Hōzōin In'ei

In'ei watching the reflection of the moon. One Hundred Aspects of the Moon, by Yoshitoshi was a Buddhist monk and sōhei, abbot of Hōzōin temple, and guardian of all the temples of Nara. In the 1560s he founded Hōzōin-ryū, a school which taught the art of the spear, also known as Sōjutsu.

In'ei was born in the first year of Daiei (1521) as the second son of Nakamikado Tajima Inei who was a warrior monk of the Kōfuku-ji. In'ei was a monk of Kōfuku-ji Temple in Nara, Japan. He adored martial arts and trained in the sword martial arts of Nen-ryū under Toda Yosaemon and Tenshin Shōden Katori Shintō-ryū under Izasa Ienao. At the same time, he was coached and mentored by , a master of the spear. Under this master's guidance, In'ei honed his spearmanship. According to legends, at dawn of the 12th day of the first month of 22nd year of Tenbun (1553) the 33 year old In'ei was initiated to two secret techniques by Moritada, thought to be the incarnation of Marishi-Ten. Due to the old age of the first headmaster of the Hōzōin-ryū and due to the youth of his successor (Inshun was only 16) the man who met Musashi's challenge was Okuzōin Dōei.

One year prior to his death (in 1607) In'ei forbade sōjutsu training. This should have led to the extinction of at least the monastery line of the school. However, after In'ei's death, his nephew, Hōzōin Inshun restarted his trainings and lifted the order.