A — Profile
Biography
Born in Tokyo in 1971.
His grandfather, 佐々木章次 (Sasaki Shōji), studied directly under 松井百太郎宗忠 (Matsui Hyakutarō Munetada) from the early Taisho period to the early Showa period. This family connection contributed to Sasaki's interest in traditional Japanese martial arts from a young age.
Around the end of 1995, he began studying 竹内流備中伝 (Takenouchi-ryū Bitchū-den) and, during the same period, entered 形身塾, led by 塩川匡 (Shiokawa Tadashi).
In 1996, when instructor 北島胡空 (Kitajima Kokū) resumed the teaching of 双水執流 (Sōsuishi-ryū) at the dojo in Fukagawa Sports Center, Sasaki entered his instruction. After 北島's death in 1998, he studied under instructor 臼木良彦宗隆 (Usuki Yoshihiko Munetaka) and also received guidance from the sixteenth-generation instructor 舌間萬三宗利 (Shitama Manzō Munetoshi) for the preservation of Sōsuishi-ryū in Tokyo.
From 2004, he studied for approximately five years under 前田英樹 (Maeda Hideki) of the Shinkage-ryu Martial Arts Research Association (新陰流武術探究会).
From 2005 until around 2013, he learned the fundamentals of 神道夢想流杖術 (Shintō Musō-ryū Jōjutsu) through his association with the late 西岡常夫 (Nishioka Tsuneo).
In 2011, through an introduction from instructor 高無宝良 (Takanashi Takara) of 是風会, he visited 山本篤 (Yamamoto Atsushi) in Gokashoura, Minamiise, Mie Prefecture, and received instruction in Shinkage-ryu Hikita-den (Higo Shinkage-ryu). He continued visiting Gokasho through 2019, generally once or twice each year.
In 2015, 山本篤 gave him permission to teach Shinkage-ryu Hikita-den.
He is currently engaged in the practice, research, and transmission of Shinkage-ryu Hikita-den.
B — Tradition and history
Background of Shinkage-ryu Hikita-den
Within the tradition, Shinkage-ryu Hikita-den is understood as a line of Shinkage-ryu transmitted in the Higo Hosokawa domain and tracing its origin to Hikita Bungorō Kagekane (Nyūdō Seiun), who is traditionally said to have been a nephew of Kamiizumi Musashi-no-kami Nobutsuna.
The transmitted account continues through the Ueno and Wada families in Higo and, in the modern period, through 野田長三郎 (Noda Chōzaburō), 古賀栄信 (Koga Eishin), and 古賀徳孝 (Koga Noritaka). After the Second World War, 古賀徳孝 asked 相川学 (Aikawa Manabu) to preserve the transmission. At Gokashoura, 山本篤 studied under 相川学 and 志岐太一郎 (Shiki Taichirō), connecting this history to the present transmission.
C — Training history
Selected martial-arts chronology
A concise record of principal milestones in the training history leading to Shinkage-ryu Hikita-den.
- 1996
- Received the Sōsuishi-ryū document 敵相秘事 (Tekiai Hiji)
- 1998
- Received the Sōsuishi-ryū document 高昇 (Kōshō)
- 2007
- Received the Sōsuishi-ryū documents 組討目録 (Kumiuchi Mokuroku) and 腰之廻目録 (Koshi-no-Mawari Mokuroku)
- 2009
- Received the Sōsuishi-ryū document 組討奥秘巻 (Kumiuchi Okuhi-no-Maki)
- 2011
- Visited 山本篤 and began receiving instruction in Shinkage-ryu Hikita-den
- 2015
- Received permission from 山本篤 to teach Shinkage-ryu Hikita-den
- 2019
- Final visit to Gokasho on which he received direct instruction from 山本篤