Gyokko
Ryu Kosshijutsu
玉虎流骨指術
The
Jeweled (or Pearl) Tiger School of "Bone Finger Art"
Gyokko
Ryu Koshijutsu techniques were brought to Japan from China
during the Tang Dynasty by a Chinese monk called Cho Gyokko
or Yo Gyokko. The ryu was passed down from generation to
generation and was repeated until it was given to Sakagami
Taro Kunishige. He organized the ryu and served as head
from 1532 to 1555. The ryu was then passed to Momochi
Sandayu. The Momochi family then passed the ryu to the Toda
family and to Toshitsugu Takamatsu. Once, when Takamatsu
was training with Shinryuken Toda, he was told that the
most important thing for him to learn, was the eight
fundamental techniques. These are the foundation stone for
Hatsumi Sensei's Bujinkan Budo Taijutsu and are the
foundation stone of all martial arts. These techniques are
called Kihon Happo. Takamatsu then taught these techniques
to Masaaki Hatsumi, they are also the foundation of Gyokko
Ryu.
Kihon Happo is made up of the basic pieces of the Gyokko
ryu kata. Gyokko ryu is roughly divided into three
sections: unarmed vs unarmed, unarmed vs knife, unarmed vs
sword.
Muto Waza are unarmed against either sword or spear and are
the most advanced and difficult techniques of the Ryu. The
basic movements are that of a spinning top. If a lock is
placed on a joint, the joint is held still by the body,
while the feet move one's body around the joint. Because
footwork takes time, nerve strikes are applied before and
during the motion. The movement in Gyokko ryu is also
around an opponent's fixed point of balance.
Other specialties of this school are Koshi jutsu (attack on
muscle and nerve points), Shito jutsu (use of thumb and
other fingers), Ken jutsu (sword), Ko Dachi (short sword),
Yari jutsu (spear), and Bo jutsu (various sticks).
