{"id":355,"date":"2013-06-11T07:31:16","date_gmt":"2013-06-11T13:31:16","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/tokyobound.com\/blog\/?p=355"},"modified":"2013-07-02T11:16:23","modified_gmt":"2013-07-02T17:16:23","slug":"ryu-%e6%b5%81-ha-%e6%b4%be-or-ryuha-%e6%b5%81%e6%b4%be","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tokyobound.com\/blog\/?p=355","title":{"rendered":"Ryu (\u6d41)? Ha (\u6d3e)? Or Ryuha (\u6d41\u6d3e)?"},"content":{"rendered":"<style>@font-face {   font-family: \"Times\"; }@font-face {   font-family: \"\uff2d\uff33 \u660e\u671d\"; }@font-face {   font-family: \"\uff2d\uff33 \u660e\u671d\"; }@font-face {   font-family: \"@\uff2d\uff33 \u660e\u671d\"; }@font-face {   font-family: \"Cambria\"; }p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0mm 0mm 10pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Cambria; }.MsoChpDefault { font-family: Cambria; }.MsoPapDefault { margin-bottom: 10pt; }div.WordSection1 { page: WordSection1; }<\/style>\n<p>By Paul Martin<\/p>\n<p>There appears to be much discussion over the use of the terms <em>ryu<\/em> (\u6d41), <em>ha<\/em> (\u6d3e), and <em>ryuha<\/em> (\u6d41\u6d3e). It is generally accepted that \u2018<em>ryu<\/em>&#8216; refers to what we would call in the western sense, \u2018style&#8217;. As in &#8220;what style of karate do you practice?&#8221; These terms are not only applicable to styles of martial arts, but to many different disciplines in Japan such as the way of tea (<em>sado<\/em>, \u8336\u9053), the way of flower arranging (<em>kado<\/em>, \u83ef\u9053), the way of . . .<\/p>\n<p>After introducing the use of \u2018the way&#8217;, and before proceeding any further trying to define <em>ryu<\/em> and <em>ha<\/em>, let&#8217;s first take a look at and define the Japanese word and idiom of <em>d<\/em><em>o<\/em>, or <em>michi <\/em>(\u9053). <em>Do<\/em> is the overarching sense of following a higher path. <em>Do <\/em>means road, path, lane, or journey. Interestingly, it can also mean duty, and morality. When <em>do <\/em>is attached as a postfix to a certain style of activity, it infers that there is a spiritual pursuit involved and encompasses all of the above meanings. It is the character for \u2018the way&#8217;, and is usually seen attached to martial arts: <em>judo<\/em> (\u67d4\u9053)<em>, karatedo<\/em> (\u7a7a\u624b\u9053)<em>, kendo<\/em> (\u5263\u9053), <em>kyudo<\/em> (\u5f13\u9053), <em>aikido<\/em> (\u5408\u6c17\u9053), <em>naginatado<\/em> (\u9577\u5200\u9053), <em>budo<\/em> (\u6b66\u9053). It is a general idea that the path you are following will lead to a connection with the flow of the universe and ultimately you are heading towards some level of enlightenment. Furthermore, the feeling of \u2018the way&#8217; does not only apply to arts with the suffix <em>do,<\/em> but also to the various <em>jutsu<\/em> (\u8853), and the usage of these words applies not only to martial arts, but also in a broader context in Japan.<\/p>\n<p>When looking at Nelson&#8217;s Kanji dictionary definitions of the two characters <em>ryu<\/em> and <em>ha<\/em> and the compound of both characters together, they are defined as:<\/p>\n<p><em>Ryu <\/em><em>(\u6d41): current, or, as a postfix style, fashion, school, system. Nagare (alternate reading): flow, trickle<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>Ha <\/em><em>(\u6d3e): Group, party, clique: faction, set, school (of art, etc). It can also be used as ha-suru: to dispatch, send (transmit).<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>Ryuha <\/em><em>(\u6d41\u6d3e): a school of thought: a system. <\/em><\/p>\n<p>To explain the fundamental difference between the words, there are many <em>ryu<\/em> following the way, but within each <em>ryu<\/em> there are subsets known as <em>ha<\/em>, or <em>ryuha<\/em>. For example, practitioners of Itto-ryu (\u4e00\u5200\u6d41) are all in pursuit of the way. However, Itto-ryu is divided into further sub-divisions of Ono-ha (\u5c0f\u91ce\u6d3e), Mizoguchi-ha (\u6e9d\u53e3\u6d3e), Nakanishi-ha (\u4e2d\u897f\u6d3e), etc. The author of this article would like to suggest that at the time, Ono Jiroemon Tadaaki (\u5c0f\u91ce\u6b21\u90ce\u53f3\u885b\u9580\u5fe0\u660e), and Mizoguchi Shingoemon Masakatsu (\u6e9d\u53e3\u65b0\u4e94\u5de6\u885b\u9580\u6b63\u52dd) were teaching what they believed to be the correct transmission of Itto-ryu, and that they were not referred to as Ono-ha, and Mizuguchi-ha during their lifetimes. As their students needed to explain and differentiate the changes that had occurred between their teachings in the natural flow of the transmission of the techniques, the \u2018ha&#8217; was probably applied sometime after their deaths. This writer also believes that in some years from now, what is currently practiced and referred to as simply<em> Tenshin Shoden Katori Shinto Ryu<\/em> (\u5929\u771f\u6b63\u4f1d\u9999\u53d6\u795e\u9053\u6d41), will later be referred to as <em>Otake-ha<\/em> (\u5927\u7af9\u6d3e), and <em>Sugino-ha<\/em> (\u6749\u91ce\u6d3e).<\/p>\n<p>The reality of any traditional activity, or style, referring to themselves as a <em>ryu<\/em>, is that they are inevitably subject to the paradox of tradition changing over time. This is caused by successive generations of masters all continuing the <em>ryu<\/em> under their own interpretation of what the tradition is. This is illustrated with the use of the term \u2018<em>nagare&#8217; (do, michi) <\/em>from the opening lines of<em> <\/em>the <em>Hojoki<\/em> (\u65b9\u4e08\u8a18) by Kamo no Chomei (\u9d28\u9577\u660e) in the 13th century.