Nakae Kitō-ryū Jūjutsu 中江起倒流柔術
The School of Rising and Falling
Kiyose Nakae 清瀬中江 teacher of Kitō-ryū Jūjutsu 起倒流柔術. Recently, I was given access to many original and rare photos of Kiyose Nakae teaching Kito-ryu Jujutsu in his NYC apartment. In the photos are my teacher, Mike Depasquale Sr. and two other fellow students. Kiyose Nakae taught three different programs. He taught a general self-defense course to the public and at various gyms around NYC. He also taught a Kodokan Judo program. In private, he taught a line of Kito-ryu Jujutsu. In each of these programs, he issued a paper to indicate your level of completion within that program. He did this for his Kito-ryu private students as well. His Kito-ryu curriculum consisted of 30 base Kata broken into a number of sub-sections. Each sub-section had its own focus. My teacher, Mike Depasquale Sr., only taught Kito-ryu to a few individuals, including myself. This particular line of Kito-ryu is not influenced by the development of Kodokan Judo. This means the Kata are closer to the older, more original methods of the school. Most Kito-ryu today is similar to the ritualized practice of the Kodokan’s Koshiki no Kata. These are not the original methods of Kito-ryu. This was put together by Jigoro Kano himself as a system to pass along the principles of Kito-ryu. Even though the names of the Kata might be similar, it is a huge mistake to think they are done the same as to the older pre-Kodokan. During the development of the Kodokan, even the scrolls of Kito-ryu were altered. So you will come across older maki and newer maki. Same titles, but the content is not the same. There are no Kodokan teachings for how to use the Hiki (secret tools) of Kito-ryu combined with the Kata. Such weapons training was never a part of the Kodokan or its form of sportive Judo.
Kiyose Nakae 清瀬中江 born June 12, 1883 in Tottori-ken 鳥取県, Japan.
- In 1903, he first entered the United States.
- In 1922, Kiyose Nakae was working by demonstrating Jujutsu on stage for the Keith Vaudeville circuit. He demonstrated various “tricks” included disarming policemen. He exhibited his skill before the entire squad of policemen on day duty who were bewildered at his speed. Using an unloaded revolver, several of the policemen attempted to pull the trigger of the gun before Nakae Sensei could either twist it so that the bullet would be sent in an opposite direction or to arrest the gun from their hands. He also showed them several holds by which unruly persons could be taken without much trouble.
- In 1930, Kiyose Nakae now age 46, was living in Chicago. He listed his occupation as a physical health instructor.
- In 1942, his US draft registration card was numbered U7891. Kiyose Nakae now age 58 resided at 5 West 52 St in New York.
- Kiyose Nakae taught at the Sigward Sports Academy. Which was one of the oldest martial arts schools in New York City from back in the late 40s, 50s, and 60s. The academy was run by Robert H. Sigward who authored the book ‘Modern Self Defense’.
- In 1942, my teacher Mike DePasquale Sr. first trained with Kiyose Nakae Sensei at the Sigward Sports Academy and his private home dojo which was located then in Manhattan, NY. Nakae Sensei taught Kodokan Judo, various self-defense courses, and Kitō-ryū Jūjutsu to his private students. This was my teacher’s first school for Japanese Budo.
- In 1958, Kiyose Nakae authors the book ‘Jujutsu Complete’ demonstrating various ‘tricks’ from his self-defense courses.
- In 1962, the New York Times published an obituary on August 31. Summarized, Kiyose Nakae, age 79, died at United Hospital in Port Chester, NY. He had taught Jūjutsu in Greenwich Village for many years.
- Kiyose Nakae had a number of predominate students who went on to run their own schools of Judo, Jujutsu, or systems of “modernized” self-defense. Some of which worked closely with the development of early on military combatives. There are only a couple of direct students of Kiyose Nakae alive today who still actively teach. I was fortunate to have learned Nakae Kitō-ryū Jūjutsu from my teacher Mike Depasquale Sr.
Principles of Kito-ryu go here with an overview of the 30 Kata way of training.
Nakae’s public self-defense and Kodokan Judo course overview goes here.
Kiyose Nakae book information goes here, as what the contents represent.
Mike Depasquale Sr. training and teaching Kito-ryu goes here. background and brief history goes here.
Kitô Ryû Kumiuchi Mondô Tô Hiki Gohô 起倒流組討問答・同秘器五法 Questions and Answers about the usage of the secret devices/tools/weapons of Kitô Ryû within their methods of Kumiuchi. It is about their usage of Kakushi Buki that are unique to this school.
