NOTES
1. AN INTRODUCTION TO THE LOST SCHOOL: MUBYŌSHI RYŪ AT A GLANCE
1. For a full explanation on the division between military and civilian skills, see Antony Cummins, Samurai and Ninja: The Real Story behind the Japanese Warrior Myth that Shatters the Bushido Mystique (Clarendon, VT: Tuttle, 2015).
2. Uematsu Sensei only claims his lineage from Kaneko Kichibei, but with careful research, Mieko Koizumi has managed to redefine the correct lineage. This could increase to the 16th if Niki Shinjūrō is entered into the lineage. However, this count was started at Hagiwara Jūzō.
7. THE ORIGINS OF THE SCHOOL
1. There are no personal pronouns in this document; they have been added in translation for grammatical ease. This additional information was probably written by Hagiwara Jūzō’s students or by him, and he is not used in the original text.
2. The concept here is that the skills were not invented by those using them, and while those using them may not understand their origins, it does not hamper their effectiveness.
3. The two versions of this scroll state different meanings for the word: torii (gateway to a shrine) and tori (a bird). Here it has been transcribed as bird. In the Kinseishiryōkan version of the Bishamonden it is 無極鳥居之構 (mukyoku torii no kamae); in the Kensei Kusabuka Jinshirō book version Bishamonden, 無極鳥之構 (mukyoku tori no kamae).
4. This skill can be seen in the scrolls Mizukagami Kuden no Oboe and Bishamonden Kenjutsu. It is also the name of a martial skill.
5. A skill with a similar name can be seen in the scroll Mizukagami Kuden no Oboe.
6. Yuikarigane, a design of a family crest that contains a bird with simplified crossed wings in a circle form. 
7. The implication here is a form of smoke screen and a shinobi-bullet or shinobi-ball.
8. THE MARTIAL ARTS OF MUBYŌSHI RYŪ
1. Kusari-dama is an alternative for 鎖分銅 (kusari-fundō).
2. Unknown. Literal translation. No transcription has the full information on this tool.
3. This title is also used in other places to indicate throwing an appropriate tool at the enemy to help capture him.
9. THE SIXTEEN POEMS OF MUBYŌSHI RYŪ
1. Meaning that the farther afield you search, the less you will find.
2. The original manual is worm-bitten, and sections are missing. The Japanese has been compiled from a modern transcription from another version. Therefore the meaning may differ.
3. Meaning that trying too hard to control the mind is not mastery over the mind.
4. The second half loses some of its essence in translation, and its correct interpretation may be lost.
10. THE SCROLL OF THE MIND
1. The character used in the title of the scroll, 鑑, can be translated various ways, including “paragon,” “model,” “criteria,” and “reflection,” and in this scroll it has been translated differently to better convey the original message. For example, in the title, the term reflecting has been used to show that the information within the scroll is information used to advance the mind, while criteria and model have been used later to show that it is a list of states or ideals to be reached for.
2. 請 (uke) in this context means “to receive from outside,” and while less detailed and more ambiguous in the original text, it has been rendered here as “perception.”
3. The original text states “do not touch anything” because if you do, the cart will run downhill, meaning keep your mind on the “cart.”
13. THE ART OF SEPPUKU
1. Meaning that compliments should be subtle and reserved.
2. A person observing whether the ritual is performed (後見の人, kōken no hito).
3. Kaishaku.
4. 咄者.
5. This is described in the scroll Mizukagami and implies where the rhythm and feel are correct.
6. One horizontal cut and one vertical cut in the abdomen.
7. 検使 (kenshi).
8. かんなかけ (kanna kake).
9. たとう紙 (tatōshi).
14. DEEP SECRETS AND THE ARTS OF THE SHINOBI
1. Meaning that the victim will pick up the white item, and the killer will identify his position in the harsh conditions.
2. 中間 (chūgen), servants to samurai.