<\/p>\n<p>\u884c\u304f\u6cb3\u306e\u6d41\u308c\u306f\u7d76\u3048\u305a\u3057\u3066\u3001\u3057\u304b\u3082\u3001\u3082\u3068\u306e\u6c34\u306b\u3042\u3089\u305a\u3002<\/p>\n<p><em>Yuku kawa no nagare wa taezu shite, shikamo, moto no mizu ni arazu.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>The river flows constantly, and the water continually changes. <\/em><\/p>\n<p>There is also a great deal of pride involved with being given the responsibility of looking after and transmitting 500-year-old intangible knowledge to be passed onto the next generation. It is also natural in Japan to be associated with a particular group. One can feel a sense of security under the protection of their group. However, if you do not conform or hold the same ideals as the rest of your group (ryu, ha, ryuha), this can also lead to expulsion, or ostracism. To be cut from the collective in Japan is one of the greatest fears by many Japanese. Expulsion from a group is referred to as ha-mon (\u7834\u9580). It can lead to a great sense of shame, and possible rejection by other groups as you could become someone who does not fit. However, this is not to say that individuality, or individual pride does not exist in Japan. On the contrary, if this was the case, none of these ryu, or ha, would ever have begun. In fact, there is a term in Japanese <em>jiko-ryu<\/em> (\u81ea\u5df1\u6d41)<em> <\/em>that means to be self-taught, or going it alone.<em> <\/em><\/p>\n<p>This brings up the question, &#8220;What is a legitimate <em>ryu<\/em>?&#8221; There are no defining characteristics for what legitimizes a <em>ryu,<\/em><em> <\/em>and as more and more information, especially from the martial arts world, becomes available, smaller <em>ryu<\/em>, or family styles begin to emerge with the head of the family, or <em>iemoto<\/em> (\u5bb6\u5143), serving as the head of the school (also referred to as <em>soke,<\/em> \u5b97\u5bb6).<\/p>\n<p>It is said in Japan that there are many paths to enlightenment. What tends to be of overarching importance is the participation in spiritual pursuits. As with many things in Japan, the usage of <em>ryu, ha<\/em>, and <em>ryuha<\/em> is somewhat subjective and flexible, as is the understanding of a particular <em>ryuha<\/em>, people&#8217;s interpretation of the way and their general philosophy on life. In Japan, as in the West, people tend to join groups that hold beliefs that identify with our own. However, they all attach great importance to community, and spirituality. It would appear that <em>ryu, ha<\/em> and <em>ryuha<\/em> are a binding factor between these two ideals, maintaining the equilibrium of a culture that we in the West desire to understand.<\/p>\n<h6>Paul Martin, from England, is a Masters Graduate of the University of California, Berkeley, and a Japanese sword specialist for the British Museum in London. Paul has presented swords on BBC TV and Radio 4, Discovery Channel, History Channel, Los Angeles JATV, Japanese Television and has been featured in interviews by Acumen (The British Chamber of Commerce Tokyo), The Daily Yomiuri, and The Asahi Weekly. He has also been a regular contributor to Tokyo Journal magazine. He has studied the sword collections of many museums, shrines and at the workshops of many eminent swordsmiths and polishers. Paul provides translations for the Japanese Sword Museum in Tokyo (Nihon Bijutsu Token Hozon Kyokai), the All Japan Swordsmiths Association, the Hayashibara Art Museum, Okayama, The Oku-Izumo Tatara and Sword Museum and the All Japan Sword Traders Association. He has also produced several leading books and DVDs on Japanese swords.<\/h6>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>By Paul Martin There appears to be much discussion over the use of the terms ryu (\u6d41), ha (\u6d3e), and ryuha (\u6d41\u6d3e). It is generally accepted that \u2018ryu&#8216; refers to what we would call in the western sense, \u2018style&#8217;. As in &#8220;what style of karate do you practice?&#8221; These terms are not only applicable to<\/p>\n<div class=\"read-more\"><a href=\"https:\/\/tokyobound.com\/blog\/?p=355\" title=\"Read More\">Read More<\/a><\/div>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[114],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-355","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-osada-ryu"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/tokyobound.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/355","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/tokyobound.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/tokyobound.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tokyobound.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tokyobound.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=355"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/tokyobound.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/355\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/tokyobound.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=355"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tokyobound.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=355"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tokyobound.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=355"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}