Togakure Ryu

The founder of Togakure Ryu was Daisuke Nishina. He had been born (1161) in a small village called Togakure near Hiei-zan in the prefecture of Shinano into a Samurai family. Daisuke had studied, during his early years, in a Tendai monastry on Mount Hiei-zan in the art of Shugendo which taught one to purify ones self by trail and hardship.
Having been defeated in the battle of Awaza no Kassian, Daisuke was forced to flee to the Iga mountains south east of Kyoto (having lost his Samurai status) where he changed his name to Daisuke Togakure (after the village where he was born). While here he met with Kagakure Doshi who was the third soke of Hakuun Ryu Ninjutsu. Daisuke added Hakuun techniques to his own Shugendo practices and beliefs and Togakure Ryu was born. Shima Kosanta Minamota no Kanesada, a high level Samura retainer and friend of Daisuke also studied under Doshi and became the second soke of Togakure Ryu. Shima's son Goro Togakure, the third soke of Togakure Ryu, is beleived to be the person who actually formed Togakure into the Ninjutsu system that it is today.

One of the Togakure Ryu's secrets was the shuko, a spiked iron band worn around the hand, enabling the ninja to stop sword blades or climb trees and walls with ease. Another device utilised by the Togakure ninja was the tetsubishi, a small spiked weapon used to  slow down pursuers. Made with spikes sticking out in all directions, the tetsubishi were scattered on the ground to be stepped on by the unsuspecting. They also used the senban shuriken or four pointed throwing star, originally made from a metal building washer.
The Togakure family had control of Togakure Ryu until about 1625 until the immediate family died out and control was then passed onto the Toda family. Nobutsuna Toda was the 24th soke and added Kumogakure Ryu techniques to the Togakure system. The Toda family also controled Gyokko Ryu and Koto Ryu Ninjutsu.
Almost 1000 years after the founding of Shugendo the 33rd soke of Togakure Ryu was ordained on Mount Hiei-zan, Toshitsuga Takamatsu.

Gyokko Ryu

Gyokko Ryu forms the basis for Togakure Ryu, Koto, Gikan, Shindan Fudo, Gyokushin, and Kumogakure. It is one of the oldest arts on the Ninja.
It is thought that this art comes from China from around the Tang Dynasty (618 - 907 AD). 

Legend tells of its founder Yo Gyokko using the koshijutsu (the attacking of nerve centre’s with pinching or striking finger drives) system to defeat many warrior monks lead by an old man of strange appearance who wanted Yo dead because of his reputation in defeating challengers. He killed over fourteen monks and defeated the old man even after being struck on the head by a sword which bounced off, as his head was so hard. Later after killing a lion with one fist he became known as Koto-ou (lion battling king).

 The first soke of Gyokko Ryu was Tozawa Hakuunsai in the Hogen Era (1156 - 1159). The Buegi Ryu-Ha Daijiten refers to Gyokko Ryu as Koshijutsu Shitojutsu Ninp. Koshijutsu means "to knock down an enemy with one finger". This style uses powerful blocks with the knuckles that destroy the muscles of the opponent. Also ripping and piercing techniques are employed such as Boshi Ken. Gyokko Ryu involves grappling, locking and throwing as well as weapon arts such as sword, tanto and bo staff.

As the 26th Grandmaster of Kuki Shinden Ryu Happo Hikenjutsu (eight ways of the hidden sword).Takakage Matsutaro Ishitani taught Toshitsugu Takamatsu the eight part Happo method which included: Taijutsu (unarmed combat), Hichojutsu (leaping), Mawanage (rope throwing), Koppojutsu (bone smashing technique), Jutaijutsu (grappling), Yarijutsu (spear technique), Naginatajutsu (halberd skills), Bojutsu (long staff fighting), Jojutsu (cane technique), Hanbojutsu (stick fighting), Seban Nage (shuriken throwing), Tokenjutsu (blade throwing), Kojutsu (fire and explosives), Suikutsu (water techniques), Chiku Jo Gunryaku Heiho (military tactics and fortress design and penetration), Onshinjutsu (art of invisibility), and Hensojutso (disguise). He then taught the Hiken or secret sword methods of the ryu. 

All of these methods are said to have been developed in the mountains of Kumano by Shugenja warrior monks who first of all developed the use of their shakujo ringed staff to defend themselves.

Shinden Fudo Ryu

This Ryu also teaches the art of defeating a strong person by feigning weakness.

Gyokushin Ryu

Koto Ryu

The Kuden (oral tradition) at Koto Ryu say that a monk named Chan Busho travelled from Korea to Japan bringing with him the concept of Koppojutsu - the study of bone breaking and weak points. The system was passed from master to student until it passed to Momochi Sandayu. It stayed in his family until 1624 when it passed to the Toda family, Toda Shinryuken passed it to Takamatsu Toshitsugu his grandson. Takamatsu passed it on to Hatsumi Masaaki which brings us to the present day. Momochi Sandayu's famous student Ishitrawa Goemon became known as a Japanese Robinhood. He also attempted to kill the famed leader Hideyoshi, but with no success. 

The style that is taught today though was founded by Sakagami Taro Kunishige in 1542 who was a soke of Gyokko Ryu Koshijutsu.
Koto Ryu is a system using Koppojutsu (bone smashing techniques) and Kyusho (pressure points) to defeat the enemy. Koto Ryu also used a very unusual sword fighting method with a stance called Mangetsu no Kamae where the sword is held above the head and the blade used to reflect sunlight into the opponents eyes.

Gikan Ryu

Founded by Uryu Hangan Gikanbo in 1558, this ryu was based on the Chinese style of Cho Gyoko. It contains many special kicks, punches and throws. One of the original teachings is "Ni Sente Nashi" (From this side there is not the first strike). During the battle of Tenchi Gumi No Ran August 17th 1863, the tenth grandmaster who was also named Yryu Gikanbo was shot and although he continued to fight with only one arm had eventually to retire after been cut many times. He was found by Matsutaro Ishitani, who was himself on the way to the battle. Ishitani helped Gikanbo recover in the mountains of Iga. In return for this act he was trained in the secrets of Gikan Ryu.

Takagi Yoshin Ryu

Takagi Yoshin Ryu was founded by Takagi Oriuemon Shigenobu.
Takagi Oriuemon was chief instructor of swordsmanship at Shiraishi castle in Oshu (present day Tohoku region), having mastered Takeuchi Ryu Jujutsu, Yoshin Ryu Kodachi, and Kenko Ryu Sojutsu.
Takagi Oriuemonal also founded Hontai Yoshin Ryu and both can trace their origins back for 18 generations.
Takagi Yoshin Ryu specializes in grappling and throwing. Other techniques are based around Bojutsu and there is a very strong link here with Jujitsu

This ryu has close links with Kuki Shinden ryu after a contest between the two schools took place in 1672. It was realised that the Kukishinden Ryu was superior in the stick fighting arts, but that the unarmed combat techniques of the Takagi Toshin Ryu was in its own turn superior. So the schools adopted techniques from each other to improve the quality for future generations

Kumogakure Ryu

Kumogakure Ryu was possibly developed in the 1600's by the Toda family as a school of thought.
This Ryu is famous for its Demon Masks that it wore to scare the enemy. The Ryu also used a special weapon called a Kamayari (hooked spear) said to have been used by pirates on the Japanese inland sea. The blade was used to trap and break an opponent’s sword or to hook an enemy from above.
Kumogakure Ryu also taught survival skills.