Takenaga Hayato

Who is Takenaga Hayato?

Takenaga Hayato 竹永 隼人 was the founder of the mainline Yagyū Shingan-ryū a.k.a. Shingan ryu martial arts tradition circa 1600. The YAGYU SHINGAN ryu in its entirety is a school of Heiho jutsu.

Takenaga left his home in Sendai and travelled to Edo where he became employed by the Yagyu family. Yagyu Munenori later heard of the martial prowess of Takenaga Hayato and allowed Takenaga to engage in training the Edo line Yagyū Shinkage-ryū. His progress was remarkable and in due time he was put to the test and as a result Yagyu Munenori passed on the gokui of the Edo line Yagyu Shinkage ryu to Takenaga Hayato.

Yagyu Munenori knowing Takenaga Hayato was from the Sendai domain possibly took a liking to Takenaga as Yagyu Munenori was on good terms with the daimyo Date Masamune Lord of the Sendai domain c.1600.

The Yagyu Shingan ryu tradition was originally known as Shingan ryu and the name Yagyu was included in the tradition on the direction of Yagyu Tajima No Kami Munenori to Takenaga Hayato just before he returned to his home in Sendai.

Before founding the Yagyu Shingan ryu Takenaga Hayato had mastered the Shindō-ryū, Shinkage-ryu - Divine Shadow, Shuza-ryū, Toda-ryū and the Edo line Yagyu Shinkage ryu - Yagyu New Shadow School. It was the Shindo ryu of Ushu Tatewaki which clearly influenced Takenaga.