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IN THE CITY OF BROTHERLY LOVE,
A SCHOOL OF BROTHERLY LOVE
by
Dr. William Durbin
With a hug the two masters of Kempo bid each other good bye. During the course
of the week they had shared their arts, their faiths, and their brotherly love,
One teaching the system of Kiyojute Ryu Kempo Bugei and the other Koga Ha Kos
ho Shorei Ryu Kempo and the related arts.
Koga Ha Kosho Shorei Ryu Kempo, an ancient system of martial arts that goes
back twenty two generations into the antiquity of Japan, is still extant today.
Some believe that a famous monk by the name of Kosho Bosatsu, who lived during
t he Kamakura era, founded the system and taught it at one of the many temples
he founded throughout Japan. Whether this is true or legend, it is known that
the system at some point received an influence from, first the Koga Ryu Ninjutsu
systems, and later Shorei Ryu Kempo of Okinawa.
Ninjutsu is one of the most misunderstood of all martial arts that have survived
until modern times. Actually there were three distinct types of Ninjutsu, each
practiced by different classes of Japanese. First of all, Ninjutsu was actua
lly developed by Buddhist monks who were trying to protect Japanese Buddhists
during a time of persecution under the Shintoist rulers of Japan. The art was
created to provide techniques by which, monks traveling around the realm, could
gather information about plans against prominent Buddhists and use that information
to warn them and help them avoid assassination or other nefarious plots.
During this time, which historians cannot truly pinpoint, the Ninjutsu was taught
to Buddhist Samurai to enable them to protect their lords and spy for them as
well. The Ninjitsu of the monks and the warriors was very ethically based and
was never applied in a manner which would break their Buddhist beliefs or the
code of Bushido.
Unfortunately, the art found it's way into less savory hands, through dishonored
Samurai and peasants trained by monks for self defense, but who decided to follow
a less honorable path of life. These outcasts and renegades became the Ni nja.
Mercenaries who would do any job, no matter how dishonorable, for a price.
Many of the Iga and Koga warrior families were honorable Samurai, who used their
Ninjutsu skills in the service of a single lord and his allies. Koga Ryu Ninjutsu
is an important part of the Koga Ha Kosho Shorei Ryu Kempo taught in the city
of brotherly love by probably the only master of the system to know those skills,
Nimr Hassan.
Nimr Hassan has been training in the system of Koga Ha Kosho Shorei Ryu Kempo
for twenty plus years. Initially he was taught the specialized footwork based
on the Ninjutsu, James Masayoshi Mitose had learned during his education in
Japa n. This footwork was the foundation upon which all the other skills were
to be based. Unique concepts of blocking were combined with specialized skills
designed to destroy the defensive capability striking skills designed to destroy
the defensive capabili ty of an attacker while leaving the vital points of the
torso alone so that an assailant would not be injured. But then as is true of
any true combat art, the practitioner is taught how to drive past the arms and
legs into the weaknesses of the human body with lethal effect. Yet, as is worthy
of all true self defense arts, this skill is taught only for emergencies, and
to be avoided at all costs, except the loss of one's own life or the life of
an innocent.
Special exercises were taught to develop the strength and dexterity necessary
for this form of Ninjutsu training. Some of these exercises seem to be based
on the original temple exercises upon which the original Kempo was formed. Differ
ent types of sticks were used to develop the strength of the forearms for striking.
Rock slabs were used to strengthen the shoulders and arms of the practitioner.
A very creative form of training continues to be taught as part of Koga Ha Kosho
Shorei Ryu Kempo by Hassan, which is believed to be part of the priestly tradition
of training monks in the temple by games of skill and reflex, as well as , what
is commonly called the temple dance.
While certain aspects of illusion clearly indicate the Ninjutsu origin of the
games.
These games center on the idea of one student simply trying to touch another
student on the shoulder, while that student uses the special blocking concepts
of Kempo to deflect the touching hand. While playing the games students apply
th e uninne principle of the Ninjitsu-sit footwork, along with Kempo body angling
and parrying. Many of these games can get very exciting, and to the uninitiated
look like actual fighting or sparring.
Also evident are the Jujutsu skills of Japanese temple Kempo, with an emphasis
upon palm and fist, which is indicative of the Chugoku Shorinji Kempo, Chinese
Shaolin Chuanfa, of the twelfth century. Many of the techniques would quickly
be recognized by practitioners of the modern arts of Judo and Aikido, and yet
with a very special twist that is peculiar to the Kempo practitioner who uses
the special Ninjutsu footwork. Mitose's skills of grappling were so advanced
and with such perfect Aiki, spiritual harmony, that Morihei Ueshiba directed
that Mitose be awarded a Judan and made a remonstrant of Aikido.
