Illustrated Ninja Handbook. Remigiusz Borda

      In 637 C.E., in the province of Shinano, on top of Mount Hiei, En no Gyoja established Mikkyo. His student, Dengyo Daishi, then created on the same mountain the Buddhist sect Tendai Shugendo and opened the Enryakuji monastery. To this day, the monks of this monastery practice Shugendo and mountain asceticism, which includes practices of purification through trials and hardship. A small settlement called Togakure was located near Mount Hiei. Here, Daisuke Nishina was born into a samurai family in 1161. From his earliest years he studied at the Tendai monastery at the top of Togakure (Mount Hiei). Nishina’s experience beginning at that time played an important role in the system of combat, survival, and infiltration he created. It is important to understand the reasons that led to the foundation of Togakure Ryu Ninpo.

      Daisuke Nishina’s father was Yukihiro Nishina. He was a high-ranking samurai in the service of Duke Minamoto Yoshinaka (a cousin of the first Shogun of Japan). When Minamoto Yoshinaka was a child, one of his rivals sent a samurai who was told to kill little Minamoto and his mother. Mother and child, however, escaped and hid in the village with a loyal peasant family. Later, Minamoto Yoshinaka was brought to Kiso in Shinano Province, near the village of Togakure. Yukihiro Nishina of Togakure served the family of Yoshinaka well; years later, members of the family defeated their rivals and ruled over Japan. However, other leaders perceived Minamoto Yoshinaka as a threat, and many of them turned against him. Minamoto Yoshinaka changed his name to Kiso Yoshinaka, after the name of the village in which he lived (this was a common practice). In 1184, Yoshinaka’s half-brother attacked him with an army. Sixty thousand samurai warriors quickly descended on Yoshinaka’s army near Kyoto. The battle was called Awaze no Kassan. Kiso Yoshinaka was killed in this battle. Yukihiro of Togakure, who had fought in the battle, also died, but his son Daisuke Nishina survived the battle.

      However, because Nishina fought for the army that was defeated, he had to flee. He took refuge in Iga Province, hiding in the inaccessible, misty mountains and forests. He changed his name to Daisuke Togakure, accordingly to the place of his birth. While Daisuke was in Iga, he met Doshi Kain (Kagakure Doshi). Kagakure Doshi was shinobi, and the third Soke of Hakuun Ryu, which was one of the original Ninjutsu systems developed from the teachings of Ikai (or Yi Gai, who brought the foundations of Koshijutsu from China). It is believed that Doshi was Daisuke’s uncle and that Daisuke had fled to Iga Province to find him. Daisuke Togakure learned Doshi’s way of fighting, and combined it with the beliefs of his own Shugendo system. Thus, the beginnings of Togakure Ryu were forged.

      However, Daisuke was not the only one who was taking the precious Kain Doshi’s lessons. Shima Kosanta Miniamoto no Kanesada, a high-ranking samurai, accompanied Daisuke. Shima had also fought in the battle of Awaza no Kassen, where he became friends with Daisuke and his father. Shima was wounded during this battle, and Daisuke took him with him as he escaped to Iga. Later, Shima became the second Soke of Togakure Ryu. After Daisuke’s death, he took the name Daisuke Togakure II. His son, Goro Togakure, the third Soke, is recognized as being the one who actually fashioned the teachings of Togakure into the Ninjutsu system that is taught today. The 11th, 12th, and 13th Soke of the school were named after the main town of the province, that is, Iga Ueno. It is said that members of the Hattori clan practiced Togakure Ryu. Hattori Hanzo is considered to be the most famous ninja of all times. Members of the Momochi family also trained in this system. The 21st Soke of Togakure Ryu, Momochi Kobei, was a descendent of Momochi Sandayu, the second most famous ninja and a leading figure in Iga Province.

      As in many other martial arts schools, control of the system remained with the family who founded it. Knowledge and skills were traditionally passed from father to son. It was not until the 16th century, when the family line was childless, that the most senior member of Togakure Ryu, Nobutsuna Toda, took the leadership position. He became the 24th Soke and controlled the system and training. When Toda assumed the leadership role, he added his own Ninjutsu system, Kumogakure Ryu, to Togakure Ryo. The Toda family also controlled Gyokko Ryu and Koto Ryu; from that time on, all those martial art systems were passed down together.