Sōsuishi-ryū (双水執流)[1] is a traditional Japanese martial art founded in 1650 that focuses on Kumi Uchi (jujutsu) and Koshi no Mawari (iaijutsu and kenjutsu).
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).
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.
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.
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).
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.
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.
The following is an excerpt taken directly from the Shadanhōjin Sekiryūkan website:[4] Throughout its history, a decline in the popularity of Sōsuishi-ryū has often posed a real threat to its survival.
Today, this responsiveness to alternative disciplines is still maintained by the current 16th Master, Manzo Shitama, ensuring that Sōsuishi-ryū technique continues to evolve.The legacy of Sōsuishi-ryū from past masters comprises such a vast and complicated array of techniques that it is nowadays simplified to make it easier to learn.
This method of learning is intended to create a heightened sensitivity, augmenting the awareness of body language and openings when attacking or defending.
In addition to its repertoire of close combat methods, the tradition also contains a number of iai and kenjutsu techniques contained under the collective umbrella term, Koshi No Mawari (腰之廻) making the ryūha a sōgō bujutsu (総合武術) or "Comprehensive martial art".
And two groups that currently claim to be a representative of Matsui Hyakutarō's tradition, the Kōsonkai (光尊会) and the Seirenkan (清漣館道場).
Matsui Hyakutarō's first successor, Sugiyama Shōtarō, who also happens to be one of the founders of the Kobudo Shinkōkai, transmitted the school to Kitajima Kokū.
Dojos are located in Epping and St George, Sydney, Bayswater, Perth (Australia) and Mukdahan (Thailand).
The Seirenkan dōjō is led by Yoshihiko Usuki[21] and is located in Tokyo, the Seirenkan also has International branch schools located in Singapore, Italy, the United Kingdom in the city of London and in the United States in Chicago, Illinois, North Carolina and in Portland, Oregon.
The Kosonkai Dōjō led by Kimura Akio has no international schools and is located solely in Saitama, Japan.