A Reunion After Forty Years

The following is a translation of a post from Tomohiro Ishikawa on his website. Ishikawa - my instructor and father in budo - has been moving away from the general operation and instruction into retirement, but has not stopped his personal training and development. In fact it has only deepened in his exploration of Jikishinkage Ryu kenjutsu, Asayama Ichiden Ryu Taijutsu and Nakanishi-ha Itto Ryu kenjutsu.

I put this under "News" as this announces his perticipation in a demonstration for the Japan Kendo Federation in December 2025.

My first encounter with Jikishinkage-ryū Kenjutsu was in Shōwa 57 (1982). The handle of the first wooden sword I held still bears that year carved into it. At the time, I was taught by Nagano Zenkō-sensei, a student of Ogawa Chūtarō-sensei and also one of my seniors from university. Our training was not a formal practice of the established kata; it was more like simply sharing the act of raising and lowering the sword together.

Still, I remember deeply the words he said:
“Pierce the earth with the tip of your sword, and lift it up with that same spirit.”

Notice

At the upcoming 21st Tokyo-to Kata Kendō Taikai, I have been given the great honor of performing the demonstration of Jikishinkage-ryū Kenjutsu.

• Uchidachi (striking sword): Taniguchi Shigeki-sensei

• Shidachi (receiving sword): Ishikawa Tomohiro

It is a solemn and humbling responsibility. I am deeply grateful to finally take the “unfinished first step” that remained in my heart forty years ago, and I intend to devote each and every cut to the bonds and gratitude that have brought me here.

Tournament Overview

Organizer:
Japan Kendo Federation (Tokyo Metropolitan Branch)

Date & Time:
Saturday, December 6, Reiwa 7 (2025) — starts at 10:00 a.m. (doors open at 9:00 a.m.)

Venue:
Shinjuku Sports Center, Main Gymnasium
3-5-1 Ōkubo, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo (10-minute walk from JR Takadanobaba Station)

Events:

• Nihon Kendō Kata Competition

  • Division for 3rd Dan and under

  • Division for 4th–5th Dan

  • Division for 6th–7th Dan

Afterword

I believe that learning in budō does not unfold through age or rank, but through the ripening of time itself.

To once again encounter a teacher and renew one’s study after many years is the greatest of blessings.

Through the heart of Jikishinkage-ryū, I wish to continue walking the true purpose of this path — to nurture people through budō.

A Reunion After Forty Years — Guided by the Connection to Jikishinkage Ryū Kenjutsu

At the time, however, I was not ready to grasp the meaning of those words. Eventually, our practice gatherings came to a natural end, and through my own immaturity, I let go of the opportunity to continue learning. Even now, I regret how often I was discourteous toward Nagano-sensei, who had been a graduate of the former Imperial Naval Academy.

Missing that chance to learn not only technique but also a way of life and a view of history has remained with me ever since. And yet—somewhere in my heart, the desire to someday study Jikishinkage-ryū again never faded.

In time, Nagano-sensei fell ill, just as I had only recently established Rakushinkan. With no other instructors yet, I spent my days visiting two or three locations alone, striving to keep the dōjō alive. I could not attend his funeral, and the thought remains within me like a small thorn.

Perhaps this is what is truly meant by “when the time is ripe.” After forty years, at last both my body and circumstances have aligned, and the time to study the sword once more has arrived.

Through a fortunate connection, I began participating in the training sessions held at the Tokyo Budokan,
where I am now privileged to receive instruction from Katō Kōji-sensei (former Imperial Guard), Ishii Takeshi-sensei (former Metropolitan Police Department), and their assistants Taniguchi Shigeki-sensei and Ishii Yutaka-sensei.

“If you cannot find a true teacher, it is better not to study at all.”

I now truly feel the weight of those words.

Having waited forty years, I can now sense all the more deeply how precious this new opportunity to learn really is. I extend my gratitude to everyone who has supported me thus far, and I offer my heartfelt respect to the teachers who have granted me the chance to study once again.

The path of budō, I feel anew, continues through the accumulation of meetings and of connections (en).

If you've enjoyed this brief article, please check out the numerous other articles on our site. Feel free to contact us with ideas for other article that we should write about.