Kumamoto Han Niten Ichi Ryū History

(Santō Branch)

  Shinmen Musashi no Kami Fujiwara no Harunobu (Miyamoto Musashi) was an especially gifted and considered “unrivalled under heaven” swordsman in the two-sword style and was said to be undefeated in over 60 duels.

 He learned Tōri Ryū Jutte and Enmei Ryū from his adoptive father, Shinmen Munisai, a samurai of Kuroda Province. In his later years, he developed Niten Ichi Ryū and wrote the Book of Five Rings (Go Hō no Kata) in Kumamoto Province which conveyed the secrets of swordsmanship. 

 Before he died, he entrusted his Niten Ichi Ryū school to the Terao brothers, who were students in his later years. The famous book on strategy was given to the older brother, Terao Magonojō who lineage included the Kuroda Clan in Fukuoka, while the younger brother, Terao Motomenosuke who lineage included the Hosokawa Clan in Kumamoto. 

 These days, the Kumamoto Lineage is split into the Noda branch and the Santō branch.

 The last student of Musashi, Terao Motomenosuke Nobuyuki, had six sons and the sixth son, Terao Gōemon Katsuyuki, was taught the Niten Ichi Ryū style and later passed it onto the Santō Clan, a family of shihan in the province.

 This style of Niten Ichi Ryū is different to the Noda branch style and known as the Santō.

 In the 40th year of the Meiji Era, the 7th generation headmaster, Santō Shinjūro Kiyotake gave a teaching licence to Aoki Kikuo Tesshin, who became the 8th headmaster of the Yamatō branch in the 42nd year of the Meiji Era.

 Afterwards, Aoki Kikuo Tesshin did his best to propagate the Santō branch style entrusted the succession with his high-ranking students Inamura Kiyoshi and Miyagawa Yasutaka Shishin.

 Finally, the succession passed on to Mitsutake Tenshinsai Fujiwara Masanobu, also the 21st in line of the Noda branch style, via Inamura Kiyoshi, highest ranking student of Aoki Kikuo Tesshin before the war, and Miyagawa Yasutaka Shishin, highest ranking student after the war, making him the 12th headmaster.

 Our dojo is unique in Japan that all branches of Niten Ichi Ryū are taught here.

 The true teachings of Musashi are passed onto students who are faithful to the style and the dojo, and resolve to protect its tradition.