Again, this is simply a list, and therefore only the names remain, which can lead to confusion. Luckily, however, some manuals were written later in the school’s history, such as the Mizukagami, Mizukagami Kuden no Oboe, and Mizukagami Shinsatsu. These writings recorded some of these oral traditions in full. This list has been inserted here, and whether the skill is missing or has been recorded is written below each. In Total there are 158 skills, and approximately 50 of them have been recorded throughout this book in the different scrolls, meaning that almost seventy percent of the oral traditions are missing.
The list is still of great interest as it provides an understanding of the skills involved within the school and allows us to peer into the way of the samurai. Remember that without context, some of the skills can seem abstract or may even be misleading.
1. Quick Kuji (早九字, hayakuji)
[Quick ritual of kuji, a defensive spell]
2. To Imbue the Greatsword (太刀腹巻, tachi haramaki)
[Found in the Mizukagami Kuden no Oboe scroll, this skill is to write characters on the blade of the sword for purification purposes.]
3. Dismounting a Man from a Horse (下馬落, geba otoshi)
[Found in the Bishamonden Kenjutsu scroll, not translated in this book; a spell to make a mounted enemy fall]
4. The Cricket Pillow (邯鄲の枕, kantan no makura)
[A spell creating an imaginary rope that surrounds the sleeping warrior and wakes him if an intruder enters]
5. Mystery of Staunching Blood (血留の奇, chidome no ki)
[Missing]
6. The Way of Kuji (九字法, kuji hō)
[The full ritual of kuji]
7. The Way of Jūji (十字法, jūji hō)
[The full ritual of jūji, a protection spell consisting of kuji plus one character]
8. The Way of Self-Defense (護身法, goshinpō)
[Defensive spell]
9. The Principle of the Helmet (甲の大事, kabuto no daiji)
[Missing]
10. The Principle of the Horse (馬の大事, uma no daiji)
[Missing]
11. The Principle of Armor (よろ以の大事, yoroi no daiji)
[Missing]
12. The Principle of the Sword (太刀の大事, tachi no daiji)
[Missing]
13. The Principle of Water (水の大事, mizu no daiji)
[Missing]
14. The Principle of Filth (汚穢の大事, owai no daiji)
[Missing]
15. Stopping a Sword (白刃どり, shiraha dori)
[Missing]
16. Securing a Horse at the Legs (志者つなき, shiba tsunagi)
[Missing]
17. The Art of Boarding a Ship (舟尓乗事, fune ni noru koto)
[A magic spell to see if the ship will sink on its journey]
18. The Principle of No Fire (無火の大事, muka no daiji)
[Missing]
19. The Way of the Narrow Path (細道の法, hosomichi no hō)
[To hide in alleyways when being chased]
20. The Principle of Distance (間門の大事, kenmon no daiji)
[Found in the Mizukagami Kuden no Oboe and Shinkan no Maki scrolls. To dive forward and strike people at the lower leg with the sword when running.]
21. The Principle of Courtesy (禮の大事, rei no daiji)
[Missing]
22. The Teaching of the Moon on the Water (水月の位, suigetsu no kurai)
[Found in the Bishamonden and Bishamonden Kenjutsu scrolls. A concept often found in samurai literature concerning the reflection of the true mind. A mirror is placed on an altar to clean both the mirror and the mind simultaneously.]
23. The Principle of Honing Oneself (執行の大事, shugyō no daiji)
[Missing]
24. The Way of Three Gods (三神能法, san jin no hō)
[Found in the Bishamonden scroll; no explanation is given.]
25. The Principle of Sleeping Quarters (寝屋の大事, neya no daiji)
[Found in the Mizukagami Shinsatsu scroll. This skill is to use blood to attract mosquitoes away from a sleeping person at night.]
26. The Way of Killing Thieves (盗人死スる法, nusubito shisuru hō)
[No specific teaching found, but multiple articles fit this title in the Mizukagami scroll.]
