Togakure Ryu never had an official founding, as do some martial arts Ryu-Ha. In the beginning there was Daisuke, his son who was his first student, and Shima who worked, and studied with Daisuke, the 2nd Soke of the Ryu, Shima Kosanta Minamoto no Kanesada was a Samurai retainer, having the rank of Kosho.

He too like Daisuke had been in the employment of Kiso. One day in July, in Hogen period (1156 – 1159). Shima (still only 16 years old) was from a powerful Samurai family, in Ise, fought for the Minamoto, against the Taira family, the rivals of the Minamoto.

He joined the army of Fujiwara Hidehira and fought with 3,000 horsemen. It is thought that Shima was wounded in the battle of Awaza, and while he lay seriously wounded on the battlefield, he found by Daisuke, who carried him on his back to a hut in Iga. Here he healed his wounds. Another theory is that Shima managed to escape the battlefield while wounded, and escaped to Iga.

Shima only did this at the request of Kiso. Shima was also entrusted with the job of caring for the graves of the deceased Shogun Kiso, and his family. Daisuke had a son called Rokosuke, who was Daisuke’s first student. Shima was his second. It is not known why Rokosuke was not the second Soke, or what happened to him.

It is possible the Togakure Goro was Shima’s son. Shima is also known as Togakure Daisuke II. Goro Togakure is recognised as being the person who officially formed the family of Togakure into a Ninjutsu system, that is still taught today.

It is possible that the Togakure Ryu was involved in the defence of Iga in 1581. It was during the 1600’s that the school moved, and was taught at the Hattori Ryu, to the Ninja and Samurai of the Kishu Fief. It was at around this time that the immediate family died out.

Then the chief branch of the Togakure Ryu, the Toad’s took over the leadership. Some of the Toda family were previously Soke of the Kumogakure Ryu Ninjutsu. It is therefore possible that the Toda came from the Kumogakure Ryu, and amalgamated the two Ryu together.

Momochi Kobei, the 21st Soke of the Ryu was a descendant of Momochi Sandayu, Soke of Momochi Ryu, Gyokko Ryu, and Koto Ryu. He was a leading figure on the Iga Ryu.

The 32nd Soke, Toda Shinryuken Masamitsu was also a master of the Bikenshin Ryu, and in the mid 19th century he was a senior sword instructor to the Tokugawa Shogunate. He resigned his position as sword instructor, because the men he taught were being forced to kill other Japanese.

This would have gone against the teachings of the Togakure Ryu. The 33rd Soke Takakatsu Toshitsugu was the last member of the Toda family (Shinryuken was his grandfather). It should be noted that the 11th, 12th, 13th Soke’s of the Ryu, are named after the main town of Iga "Ueno".

Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4