3. Meaning that fallen blood will not give away your path, and they will not know if you went to higher or lower ground.
4. It will appear that you have walked out of the river, not into it.
5. 邯鄲の枕 (kantan no makura), found in Chinese literature under the title Chinchūki (枕中記) by Zheg-Zhong-Ji (沈既済). In the story, the man borrows a pillow from a monk and falls asleep. In his dream the man is shown a vision of his future full of promotion and glory, but wakes up to realize that only a few moments have passed. The term kantan (邯鄲) in the name of this pillow is a city in China, and in Chinese this means “the pillow of Kantan City” (Japanese reading). As described in the scroll Mizukagami Shinsatsu and the Mizukagami Kuden no Oboe, this pillow foretells an intruder. Two terms, 邯鄲師 (kantan-shi) and 枕探し (makura sagashi), appear In Japanese customs and are associated with thieves stealing belongings from the beds of travelers. Therefore, here kantan is to avoid theft.
6. Iga and Koka traditions state that when under a net like this, a samurai should have his swords partially drawn and the scabbard jutting out under the netting. This way if a thief takes a sword, he will only grip the scabbard, and the sword will remain with the sleeping man. See Antony Cummins and Yoshie Minami, Iga and Koka Ninja Skills: The Secret Shinobi Scrolls of Chikamatsu Shigenori (Stroud, UK: Spellmount, 2013).
7. About three feet behind and to the left of the samurai.
8. Literally, “it is wrapped.”
9. Extra information inserted from the scroll Mizukagami Shinsatsu.
10. おりかね (orikane), a hook on a scabbard that hooks under the samurai’s belt. This gives the scabbard a fixed position and allows a better draw. In this situation, the sword is not in the belt, and the attacker does not need to hold the scabbard in place with his left hand when he draws it. In this case, the attacker has his sword on his shoulder, moves it upward, hooks this fitting onto his topknot, and draws one-handed. From this position it appears that he cannot draw.
11. The last sentence has been inserted from the Mizukagami Shinsatsu scroll. The two articles are almost identical, so it has been omitted from the latter and the extra information inserted here.
12. “Enemy” has been inserted from the same article in the Mizukagami Shinsatsu scroll. This article has been deleted from the latter.
13. 忍ひ人, “shinobi person.” Each version differs in the characters used for shinobi. The version here is taken from the Tamagawa Library. This should not be mistaken for 忍び入 (shinobi-iru).
14. 甲矢乙矢 (kōya and otsuya), two arrows held together when performing archery.
15. のうれん (nouren).
16. 縄簾 (nawasudare).
17. 尻戸 (shirido).
18. Gateways and checkpoints were closed at night. A cockerel’s cry meant it was morning, and the gate was opened for them to pass.
19. 庚申 (kōshin), one of a sixty-day cycle used in the traditional Japanese calendar, where the day of the Monkey and Kanoe meet, both of which are days of the metal element. The association with metal implies that the hearts of people are cold and cruelty abounds. Also, there is a Japanese traditional gathering called Kōshinmachi (庚申待) on this day, and people did not sleep that night. The origin of this is from China, where it is said that a “worm” that took on human shape, animal shape, or a mixture of human legs and a bull’s head, and measured two sun (2 inches) in height, would leave the body and visit the King of Heaven to divulge all the sins of its host. People would therefore stay awake to stop the worms leaving their bodies and reporting their faults. After eighteen festivals over a three-year period, people would erect monuments.
20. とりかき (torikagi).
21. For this skill, see Cummins and Minami, Iga and Koka Ninja Skills. However, the original can be taken a second way, to mean “estimate the distance.”
22. This last sentence is taken from the Mizukagami Shinsatsu scroll. This article has been deleted from that scroll due to the repetition.
23. This first sentence has been moved from the Mizukagami Shinsatsu scroll.
24. 武士の道 (bushi no michi).
