Yamaoka Tesshu

Also known as

Yamaoka Tetsu · Yamaoka Tesshu (山岡鉄舟)

Description

Zen monk, swordsman and key figure in the Bakumatsu period. Trained under Asari Yoshiaki in Nakanishi-ha Ittō-ryū and founded his own school, the Ittō-shōden Mutō-ryū, in 1885. Founder of the Shumpukan dojo in Tokyo. One of the ten swordsmen who led the Imperial Guard fencers, and teacher of Kagawa Senjirō, Nishikubo Hiromichi and Takano Sasaburō.

Teachers (1)

• person
  Asari Yoshiaki

  sports_martial_artsNakanishi-ha Ittō-ryū Probable

  Probable

  Bennett names Asari as the teacher he settled on after trying several schools, and names the art. No period is given; Asari outlived him.

  The evidence favours the claim and nothing credible contradicts it, but it falls short of establishing it.

  fact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  1 source expand_more

  fact_check

  Bennett names Asari as the teacher he settled on after trying several schools, and names the art. No period is given; Asari outlived him.

  reviewsPeer-reviewed

  “As a child he studied a number of different styles of kenjutsu, eventually becoming a disciple of Asari Yoshiaki (1822-94) of the Nakanishi-ha Ittō-ryū.”

  — Bennett, Alexander C.. (2015). Kendo: Culture of the Swordlink info

Students (3)

• 
  Takano Sasaburō

  sports_martial_artsKenjutsu Confirmed

  Confirmed

  The kenshi247 biography and the Japanese Wikipedia article both state that Takano trained at Yamaoka Tesshu's Shumpukan; Bennett's Kendo Culture of the Sword independently corroborates that Tesshu taught Takano.

  The evidence establishes the claim: it is sufficient and consistent, and any conflicting evidence is resolved.

  (1879)

  fact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  3 sources expand_more

  fact_check

  The kenshi247 biography and the Japanese Wikipedia article both state that Takano trained at Yamaoka Tesshu's Shumpukan; Bennett's Kendo Culture of the Sword independently corroborates that Tesshu taught Takano.

  “After being in the capital for a short time, Sasaburo was introduced to and ended up training in Yamaoka Tesshu's dojo, Shumpukan.”

  — George McCall. Takano Sasaburo (1862-1950) link history info

  “上京して山岡鉄舟に師事し”

  — Wikipedia contributors. 高野佐三郎 - Wikipedia (Japanese). Wikipedia (Japanese)link history info

  reviewsPeer-reviewed

  “Tesshū also taught Nishikubo Hiromichi (1863-1930) and Takano Sasaburō (1862-1950), who were of particular importance to the nationalization of kendo.”

  — Bennett, Alexander C.. (2015). Kendo: Culture of the Swordlink info
• person
  Nishikubo Hiromichi

  sports_martial_artsIttō-shōden Mutō-ryū Probable

  Probable

  Bennett states it twice, in the main text and again in the endnote, which names the art as Mutō-ryū. No period is given, and Tesshū died in 1888.

  The evidence favours the claim and nothing credible contradicts it, but it falls short of establishing it.

  fact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  2 sources expand_more

  fact_check

  Bennett states it twice, in the main text and again in the endnote, which names the art as Mutō-ryū. No period is given, and Tesshū died in 1888.

  reviewsPeer-reviewed

  “He studied Mutō-ryū kenjutsu under Yamaoka Tesshū and was awarded the highest kendo title of hanshi by the Butokukai in 1929.”

  — Bennett, Alexander C.. (2015). Kendo: Culture of the Swordlink info

  reviewsPeer-reviewed

  “Tesshū also taught Nishikubo Hiromichi (1863-1930) and Takano Sasaburō (1862-1950), who were of particular importance to the nationalization of kendo.”

  — Bennett, Alexander C.. (2015). Kendo: Culture of the Swordlink info
• person
  Kagawa Senjirō

  sports_martial_artsIttō-shōden Mutō-ryū Probable

  Probable

  Bennett names him first among Tesshū's influential students and has him succeed to the headship of Tesshū's own school. No period is given.

  The evidence favours the claim and nothing credible contradicts it, but it falls short of establishing it.

  fact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  1 source expand_more

  fact_check

  Bennett names him first among Tesshū's influential students and has him succeed to the headship of Tesshū's own school. No period is given.

  reviewsPeer-reviewed

  “many of his influential students were at the vanguard. These included Kagawa Senjirō (1848-1921), who became the second head of the Mutō-ryū and held the title of hanshi in the Dai-Nippon Butokukai”

  — Bennett, Alexander C.. (2015). Kendo: Culture of the Swordlink info

Sources

Identifiers