Historical Milestones of Tamiya Ryu
Japanese historical research divides the development of Tamiya-ryū into three main eras: the initial Ko-Tamiya (Old Tamiya), the feudal-era Kishū Tamiya, and the Shin Tamiya phase, which branch into domain-specific lineages.
Founding in the Tenshō Era (1573–1591)
Late 16th century
Tamiya Heibei Shigemasa mastered the deeper secrets of Hayashizaki-style swordsmanship (swordsmanship/drawing) and, incorporating his own combat experiences, founded the Ko-Tamiya (古田宮) school.
Official School of the Kishū Domain
Early 17th century
Shigemasa’s son, Tamiya Tsushima no Kami Nagakatsu, entered the service of Tokugawa Yorinobu, the first daimyo of the Kishū Domain (Kishū-han). The style became the official martial art for this branch of the Tokugawa clan.
Spread to Saijō (Tamiya Shinken-ryū)
1670
Matsudaira Yorisumi, son of Tokugawa Yorinobu, assumed control of the Iyo-Saijō Domain (Ehime Prefecture). Nagakatsu’s student, Eda Gizaemon, brought the style to Saijō, where it flourished under the name Tamiya Shinken-ryū.
The Legacy of the Tsumaki Family
1797–Present
In 1797, Tsumaki Junjirō Mototsugu inherited the leadership of the school. The Tsumaki family preserved the tradition across generations; through the work of the 14th sōke, Tsumaki Seirin, and later the 15th sōke, Tsumaki Kazuo, the school remains a recognized Japanese Intangible Cultural Heritage (Mukei Bunkazai) today.
Odawara Tamiya Ryu – Fukui Ha
Fukui Seiichi Sensei was a prominent student of the 14th sōke, Tsumaki Seirin. As a leader of the Kanagawa Prefecture ZNKR organization, he conducted extensive research into the life’s work of Kubota Sugane. Kubota was an instructor at the Tokugawa Shogunate’s official martial arts academy (Kobusho) in Edo. He was not only an exceptional swordsman, but also a remarkably thorough analyst and writer. As a master of Tamiya Ryu studying the knowledge base of the style’s various branches (both Kishū and Saijō traditions), he left behind several decisive manuscripts (densho) and analytical works. Thanks to Fukui Sensei’s research, we have the techniques of Tamiya Ryu Okugishuu today.
Tamiya Ryu is an exceptionally elegant and dignified koryu martial arts school, traditionally characterized by expansive, sweeping movements, active zanshin providing complete spatial control, and a harmony of combat decisiveness and inner serenity. Practicing it is highly rewarding because, through meticulously refined and precise kata, it elevates mental focus, posture, and body coordination to an outstanding level. At the same time, it bestows a stress-relieving, meditative discipline upon the practitioner and offers a direct gateway to the authentic, centuries-old spiritual and physical heritage of samurai culture.