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→History of Sōsuishi-ryū: NEW MATERIAL NOT ON WIKIPEDIA
==History of Sōsuishi-ryū==
==History of Sōsuishi-ryū==
The legend of the founding of Sōsuishi-ryū dates back to '''''Futagami Hannosuke Masaaki''''' <ref>[http://www16.ocn.ne.jp/~sekiryu/edouzyou.html Shadanhoujin Sekiryukan]</ref> <ref>The name Masanori appears in print in the English Language. The name "Masanori" is a ''mis-reading/mis-pronunciation'' of the name Masaaki. </ref> in 1650 ''CE''. 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''. (now present day [[Oita]] and [[Fukuoka Prefecture|Fukuoka]]). Masaaki, was a practitioner of his family martial art Futagami-ryū and a high-level student of [[Takenouchi-ryū]]. He felt the techniques of Futagami-ryū were imperfected, so in order to improve them he decided to travel all over Japan and train himself by going on a pilgrimage (Musha Shugyo). At one point he went deep into the mountainous, rugged valley of Mt.Yoshino, where for thirty-seven days he trained and sought enlightenment. He refined the finer points of the technique of Futagami-ryū and honed the secret teachings that he had studied. He then assembled them into what he believed were the best of everything he had learned. 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-ryū to Sōsuishi-ryū in remembrance of his experiences at the Yoshino River.
'''[[The simple legend]]''':
The founding of Sōsuishi-ryū dates back to '''''Futagami Hannosuke Masaaki''''' <ref>[http://www16.ocn.ne.jp/~sekiryu/edouzyou.html Shadanhoujin Sekiryukan]</ref> <ref>The name Masanori appears in print in the English Language. The name "Masanori" is a ''mis-reading/mis-pronunciation'' of the name Masaaki. </ref> in 1650 ''CE''. 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''. (now present day [[Oita]] and [[Fukuoka Prefecture|Fukuoka]]). Masaaki, was a practitioner of his family martial art Futagami-ryū and a high-level student of [[Takenouchi-ryū]] under Hisamori Takenouchi. He felt the techniques of Futagami-ryū were imperfected, so in order to improve them he decided to travel all over Japan and train himself by going on a pilgrimage (Musha Shugyo). At one point he went deep into the mountainous, rugged valley of Mt.Yoshino, where for thirty-seven days he trained and sought enlightenment. He refined the finer points of the technique of Futagami-ryū and honed the secret teachings that he had studied. He then assembled them into what he believed were the best of everything he had learned. 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-ryū to Sōsuishi-ryū in remembrance of his experiences at the Yoshino River.
<ref>{{ja icon}}[Kiyoshi, Yamada & Tadashi, Watatani. 1978. Bugei Ryūha Daijiten. Tokyo Copy Shuppansha.]</ref>
<ref>{{ja icon}}[Kiyoshi, Yamada & Tadashi, Watatani. 1978. Bugei Ryūha Daijiten. Tokyo Copy Shuppansha.]</ref>
<ref>{{ja icon}}[Ryūchi, Matsuda. 1979. Hiden Nihon Jūjutsu. Shin-Jinbutsuoraisha.]</ref>
<ref>{{ja icon}}[Ryūchi, Matsuda. 1979. Hiden Nihon Jūjutsu. Shin-Jinbutsuoraisha.]</ref>
<ref>{{ja icon}}[Masaru, Negami. 2003. Sekiryūkan No Chōsen. Published by the Shadanhōjin Sekiryūkan.]</ref>
<ref>{{ja icon}}[Masaru, Negami. 2003. Sekiryūkan No Chōsen. Published by the Shadanhōjin Sekiryūkan.]</ref>
===The Shitama Family===
===A Problematic Timeline===
According to the above legend, Sosuishiryu’s founder Hannosuke Futagami was a direct student of the founder of Takenouchi ryu, Hisamori Takenouchi. However, there are some problems as the timeline does not match the legend.
Namely:
1) According to the Futagami family tree Hannosuke and his father Tokinari were warriors from the Fukuoka area who took part in the battle of Shimabara during Kanei year 14 (1637). Tokinari died in the battle during January of Kanei year 15 (1638) at age 70. Hannosuke was still alive but injured in the same time period .
