Sōsuishi-ryū

Sosuishi ryu Kumi Uchi Koshi No Mawari 双水執流組討腰之廻 is a koryu bujutsu school that focuses on Kumi Uchi (jujutsu) and Koshi no Mawari (iaijutsu & kenjutsu). (N.B. The 'shitsu' (執) in Sosuishitsu in the Japanese language is a more modern pronounciation from the Meiji-era, whereas Sosuishi-ryu is the Bakumatsu-era pronounciation. Both Sosuishi-ryu & Sosuishitsu-ryu pronounciations are interchangable.)

Sosuishi Ryu 双水執流
File:Shitama Shuzo 1.jpg
Shitama Shuzo - 15th Generation

History of Sosuishi ryu

The legend of the founding of Sosuishi-ryu dates back to Futagami Hannosuke Masaaki in 1650. He was a district samurai living in the area of Bungo-Takeda, which was in the domain of Kuroda during the era called Sho-o. (Kobayashi Shiro-Zaemon Kumi Oumamawari 200 Koku Futagami Kudayu Kanbun era; now present day Oita and Fukuoka). Masaaki's father was an exponent of the Takenouchi-ryu and had founded his own school or ryuha, which was called Futagami-ryu. Masaaki, also a student of Takenouchi-ryu, felt the techniques of Futagami-ryu were imperfected. So in order to improve them he decided to travel all over Japan and train himself (Musha Shugyo). At one point he went deep into the rugged valley of Mt.Yoshino in Yamato, where for thirty-seven days he trained and sought enlightenment. He refined the finer points of his ryuha and honed the secret teachings that he had studied. He then assembled them to what he believed were the best of all his techniques. One day, while he was gazing at the Yoshino river, he noticed the water flowing and swirling together steadily. The training of his mind, body and spirit converged at that one moment. This event, called satori in Japanese, prompted him to change the name of Futagami ryu to Sosuishi-ryu in honor of his encounter at the Yoshino River.

Sosuishi ryu today

Today, Sosuishi-ryu has two main branches in Japan. The first is the Sekiryukan dojo in Fukuoka, Japan headed by the current, hereditary shihan (teacher) of the school Shitama Manzo. The second is the Seirenkan, practicing Matsui-ha Sosuishi-ryu in Tokyo, Japan led by Usuki Yoshihiko. While these schools are independent of one another, they maintain a close relationship.

The Sekiryukan and Sosuishi ryu Today

The following is an excerpt taken directly from the Sekiryukan website:

Throughout its history, a decline in the popularity of Sosuishi-ryu has often posed a real threat to its survival. However, the inheritors have always prevented this by learning and incorporating other techniques and theories such as Ogasawara-ryu and Kyushin-ryu, so that the tradition remains alive and relevant, and that the technique of Sosuishi-ryu is continuously developed. Today, this responsiveness to alternative disciplines is still maintained by the current 16th Master, Manzo Shitama, ensuring that Sosuishi-ryu technique continues to evolve. The legacy of Sosuishi-ryu from past masters comprises of such a vast and complicated array of techniques that it is nowadays simplified to make it easier to learn. This was initiated by the 15th Master Shusaku Shitama, to make Sosuishi-ryu accessible to as many people as possible, in recognition of increasing popular interest in classical martial arts.

Locations

The Shitama family dojo is in Fukuoka, Japan. Shibu dojo (branch dojo) in Japan includes Tokyo, Kyoto and Kuwana; authorized international branch schools (Kokusai Shibu dojo) are located in Australia, Singapore, the United Kingdom and the United States.

External links

• Shadanhojin Sekiryukan
• Matsui Ha Sosuishi Ryu Kumi Uchi Koshi no Mawari
• Sosuishi-ryu Jujutsu Kai
• Sosuishiryu, Australia
• Seishin-kan (Sosujutsu.com)

Demonstrations

Sekiryukan, Fukuoka:

Shitama Manzo

• Sosuishiryu Kumi Uchi

Shitama Shuzo

• Sosuishiryu Koshi no Mawari

Seirenkan, Tokyo:

• Matsui Ha Sosuishiryu Taijutsu
• Kumi Uchi
• Taikodachi
• Idori
• Koshi no Mawari