Mima Yoichizaemon
Semi-legendary figureJapanese swordsman (1577–1665), by tradition founder of the Suio-ryu Iai Kenpo school (around 1600), whose name “water gull” refers to his vision of gulls on the water.
Quick Facts
JapanBiography
Mima Yoichizaemon Kagenobu was a Japanese swordsman, founder of the Suio-ryu Iai Kenpo school. He lived from 1577 to 1665.
In his youth he studied the Bokuden-ryu sword school and learned the iai techniques of the Hayashizaki school. He learned the Kongo jo staff from Shinto mountain priests and naginatajutsu from Buddhist monks on Mount Hiei.
According to tradition, after twenty years of physical and spiritual training he experienced enlightenment on seeing a vision of white gulls floating freely on the water. Around 1600 this vision inspired him to found the Suio-ryu school with 64 basic techniques; according to the source the name translates as the “water gull” style. Besides iai, the curriculum includes techniques with the staff, the naginata and the chain sickle (kusarigama). Instead of modern belts the school uses traditional licence grades from shoden to menkyo kaiden, and students swear an oath to protect the integrity of the tradition.
He passed the school to his son Mima Yohachiro Kagenaga, who became its second head. The line continues unbroken to this day; the fifteenth head is Katsuse Yoshimitsu Kagehiro. The manga author Koike Kazuo used the name Suio-ryu in the series Lone Wolf and Cub before he learned that the real school existed; he then visited its headquarters, the Hekiunkan in Shizuoka. According to the source, the school's authentic kata were later used in follow-up television productions.