It is believed that at some point Shorei Ryu Kempo of Okinawa, found it's way
into the art. Some feel that during the time that the great Kempo master Choki
Motobu lived on Japan, he taught the members of his entourage the skills of
Shorei Ryu Kempo. James Masayoshi Mitose, who according to Robert Trias, was
a maternal nephew of Motobu was believed to have been a member of that entourage,
along with the great Seiko Fujita, a master of both Sato Ryu Kempo and Koga
Ryu Ninjutsu. This would have given James Masayoshi Mitose the opportunity to
study both arts.
From Motobu certain aspects of body conditioning were adopted into Mitose's
Kempo. Buckets of earth and rocks, which the Koga Ha Kosho Shorei Ryu Kempo
practitioners use to strengthen their hands by striking into them, especially
show an Okinawan influence, which itself shows the original Shorinji Kempo influence
of China.When the Kempoka practice their actual self defense moves many Hsing
I and Shaolin Chuanfa techniques, as definitely modified by Okinawan masters,
begin to become evident. It should be noted that this is where the animal techniques
entered Mitose's Kempo, in that the five animal techniques were not introduced
to Japan directly from China, but from Okinawa, which had a post sixteenth century
Goken Shorinji Kempo influence.
At this point it would be conducive to mention the special method of teaching
strikes, that is prevalent in Koga Ha Kosho Shorei Ryu Kempo. The modern practitioner
is taught an eight angle system of striking, which when applied to block s,
clears the area maintained by correct distancing, and when applied to hitting,
allows the student to strike with painful force anywhere on the opponent's body.
The practitioner is taught that there are three downward angles which the hand
travels, stra ight down and forty five degree angle down both left and right.
Then there are three upward angles, straight up and forty five degree angles
up, both left and right. Then there are the horizontal angles from the left
and right. There is also the straight forward strike as well. These angles can
be applied to kicks, as well as, hand techniques. This allows for a very complete
striking system that provides optimum protection for the Koga Ha Kosho Shorei
Ryu Kempoka.
The ranking structure of this very traditional Kempo Dojo is based on the Menkyo
system, as used in Japan prior to the development of the belt system. A student
first receives a Kirikami, cut of paper to signify that they have actually been
accepted into the Ryu, this happens after many hours of training. Next follows
the Mokuroku, literally catalogue, which means the person has learned the skills
of Kempo and are dedicated to mastering the skills.
Finally the student can start earning Menkyo, or licenses. These Menkyo are
teaching licenses, which denotes the level of teaching skill a person possess
in the complete art of Koga Ha Kosho Shorei Ryu Kempo. They range from Sensei
to R enshi, Kyoshi to Shihan, and finally, after many years of training, Hanshi.
These titles carry with them the meanings as follows: Sensei, teacher; Renshi,
polished instructor; Kyoshi, senior instructor; Shihan, master teacher; and
Hanshi, senior master te acher.
One last aspect of the teachings of Koga Ha Kosho Shorei Ryu Kempo, is the concept
of uniforms. Nimr Hassan was taught the art must be able to be applied in the
normal wear of the person, and since the rank structure does not use belts in
it's ranking system, then the usual Judogi or Karategi of Japan is not the most
appropriate form of dress. Rather, a typical Uwagi, upper jacket of the Keikogi
is worn, with the traditional Hakama, pleated baggy pants of the Samurai. Students
sometimes wear typical Western clothing such as warm up suits or sweatpants
and shirts. Visitors from other systems, which are always welcomed by Hassan,
are allowed to wear their traditional uniforms.
The Kosho Ryu Kempo of James Masayoshi Mitose has survived in many forms and
in many places, yet it is in the Dojo of the Koga Ha Kosho Shorei Ryu Kempo
Association of Philadelphia, that Nimr Hassan maintains the specialized training
th at truly sets it apart from all other systems. It is only when the very distinctive
footwork of Ninjutsu is added to Kosho Ryu Kempo Jujutsu of the Mitose family,
and Ryu Kempo Karate of Choki Motobu, that one sees the effectiveness that is
inherent in th e original Koga Ha Kosho Kempo, as taught to Nimr Hassan by James
Masayoshi Mitose.
In the heart of the city of brotherly love, Nimr Hassan stands ready to welcome
those interested in learning the truly unique art of Koga Ha Kosho Shorei Ryu
Kempo. It is an art steeped in ancient tradition, encompassing the traditional
Kempo of the Japanese temple, the Jujutsu developed by the Samurai instructed
by the monks, Ninjutsu as practiced by both monks and warriors, with an influence
from the Shorei Ryu Kempo of Okinawa. It is an art which has at it's heart,
the brotherhood of the founding men of peace.
