Heki Danjō Masatsugu
Heki Danjō Masatsugu (日置弾正政次, 1443 in Yamato, Japan – 1502) was a warrior and the creator of the school of basic archery skills for footsoldiers. Heki Danjō's teaching started one of the prominent schools of kyūdō, which is named Heki-ryū after him. Several Heki-ryū branches are taught actively even today.
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Heki Danjō lived in warlike times when it was considered honorable to be linked to famous warriors. For this reason there is no certainty to the connection between every Heki-ryū branch and the historical figure Heki Danjō. It is known however that Heki Danjō taught Yoshida Shigekata, who compiled the lessons in a scroll (mokuroku), which is still an important part of Heki-ryū's teaching.[1][2]
The founder of Heki-ryū Insai-branch, Yoshida Genpachirō Shigeuji, wrote about Heki Danjō as a manifestation of the god of war Hachiman. History tells us little of his life. Heki Danjō was born in Yamato, became a famed archer in a battle, taught kyūjutsu and shortly before his death, he became a monk at Mount Kōya.[3]
See also
- 日置流 (Heki-ryū) in the Japanese Wikipedia
References
- Leif Bagge, The history of Heki Ryu From the Insai Ha point of view
- Hideharu Onuma (1993). Kyudo: The Essence and Practice of Japanese Archery. Kodansha International. p. 16. ISBN 978-4-7700-1734-5.
- Feliks F. Hoff (2002, engl.): Kyudo – the Way of the Bow, Shambala 2002, ISBN 1-57062-852-1