Suiō-ryū

Suiō-ryū Iai Kenpō (水鷗流 居合 剣法)
The 15th sōke of Suiō-ryū, Katsuse Yoshimitsu Kagehiro
Founder	Mima Yoichizaemon Kagenobu
Date founded	c. 1600
Period founded	Late Sengoku period (c. 1467–c. 1603)
Current headmaster	Katsuse Yoshimitsu Kagehiro (15th generation headmaster)
Art	Description
Iaijutsu	Art of drawing the sword
Kenpō	Sword art
Jōjutsu	Staff art
Naginatajutsu	Glaive art
Kusarigamajutsu	Sickle and chain art
Kogusoku	Semi-armoured grappling
Wakizashi	Techniques for side sword
Hayashizaki-ryū, Kongo Jō jōhō, Bokuden-ryū

Suiō-ryū Iai Kenpō (水鷗流 居合 剣法^?) is a style of classical Japanese swordsmanship. It was founded by Mima Yoichizaemon Kagenobu at the end of the Sengoku period. The style specialises in iaijutsu but other arts, such as jōjutsu, naginatajutsu and kusarigamajutsu are practised as well.

Mima Yoichizaemon Kagenobu (1577–1665) was born in the Dewa Province to Mima Saigū, a priest at the Jūnisha Gongen Shrine. In his youth he studied the Bokuden-ryū of swordsmanship, as well as a style of jō practiced by Shintō mountain priests (Kongō Jō jōhō).

When he was 18, he was beaten in a friendly duel by his father's friend, the samurai Sakurai Gorōemon Naomitsu, who had utilized iai-techniques of the Hayashizaki school, and afterwards began to study under him. After being given an overview of those techniques and vowing to create a style of his own, Yoichizaemon travelled throughout Japan, to test his skills against other martial artists. During this period he trained in the naginatajutsu of the Buddhist monks from Mount Hiei, techniques that were applied often by the monks during the Warring States period.

Yoichizaemon was not content to develop only the physical side of his martial arts during this time. Instead, he continued training in ascetic practices, and meditated nightly, even going so far as to go on long retreats to secluded holy sites deep in the mountains. His perseverance in both his physical and spiritual training led to his eventual enlightenment. In the twentieth year of his exertions, he was struck with a vision of white gulls floating effortlessly and without conscious thought on water, and realised he could now use his sword in the same effortless manner.