Fukuoka Han Niten Ichi Ryū History

Fukuoka Han, home of the genius strategist Kuroda Kanbei, has a long history of martial arts used in actual battle and it’s kokudaka of 520,000 koku, making it one of the wealthiest provinces of Japan.

Since the Kuroda family ruled for centuries, it was also known as Kuroda Han. The foster father of Miyamoto Musashi, Shinmen Munisai, had long served the Kuroda family and was a peerless warrior of his time.

Kuroda Han Niten Ichi Ryū Heihō came into being due to efforts of the older of the Terao brothers, Terao Magonojō, who was entrusted with the Go Rin no Sho by Miyamoto Musashi in his later years. It was passed down through successive generations of Kuroda retainers, then spread to Echigo Han by 7th generation headmaster Niwa Gohei Nobuhide, then through generations of the Igarashi family until the 18th generation headmaster of the Kumamoto Han Niten Ichi Ryu Heihō, Arazeki Nitōsai, unified the Kuroda and Kumamoto branches.

In Echigo Han, Niten Ichi Ryū was referred to as “Shinmen Nitō Ryū”, but at our school, the original name is retained as “Kuroda Han Niten Ichi Ryū Heihō”.

For some time, the teachings were partially lost under the Igarashi family, due to a large fire, and partially unclear, but they were carefully reconstructed thanks to the 13th generation headmaster of Musashi Enmei Ryū, Taniguchi Motome, in Tottori Han who went through the old Igarashi family records and now all of the teachings are clear.

Our school correctly teaches the techniques and oral teachings of Kumamoto Han Niten Ichi Ryū Heihō, as they were passed down by the Terao brothers.