2) After the war Hannosuke moved back to Fukuoka for an unknown period of time, where he built a temple in honor of his father, Tokinari. Here it is recorded that Hannosuke died on January the 5th of Genroku year 6 (1693) at the beginning of the Edo era, 78 years after the Keicho era had ended.
3) Based on the date of his death, it is safe to say that Hannosuke was born just before or right after the Keicho era, considering the average lifespan of a person from that time.
4) In contrast to this, Takenouchi ryu’s founder Takenouchi Hisamori died in Bunroku year 4 (1595).
This places Hisamori Takenouchi’s death before Hannosuke Futagami was born or when Hannosuke was no more than a few years old. Even if Hisamori’s date of death is incorrect and he lived longer than the average person, it seems physically impossible for Hannosuke to have been his student.
In 1881, a Menkyo Kaiden of Sōsuishi-ryū moved to Tokyo and began teaching the martial arts to the Akasuka Police in Tokyo. His name was Matsui Hyakutaro Munetada.
In contrast to this, Takenouchi ryu lists the name “Futagami” as a direct student of Takenouchi Hisamori. It also lists Takenouchi ryu and Futagami ryu as the martial schools he was master of. However, listed under “Futagami” is the name “Hannosuke” and the martial art he founded, “Sosuishiryu”. The “Futagami” recorded here as the student of Hisamori is Hannosuke’s father, Tokinari.
So, from this piece of evidence it is apperant that Tokinari Futagami was the direct student of Hisamori Takenouchi. Hannosuke Futagami was not Hisamori Takenouchi’s student but in fact a disciple of his father. Somewhere along the line, the two names were confused and the facts merged into one “enigma”.
===The Sekiryūkan and Sōsuishi-ryū Today===
====Hannosuke Futagami====
Upon returning from the battle of Shimabara to Fukuoka, Hannosuke was employed as an “Umamawari” (a type of bodyguard). According to the government records of the Fukuoka ward during the Kanbun era, Futagami Hannosuke (Kutayu) is listed as under the employment of a one Kobayashi Shirozaemon-kumi, (a high-rank bushi with a 200-koku income), as an Umamawari. He was dispatched to protect high-ranking officials living in or traveling through the area.
In Enpo year 3 (1675) the “Torenji Domain” was renamed the “Nogata Domain” as an extended area under the control of the Fukuoka Domain. It was at this time that Itami Kurozaemon,” a “karo” (chief retainer) of the Fukuoka Domain with more than a thousand koku, relocated there from Fukuoka along with many other samurai. This included Tashiro Seijiro, who succeeded as the second generation in Kanbun year 6 (1666).
In Hannosuke’s “Monjin-cho” (notebook of his students) the name “Itami Kurozaemon” appears, meaning that Itami was a student and perhaps a patron of Hannosuke’s.
In the Fukuoka Sekiryukan’s “A Brief History of Sosuishi ryu” it states that the school was established at the beginning of Edo period, during the Sho-o era (1652-1654) under the reign of shogun Ietsuna Tokugawa. It also says that “During the Sho-o era (Hannosuke) came to Chikuzen-Nogata with the support of Shitama Matashichi and he stayed with him.”
As mentioned previously the name of the domain at this time was “Torenji” and duriung those dates, the Nogata Domain did not exist yet. So this “Chikuzen Nogata” probably infers that Hannosuke stayed in/around Torenji Domain before the area was renamed.
Regardless of whether or not Futagami Hannosuke was in the Nogata during the Sho-o era, it is known that he spent 38 years of his life in the Fukuoka area from Kanei year 14 (1637) until Enpo year 3 (1675).
