I've finally finished translating the letter Nakagawa-gosoke wrote to Shiokawa-gosoke appointing him 15th Soke of Mugairyu Iaihyodo. Not entirely sure about all the names, but you get the idea.
First, some history:
Along with the other high-ranking iai sensei across Japan, Mugairyu sensei helped form the ZNKR (All Japan Kendo Federation) and ZNIR (All Japan Iaido Federation) seiteigata (standardized forms.)
Nakagawa-gosoke (13th) appointed Ishii Gogetsu as his successor in Mugairyu Iaihyodo, but Ishii put himself and all of his students under the auspices of the ZNKR. Even back then, Nakagawa-gosoke had no patience for the politics and in fighting of the ZNKR. He issued hamon (expulsion and stripping of rank) for Ishii and wrote the following letter to Shiokawa-gosoke, who had just recently won the ZNKR national iaido tournament for the 3rd year in a row.
The letter:
When I came back from mailing a postcard, I found your letter and enclosed program.
As I wrote last time, be it ZNKR, ZNIR, or whatever, I don’t care one bit if you receive rank and/or certification. Until now Mugairyu was mainly associated with the ZNKR, but now it is my hope that you will spread the true line of Mugairyu.
I never taught Ishii the naiden (advanced) short sword or iai forms, so it is no wonder that Takai would screw up [the advanced form] Sangyo Icchi . They are just aping the movements without understanding the underlying principles or theory, so in my mind I don’t compare them to humans. I consider them a bunch of monkeys.
As I was returning to Tokyo, I stopped by to practice with the folks at the Kichijyoji dojo, but that dojo is under Okada sensei, so they are all ZNKR. Even if it’s ZNKR, my hope is that true and proper Mugairyu grows and spreads, and in so doing, false Mugairyu will wither and die.
It is my belief that I am the superlative Mugairyu. Not ZNIR Mugairyu, not ZNKR Mugairyu. The superlative martial artists acknowledge me. East to west, everyone in iai knows. In Osaka, ZNKR Hanshi Yoshida-sensei is famous for his sharp tongue, but my iai alone he acknowledges is the best in Japan. In Kyoto, ZNKR Hanshi Omori-sensei often does whatever he can to help me.
Even the lone wolf of Tokyo iai, Yukiyama-sensei, who bad mouths everyone, only to me does he say nothing, and at the Kanto Tournament he was explicitly respectful to me.
If you hone your heart and technique in iai such that there is no opening from any angle, then you will have no problems no matter how much those below you make a fuss.
I have received 10th dan and Hanshi from the ZNIR, but these things mean nothing to me. It is only because the superlative martial artists recognize me as such that I am considered as having a worthy menkyo.
Eishinryu with its unclear founder and lineage, ryuha that are merely a list of names from one generation to the next; most of the styles out there simply don’t stack up. As you saw in the book I published “Mugaijikiden Shindoko”, with its clear lineage, history, and gravestone, you will not find a ryuha as true as Mugairyu.
With their nitpicking and bickering, claims of authenticity and accusations and lies, Eishinryu’s Kano, Yamamoto and others are, from the perspective of iai, the lowest of the low.
As long as you do iai based on the fundamentals, no one will have anything to say. I think those in Eishinryu do not even know what the martial fundamentals are.
Recently Kano and Hirai have not been getting on, and last year Hatakejima abandoned Kano. Eishinryu is in disarray.
In Kichijyoji, where their camaraderie is strong, Ishii’s students from the police academy have been expelled and driven out to Kanagawa Prefecture. I heard this both from those in Kichijyoji and from Okada-sensei. By all means do both Mugairyu and ZNKR.
Chairman Kimura, as well as Vice Chairman Otani, and I were invited to the Osaka University tournament on the 3rd, but I am busy with visitors and unable to attend.
Please do come and visit. Last year we rebuilt the house, so you will stay here. We await you visit.
Take care.
Sincerely,
Shinichi Nakagawa
November 10th
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