Nakakura Sensei Tsuito Kikaku

By authorization of  the magazine "Kendo Nippon" (May 2000)

Nakakura Kiyoshi  The Spirit of the Fighter.

On February 9, 2000 Nakakura Kiyoshi (Kendo Iaido 9 dan) passed away

First, he stood out among the pupil of the Dojo of Nakayama Hakudo sensei, then, at many taikai before and after the war, he showed his absolute strength to everybody.  Also he taught many Kendoka at many places like Police in Kanto area, Hitotsubashi Univ., Chuo Univ. and so on.  His life can be called Kenkyaku (the person survive his life by using sword) itself even in this era.

He came up to Tokyo to live his life by Kendo.

He started to be one of the students of Nakayama Hakudo sensei.

Nakakura Kiyoshi hanshi was born in the Higashi Kushira? mura Kanzoku? gun Kagoshimaken on Meiji 43.  He is the third son among five children.  Though the other children were quite gentle and mild, only he was strong tempered and sharp since he was a small boy.

When he was in the fifth year at the primary school, he began practicing Kendo; at that time he was already incredibly strong with excellent physical ability.  He also played wonderful active parts in the many taikai around his area for 3 years in Koto ka ( like Junior high ), for 2 years in Hon ka (like high school).

At the year of his graduation from Hon ka, Daido kan Budo Senshu gakko was built in Kagoshima.  Imamura Sadaharu who called himself Saigo Takamori in Showa jidai opened this school. He developed his private Dojo into this Budo special school by getting the authorization by the Kagoshima prefecture.  In 2 Showa, at the age of 17, he entered this school.  That meant he began the way to be a professional Kendoka. 

The schedule in this Budo school is From 6 to 7 in the morning, Asageiko then until lunch the lessons for the general subjects like Math, Japanese and so on, in the afternoon, from noon to 2 and form 6 to 8 Keiko.  These Keiko was taught by Maruta Kanehiro sensei and Shibagaki Masazumi sensei.  The contents were only attacking, attacking, attacking against sensei with no break (like kakari geiko) and received Tsuki felled down to the floor, blocked by shinai pushed back out into the Garden by sensei.  It was said to be terrible awful Keiko like students were nearly fainting during the Keiko. 

After graduate 1 year in Hon ka and 1 year in research at Daido kan, he became a Kendo teacher at the school called Daito sha Kougei juku.  One day they made a school trip to Tokyo, at this time, he visited Nakayama Hakudo sensei, who was called the god of Kendo and had keiko with the pupil of the Dojo.  Nakayama sensei looking his keiko invited him to come to Tokyo and practice at his Dojo.  Nakakura entered Yushinkan Dojo of Nakayama Hakudo at the age of 19 in January 5 Showa.  Once he decided something he was very quick to do everything.  He came to Tokyo like running away from the post of the teacher at Kogeisha. 

Yushinkan Dojo had the grading match twice a year.  At the first match after Nakakura entered Yushinkan, he suddenly continued to win for 16 people and also the match against the other Dojo, his strength stood out quickly.  In 5 Showa, autumns there were taikai called Kodansha Yusho shiai in which participated a 3-person team from every Dojo from Koto senmon gakko, University, company and private dojo fight. (it is the kind of all national championship at this time).  In that taikai, he fought as a member of Yushinkan with Haga Junichi and Kamuro Isao, and they finished as a winner fighting against Emperor Police in the final. After this win, for 10 years until the war disturbed kendo,  he made great records in each taikai.  With Haga and Nakajima gorozo, they were called Yushinkan 3 strongest fighters. 

The Next year in April, he entered the Emperors Police (Kogu Keisatsu), accepting their invitation. In May, he received 'Seiren shou' from Dai Nihon butoku kai in Kyoto.  This is 'seiren shou' is the same as  'Renshi' now, but the meaning of it is heavier than Renshi now.  The next month, in the match of Keishichou against Emperor police, (in this match, there are 20 fighter and one person fight until he loses) Nakakura sensei won against 8 people and against the 9^th person he did hikiwake.  In this match, he was a hero of the final win. In the Maiji jinguu taikai (all police taikai) he was one best 4 even he lost to Mr Ito Masaji, Keishichou.  In this period, his name was getting more and more famous. 

