Fumon Tanaka

Fumon Tanaka (田中普門, Tanaka Fumon, born December 13, 1943) is a traditional Japanese martial arts practitioner who holds a number of Soke positions in Japanese schools of martial arts. Specialising in various weapon forms (Bojutsu, Sojutsu, Iaijutsu, Naginata) and unarmed fighting methods. He is also an author^[1] and has appeared in numerous world media.

Early years

His grandfather, who was in charge of the emperor's protection,^{[citation needed]} instilled in him a drive to learn kobudo from an early age. He began his formal martial arts training at the age of 13 with Kendo attaining a 4th Dan at 25 years old.^{[citation needed]}

International teaching

In 1988 he traveled to France as part of the Nihon Budo delegation selected by the Japanese Ministry of Education and the Agency of Cultural Affairs. Since then he has frequently been invited to teach in Germany, Italy, England, France, Denmark, Kuwait and Sweden.^{[citation needed]}

Enshin Ryu

In 1963, Fumon Tanaka was accepted as a disciple by Nichikan Kobayashi, 10th Soke of the old school of Enshin Ryu sword. The Odachi sword employed in this school is more than 2 meters long, a compromise between the large sword, the lance and the halberd. In 1975, Tanaka was selected to succeed his master as the head of the school and became the 11th Soke after having received, in 1973, the certificate of complete mastery (menkyo kaiden); He thus received in 1975 Gokui kaiden, (transmission of all the major techniques) of the school Enshin Ryu, concerning:

Koden iai (the art of quick drawing the greatsword, called Sengoku Ōdachi in this school)
Kenjutsu and Jūjutsu
Kumiuchi Hyogo (fusion of kenjutsu and jujutsu)
bojutsu (staffs)
sojutsu (spears)
naginata (glaives)
Honmon Suemonogiri Kenpo - techniques of cutting objects with the sword.

Kukishin Ryu

In 1973 Tanaka Sensei is accepted as a secret disciple of the Head-Master Minaki Saburoji Masanori 17th Master of the Kukishin-ryū and Hontai Yoshin Ryu Jujutsu (Bō and Hanbō). In 1985, he received the license of Menkyo Kaiden. The 18th Soké of the Kukishin Ryu school, Kyodo Matsuda was Sōke for only one day. He then named Sōke Tanaka as 19th Soké of the Kukishin Ryu.^{[citation needed]}

Soke

Fumon Tanaka is currently Sōke of the following ryū:

19th Sōke - Kukishin Ryu Bojutsu
11th Sōke - Koden Enshin Ryu Kumiuchi Kenden
4th Sōke - The restored school Honmon Enshin Ryu Suemonogiri Kenpo
19th Sōke - Tenshin Hyoho Soden Kukamishin Ryu

Soke-Dairi

Hontai Takagi Yoshin Ryu
Bokuden Ryu
Shinto Tenshin Ryu (Tenshin Koryu)
Shinden Fudo Ryu
Asayama Ichiden Ryu
Shindo Tenshin Ryu

Other ranks

Modern Kendō - 4th dan
Modern Bōjutsu - 5th dan
Kumiuchi Hyōhō Soden Yawara-no-jutsu - 7th dan
Kyoshi battōjutsu - 7th dan
Hanshi kobudō - 8th dan
Koga Ryu ninjutsu
Iga Ryu ninpo

Other accomplishments

1974 - Soke attained 7th Dan in Swordsmanship at 31 years old, for Yawara Ju Jutsu and Iai Jutsu by Japanese Zen Kobudo Sogo Renmei.
1989 - he received the title of Hanshi 8th Dan at the age of 46 years; he is the youngest person so highly graded in an Official Japanese Federation. He is 9th Dan of the World Jujutsu Federation.

Publications

Fumon Tanaka, Samurai Fighting Arts: The Spirit and the Practice, (2003) Kodansha International, ISBN 978-4-7700-2898-3

Fumon Tanaka, Sword Techniques of Musashi and the Other Samurai Masters, (2013) Kodansha International, ISBN 978-1-5683-6475-9

Media

Fumon Tanaka has appeared in the BBC series Mind, Body & Kick Ass Moves and is shown in episode 7.^[2]^[3]

References

External links

[1] Amazon Author Listing

[2] Episode Synopses

[3] Video Clip

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