The legend of the founding of Sōsuishi-ryū dates back to
Futagami Hannosuke Masaaki in 1650
CE. He was a district
samurai living in the area of Bungo-Taketa, which was in the domain of Kuroda during the era called
Sho-o. (now
Ōita and
Fukuoka). Masaaki, was a practitioner of his family martial art Futagami-ryū (二上流) and a high-level student of
Takenouchi-ryū. He felt the techniques of Futagami-ryū were imperfect, so in order to improve them he decided to travel all over Japan and train himself by going on a pilgrimage (
Musha shugyō). 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 Shitama family Shitama Matashichi was a samurai originally from the Bungo-Takeda and a friend to Futagami Hannosuke Masaaki. Matashichi extended an invitation to Masaaki to come and stay with him in the Chikuzen (Nōgata area). It was there that Masaaki disclosed the teachings of his school Sōsuishi-ryū to Matahachi. Since this time, Sosuishi-ryū has been handed down and instructed by the Shitama family. 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 "
Yōshi" 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 yōshi would change their surname to the wife's surname and inherit the ryū, continuing the family bloodline for the next generation. (Note: This practice is common in Japan and is accepted today as a way of keeping family names from dissolving. It was established during, or perhaps well before, the feudal-era of Japan's history in order to keep family names intact after the loss of an only son). The art and family line continues in Fukuoka city today. The successor to Manzo Shitama is currently his son, Shusaku Shitama. In 1888, a Menkyo Kaiden of Sōsuishi-ryū moved to Tokyo and began teaching the martial arts to the
Akasaka Police in Tokyo. His name was Matsui Hyakutaro Munetada.
Matsui Hyakutaro Munetada Munetada was born native to
Kyūshū, Japan in Fukuoka on February of Genji year 1 (1864). He was the first son of Matsui Kakitsu who was the samurai of Fukuoka han. As a boy he was fascinated with the martial arts so he started to train with his uncle Matsui Kōkichi, a Shingen No Maki (The term for Menkyo Kaiden prior to the Shōwa period), Menkyo Kaiden in Tenshin Jigō-ryū and direct student of Sōsuishi-ryū under 11th generation inheritor Shitama Munetsuna. Munetada also began training under Shitama Munetsuna and received a Shingen No Maki in Sōsuishi-ryū. In Meiji year 16 (1883), when he was 19 years old, Munetada completed the Senbondori (1000 matches) in Fukuoka. In the 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 opened a private dōjō, the Shobukan, on the premises of Duke Ichijo's Palace in Fukuyoshi-cho, Akasaka to teach martial arts. In Meiji year 38 (1905), he was given "Seiren sho" (recognition of good training/work) and then was awarded "Kyoshi-go" (head-instructor title) in June of Meiji year 42 (1909). He remained in his position for 30 years, until retirement. At the same time, he dedicated himself to opening a Seifukujutsu as a business for all Judo ka. He was the president of the Dai Nippon Judo Seifukujutsu until his death. The Butokukai awarded the title of Hanshi to him during May of Showa year 2 (1927). His line of Sōsuishi-ryū is sometimes referred to as the Tōkyō-den or "Matsui-ha" and it continues in Tokyo today.
The Sekiryūkan and Sōsuishi-ryū today The following is an excerpt taken directly from the Shadanhōjin Sekiryūkan website: ==Techniques and characteristics==