At that time there was no Taikai like All Japan Kendo Taikai, which was open for every one.  Except Tenran Taikai, which were held 3 times since Showa jidai started, there was Butokusai enbu Taikai (this is the former taikai of Kyoto Taikai now), but it was not the taikai to decide the champion.  There was one more famous taikai, which had the same reputation as Butokusai, this is Saineikan kendo taikai which was organized by The Imperial Police Kendo club.  It had several parts of match, but the most famous one is the 5 people so atari match (each person fight every other 4 person).  For this match 5 strongest Kendo ka were chosen and they fought to decide the strongest Kendo ka in Japan.  In this match in the year of 10 Showa, Nakakura sensei is the one of the 5 people with Kojima Kametaro, Sato Sadao, Ono Soichiro, Osawa Mamoru, and he became a champion after all 4 wins. 

In the Meiji jingu Taikai that is the former of the Nation taikai (kokutai), in the year of 8 Showa, he was champion of the tournament of adults under 30 years old.  Also there was one big Dojo in Sendagaya in Tokyo called Kodogi kai. They organized the big Budo Taikai. This was the team tournament. In the year of 12 Showa, they started the Renshi championship and almost 180 Kendo ka joined it. In this match he also won the tournament after winning against Ooka (at that time he was the most famous strong student from Waseda University.)

In the year of 13 Showa, in Seineikai Kendo taikai, there was the Renshi taikai (which has 16 people to fight) and he also won.  In the year of 14.Showa he received the 'Kyoshi go' at the age of 28.  It almost never happened before for one so young to receive it. In the year of 15 Showa Kodogikai taikai, they started the Kyoshi championship and he joined it as a youngest Kendo ka and he had many win against 10 or 20 years older and he also won this taikai. In this period he won almost all taikai.

In Showa 9 he had already been the Shihan (head teacher) of the Tokyo Shoka university (Hitotsubashi Univ. now) at the young age of only 24!

In the East vs West match, he made an incredible 9 wins!  People called Him ONI (Japanese monster)

In Showa 16, the war started.  He did a good job in the several match like Miyazaki jingu Taikai (the former taikai of all japan east west Taikai ) Showa 16, 10^th anniversary celebration taikai held at Manshu new kyoshinbuden in Showa 17 and so on.  However the matches itself where getting fewer due to the war. 

Shiseikai was a famous Kendo club in the kendo history created by Nakakura and Nakano Yasoji and Watanabe Toshio, the student of Takano sensei's school. At that time, the group of Nakayama Hakudo and that of Takano Sasaburo divide the Kendo society into two also with the small group, the kendo ka were discouraged to go the other school to practice freely, it also influenced the Shinpan of the Taikai. To correct this situation, they created this club. They continued the practice during the period just after the war when officially no Kendo existed. But in Showa 22 he went back to Kagoshima after the last training with Nakano sensei in Shiseikai. 

In Showa 27, Zen Nippon Kendo Renmei was started and officially kendo recovered.  The next year, he became a Shihan of the Kagoshima city Police. This year 1^st all Japan Kendo Championship were held.  At this time, even though he was at the young age of 43, people said he is the one of the closest to champion.  But this championship he might have been hindered by his injury, and he lost in the second round.  The next year, in the semi final he lost against Nakao but he won the match to decide 3^rd place against Abe Saburo and he got the 3^rd place as people expected.  Also this year, all Japan prefecture Taikai, he was the member of the Kagoshima team.  He fought as Taisho and the team won the Taikai. 

