Oniwaban 御庭番

By the mid Edo period, the Iga and Koga Ninja originally retained by the Tokugawa Shogunate for their inherent information gathering capabilities had turned to mainly provide security functions for Edo Castle due to restructuring within the Shogunate and a decline in ability, with the Shogunate’s official information gathering function shifting from the Ninja to the Onmitsu. However, despite the Shogunate’s heavy reliance on Onmitsu, the 8th Shogun Yoshimune felt the necessity for an information gathering function that would not pass through the administrative bureaucracy of the Shogunate’s senior advisors, and would report directly to him in order to maintain his authority. He employed the services of a group of former Kishu samurai as the “Oniwaban”. The official role of the Oniwaban was the administration of the inner gardens of Edo Castle; however, their actual role involved information gathering by the order of the Shogun. Masaki-ryu Nakajima-ha Kusari Juttejutsu transmits traditional combative techniques of the Oniwaban as part of our curriculum.

江戸中期では幕府に召抱えられていた伊賀者・甲賀者の忍びは幕府の組織再編成や実力低下で本来長けていた情報収集活動から、城中警備を主に担当する こととなりましたが、その後、幕府の公的情報収集機能は忍びの者から隠密へと移っていきました。 しかし、隠密とは別に、８代将軍徳川吉宗が幕政の主導権を握るために、老中以下の行政機構を経由しない将軍直属の諜報機能の必要性を感じ、紀州より連れて きた元紀州藩士を「御庭番」として編成しました。御庭番とは表向きは江戸城の奥庭を管理する職務でしたが、内実は将軍の命を受けての情報収集活動でした。 正木流中島派鎖十手術は御庭番特殊の武術も併伝として伝えております。