Itō Ittōsai Kagehisa (伊藤 一刀斎 景久, fl. ?–?) was a Japanese swordsman originally named Itō Yagorō. He is attributed as the founder of the Ittō-ryū ("one sword" or "one stroke") school of sword fighting. According to legend, he floated across the Sagami Bay on a piece of driftwood from Ōshima Island, part of the Izu Islands. The trust of the local villagers was earned when Yagorō chased away a group of bandits that went around raiding and pillaging. As he desired to be a great swordsman, the villagers paid for Yagorō's travels in seeking out a master. On his journey, Yagorō reached Tsurugaoka Hachimangū Shinto shrine in Kamakura where he paid homage to the gods and practiced his swordsmanship. One particular day, an unknown assailant tried to attack Yagorō but he, unconsciously and without thinking, drew his sword and cut down his attacker in one swift stroke. Not understanding this technique, Yagorō would later describe it as Musōken (夢想剣), a fundamental aspect of his swordsmanship's philosophy. Musōken 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.
