Senbondori

Sosuishi-ryu’s 12th headmaster, Shingo-Munetsuga Shitama, first established this “thousand-point challenge” in 1868. A challenger must face a group of opponents called “yoseko” throwing down one another 1,000 times, a very strenuous task.

Only black belts are permitted to attempt this test of sheer endurance. There is no concept of winning or losing in senbondori, the only thing that is important is to complete it.

354 people in Japan completed this grueling test of stamina, will power and spirit since it’s beginning; two were women. To this day only three percent of the students at the Sekiryukan have successfully completed senbondori.

The New York Seibukan has conducted senbondori under the auspices of the Sekiryukan since 2004. The following black belts have completed senbondori at the New York Seibukan:

Emily Raghubir
Brian Fink
Gabriel Ortega

The names of all the people (from 1868) that completed senbondori (including those at the New York Seibukan) are displayed on the walls of the Sekiryukan in Fukuoka, Japan.