Құқышын-рю: Жапон жартылай әскери өнерінің тарихы

Japanese martial art

Kukishin ryū (九鬼神流), originally "Nine Gods Divine (from heaven) School" It is a sōgō bujutsu, meaning that it teaches several different weapons/arts such as taijutsu, bōjutsu, naginatajutsu, kenpō, hanbōjutsu, sōjutsu and heiho. Kukishin ryū and its founder are listed in the Bugei Ryūha Daijiten or "The Encyclopedia of Martial Art Schools", a record of modern (gendai) and old lineage (koryū) Japanese martial schools.

Ryushin Yakushimaru, the founder of Kukishin ryū, was born to Dōyu Shirōhōgan at Kumano Hongu in Wakayama prefecture on January 1, 1318. He was born into one of the most influential clans in Kumano, who were the descendants of the Fujiwara clan who served for generations as bettō, or “Shrine Supervisors." The family eventually entered into the Taira Minamoto War and commanded the Kumano Navy. Ryushin's mother was Chigusa hime, whose brother was Suketomo Dainagon Hino, a member of the Southern Imperial court. Because Chigusa hime had difficulty in conceiving she made a pilgrimage to Enryaku ji temple at Mt. Hiei where she prayed to the Yakushi Buddha (Bhaisajyaguru Vaiduryaprabha) for help. Soon after, she became pregnant and gave birth to a baby boy, which she named Yakushimaru after the deity. Ryushin learned the martial arts and military sciences (Shinden Fujiwara Musō ryū) handed down in his family from his grandfather Dōjitsu and Shingu Bettō Ariie. After learning shugendō (mountaineering asceticism) from his father Dōyu, Ryushin then went to Kyoto where he learned esoteric Buddhism from the Buddhist monk Jōkai at Sanmaku in temple. He also trained in martial arts at Mt. Kurama and was said to be master of Kuji hihō and Onmyo do. Reinforcements from Yoshino eventually arrived and they could safely take the Emperor Godaigo to a small temple like hut located at Mt. Kinpusen. Ryushin also succeeded in re capturing the “Three Treasures of the Imperial House” which he had concealed in a scripture warehouse at Yokawa in Mt. Hiei. The Emperor Go Daigo praised Ryushin's dedication and inquired about his secret techniques. Ryushin answered, "It is a secret technique passed on in my family. It is The secret art of Kuji." The emperor then made an announcement as follows: "God knows your loyalty. You shall change your surname Fujiwara to Kuki." The "Ku" of Kuki stands for "Ku" or “nine” in Japanese. "Ki" can be pronounced "Kami" if the character is pronounced in the Japanese way, meaning "Oni gami"(holy spirit) as opposed to "Oni" (evil spirits). "Ku ki" is therefore actually "Ku kami." However, it has been customarily pronounced Kuki since the Edo period. These ancient documents came to be known to the public when Miura Ichiro published A Study of the Kuki Archives in 1941. The scrolls are known for containing supplementary records concerning the mythological age, complementing the Kojiki and the Nihon Shoki, the two major ancient documents in Japan. Volumes on Ko shinto, martial arts and Kumano Honzan Shugendō were accounted. Until Miura's publication, the only mention of the scrolls was in volume two of Sontoku Okina Yawa

The Kukishin Ryū Naginata is 225 cm in overall length. It has a double edged blade that is 21 cm long and is attached to the shaft by wires. It is used to slash, parry, strike, stab and deflect; the blade is also used to hook and arrest. Naginata is a weapon of primary importance in Kukishin Ryū as the Bōjutsu owes its origin to the Naginata. It stands as another signature weapon of Kukishin Ryū and it is perhaps the base of the ryu's creation.

The hanbō of Kukishin ryū is used to parry, strike, crush and stab. It integrates with taijutsu as well. The hanbō is most directly related to the spear and staff, however these influences are superficial. It is safe to say that although the spear was in fact the origin of the hanbō itself, it truly plied its techniques from the sword. Ukon Kuriyama is thought to have created and introduced the hanbō techniques to Kukishin ryū during the Azuchi Momoyama period. Legend has it that he was well known for his skill with the short spear. Kuriyama participated in the Battle of Nagashino on May 4, 1575, on the side of Nobunaga Oda. While fighting against general Katsuhisa Tangonokami Suzuki, Kuriyama's spear was cut in half. Kuriyama kept on fighting with the cleft spear and eventually defeated Suzuki. Then it is said that he continued into battle, overwhelming the enemies' swords and thoroughly beating them down. From this legend, it is believed that the hanbō was officially included in Kukishin ryū during the early Edō era.

The Kukishin Ryū spear has a total length of 270 cm. The 36 cm to 45 cm spearhead is connected to the shaft with wire, and it has three edges or "blades." It is used to parry, slash, stab, strike and to unbalance opponents. The spear techniques in Kukishin ryū integrate a myriad of complex variations and nuances and this is perhaps the most difficult weapon in the curricula to learn. It has a number of targets which can be reached from both long and short distances and at each distance, a slight divergence in the way the weapon is used is needed in order to make it effective. This makes it one of the most complicated and complex weapons, depending entirely on distance and timing for the wielder to use it correctly.