25. The concept is found in Cummins and Minami, Iga and Koka Ninja Skills, 129. The concept is that the body should be set to die and be “solid,” meaning brave and formidable, while the mind should remain tactical, giving a samurai a strong and formidable presence while having the ability to find a way out of the situation.
26. 蝋燭 (rōsoku), most likely a form of oil lamp and not a candle in the modern sense of the word.
27. Meaning that as the samurai turns to observe the other man, he must make sure that the blade does not turn away with him.
28. A flicking action to strike the underside of their blades with the hard back edge of the sword.
29. The text has the intention that the strike should be made when the feeling of the correct time and rhythm is apparent, and not to be too analytical on the matter.
30. Some transcriptions only have points 1 and 3.
31. Used to tie the hair back.
32. おかミ討 (ogamiuchi).
33. The implication here is that they are not full-time professional shinobi but that they have acquired the skills of the shinobi in their school. It is clear that these articles are concerned with revenge.
34. The title of the article suggests how to deal with bandits, but the text implies that the samurai reading this instruction should be a bandit. The original manual is not clear about whether this is an instruction in the art of thieving, but it may have purposely been made vague. The words you should do not appear in the text, but the instructions show that these are actions to be done.
35. Meaning to work as a mountain bandit.
36. Tsuba.
37. Unknown point.
38. See note 5, above.
39. This tradition is expanded upon in the Mizukagami Shinsatsu scroll.
40. 寝長ケのけむもむ.
41. Meaning move to the left of the ally or opponent and use the sheathed katana to stop the enemy strike.
42. The original text is unclear. This could mean place a hand behind your own back, pull your own scabbard, and break the seal between the sword and scabbard. However, it could also mean that you hold your friend’s scabbard to break the seal of the sword in secret to allow him a faster draw.
43. Again, an unclear meaning. It can be interpreted a few ways: maybe to grab the opponent’s scabbard and twist the sword in the belt. However, the original is too vague to fully understand. An alternative version is that the sword, which is at your side when sitting, is turned blade inward. This will prepare the blade for drawing when standing to fight. Furthermore, it could refer to the sword being bound with a silk seal in a person’s house and bringing about advantage for allies and disadvantage for opponents.
44. Unknown samurai.
45. Literally; “sword in the space between kimonos.”
46. Alternative reading: futokorogatana no daiji.
47. Tsuba.
48. In Hyōgo province, a remote mountain area.
49. 八重菊 (yaegiku).
50. 本尊 (honzon). This could indicate a statue.
51. The front and back of a sword changes depending on the type and position it is worn. Here it is a tachi; the correct side can be seen in figure 14.55.
52. Shinogi.
53. Ibid.
54. Japanese folklore holds that a fox, upon reaching the age of one thousand years, becomes highly magical and has nine tails.
55. The methods of the shinobi.
56. Documents that carry multiple signatures, letters of promise, and so on.
57. 佛割の志のひ.
58. 沈切, a small flexible saw.
59. Either gold paper or gold leaf.
60. Do not show surprise at such occurrences.
61. A similar poem also appears in Yoshimori’s poems, poem number 49 in The Secret Traditions of the Shinobi. See Antony Cummins and Yoshie Minami, The Secret Traditions of the Shinobi: Hattori Hanzo’s Shinobi Hiden and Other Ninja Scrolls (Berkeley, CA: Blue Snake Books, 2012).
62. 勢 (sei).
63. Shave the head into the hairline of a samurai.
64. Tsuba.
65. Bakemono.
66. Meaning a supernatural creature.
67. 化生之者 (keshō no mono).
68. Hon’nin.
69. 悪物 (ashiki mono).
70. Bakemono.
71. Extremely tentative translation. 前トル馬 is an unknown term.
72. 10 p.m.
73. Walking in the chi of yō is a positive aspect, but the middle of the road turns to chi of in after this time, which is negative.
74. The scabbard opening that the sword fits into. The newly chopped end protrudes out of the water.
75. This differs from the Mizukagami scroll. Here it says to use a branch and not a walking cane. This is done to leave a false trail.