27. Not Moving the Inside to the Outside (内外江出ぬ法, naigai e denu hō)
[Missing]
28. The Way of the Dog that Lies Down (犬臥之法, inu fuse no hō)
[Missing]
29. The Way of Arresting Criminals (犯人越留る法, han’nin wo tomeru hō)
[Missing]
30. The Way of Stopping People (足留之法, ashidome no hō)
[Missing]
31. The Way of Crossing Over an Unknown River (不知川越法, shiranu kawa wo kosu hō)
[Found in Kuden no Oboe and Mizukagami Shinsatsu. It is to cross diagonally upstream at first and then move downstream.]
32. The Way of the Light Body (身加路き法, mi karoki hō)
[Found in the Mizukagami; to have a lightness in form when jumping from a high place]
33. The Way of the Immortal Fire (万年火法, man’nen-bi no hō)
[Missing; possibly low light and long-lasting torch]
34. The Way of the Ten-Thousand-Year Torch (万年松明, man’nen taimatsu)
[Missing; most likely an alternate version of the previous item]
35. The Way to Know if a Sick Person Will Live or Die (病人生死知法, byōnin seishi wo shiru hō)
[Missing]
36. Breathing in Water (水中息する, suichū iki suru)
[Found in the Mizukagami; to cut down the scabbard of the sword and breathe through it]
37. The Way Purifying the Hands (から手水法, kara chōzu hō)
[Found in the Mizukagami Shinsatsu scroll; see the poem at the end of “The Soldier’s Way of Jūji” section in chapter 15. To imagine and symbolically wash the hands to rid the area of evil.]
38. The Way of Hiding in Grass (草隠連の法, kusagakure no hō)
[Found in the Bishamonden scroll; no explanation is given.]
39. The Way of Illuminating a Dark Night (闇夜明キ法, yamiyo akaruki hō)
[Missing]
40. To Stop a Running Horse (者世馬留る, hase uma tomeru)
[Missing]
41. To Send a Person to Sleep (人越祢むらす, hito wo nemurasu)
[Missing]
42. To Remain Awake (我祢むらぬ, ware nemuranu)
[Missing]
43. Dangerous Epidemics (やく病深, yakubyō fukashi)
[Found in the Bishamonden Kenjutsu scroll. It involves a magic talisman against epidemics.]
44. Understanding Night Attacks (夜討を知法, youchi wo shiru hō)
[Missing]
45. The Way of the Blindfold (目隠之法, mekakushi no hō)
[Missing]
46. The Way of the Three Gods of War (三闘神之法, santōshin no hō)
[Possibly found in the Bishamonden scroll]
47. The Way of Goddess of Gyokujo (玉女神之法, gyokujoshin no hō)
[Missing; Gyokujo is a goddess in Taoism.]
48. The Way of Walking at Night (夜行之法, yakō no hō)
[Missing]
49. The Way of Walking in Daytime (昼行之法, chūkō no hō)
[Missing]
50. The Way of the Drawstring Pouch (袋巾着法, fukuro kinchaku no hō)
[Small bag used to hold daily things or sometimes fuses]
51. The Way of the Floating Candle (蝋燭飛法, rōsoku tobasu hō)
[Missing]
52. The Way of Avoiding Lightning Strikes (雷不落法, kaminari ochinu hō)
[Found in the Bishamonden Kenjutsu scroll; not recorded here]
53. Understanding Death (絶命知法, zetsumei wo shiru hō)
[Missing]
54. The Way of Identifying Decapitated Head Types (首実検法, kubi jikken no hō)
[Missing]
55. The Way of Taking a Pulse (見脈法, kenmyaku hō)
[Found in the Mizukagami scroll; used to identify if a warrior’s pulse rate is erratic and thus foretelling of an upcoming danger]
56. Attending to the White Part of a Sick Horse’s Eye (馬白眼直法, uma no shirome naosu hō)
[Missing]
57. The Way of Making a Horse Lower Itself (馬伏之法, uma fuse no hō)
[Missing]
58. To Confuse [the Enemy] (無明の酒, mumyō no sake)
[Found in the Shinkan no Maki scroll; a weapon, normally a powder, to confuse the enemy]
59. The Way without Opening (無の阿け法, mu no ake hō)
[Missing; the translation of this title can drastically change depending on the context. This translation may not reflect the teachings.]
