Niten Ichi Ryu also known as Nito Ryu (Japanese to
English trans: the school of two swords) was a form of Kenjutsu (Japanese swordsmanship) created by the legendary sword-saint Musashi Miyamoto (birth name : Takezo Shinmen.)
The style is mostly noted for it's use of using two swords in harmony as one...one to parry, and the other to
kill (ex.)
From what I understand of the style's
history, Musashi was highly trained by his
father in Juttejutsu (skill w/ a steel truncheon) in both standard Jutte, and the Manji-jutte (cross shaped truncheon.)
The jutte is a defensive/offensive tool that switches between the two at a blink....the precursor to the modern Sai used to Okinawan kobudo....
A lateral parry w/ a Shoto (short
sword) with a counter cut using the Daito (long
sword) is a classic example of Nito Ryu (
aka Niten Ichi Ryu.)