Sôke Toshitsugo Takamatsu 

33rd Grandmaster of the Togakure Rye Tradition

By Joe Maurantonio

Toshitsugu Takamatsu was called Jutaro as a young child. He was born on March 10, 1889 in Akashi, Hyogo Prefecture and was a descendent of the Daimyo of Hosokubi Castle in Ise at Matsugashima. At age nine, the young Takamatsu was taken by his father to see their relative Masamitsu Shinryuken Toda, who ran a bone setting clinic and a Budo Dojo. After explaining that the young man was often teased by his classmates and called "cry baby," Takamatsu’s father asked Toda Sensei what he thought should be done? "Martial practices will be best for him. Strict disciplines will make him strong and courageous."

Training began with Takamatsu being thrown about, regardless of any pain, by Toda Sensei. But since a good night’s rest wiped away his memory of the previous day he kept returning to the dojo. After about a year of this training Toda Sensei began showing Takamatsu the waza of Shinden Fudo Ryu. By about the age of thirteen years old he had mastered the skills of Shinden Fudo Ryu so Toda began teaching the young Takamatsu Koto Ryu Koppojutsu and Togakure Ryu ninjutsu. Though the Koto and Shinden Fudo Ryu were very enticing to the young martial artist he didn’t really enjoy the lessons of ninjutsu training.

Takamatsu began studying the martial arts with great fervor. At the age of 12 he would do randori with his seniors at the dojo and none could put him down. He was nicknamed Kotengu ("little demon") and the days of his being called "cry baby" were left behind. Towards the end of his third year of training with Toda Sensei, Takamatsu’s father sent him to study at an English school in Kobe. Here he joined the dojo of Tadafusa Yoshitaro Mizuta and began studying Takagi Yoshin Ryu Jujutsu. Since he had already achieved the skill of Menkyo ("licensee") in Shinden Fudo Ryu he was taught this Jujutsu at an accelerated level. Yet, even though he trained at day and night sessions, he would visit and train with Toda Sensei whenever possible. Several years later (c. 1906), while working for his father in Akashi City, he met and began training with Matsutaro Ishitani in Kukishinden Ryu Happo Biken, Hontai Takagi Yoshin Ryu and several other arts.

By the year 1909 (at the age of 20) he had received Menkyo in all the arts listed above (as well as a few others). In 1910 he travelled to China, after being denied a position in the Japanese army because of his damaged right ear drum. Becoming gravely ill he returned to Japan the following year and spent several season on Mount Maya recuperating and practicing his martial skills. Here he met an old hermit who helped nurse him back to health and taught him many things about nature. The subsequent year he returned to China and Manchuria and spent the next decade there. These were turbulent times and no man travelled unimpeded. According to Takamatsu’s diary he fought over a dozen duels to the death and a half dozen competition matches. One of my favorite stories about Takamatsu Sensei martial exploits in China is:

At the age of 26 Takamatsu was living in China. He taught many students and because of this was challenged by a Shorinji Kung Fu master named Choshiryu. Though he twice refused to fight, he later accepted Choshiryu's third challenge so as not to offend his martial valor.

Choshiryu was taller, stronger and weighed much more than Takamatsu. But when the referee called the match to begin, neither hesitated, both leapt to attack. A crowd gathered and the battle raged. Choshiryu launched punches and kicks at Takamatsu who defended and reciprocated with attacks of his own. They were evenly matched and the fight seemed to last for hours. Then, just as Takamatsu was about to strike down the out of breath Choshiryu, the referee called the match over. Catching his breath, Choshiryu approached Takamatsu and congratulated him for such a good fight. Admiring each others skill, both went out to a nearby restaurant, talked and drank late into the night. In time, both became the greatest of Buyu, "martial friends."

This article reprinted from the www.Kihon.com, with the author's kind permission.