76. When the samurai has killed someone, this chant must be spoken.
77. Meaning when the nights get longer. Traditionally the Japanese New Year is around February.
78. 大福掛物 (daifuku kakemono).
79. The second floor; in British English called the first floor.
80. ケン筆 (kenpitsu).
81. This could be a stabbing or a hitting motion, or may also be shooting with a bow.
82. Possibly the cardinal points.
83. The stone is to be thrown into the water to make the pursuer think that the shinobi has jumped into the water.
84. Literally “inside the ship.”
85. The text does not say so, but it is likely that this mean small blades with the image of Kurikara Fudō engraved on them.
86. Chūgen, servants to samurai.
87. Meaning count eight and four places around the traditional compass directions (fig. 14.85) in a clockwise direction. Those are the directions thieves will come from.
88. Most likely the hands clasped together with the index and middle finger extended.
89. Possibly a skill for a horse but may also be used for humans.
90. It is unknown whether burning pine resin is a magical element or if it is to induce coughing to be able to distinguish a male cough from female.
91. Keshikaran-mono.
92. Possibly エン佛 (en butsu) rather than ユン佛 (yun hotoke).
93. Modern-day Yamaguchi Prefecture.
94. Literally “red bat.”
95. A version of this poem is also found in Yoshimori’s one hundred shinobi poems, number 42 in Cummins and Minami, The Secret Traditions of the Shinobi.
96. Ear wax is mixed into the ink and an ear pick is put in the writing set so that the samurai can get ear wax when out on campaign or traveling.
97. The syntax sounds as if the shinobi are making the birds chirp as a part of their strategy and plans.
98. Many of those that replicate early scrolls have been omitted from this list but are still found in this book.
15. RITUAL MAGIC
1. Images in this scroll are courtesy of the Amagasaki Municipal Archives (尼崎市立地域研究史料館蔵石田太郎氏文書をもとに加工).
2. For example, for the author, honmyō is the Horse, and eight places along the zodiac is the Ox, the author’s ganshin. This way, a person can find the points that affect his or her horoscope.
3. Serge Mol, Invisible Armor: An Introduction to the Esoteric Dimension of Japan’s Classical Warrior Arts (Mol, Belgium: Eibusha, 2008).