60. Gandō Lantern がんとう火, gandō hi)
[A hooded lantern]
61. The Principle of Knowing if an Emergency Is Taking Place (大事来知, daiji kuru wo shiru)
[Missing]
62. The Precept against Unnecessary Killing (殺生させぬ, sesshō sasenu)
[Found in the Bishamonden scroll]
63. How to Avoid Coming across People (人尓不逢法, hito ni awazaru hō)
[Missing]
64. Victory on All Fronts (前後勝法, zengo katsu hō)
[Missing]
65. The Space in the Middle of Combat (大小の当り, daishō no atari)
[Possibly the concept found in the Shinkan no Maki scroll about rhythm and timing]
66. Knowing When People Have Fallen Asleep (寝入りたる越知, neiritaru wo shiru)
[Missing]
67. How to Send People to Sleep (人越寝入ス, hito wo neirasu)
[Missing]
68. The Way of Shooting (射ぬきの法, inuki no hō)
[Missing]
69. The Way of Arson (火事出る法, kaji deru hō)
[Missing]
70. The Way of Drawing Someone Out (人呼出ス法, hito yobidasu hō)
[Missing]
71. The Way of Stone inside a Pocket (懐中石の法, kaichū ishi no hō)
[To carry a stone in the sleeve of the kimono]
72. The Way of Fire inside a Pocket (懐中火の法, kaichū hi no hō)
[Missing]
73. The Way of Rope during Travel (道中縄ノ法, dōchū nawa no hō)
[Missing]
74. The Way of Taking a Bath (風呂ヘ入時法, furo e iru toki no hō)
[Missing]
75. The Way of Passing in the Midst of the Enemy (敵中通る法, takechū tōru hō)
[Missing]
76. To Stop Fighting (喧嘩留様, kenka tome yō)
[Found in the Kuden no Oboe and Mizukagami scrolls; to prepare for and discourage personal eruptions that may turn to violence]
77. Straight Throwing Blades (竿手利釼, sao shuriken)
[Missing]
78. The Way of Passing along a River Edge (川縁通法, kawa fuchi tōru hō)
[Missing]
79. The Way of Discussing and Persuading (論逢とくる法, ronjiai tokuru hō)
[Missing]
80. The Way of Signaling with Fire (火越志めす法, hi wo shimesu hō)
[Missing; literally, “showing fire”]
81. The Way of Creating Fire (火越なす法, hi wo nasu hō)
[Missing]
82. The Way of Crossing over a Castle and Moat (堀城越す法, hori shiro kosu hō)
[Missing]
83. The Way of Shrinking without Overextending (不延ちゞます法, nobezu chijimasu hō)
[Missing]
84. Concerning Those You Meet while Traveling (道中逢者, dōchū au mono)
[Missing]
85. Not Using Large Steps (足ニ大足出来ぬ, ashi ni ōashi dekinu)
[Missing]
86. The Art of Knowing People’s Inner Thoughts (人心内知事, hito no kokoro no uchi wo shiru koto)
[Missing]
87. The Emanating Light of a Statue of Buddha (佛像光出ス, butsuzō hikari dasu)
[Missing]
88. The Way of Curing Bed-Wetting (夜者゛り留法, yobari tomeru hō)
[Missing]
89. To Change between Evil and Good (悪ニ善ニする, aku ni zen ni suru)
[Missing]
90. Kicking and Pushing with a Long Stride (けをし大足, keoshi ōashi)
[Missing]
91. The Way of Planting an Idea in Someone’s Mind (論人ニ付法, ron hito ni tsukeru hō)
[Missing]
92. The Way of Extracting Toad Oil (飛きの油取様, hiki no abura toriyō)
[Missing]
93. The Way of Knowing if Someone Approaches (人来知法, hito kitaru wo shiru hō)
[Missing]
94. The Way of Saving Those Who Have Been Strangled (首〆人生す法, kubi shime hito ikasu hō)
[Missing]
95. The Way of Saving a Suicide Victim (自害人生す法, jigai hito ikasu hō)
[Missing]
96. The Way of Saving Those Who Drown (水溺人生法, mizu oboreru hito ikasu hō)