However the most impressive match to show his strength was all Japan East vs. West Taikai started in Showa 29.  He joined this Taikai 8 times in total and he did not do even lose one.  His result in this Taikai is 18 wins and no loss.  At the beginning, it had also selected people individual match and he fought 3 times then he won in Showa 30. Around this year, he could recover his strength as before the war. 

In Showa 31, East vs West Taikai was held in the Miyagi Kyujo in Sendai, which had 20 thousand people to watch the taikai (it might well be the record of kendo history). He fought as a 5 shou (5^th fighter from the Taishou) against 9 shou of the East team and continued to win until Taishou of east and he gave the big reverse victory to the Wast team.  Taishou is Chichii who is one the best student of Takano Sasaburo.  At next year Showa 32, he fought as a 3 shou.  This year the strength of both the teams looked almost same and when he fought, 4 people left in east team also.  He beat all of 4 and he gave the victory again.  The 4 people are Nakano Yasoji and Watanabe Toshio who are friends from Shiseikai and Ogasawara Saburo and Taisho is Sato Sadao who had practiced together in the Imperial Police.  Because of this series of his good job in the 2 years in East vs. West Taikai, newspapers called him ONI of East vs West Taikai ( Touzai Taikai ). 

The last match for the East vs. West Taikai was in Showa 38, and he fought as a Taisho against the Taishou of East Tsurumi Iwao and he won then again gaining victory.  In Showa 37 in the all Japan National Taikai (prefecture team Taikai KOKUTAI) he was on the team of Kagoshima together with his son Eiji and won the Taikai. 

In Showa 41, he went to Tokyo again. There he taught in the several police dojo in the east area and also in university’s like Hitotsubashi Univ. continued before the war and Chuo Univ. Bouei Idai Univ. etc.      

He thought Tai sabaki as a most important thing

And kept the conception that Kendo needs Attacking

Kendo Nippon had the series article of half-life of Nakakura sensei titled 'Showa retsukenhu’ which started the 2^nd edition after that published as a book titled 'Kiden'.  We picked up a few words, which tells us the concept of Nakakura sensei for Kendo. 

'If you want it to be said that you are strong in shiai or you are strong in Keiko, you must have plenty of various waza (tecnique).'

'If I am asked what is the most important thing in Kendo, then I will answer: Tai sabaki (Body Movement).

' I think the important ness of movement of the side direction (left & right) for Kendo is more than the other sports, and also I always put this idea in my mind for the practice.  If you have only forward & backward movement then you will be only backward against strong Seme. We are better to take the practice of Ayumi ashi & Hiraki ashi for the training.'

'In the old age like me, Ayumi ashi seems better.  Not only when I attack or defend but also when I am attacked or defended, to protect myself Ayumi ashi is better.'

His Kendo itself and his idea for Kendo keep importance on Kirikaeshi for the side direction which is from Shinto Munen ryu of the teacher by Nakayama Hakudo, also it is influenced by the Aikido which he learned in his young age from Ueshiba sensei.

Mr. Sakaguchi Kadochiyo, who practiced a lot with Nakakura at Kagoshima city Police, said remembering that period:

”His practice is full of the spirit and whole his life (inochi gaka in Japanese).  He never commanded in the practice like “You have to do this or that way”, instead of that, he beat and beat and beat.... and he would wait for the student to learn spontaneously by being beaten.  He never hesitated for the HARD keiko always saying, Kendo must attack, only when you attack you can have the nice face of Kendo.”

He kept the strong spirit like the above whole his life.  In the Tachiai on the Kyoto Taikai in the year of his death, he showed several of waza Kote Men Do with strong full spirit.  It stood out especially among the other 9^th Dan sensei’s who try to put the target on omitting the useless attack (Muda uchi) and concentrate on the very perfect ippon. 

Nakakura is we can say the last person who is more like Kenkyaku than Kendo ka.  (Kenkyaku is the Kendoka like in Edo jidai who live the life with using sword).  For the lots of meaning, we will never meet this kind of Kenshi.