japanese december september japanese martial artist fourteenth school sword fighting contacts rose position political influence taught government military academy served personal guard japan fall instrumental preserving traditional japanese sword techniques early era despite eventual opposition practice sword fighting sport work period laid foundations modern sport later years taught number noted martial artists honoured death early life born fifth day eleventh month december clan given birth family lived village near modern day tokyo started studying proved proficient style granted licence mastery despite family poor pay later fourteenth school talented men faced minutes moving swords striking blow period appointed professor sponsored military academy received post auspices teacher granted teaching position role noticed appointed bodyguard fencing instructor married daughter personal order interfere duties student temporarily placed charge school head keeper castle received year resigned post death started neighbourhood modern period despite connections battle participate fighting pro imperial forces considering duty guard temple fact rescue time abbot physically carrying away combat subsequently returned service family captain guard served offered position refused loyalty group created forms style sword fighting created use police worked briefly prison guard police headquarters new banned carrying swords banned practice traditional longer popular tried find new ways promoting motives financial sponsor like martial artists era suffering poverty accept help wife uncle constructing residence began organising sword combat performances feeling public competitions appreciation art audiences started organisation called fencing society inspired popularity wrestling organised contests public organised group took place april lasted week martial artists witnessing success followed suit public performances occasionally demonstrated technique called helmet breaking involved steel helmet single stroke sword performed emperor demonstration organised emperor relatives sword masters present attempted cut succeed cutting helmet despite fact unable cut practice attempts despite success performances later years regretted development view rules new forms longer relevant battlefield combat point scoring era ignoring light touches opponents order deliver powerful strikes nonetheless practices began created interest fencing led ultimately development modern later years returned coach train trying hand unsuccessfully running storytelling theatre bar trained included head foreigners austrian ambassador fencing expert german physician founder studied new year day passed disciple died heart failure september year age temple tokyo given posthumous buddhist inducted japan federation
Sakakibara Kenkichi