九鬼神流棒術では次のような史実が伝えられている。
延元元年(1336)、足利尊氏のために後醍醐天皇が花山院に幽閉されている折、楠木正成をはじめとする南朝の忠臣たちがなんとかして天皇をお救い申し上げなければと思案している際、紀州の行者の一人、薬師丸蔵人もその席に座していた。そこで、忍びの法を会得している蔵人が武勇にも優れているということで、この大任を命じられた。 その時、蔵人は16歳の美少年であり、蔵人は御殿女中に変装して花山院に忍び込み、天皇を背負い奉り脱出せんと廊下つたいに忍び足、しかし運悪しく雑兵どもに発見されてしまった。
気合いもろとも、天皇を背負うまま門前まで飛び降りるものの、四方より侍大将はじめ、武勇 の者に囲まれてしまう。蔵人は木陰に天皇をお降ろしするなり、薙刀片手に、大将は誰か、と 叫びながら斬り込んでいけば、雑兵草行くごとく、蔵人行けば倒れ伏していった。
がしかし、大将はさるもの、蔵人の薙刀・荒波の切っ先を逆に斬り飛ばす。「したり」と蔵人 は六法九字霞の法にて奮戦、大将を打ち倒すところに楠木正成の軍勢が駆けつけ、天皇をお 救い申し上げたのであった。
Text and images of a densho painted by Soke Toshitsugu Takamatsu, published by Soke Masaaki Hatsumi in his book ADVANCED STICK FIGHTING, in 2005, Kodansha International.
In the bōjutsu of the Kukishin-ryū School (九鬼神流棒術), the following historical events have been passed down.
In the first year of Engen (1336), when Emperor Go-Daigo (後醍醐天皇) was confined in the Kazanin palace (花山院) by the order of Ashikaga Takauji (足利尊氏), loyal retainers of the Southern Court, led by Kusunoki Masashige (楠木正成), desperately sought a way to rescue the emperor.
Among them was Yakushimaru Kurando (薬師丸蔵人), a practitioner of esoteric arts from the Kishū region, “Kishū no gyōja” (紀州の行者), who had joined the gathering. As Kurando possessed mastery in the arts of stealth, shinobi no hō (忍びの法), and was also a distinguished warrior, he was entrusted with this critical mission.
Disguised as a palace maid, he infiltrated Kazanin. With the intention of carrying the emperor on his back to help him escape, Kurando moved silently, using shinobiashi (忍び) to slip through the corridors. However, unfortunately, he was discovered by the guards.
With a fierce kiai of determination, Kurando leapt toward the main gate, carrying the emperor on his back. Yet soon, he was surrounded by a group of brave warriors led by a samurai general. After carefully placing the emperor under the shade of a nearby tree, Kurando, holding a naginata in one hand, called out, “Who among you is the general?” and charged forward. Like the wind, Kurando cut through the soldiers who fell in his path.
Nevertheless, the general was a formidable opponent. He countered Kurando’s attack, skillfully deflecting and slicing through the blade of Kurando’s naginata, which surged like a raging wave, Arami (荒波). Undeterred, Kurando valiantly employed the technique known as Roppo Kuji Kasumi no Hō (六法九字霞の法) and continued fighting fiercely, defeating all the warriors around him, (using only the bō staff, as the naginata blade had been severed by the general). It was then that the forces of Kusunoki Masashige arrived at the scene and succeeded in saving the emperor.