was the founder of the Hokushin Ittà Â-ryà « Hyà Âhà  (Ã¥ÂÂè¾°ä¸ÂÃ¥ÂÂæµÂå µæ³Â) and one of the last masters who was called a Kensei (sword saint).
Chiba Shà «saku was the son of the swordsman Chà «zaemon, who was originally from Miyagi Prefecture. He was born as the second son of his family in Kesen-Mura. His father Chà «zaemon studied Kenjutsu under Chiba Kà Âemon Narikatsu (founder of the Hokushin Musà Â-ryà «). There has been some confusion about Chiba Shà «saku's ancestry and birthplace. Shà «saku's father Chà «zaemon had moved his family to Mito, Chiba prefecture, and demonstrated his swordsmanship skill at the end of the 18th century. Afterwards, Chà «zaemon was adopted by Chiba Kà Âemon Narikatsu and given the new name Chiba Chà «zaemon Naritane. Shà «saku originally studied the family martial art, the Hokushin Musà Â-ryà «, of the Chiba clan, first from his father and later directly from his grandfather, Chiba Kà Âemon Narikatsu.
In 1809, Chiba Chà «zaemon moved with his family to Matsudo, near Edo. In Matsudo Shà «saku studied the Ittà Â-ryà « under Asari Yoshinobu Matashichiro and Nakanishi Chubei Tanemasa. Shà «saku married Asari Yoshinobu Matashichiro's daughter, changed his name to Asari Shusaku Narimasa, and took charge of the Asari dojo. After a falling out with his father-in-law, Shà «saku changed his name back to Chiba and began his Musha shugyà Â, visiting many Dà Âjà  and dueled many famous swordsmen of ryà «ha like the Shinto Munen-ryà «, Jikishinkage-ryà «, Maniwa Nen-ryà «, different Ittà Â-ryà « lines and many other.
After studying several styles of martial arts, Shà «saku created his own style in the 1820s, and called his school Hokushin Ittà Â-ryà « Hyà Âhà  (Ã¥ÂÂè¾°ä¸ÂÃ¥ÂÂæµÂå µæ³Â). The name is a combination from Hokushin Musà Â-ryà « and the Ittà Â-ryà « lines he studied.
In some ways the Hokushin Ittà Â-ryà « Hyà Âhà  is a simplification of the Ittà Â-ryà « forms, but one that concentrates on the essentials. Shà «saku's teaching methods were seen as revolutionary and influenced other styles. In the Bakumatsu-period there was a saying, "If someone needs 6 years of training to master a ryuha, he will only need half the time in the Hokushin Ittà Â-ryà «". The curriculum of the school contains mainly Kenjutsu, Battojutsu, Naginatajutsu and Jà «jutsu.