16. KUDEN—ORAL TRADITIONS
1. Hae, in modern Japanese.
18. BONUS MATERIAL
1. Different sources have variations on this date.
APPENDIX E. JAPANESE TRANSCRIPTIONS
1. 戦国時代に活躍した剣豪で、塚原卜伝と互角に戦い引き分けとなったという逸話がある。13歳で郷里を離れ、剣の修行をつみ、29歳のとき郷里に戻り、深甚流を編み出したと伝えられている。甚四郎についての記録は後世のものだけで、彼自身の書いたものや、生存していた頃の史料はなく、彼の生没年すら不明である。しかしながら、深甚流は江戸時代、加賀藩の武学校経武館に伝授され、多くの子弟を養育した。
2. 慶尊院とする伝書もあるが、二木新十郎政長と思われる。
3. 深甚流では、「みずかがみ」と読む。萩原重蔵の伝書も「みずかがみ」と読むが、現在、伝わる無拍子流柔術の技名は「すいきょう」と読む。
4. 他書では「岩井」となっているものもあるが、上松先生の伝書には「岸井」と書かれている。
5. 近年では利家を藩祖、初代藩主を利長とし、綱紀を四代目藩主とする解釈もある。
6. 「吉平」と書かれているものもある。
7. 近年では十二代目藩主とする解釈もある。
8. 「宗助」と書かれているものもある。
9. 奥書の「興」の文字は「與」にも見える。『加賀藩経武館武藝小伝』 [示野喜三郎, 1975]では「与三兵衛」。
10. 近年では十代目藩主とする解釈もある。
11. 安政の頃（1854年頃）に加えられた。
12. 文政11年(1828)11月には、石丸弥太郎は経武館で無拍子流と一相流を教授していた。金子吉兵衛の弟子・石丸太郎政より無拍子流を学ぶ。（『加賀藩経武館武藝小伝』 [示野喜三郎, 1975]）
13. 大田清蔵は、一惣無躰流を編んで、安政頃（1854〜）、山岸流居合と共に一惣無躰流を経武館で教授した。（『加賀藩経武館武藝小伝』 [示野喜三郎, 1975]）
14. ここでは、大田鍋次郎を一相無躰流としているが、『加賀藩経武館武藝小伝』 [示野喜三郎, 1975]では、大田鍋次郎の弟子・大田清蔵が一惣無躰流を編み出したとある。また、大田鍋次郎は、無拍子流を金子吉兵衛の弟子・下村冬蔵から、一相流を松本是太夫に学び、二流を折衷し一相無拍子流と称し、安政年頃（1854〜）無拍子流と共に経武館で教授していたという。
15. 近年では十二代目とする解釈もある。
16. 山立ち。山賊のこと。
17. ノリ（血）
18. 邯鄲の枕。唐の沈既済の小説『枕中記』の故事のひとつ。また、古くは、宿泊して目が覚めたら就寝中に盗難の被害にあっていたという状況を邯鄲といった。
19. 方人（かたうど）。味方、仲間のこと。
20. 甲矢（はや）と思われる。2本持って射る矢のうち、初めに射る矢。
21. 乙矢（おとや）。2番目に射る矢。
22. 函谷関（かんこくかん）。中国河南省にあった関所。
23. 「敗軍」か？
24. 傾くの意か。
25. 泥み
26. 髻（たぶさ、もとどり）。日本で行われた昔の結髪法のひとつで、髪を頭上に束ねたもの、またはその部分をいう。
27. 検脈
28. (Figure 14.77) 参照
29. 鱗（ウロコ）
30. 不明
31. 空手水（からちょうず）。柄杓で手に水をかけるまねをして、手を清めたことにすること。
32. 不明
33. かわらけ（土器）
34. ケサヌ（消さぬ）と思われる。
35. アラハル（現る）か？
36. 唾（つばき）
37. タカイ（違い）
38. コト成（異なる）
39. 足を切られた化物は、前足を取られた（失った）馬のようである、の意か？
40. 「拾う」の書き間違いか。
41. 「拾ハ子ハ（拾わねば）」の書き間違いか。
42. 意味不明
43. 者き物（はきもの、履物）
44. あとさき（後先）
45. 弓手（ゆんで）。左手のこと。
46. 馬手（めて）。右手のこと。
47. 七曜の星（しちようのほし）。北斗七星のこと。
48. 柔らかなるところ
49. 寝さすべし
50. もし二階などは
51. 撞く（つく）。つきさす。
52. 「四方に」か？
53. 屋根へ上る
54. トモス（灯す）か？
55. フセカン（ふせがん）か？
56. 斜に
57. 押手ノ（右手の）」か。
58. 「ヒ」は「此」の書き間違いか？
59. のふれん（暖簾）
60. 函谷関（かんこくかん）
61. とり鍵
62. 「取」か？
63. 「置」か？
64. 「計」か？
65. 半夏（はんげ）。カラスビシャクの根茎を、外皮を取り除いて乾燥したもの。漢方で去痰・鎮嘔(ちんおう)・鎮吐薬などに用いる。
66. 不動のじく（慈救）の咒（呪）。不動明王の慈救呪。
67. ヘカラス（べからず）
68. 瘧（おこり）。一定の周期で発熱し、悪寒やふるえのおこる病気。マラリヤ性の熱病の昔の名称。
69. 芦毛
70. 屋根
71. トコロ（野老）。ヤマイモ科の蔓性多年草。根茎は正月の飾り物とされ，また苦味を抜けば食用となり，煎（せん）じて消炎・利尿薬とし，腰やひざの痛みに用いる。