[Missing]
97. To Revive a Dead Person in a Winter Camp (冬陣死人生ス, fuyujin shinin ikasu)
[Missing]
98. To Be without Shortness of Breath When Running (走時息不切, hashiru toki iki kirezu)
[Probably, using a small bundle of straw wrapped in cloth]
99. The Way of Swatting the Mosquito (蚊を討法, ka wo utsu hō)
[Missing]
100. The Way of Swatting Flies (者いを討する, hai1 wo utasuru)
[Missing]
101. Reversal of the Scabbard End (こじ里返, kojiri gaeshi)
[Missing]
102. Grabbing the Hilts of Swords (柄取逢法, tsuka toriau hō)
[Missing]
103. Thy Way of the Stopping Body Movement (身動不成法, miugoki narazaru hō)
[Missing]
104. The Way of Changing People at Night (夜人変ル法, yoru hito kawaru hō)
[Missing]
105. The Way without Water (水無法, mizunaki hō)
[Missing]
106. Sword Thievery (刀とら連たる, katana toraretaru)
[Most likely, the act of securing swords when asleep]
107. To Carry Oil and Fire at Night (夜油火持出ス, yoru abura hi mochidasu)
[Missing]
108. To Hold a Lantern with the Hand (手提灯持, te chōchin wo motsu)
[Multiple light-based skills appear in the text.]
109. The Way When You Encounter a Wild Boar and a Bear (猪熊逢法, ino kuma au hō)
[Found in the Bishamonden Kenjutsu scroll; not translated in this book]
110. The Way When You Encounter a Bandit (山達ニ逢法, yamadachi ni au hō)
[Points on mountain bandits are found in the Mizukagami, Mizukagami Kuden no Oboe, and Mizukagami Shinsatsu scrolls.]
111. Traveling Alone (飛とり旅, hitori tabi)
[Small hints are found within some teachings.]
112. The Way of the Inside of a Mosquito Net (かやの内法, kaya no uchi no hō)
[To use a sword to look from below the net]
113. Encountering a Monster (化生者ニ逢, keshōmono ni au)
[Found in the Mizukagami Shinsatsu; magical spell to discover if there is a monster present]
114. The Knowledge of the Chaser (追掛者心得, oikakeru mono no kokoroe)
[Multiple skills found in the Mizukagami Shinsatsu scroll, such as caltrops, trip wires, and positioning]
115. Projectile Weapons for Capturing (飛道具捕, tobi dōgu tori)
[Some elements remain, but many are missing.]
116. The Way of Capturing a Person You Meet (逢人捕法, au hito toru hō)
[Missing]
117. The Way of Not Feeling Pain (無痛可成法, mutsū narubeki hō)
[Missing]
118. The Way of Making the Jittoku (The Tool of Ten Uses) (十徳拵様, jittoku koshirae yō)
[Tool found in the Dōgu no Maki scroll, but details unknown]
119. The Coup de Grâce (とゝめ指法, todome sasu hō)
[Missing]
120. One Thousand Uses of the Spear (鑓千徳, yari sen toku)
[Missing]
121. The Way of Stopping a Stabbing Sword (突刀取法, tsuku katana toru hō)
[Missing]
122. The Place Where You Should Grab Armor (よ路以手掛所, yoroi te wo kakeru tokoro)
[Missing]
123. How to Hold the Reins of a Horse (馬手綱摂, uma tazuna wo toru)
[Missing]
124. The Way of Observing the Formation of Clouds (雲立見法, kumo dachi miru hō)
[Missing]
125. The Throwing Fire Arrow (なけ火矢, yakitsuke hiya)
[Missing]
126. Horse Striking (馬能当リ, uma no atari)
[Missing]
127. Close Distance Arrow Strike (矢際当リ, chikai atari)
[Missing]
128. Tools to Have on Hand When Traveling (旅手道具, tabi te dōgu)
[Multiple tools and skills are taught for traveling.]
