During his early years Daisuke had studied in a Tendai monastery on Mount Hiei-zan, in the art of Shugendo, which taught one to purify ones self by trial and hardship.

Having been defeated in the battle of Awaza no Kassian, Daisuke was forced to flee to the Iga mountains where he changed his name to Daisuke Togakure (after the village where he was born). While there he met with Kagakure Doshi, who was the third Soke of Hakuun Ryu Ninjutsu.

Daisuke added Hakuun techniques to his own Shugendo practices and beliefs and Togakure Ryu was born.

Shima Kosanta Minamota no Kanesada, a high level Samurai retainer and friend of Daisuke also studied under Doshi and became the second Soke of Togakure Ryu.

Shima's son Goro Togakure, the third Soke of Togakure Ryu, is believed to be the person who actually formed Togakure into the Ninjutsu system that it is today.

The Togakure family had control of Togakure Ryu until about 1625 when the immediate family died out and control was then passed onto the Toda family.

Nobutsuna Toda was the 24th Soke and added Kumogakure Ryu techniques to the Togakure system. The Toda family also controlled Gyokko Ryu and Koto Ryu Ninjutsu.

Almost 1000 years after the founding of Shugendo, the 33rd Soke of Togakure Ryu was ordained on Mount Hiei-zan, Toshitsugu Takamatsu.

It is thought that this art comes from China from around the Tang Dynasty (618 - 907 AD).

The first Soke of Gyokko Ryu was Tozawa Hakuunsai in the Hogen Era (1156 - 1159).

The Bugei Ryu-Ha Daijiten refers to Gyokko Ryu as Koshijutsu Shitojutsu Ninpo. Koshijutsu means, "to knock down an enemy with one finger".

This style uses powerful blocks with the knuckles that destroy the muscles of the opponent.

Also ripping and piercing techniques are employed such as Boshi Ken.

Gyokko Ryu involves grappling, locking and throwing as well as weapon arts such as Sword, Tanto and Bo staff.

Kuki Shinden Ryu Happo Hikenjutsu is a battlefield style whose specialty is Happo Hikenjutsu (eight ways of the hidden sword).

The founder of Shinden Fudo Ryu Dakentaijutsu was Izumo, who had studied Chinese Kempo boxing. The second Soke, Minamoto Hachiman Tamenari, is thought of as the official founder and brought together the techniques we see today.

The school has two styles of fighting, Dakentaijutsu and Jutaijutsu and also teaches HoJo Jutsu (the art of tying an opponent with rope), Yari (spear), Ono (war axe), O-Tsuchi (War Hammer) and Naginata.

Shinden Fudo Ryu use the principles of nature, and as such there are no stances.

Takamatu's grandfather, Toda Shinryuken Masamitsu, was the 24th Soke of Shinden Fudo Ryu and a master of Bikenshin Ryu as well as a sword instructor to the Tokugawa Shogunate. Shinden Fudo Ryu was the first style of Ninpo that Takamatsu learned.

Gyokushin Ryu is very similar to Gyokko Ryu and it is thought that its founder, Sasaki Goeman Teruyoshi, was from the Gyokko Ryu. Initially taught in secret in the Kishu and Takeda provinces, Gyokushin Ryu at some time in the 1600's came into contact with Toda Nobutsuna and Togakure Ryu.

Gyokushin Ryu uses many espionage skills and is also know for the Nagenawa (lasso). It is thought that Kano Jigoro, the founder of Judo, taught Gyokushin Ryu at the Kodokan School.

The fighting style of Koto Ryu may have originated in China and been brought to Japan by Chan Busho. Sakagami Taro Kunishige founded the style that is taught today in 1542 and was a Soke of Gyokko Ryu Koshijutsu.

Koto Ryu is a system using Koppo Jutsu (bone smashing techniques) and Kyusho (pressure points) to defeat the enemy.

Koto Ryu also used a very unusual sword fighting method with a stance called Mangetsu no Kamae, where the sword is held above the head and the blade used to reflect sunlight into the opponents eyes.

Gikan Ryu was founded by Uryu Gikanbo, a Daimyo of Kawachi no Kuni. This style had many special kicks, punches and throws that have been taught orally and are not written down.
Gikan Ryu uses the bodies’ natural movement for its power and skill.

Takagi Oriuemon Shigenobu founded Takagi Yoshin Ryu.

Takagi Oriuemon was chief instructor of swordsmanship at Shiraishi castle in Oshu (present day Tohoku region), having mastered Takeuchi Ryu Jujutsu, Yoshin Ryu Kodachi, and Kenko Ryu Sojutsu.

Takagi Oriuemon also founded Hontai Yoshin Ryu and both can trace their origins back for 18 generations.

Takagi Yoshin Ryu specializes in grappling and throwing. Other techniques are based around Bojutsu and there is a very strong link here with Jujitsu. "Soft like cotton, hard like lightning; courage to win against ten thousand men".

The Toda family as a school of thought possibly developed Kumogakure Ryu in the 1600’s. This Ryu is famous for its Demon Masks that it wore to scare the enemy.
The Ryu also used a special weapon called a Kamayari (hooked spear). The blade was used to trap and break an opponents sword or to hook an enemy from above.
Kumogakure Ryu also taught survival skill.

Togakure Ryu ¦ Gyokko Ryu ¦ Kuki Shinden Ryu Happo Hikenjutsu ¦ Shinden Fudo Ryu
Gyokushin Ryu ¦ Koto Ryu ¦ Gikan Ryu ¦ Takagi Yoshin Ryu ¦ Kumogakure Ryu