====A Basic Outline of Events====
Hannosuke returned to Fukuoka from Shimabara (Nagasaki) when his father Tokinari died in Kanei year 15 (1638). He healed his injuries and began working at a new career as an Umamawari under the new government. Then around the Sho-o era he left Fukuoka for training. On his return home from training he met Matashichi Shitama who invited Hannosuke to Nogata, where he temporarily relocated. Hannosuke then changed the name of Futagami ryu to Sosuishiryu and was summoned to serve in the Bungo-Mori Domain under the Kurushima Clan. When Hannosuke was released from his service, the person known as Futagami Hannosuke Masaaki (also as Yosh-shige, Shichitayu, Kutayu and Kurouemon) moved back to Bungo-Takeda and died on January 5, Genroku year 6 (1693) and was buried with the Buddhist homyo “ (a name given by a Buddhist monk when you die) “Baio Kyohaku”.
====The Shitama Family====
Shitama Matashichi was a samurai originally from the Bungo-Takeda and a friend to Futagami Hannosuke Masaaki and extended an invitation to him to come and stay in Chikuzen (Nagota area). DUring this time, Masaaki taught his new school "Sōsuishi-ryū" to Matahachi. Since this turn of events, Sosuishi-ryū has been handed down and instructed by the Shitama family.<ref>{{ja icon}}[Masaru, Negami. 2003. Sekiryūkan No Chōsen. Shadanhōjin Sekiryūkan.]</ref> On the five occasions where the Shitama family were unable to head the school, the ryū had to be looked after by another until a male heir, bearing the Shitama name, could step in and inherit it. On occasion a "yoshi" or "adopted son" from outside the family would be brought in to marry one of the daughters or cousins who had the surname "Shitama" in order to continue the lineage. After marriage the yoshi would change their surnname to the wife's surname and inherit the ryū, continuing the family bloodline for the next generation. The art and family line continues in Fukuoka city today at the Sekiryukan.
====Matsui Hyakutaro Munetada====
In 1881, a Menkyo Kaiden of Sōsuishi-ryū moved to Tokyo and began teaching the martial arts to the Akasuka Police in Tokyo. His name was Matsui Hyakutaro Munetada. He was born native to [[Kyūshū]], Japan in Fukuoka on February of Meiji year 1 ([[1868]]). As a boy he was fascinated with the martial arts and his family recognized this and sent him to train with his uncle Matsui Kokichi, a Shingen No Maki (similar to Menkyo Kaiden) and direct student of Sōsuishi-ryū under 11th generation inheritor Shitama Munetsuna. In Meiji year 13 ([[1881]]) Munetada also began training under Tekigo Hiji and received a Shingen No Maki in Sōsuishi-ryū. In Meiji year 20 ([[1887]]), when he was 19 years old, Munetada completed the Senbondori (1000 matches) in Fukuoka. In the following year Meiji year 21 ([[1888]]), the Metropolitan Police Board invited Munetada a position training the officers of the Akasaka Police. He moved to Tokyo that year and began work immediately. In Meiji year 38 ([[1905]]), he was given "Seiren sho" (recognition of good training/work) and then was awarded "Yoshi-go" (head-instructor title) in June of Meiji year 42 ([[1909]]).He ramained in his position for 30 years, until retirement. Afterwards he dedicated himself to Seifukuutsu and opened a private dōjō, the Shobukan in Fukuyoshi-cho, Akasaka to teach martial arts. The Butokukai awarded the title of Hanshi to him during May of Showa year 2 ([[1927]]). <ref>{{ja icon}} Usuki, Y. 2007. ''Matsui-ha Sosuishi-ryū website''. Matsui-ha Sosuishi-ryū Kumi Uchi Koshi no Mawari (A History of). Retrieved October 9th, 2007 from: http://homepage.mac.com/maos/sousui/tokyo.html </ref> His line of Sōsuishi-ryū is called the "Matsui-ha" and it continues in Tokyo today.
====Sōsuishi-ryū in Fukuoka====
===The Sekiryūkan===
The following is an excerpt taken directly from the Shadanhōjin Sekiryūkan website:<ref>[http://www16.ocn.ne.jp/~sekiryu/edouzyou.html Shadanhoujin Sekiryukan]</ref>
The following is an excerpt taken directly from the Shadanhōjin Sekiryūkan website:<ref>[http://www16.ocn.ne.jp/~sekiryu/edouzyou.html Shadanhoujin Sekiryukan]</ref>