GIKAN RYU KOPPOJUTSU
“School Of Truth, Loyalty And Justice”
Gikan Ryu Koppojutsu was founded by Uryu Hangan Gikanbo (1558-1570), 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. He was also a master of Hichojutsu and Senban Nage.
The 10th Soke Uryu Gikan had been fighting in the battle now known as "Tenchigumi no Ran". This took place on the 17th August 1863. He was fighting for the emperor's army, but was shot in the arm. He still continued to fight with the use of only one arm. When he could he retired to the safety of a nearby temple. It was at this temple that he was met by Ishitani Takeoi Masatsugu, of the Kukishinden Ryu. He told Ishitani that the battle had already finished, so Ishitani then helped him to recover and afterwards escape to Iga. A friendship was then formed, and Ishitani was taught the Gikan Ryu and when he attained the required skill level, Uryu presented him with the Menkyo Kaiden, and he became the next Soke of the Gikan Ryu, adding this lineage to two others that he was already the Soke of. These being Kukishinden Ryu and Tagaki Yoshin Ryu.
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. It should be said that this Ryu has branched. That happened because Takamatsu also gave Menkyo Kaiden to Sato Kinbei in Gikan Ryu, Kukishinden Ryu and Tagaki Ryu. This man can rightly claim to be the 13th Soke of Gikan Ryu, just as Hatsumi can claim to be the 15th Soke.
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.
This school is most famous in the Bujinkan for the difficult and odd Kamae's of it's taijutsu. It is specialized in Koppojutsu. Gikan Ryu has many special punches, kicks, and throws, as well as special movement techniques.