Mr. Turner -
A couple of quick corrections:
1) I said that Takenouchi-ryu had 1000's of members, not T-St-ryu.
2) I don't recall writing that they didn't have a "soke." I may have (shrug).
I'm away from my computer right now, but here's the little I know - when I return home, I might have a little more.
a. T-St-ryu claims that their first three generations were the 1st three generations of Takenouchi-ryu. They claim Araki Muninsai as their 4th generation. The 5th generation was someone with (if my recollection is correct), Nakamura. The lineage is somewhat dubious. AS best as can be ascertained, Araki-ryu's connection with Takenouchi-ryu is thru the 1st generation, taught to Araki Muninsai's teacher. (I've got an essay on this coming up in Old School).According to the ages of the 1st three gen. of Takenouchi's, the grandson would have had to have taught a very old man (Araki). It just doesn't fit. It's my guess that Nakamura (again, I'll check the name) probably learned Takenouchi-ryu, made something new, and wanted to give credit to the strongest men in the ryu, and probably also made himself look good in the process. Or - this could have been done by one of his successors. (At that time of Japanese history, it was quite reasonable to name one's "inspiration" as one's teacher).
As for your other questions:
1) Okayama wasn't in Kyushu, it was in Kansai on Honshu. I'll check and see if I can find the T-St-ryu region of Kyushu later.
2) My best guess is that T St-ryu branched off or was created in about 1640 or 1650. BUT, it may have continued to change and develop since that time. The idea that koryu were frozen at birth is a new concept.
3) To clarify, I have absolutely no opinion one way or the other regarding Mr. Ikeuchi, except being a little intrigued that his father may have received inka (teaching license) or some other certification, and that, thus, the ryu lives. That Shimazu (a character, but quite a researcher) is interested in the man is not, as one person suggested, collusion in a small club, but actually some support that the lineage has some basis.
4) I noticed in Mol's book that one of his teachers is photographsed supposedly doing one or more (don't remember) T-St-ryu waza. However, they openly claim they research and recreate other ryu, so how they got that waza is unknown to me.
When I return to my home, I'll see if I can give you any more info.
BEst
Ellis Amdur