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Kempo (Kosho Ryu)
Contributor: Mark Edward Bober (kempo@itw.com)
Introduction:
Kosho Ryu Ken/mpo is a philosophical art much like Jeet Kune
Do but with a Zen influences...lots of mind science material and
healing arts. It is not a style of compiled kata or specific techniques..it
is a study of all motion and therefore cannot be stylised to look
like a specific teacher or animal movement. Thus, this writeup
will discuss only the history of the art.
Origin: Japan
History:
Kosho Shorei Kempo was created by several happenings, spanning
a period of centuries. According to Mitose Sensei, during the
invasion of Genghis Khan, the Head Monk of the Shaolin Temple
fled China and found refuge with the Mitose family. In appreciation
for the kindness of the Mitose's, he taught them Shaolin Chuan
Fa (Shorinji Kempo in Japanese). From James Mitose's book:
"Fifteen hundred years ago, the ancestor (of the Author) was
a Shinto priest. He studied and taught many different martial
arts including sword fighting, lance fighting, fighting with the
bow and arrow, fighting on horseback, and swim fighting. Some
arts looked like Kempo, Karate, Gongfu, and Ju-jitsu- but they
were different in many ways. He mastered all of these arts and
became Grand Master. Then Grand Master Mitose founded a martial
arts school and called his style Mitose's Martial Art School."
In 1235 a Shinto priest whom James Mitose called his first ancestor
became enlightened to what we call Kempo. According to Mitose,
this man was a martial arts master and a Buddhist monk studying
at Shaka-In who found it difficult to be both. His religion taught
him pacifism; his martial art taught him destruction. He pondered
this dilemma under an old pine tree meaning Kosho in Japanese.
He became enlightened and was from then on known as, Kosho Bosatsu,
the Old Pine Tree Enlightened One. He discovered the relationship
between man and Nature and also the secret of the Escaping Arts
which is what makes Kempo a True and Pure Kempo or study of all
Natural Law through a Martial Arts medium. Then "the Grand Master
founded the Kosho Shorei Temple of Peace, True Self Defense and
Kosho Shorei Yoga School. At that time, he made up the Coat of
Arms and the Motto for his Temple. In his Temple, he taught how
to escape from being harmed by using the escaping patterns, with
God's help."
Only 2 people in the world learned the Escaping Arts from Mitose
Sensei and one of these two learned all the facets of Kosho, namely
its 22 Generation Grandmaster Bruce Juchnik. The highest goal
is to defend oneself without body contact unlike Okinawan/Japanese
Karate systems or many other Ken/mpo systems.
Kosho Ryu influences can be seen in Ed Parker and his creation
American Kenpo. He added many labels to concepts inherent in Kosho
that had Japanese names or no labels at all.
References: "What Is Self Defense" 1953 James M. Mitose "What
Is True Self Defense" 1981 James M. Mitose
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