, was a Japanese swordsman, originally named Ità  Yagorà Â. He is attributed as the founder of the Ittà Â-ryà « ("one sword" or "one stroke") school of sword fighting.
According to legend, he floated across the Sagami Bay on a piece of driftwood from à Âshima Island, a part of the Izu Islands. The trust of the local villagers was earned when Yagorà  chased away a group of bandits that went around raiding and pillaging. As he desired to be a great swordsman, the villagers paid for Yagorà Â's travels in seeking out a master. On his journey, Yagorà  reached Tsurugaoka Hachimangà « Shinto shrine in Kamakura where he paid homage to the gods and practiced his swordsmanship. One particular day, an unknown assailant tried to attack Yagorà  but he unconsciously and without thinking drew his sword and cut down his attacker in one swift stroke. Not understanding this technique, Yagorà  later described it as Musà Âken (夢æ³å£), a fundamental aspect of his swordsmanship's philosophy. Musà Âken is either an offensive or defensive technique that is delivered spontaneously and without thinking, fully anticipating an opponent's movement; a type of extra-sensory perception similar to mushin.
In another predicament, Ittà Âsai developed Hosshato when engaging multiple enemies in his bedroom. He later changed his name to "Ità  Ittà Âsai Kagehisa" (Ittà Âsai being a 'Bugà Â', martial name). It is said Ittà Âsai's style evolved from the Chà «jà Â-ryà « style of his master, Kanemaki Jisai. Among the many pupils that Ittà Âsai trained, one such was his successor, Ono Tadaaki who went on to serve the Tokugawa. The Ittà Â-ryà « style is grounded for some in Zen influence due to Ono Tadaaki's contact with the famed Buddhist priest, Takuan Sà Âhà Â. This is a reasonable assumption since later Ittà Â-ryà « swordsmen advocated directness and simplicity in their technique of the "one stroke."
In order to become famous, it is said Ità  Ittà Âsai fought 33 duels in a Musha shugyà  without losing even once, which makes him second only to Miyamoto Musashi's over 60 duels.
His main sword was a katana crafted by the Ichimonji school, heirs of the great Emperor Go-Toba's investment in swordmaking. This sword was the one Ittà Âsai used in his 33 duels, and was later passed on to Grand Masters of the Ittà Â-ryà «, starting with the 4th one, Kamei Heiemon.
In one of Ittà Âsai's duels, he defeated Mikogami Tenzen, who later changed his name to Ono Tadaaki, despite Ittà Âsai being armed with a wooden bokken and Tenzen using a traditional steel katana. Ittà Âsai wielded his weapon so precisely that he didn't harm Tenzen at all. Tenzen went on to be Ittà Âsai's disciple and became the second head of Ittà Âsai's ryu.
Ittà Âsai features in Takehiko Inoue's award-winning manga Vagabond, heavily featuring as a mentor-type character during the manga's 'Kojiro arc', but also appearing later to duel Miyamoto Musashi.
Ittà Âsai appears as a recruitable character in the game Inindo, produced by Koei for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. He will frequently be found challenging the player to a duel.