Toda Seigen

Who was Toda Seigen?

Toda Seigen a renowned swordsman during the Sengoku Period in 16th century Japan. Seigen was reputed as a master of the Chūjō-ryu style of sword fighting, excelling in the kodachi art. It is thought that Toda Seigen was the teacher of the famous swordsman Sasaki Kojirō. However, it is not truly known if such information is true, with some rather believing that Kojirō was trained by one of Seigen's students, Kanemaki Jisai. However, one account has said that during Kojirō's childhood, he "...received the instruction of Toda Seigen, a master of the school of the short sword, and having been the partner of his master, he excelled him in the wielding of the long sword. After having defeated his master's younger brother he left him to travel in various provinces. There he founded his own school, which was called Ganryū." Seigen followed in his own death during some year in the 1590s.