129. The Direction of Those Who Chase (追掛者方角, oikakeru mono no hōgaku)
[Missing]
130. The Way of Approaching a Horse (馬逢者法, uma au mono no hō)
[Missing]
131. The Tradition of the Manji (万字習, manji no narai)
[The tool named manji is found in the Dōgu no Maki scroll. It appears to be a combat tool with a swastika-formed head. Skills are unknown, but it is an art form that was taught in the main Keibukan school.]
132. War Helmet Wings (吹返し具, fukikaeshi gu)
[Missing]
133. The Way of the Invisible Hat (隠帽子法, kakure bōshi no hō)
[Missing]
134. The Secret of Words When Fighting (喧嘩口上秘傳, kenka kōjō hiden)
[Missing]
135. The Way to Discover if There Is Water or Not (水有無法, mizu ari nashi no hō)
[Missing]
136. The Way of Kuji (九字法, kuji hō)
[Repeat of article 6]
137. To Be Surrounded by Fire (火包ま連る, hi tsutsumareru)
[Missing]
138. How to Extinguish Cholera (ころ里取, korori tori)
[Missing]
139. The Way of Using the Fox (狐遣ひ法, kitsune tsukai hō)
[Found in the Mizukagami Kuden no Oboe scroll; a ritual involving a fox with nine tails found in Japanese folklore]
140. The Way of the Sage (仙術之法, senjutsu no hō)
[Missing]
141. Dispelling Nightmares (悪夢退ル, akumu shirizokeru)
[Missing]
142. The Way of Writing on a Stone (石ニもの書法, ishi ni mono kaku hō)
[Missing]
143. The Way of Inserting a Wish into Wood (木ニ志之込法, ki ni kokorozashi no komeru hō)
[Missing]
144. The Posture of the Shinto Gateway (鳥井構, torii no kamae)
[Found in the Bishamonden and Bishamonden Kenjutsu scrolls, and in Shinjin Ryū, but not translated here]
145. The Way of War (軍佐法, ikusa no hō)
[Missing]
146. Horseback Riding (馬乗様, uma nori yō)
[Missing]
147. The Knowledge of Loyalty and Filial Piety (忠孝心得, chūkō kokoroe)
[Some parts are discussed in the Shinkan no Maki scroll.]
148. Knowledge of Ritual Suicide (切腹心得, seppuku kokoroe)
[Found in the Kaishaku narabini Seppuku Dōtsuki no Shidai scroll]
149. The Knowledge of Beheading (介錯心得, kaishaku kokoroe)
[Found in the Kaishaku narabini Seppuku Dōtsuki no Shidai scroll]
150. When a Horses Missteps (馬足踏違, uma ashi fumi tagaeru)
[Missing]
151. The Way of Wind (風之法, kaze no hō)
[In combat, to stand with the wind to the rear]
152. To Get a Sleeping Person to Talk (寝多る人物云ス, netaru hito mono iwasu)
[Missing]
153. To Predict If the Following Day Will Be of Ill Luck or Not (明日吉悪知, asu yoshi ashi wo shiru)
[Missing]
154. The Way of Hiding in Clouds (雲隠法, kumogakure no hō)
[Missing]
155. Changing a Timid Person into One of Strength (物恐人強する法, mono-oji suru hito tsuyokusuru hō)
[Missing]
156. Swimming for Those Who Are Poor Swimmers (水心無川ヲおよく, mizugokoro naku kawa wo oyogu)
[Missing]
157. The Principle of Not Striking (無伐大事, utanu daiji)
[Missing]
158. The Principle of Invincibility (無敵之大事, muteki no daiji)
[Missing]