The Yagyū (柳生氏, Yagyū-shi) were a family of daimyōs (feudal lords) with lands just outside Nara, who became the heads of one of Japan's greatest schools of swordsmanship, Yagyū Shinkage-ryū. The Yagyū were also Kenjutsu teachers to the Tokugawa shōguns and descendant of the famous Taira clan, hailing from prestigious Imperial Lineage with the Kabane rank of Ason.
Yagyū Muneyoshi (1527-1606), the first famous Yagyū swordsman, fought for a number of different lords before meeting Tokugawa Ieyasu, the first Tokugawa shōgun. In 1563, he was defeated by the great swordsman Kamiizumi Nobutsuna, praised as one of the very few Kensei throughout Japan. Humbled by his defeat, Muneyoshi became Nobutsuna's disciple, and was later named his successor, founding the Yagyū Shinkage-ryū school of swordsmanship.
In 1594, Muneyoshi was invited to Tokugawa Ieyasu's mansion in Kyoto, where he provided such an incredible display of sword skills that the warlord asked that the Yagyū become sword instructors to the Tokugawa family. Among other things, Muneyoshi demonstrated Shinkage-ryū techniques of sword catching on Ieyasu himself, to convince him his martial art was no hoax. Muneyoshi suggested that his son Munenori be Ieyasu's teacher; Muneyoshi then retired from swordsmanship, and died in 1606, by which time Ieyasu had become shōgun. It was at this time also that the Yagyū swordsmanship school split in two, Munenori and his nephew Toshiyoshi each becoming the hereditary heads of the Owari and Edo schools of Yagyū Shinkage-ryū.
The Nara area bears many memorials to the Yagyū family, and their family graveyard lies on the grounds of the Hōtoku-ji where once Yagyū clan's main bastion Yagyū Castle was.[1] Perhaps the most interesting one is a rock called Ittō-seki, probably split by lightning, which Muneyoshi is supposed to have cut in half with his sword.
The mon (crest) of the Yagyū family was a wide-brimmed black hat with ties.
Notable members of the Yagyū family
Yagyū Muneyoshi (1527–1606)- founder of the swordsmanship school and first of the family to earn significant power and prestige.
Yagyū Toshikatsu (柳生厳勝) (?–?) – the eldest son of Muneyoshi and father of Toshiyoshi.
Yagyū Toshiyoshi - head of the Owari branch of the swordsmanship school, which served the junior branch of the Tokugawa family, based in Nagoya.
Yagyū Tajima-no-kami Taira-no-Munenori (1571–1646) – first swordsmanship sensei to the Tokugawa, and head of the Edo branch of the swordsmanship school.
Yagyū Jūbē Taira-no-Mitsutoshi (c. 1607–1650) – one of the most famous and romanticized samurai in history, Jūbē was the head of the Edo branch of the swordsmanship school and instructor to shōgun Tokugawa Hidetada. Although very strong, talented and known throughout the land because of his social status, it seems Jūbē didn't like his job. In training, he struck Hidetada with his boken instead of stopping his wooden blade before contact, since it was the custom among swordsmen from the same Dōjō. For someone else, it would have been preposterous, but it was Jūbē's job to do as he thought fit. Thus, Yagyū Jūbē got fired, and history almost lost his tracks. Because he was also the heir of Munenori as a Daimyō, Jūbē could not be condemned to Seppuku, neither just become a wandering Rōnin, so is thought to have played a role in the Bakufu's secret police, and the reason why he was so romanticized.
Yagyū Samon Taira-no-Tomonori – one of two younger brothers to Jūbē, he replaced his elder as the Shōgun's training partner after he got fired, but Samon died of illness some years later.
Yagyū Munefuyu - among the 3 sons of Munenori, Munefuyu was the less gifted in martial arts, he is also remembered as a womanizer and a Noh amateur. A kōan says how he became far stronger than average the swordsman by staying always alert with Zanshin, always prepare to fight. Despite of that, he was defeated in a single strike by Yagyū Renya in an official contest.
Yagyū Hyōgonosuke Taira-no-Toshitoshi – 3rd Sōke of Owari Yagyū line. Beloved grandchild of Sekishūsai, his gifts in martial arts allowed him to inherit Shinkage-ryū instead of his uncle Munenori, the Shōgun's own instructor.
Yagyū Renya Taira-no-Toshikane (a.k.a. Yagyū Renyasai) – 5th Sōke of the Owari Yagyū, very famous in his time as a child prodigy, and both a master of the pen and the sword (Bunbu Ryōdō). Renya and his father slightly modified the teachings of Yagyū Shinkage-ryū to take into account the change in warfare, caused by the fact samurai almost no longer fought in armours or in battle, but mainly in duels with civilian clothes : this was called Tsuttattaru Mi (Heihō without Armor). In the Edo period, Renya was also very famous for having kill in one stroke of his wakizashi someone who attacked him in the night. The so-called wakizashi was a blade of peculiar design forged by famous Japanese swordsmith Hata Mitsuyo, because of this, the blade was nicknamed Onibōchō (Oni kitchen knife).
Yagyū Kōichi Taira-no-Toshinobu, Sōke (headmaster) of Yagyū Shinkage-ryū since 2006, from the main line of Owari Yagyū.
*Each change in ranking in this list indicates a father-son relationship (a change in generation).
References
^"日本の城がわかる事典「柳生城」の解説". kotobank. Retrieved 14 November 2021.
De Lange, William (2019). 'The Remarkable History of the Yagyu Clan'. New York: TOYO Press.
Turnbull, Stephen (1998). 'The Samurai Sourcebook'. London: Cassell & Co.
