Hayashizaki Shigenobu

Hayashizaki Shigenobu ( Japanese 林 崎 重 信 ; * 1542 in Japan ) was a samurai and, according to tradition, the founder of Iaidō . His childhood name was Asano Tamijimaru ( 浅 野 民治 丸 ) and his adult nickname was Jinsuke ( 甚 助 ).

He lost his father early on. According to tradition, he prayed to the deity Hayashizaka myōjin ( 林 崎 明 神 ) for 100 days in 1559 , in today's district of Hayashizaka in the city of Murayama , who revealed the technique of drawing the sword to him. He called this Battōjutsu ( 抜 刀 術 ). He then founded the Shinmusō Hayashizaki-ryū sword fighting school ( 神 夢想 林 崎 流 , German "Hayashizaki school of divine vision").

Under his influence and that of his best students, the various Iaidō styles developed.

Individual evidence

1. ↑ ^{a b} 黒 田 鉄 山 : 林 崎 甚 助 . In: 朝日 日本 歴 史 人物 事 典 at kotobank.jp. Retrieved September 7, 2010 (Japanese). 

Japanese name: As is common in Japan, the family name comes before the first name in this article . So Hayashizaki is the family name, Shigenobu the first name.