Most modern martial arts adopt the dan and kyu ranking system. It is said that this system originated in the Meiji era when it was modeled after the ranking systems of Go (囲碁) and Shogi (将棋) by Jigoro Kano (嘉納治五郎), who will be mentioned later. Additionally, many organizations use colored belts alongside the dan and kyu system, where the belt color changes from white to various colors as one advances in kyu, and black belts (黒帯 Kuroobi) are worn by those with dan (段) ranks.
The ranking system used in martial arts during the Edo period is generally referred to as “Den-i (伝位 *1)”. This is primarily indicated through the issuance of certificates or scrolls. While some traditional martial arts schools have adopted the dan and kyu (級) system in modern times, Tenshinryu does not use the dan and kyu system. This is because Ishii Sensei valued tradition and also because he opposed modern martial arts.
The ranking system varies by school, but in Tenshinryu, there are seven levels: Hatsu-Yurushi (初許 *2), Naka-Yurushi (中許 *3), Oku-Yurushi (奥許 *3), Kirigami (切紙 *4), Mokuroku (目録 *5), Menkyo (免許 *6), and Kaiden (皆伝 *7) or Soden (相伝 *8). Kaiden is granted only to one person by a single grandmaster (師家 Shike), making the practical number of levels six.
*1 Den-i 伝位
Literally translated, it means “conveyed rank”.
*2 Hatsu-Yurushi 初許
Literally translated, it means permission, authorization, or pardon. In traditional Japanese arts (including traditional martial arts), it refers to the Menkyo(免許 license) given by a master to a disciple, and here it signifies the first (初 Hatsu) license (許し Yurushi). Menkyo has two meanings: one that grants full permission and one that is a limited, smaller step. Here, it refers to the latter.
*3 Naka-Yurushi 中許
Literally translated, it means intermediate (中 Naka) license (許し Yurushi).
*4 Oku-Yurushi 奥許
Literally translated, it means advanced license. Oku (奥) means “deep inside”, “reaching a dead end”, “a profound place”, “deep”, or “having an important meaning”. Additionally, during the Edo period, it particularly referred to the wife of a person of status or a lady. Even today, in Japan, the word “Okusan (奥さん)” is used to refer to a wife, which is derived from adding the honorific “san” to “Oku.”
First, through the three stages from Hatsu-Yurushi to Oku-Yurushi, one learns the framework of Tenshinryu. In other styles, Oku-Yurushi often signifies the final level of licensure.
*5 Kirigami 切紙
Literally translated, it means “cut (切り Kiri) paper (紙 Gami)”. Generally, it is a license given at a relatively early stage. The term “Kirigami” likely derives from the idea of “cutting off a part from a long scroll and giving it”. In Tenshin-ryu, the first three stages build the framework, and from there, it signifies the start of the path to serious training.
*6 Mokuroku 目録
Mokuroku is a term that means “index”. In many styles, it is a license granted to intermediate practitioners and above. In Tenshinryu, it signifies that one has covered almost all the techniques of the style.
*7 Menkyo 免許
In many schools, it signifies the final stage, and in Tenshinryu, it usually means the final license.
*8 Kaiden 皆伝
Literally translated, it means “conveyed everything”. It signifies that one has learned everything, and in some styles, it is referred to as Menkyo, while others use the term Menkyo-Kaiden (免許皆伝) for the final license.
In Tenshinryu, this signifies the Shike (師家 Grandmaster) and serves as a certificate of appointment for the position. Like a company’s president or CEO, only one person executes this role, and it is passed from one Shike to another.
*9 Soden 相伝
Soden means to pass down orally from person to person, to inherit successively, or to be passed down through generations. It also refers to the things that are passed down in this manner.
Such systems serve as a guideline for measuring the stages and skills of training. During the Edo period, there were almost no schools that used a system where numbers increased. However, systems where numbers increase or belt colors change have clear stages and goals, which are very effective for improving motivation and achieving a sense of accomplishment.
Therefore, as effective means for organizational expansion and increasing the number of students, the dan-kyu system and colored belt system rapidly spread after the Meiji period. However, there is also the danger that these means can become ends in themselves, distorting the true purpose of training.
Tenshin Sensei was granted only the Soden Inka (full transmission) by Ishii Sensei. For various reasons, such as the inability to fully distinguish the levels of transmission, the difficulty in recalling the entire tradition, the absence of students who had progressed sufficiently in their training to require such detailed instruction, and the need for an appropriate gratuity for the awarding of licenses and levels of transmission, Tenshin Sensei did not grant these levels for many years, except in a few cases.*1
*1
Originally, the grandmaster has all the authority, including setting the standards for transmission levels, determining the content of instruction, and deciding what techniques and other aspects to transmit or discard. The master also sets the conditions for granting licenses. However, Tenshin Sensei did not have the option of granting them without receiving appropriate compensation.
However, considering the improvement of motivation and the clarification of training stages, I (Kuwami) determined that the formal granting of transmission levels and licenses was essential. With Tenshin Sensei’s approval and relying on his memory, I established approximate criteria and have been granting Den-i since around 2015.
However, directly applying the rank system based on the Kogan (光願) Samurais of the past to modern practitioners proved to be very challenging, and thus, Hatsu-Yurushi was granted only to two individuals, Takizawa Sensei and Arakawa Sensei. Consequently, we are currently devising and trialing a unique rank system that divides Den-i into smaller stages, making it achievable through regular modern training.
In any case, obtaining Den-i is not an end in itself, but merely a means. If this means becomes an end, it will lead to the mass production of so-called burnout syndrome. The problem of means becoming ends is not limited to the dan-kyu system or the Den-i system. The same can be said for all demonstrations, competitive performances, and matches. In Tenshinryu, we plan to conduct performance convention and tournaments as part of training, not only for Den-i and demonstrations, but these should be understood as means of training, not ends.
The dan-kyu system is known worldwide as the ranking system for martial arts, and there are opinions that it should be introduced in Tenshin-ryu as well. However, we take pride in our tradition, and what is required of us is the preservation of tradition and the assurance of our uniqueness. Therefore, just as Ishii Sensei and Tenshin Sensei have firmly refused this, Tenshin-ryu will not adopt the dan-kyu system in the future.
As I will explain in other chapters, relying on new systems, even if they are widely accepted worldwide, can distort all traditions that we take pride in.
Our tasks include preserving the old system, spreading correct knowledge of traditional martial arts, and enhancing its value. Additionally, to overcome the difficulties associated with the Den-i in Tenshin-ryu, we aim to establish small steps within each Den-i to create an environment where students can learn more easily.
As Ishii Sensei mentioned, Tenshinryu is different from other schools. It was not just a samurai’s training but a military drill for the shogun’s special forces, and the practice was one of the duties of Kogan’s samurai. It is a Den-i based on life-and-death training and has a different meaning from the ranks and certificates commonly understood in martial arts. It is not something that can be easily obtained through modern training methods.
This is just my personal opinion, but receiving Hatsuyurushi in Tenshinryu can be thought of as equivalent to reaching around the fourth to fifth dan level in modern Japanese martial arts. However, if it can be obtained through simple training, you should consider that several times that level is necessary.(*1)
*1
If someone holds a fourth or fifth dan, or even higher qualifications in another school, that does not grant them the rank of Hatsuyurushi when they join Tenshinryu. Even if they hold a license or an eighth dan or a hundred dan in another school, when they join Tenshinryu, they are simply a beginner.
コメント
Ok. Entendido.