Further reading
De Lange, William (2019). The remarkable History of the Yagyu Clan. TOYO Press. ISBN978-94-92722-171.
January 07, 2023
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The Yagyu 柳生氏 Yagyu shi were a family of daimyōs feudal lords with lands just outside Nara who became the heads of one of Japan s greatest schools of swordsmanship Yagyu Shinkage ryu The Yagyu were also Kenjutsu teachers to the Tokugawa shōguns and descendant of the famous Taira clan hailing from prestigious Imperial Lineage with the Kabane rank of Ason Yagyu clan柳生氏Home provinceYamatoParent houseSugawara clanTitlesVariousDissolutionstill extantYagyu Muneyoshi 1527 1606 the first famous Yagyu swordsman fought for a number of different lords before meeting Tokugawa Ieyasu the first Tokugawa shōgun In 1563 he was defeated by the great swordsman Kamiizumi Nobutsuna praised as one of the very few Kensei throughout Japan Humbled by his defeat Muneyoshi became Nobutsuna s disciple and was later named his successor founding the Yagyu Shinkage ryu school of swordsmanship In 1594 Muneyoshi was invited to Tokugawa Ieyasu s mansion in Kyoto where he provided such an incredible display of sword skills that the warlord asked that the Yagyu become sword instructors to the Tokugawa family Among other things Muneyoshi demonstrated Shinkage ryu techniques of sword catching on Ieyasu himself to convince him his martial art was no hoax Muneyoshi suggested that his son Munenori be Ieyasu s teacher Muneyoshi then retired from swordsmanship and died in 1606 by which time Ieyasu had become shōgun It was at this time also that the Yagyu swordsmanship school split in two Munenori and his nephew Toshiyoshi each becoming the hereditary heads of the Owari and Edo schools of Yagyu Shinkage ryu The Nara area bears many memorials to the Yagyu family and their family graveyard lies on the grounds of the Hōtoku ji where once Yagyu clan s main bastion Yagyu Castle was 1 Perhaps the most interesting one is a rock called Ittō seki probably split by lightning which Muneyoshi is supposed to have cut in half with his sword The mon crest of the Yagyu family was a wide brimmed black hat with ties Notable members of the Yagyu family EditYagyu Muneyoshi 1527 1606 founder of the swordsmanship school and first of the family to earn significant power and prestige Yagyu Toshikatsu 柳生厳勝 the eldest son of Muneyoshi and father of Toshiyoshi Yagyu Toshiyoshi head of the Owari branch of the swordsmanship school which served the junior branch of the Tokugawa family based in Nagoya Yagyu Tajima no kami Taira no Munenori 1571 1646 first swordsmanship sensei to the Tokugawa and head of the Edo branch of the swordsmanship school Yagyu Jube Taira no Mitsutoshi c 1607 1650 one of the most famous and romanticized samurai in history Jube was the head of the Edo branch of the swordsmanship school and instructor to shōgun Tokugawa Hidetada Although very strong talented and known throughout the land because of his social status it seems Jube didn t like his job In training he struck Hidetada with his boken instead of stopping his wooden blade before contact since it was the custom among swordsmen from the same Dōjō For someone else it would have been preposterous but it was Jube s job to do as he thought fit Thus Yagyu Jube got fired and history almost lost his tracks Because he was also the heir of Munenori as a Daimyō Jube could not be condemned to Seppuku neither just become a wandering Rōnin so is thought to have played a role in the Bakufu s secret police and the reason why he was so romanticized Yagyu Samon Taira no Tomonori one of two younger brothers to Jube he replaced his elder as the Shōgun s training partner after he got fired but Samon died of illness some years later Yagyu Munefuyu among the 3 sons of Munenori Munefuyu was the less gifted in martial arts he is also remembered as a womanizer and a Noh amateur A kōan says how he became far stronger than average the swordsman by staying always alert with Zanshin always prepare to fight Despite of that he was defeated in a single strike by Yagyu Renya in an official contest Yagyu Hyōgonosuke Taira no Toshitoshi 3rd Sōke of Owari Yagyu line Beloved grandchild of Sekishusai his gifts in martial arts allowed him to inherit Shinkage ryu instead of his uncle Munenori the Shōgun s own instructor Yagyu Renya Taira no Toshikane a k a Yagyu Renyasai 5th Sōke of the Owari Yagyu very famous in his time as a child prodigy and both a master of the pen and the sword Bunbu Ryōdō Renya and his father slightly modified the teachings of Yagyu Shinkage ryu to take into account the change in warfare caused by the fact samurai almost no longer fought in armours or in battle but mainly in duels with civilian clothes this was called Tsuttattaru Mi Heihō without Armor In the Edo period Renya was also very famous for having kill in one stroke of his wakizashi someone who attacked him in the night The so called wakizashi was a blade of peculiar design forged by famous Japanese swordsmith Hata Mitsuyo because of this the blade was nicknamed Onibōchō Oni kitchen knife Yagyu Kōichi Taira no Toshinobu Sōke headmaster of Yagyu Shinkage ryu since 2006 from the main line of Owari Yagyu Each change in ranking in this list indicates a father son relationship a change in generation References Edit 日本の城がわかる事典 柳生城 の解説 kotobank Retrieved 14 November 2021 De Lange William 2019 The Remarkable History of the Yagyu Clan New York TOYO Press Turnbull Stephen 1998 The Samurai Sourcebook London Cassell amp Co Further reading EditDe Lange William 2019 The remarkable History of the Yagyu Clan TOYO Press ISBN 978 94 92722 171 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Yagyu clan amp oldid 1082009483, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
