1764)
Uryu Yoshimori Kansei Era (1789-1801)
Uryu Yoshiaki Tenpo Era (1830-1844)
Uryu Yoshiyasu Bunkyu Era (1861-1864)
Uryu Gikan Keiko Era (1865-1868)
Ishitani Takeoi Masatsugu (approx. death 1905)
Ishitani Matsutaro Takekage (approx. death 1911)
Takamatsu Toshitsugu Uoh b. 1887 - d. 1972
Akimoto Fumio (approx. death 1962)
Hatsumi Masakki b. 1931 -
For much more like this, including the interesting story of how the Gikan ryu became involved with the rest of the Bujinkan schools, click HERE.
