(1795–1867), commonly known by his name alone, was a Japanese Zen priest and

martial artist Martial arts are codified systems and traditions of combat practiced for a number of reasons such as self-defense; military and law enforcement applications; competition; physical, mental, and spiritual development; entertainment; and the preserv ...

from the

Edo period The or is the period between 1603 and 1867 in the history of Japan, when Japan was under the rule of the Tokugawa shogunate and the country's 300 regional '' daimyo''. Emerging from the chaos of the Sengoku period, the Edo period was characteriz ...

. He is known for being the founder of the

Fusen-ryū was a koryū, traditional school of jujutsu founded by Motsugai Takeda. It contains a complete system of martial arts, including unarmed fighting (''jujutsu''), staff (''bōjutsu''), short staff (''jojutsu''), sword (''kenjutsu''), sword drawing ...

school of

jujutsu Jujutsu ( ; ja, link=no, 柔術 , ), also known as jiu-jitsu and ju-jitsu, is a family of Japanese martial arts and a system of close combat (unarmed or with a minor weapon) that can be used in a defensive or offensive manner to kill or subdu ...

Biography

A member of the Takeda clan, Motsugai was rumored to be descendant of

Shingen Takeda , of Kai Province, was a pre-eminent ''daimyō'' in feudal Japan. Known as the "Tiger of Kai", he was one of the most powerful daimyō with exceptional military prestige in the late stage of the Sengoku period. Shingen was a warlord of great ...

. At 16, after being disowned due to a fight, he became a Sōtō Zen monk and traveled around Japan as a

takuhatsu is a Japanese term used to refer to the Buddhist monastic almsround. Theravāda In Theravāda Buddhism, ''takuhatsu'' is referred to by the Pāli term ''piṇḍacāra'' (). Monks or nuns on ''piṇḍacāra'' go around town on foot with thei ...

. He was ordained as a priest at Saihoji Temple in

Kyoto Kyoto (; Japanese: , ''Kyōto'' ), officially , is the capital city of Kyoto Prefecture in Japan. Located in the Kansai region on the island of Honshu, Kyoto forms a part of the Keihanshin metropolitan area along with Osaka and Kobe. , the ci ...

. Takeda was skilled in

calligraphy Calligraphy (from el, link=y, καλλιγραφία) is a visual art related to writing. It is the design and execution of lettering with a pen, ink brush, or other writing instrument. Contemporary calligraphic practice can be defined as "t ...

painting Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a solid surface (called the "matrix" or "support"). The medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush, but other implements, such as knives, sponges, and ...

, haikai

poetry Poetry (derived from the Greek ''poiesis'', "making"), also called verse, is a form of literature that uses aesthetic and often rhythmic qualities of language − such as phonaesthetics, sound symbolism, and metre − to evoke meanings i ...

, tea ceremony and antiques restoration, but was more famous for his martial skills and his immense strength. Motsugai was trained in eighteen styles of martial arts, both armed and unarmed, and his

feats of strength Strength athletics, also known as Strongman competitions, is a sport which tests competitors' strength in a variety of non-traditional ways. Some of the disciplines are similar to those in powerlifting and some powerlifters have also successfully ...

included moving heavy rocks, uprooting trees, winning tug of war competitions against masses of people and breaking wooden boards with his bare fists. The last skill, which granted him the nickname of , was so famous that his friends and clients asked him to leave the mark of his knuckles on the pillars of their houses and their

go board Go equipment refers to the board, stones (playing pieces), and bowls for the stones required to play the game of Go. The quality and materials used in making Go equipment varies considerably, and the cost varies accordingly from economical to ex ...

s as a proof of their friendship with him. Motsugai was called to Kyoto as a mediator during the

Meiji Restoration The , referred to at the time as the , and also known as the Meiji Renovation, Revolution, Regeneration, Reform, or Renewal, was a political event that restored practical imperial rule to Japan in 1868 under Emperor Meiji. Although there were ...

, and there he had a famous confrontation with the

Shinsengumi The was a special police force organized by the (military government) during Japan's Bakumatsu period (late Tokugawa shogunate) in 1863. It was active until 1869. It was founded to protect the shogunate representatives in Kyoto at a time when ...

. Once while he was walking around the city, Motsugai spotted an open training hall where the Shinsengumi were sparring with their

shinai A is a Japanese sword typically made of bamboo used for practice and competition in ''kendo''. ''Shinai'' are also used in other martial arts, but may be styled differently from ''kendo shinai'', and represented with different characters. T ...

swords and stopped to observe them. The policemen were offended by this, and they brought Motsugai inside in order to beat him as a punishment for his indiscretion. However, the monk was tougher than expected and defeated them one after another with just his one-handed nyoi scepter. When Isami Kondo saw this, he took a yari spear and challenged Motsugai to pick a real weapon as well and fight him. Motsugai accepted the duel, but he stated a monk shouldn't use weapons and instead wielded two wooden begging bowls.Thomas Cleary, ''Samurai Spirit: Ancient Wisdom for Modern Life'' When an infuriated Kondo attacked, Motsugai trapped his spear between the bowls and, releasing him with a loud kiai, threw him to the floor over his backside. Amazed, Kondo got up and asked his identity, and only then Motsugai revealed his name. According to sources, Motsugai's most renowned opponent wasn't a man, but a woman, being the

onna bugeisha ''Onna-musha'' (女武者) is a term referring to female warriors in pre-modern Japan. These women fought in battle alongside samurai men. They were members of the ''bushi'' (warrior) class in feudal Japan and were trained in the use of weapons ...

Shuei of the Matsudaira clan, which the

would serve in the future. Shuei challenged him to a sojutsu competition, and they fought for a day and a night before it was declared a draw.John Stevens, ''Budo Secrets: The Teachings of the Martial Arts Masters''

References

{{Authority control 1795 births 1867 deaths Japanese Zen Buddhists Japanese martial artists Martial arts school founders Takeda clan Edo period Buddhist clergy