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Daitoryu Teachers and Organizations
Takeda Sokaku Daisensei taught over 30,000 people. From this number only about 15 were given the qualifications of to teach. (Kyoju Dairi).
The main dojos, later groups and organizations:
1.Seiden Daitoryu Aikijujutsu So-Hombu in Tokyo, under Sagawa Yukiyoshi Sohan, the leading student of Takeda Dai-Sensei and master of Aiki, once appointed as the successor to Takeda Sensei (Sagawa Sensei gave back the title of Successor ‘Soke” back to Takeda Tokimune, and himself using the title Sohan (Main Teacher). years after Takeda Daisensei’s death, Sagawa Sohan developed his own curriculum and a method of Aiki surpassing his teacher, calling it: Sagawa-ha Daitoryu Aiki Bujutsu. He passed away in 1998. His leading students continued his tradition, most known being Kimura Tatsuo Shihan, This art was always reserved to Japanese, only. Very few exceptions were ever made. This Daitoryu preserved the original soft techniques of Takeda Sensei as well as the mystery of Aiki. The level of practitioners in very high, not only in terms of being able to perform on non-cooperating partner, but also in development of resistance skill within short time if practiced correctly. The skill of Aiki within Sagawa-ha Daitoryu is very different from any other Daitoryu group. Also, the unique approach to Aiki as a method developed by Sagawa Sohan. This method is never taught openly even to most advanced students, yet it is still being able to transmit from one individual to another. To sum up, Sagawa-ha Daitoryu is perhaps the most difficult art to master, not just within Daitoryu circle, but in comparison to all martial arts.
2.Daitoryu Aikijujutsu Kodokai So-Hombu in Kitami, founded by Horikawa Kodo. This Daitoryu is characterized by small movements in teachniques and almost absence of typical Jujutsu teachniques in favor of practicing Aiki throws. We don’t know to what extent do Kodokai techniques resemble the original of Takeda Sensei. yet it is in this aspect that Kodokai is unique. Later the organization split into many groups, most known being Daito-ryu Aikijujutsu Roppokai under Okamoto Seigo Shihan in Tokyo. Okamoto Shihan developed a completely new approach to teach and define small Aiki techniques, which is probably the most welcomed contribution within Kodo-ha lineage. Others being Daitoryu Aikijujutsu Mudenjuku under Iida Shihan, Kodokai Sapporo So-Hombu under Kato hihan, daitoryu Aikijujutsu Bokuyokan under Yonezawa Shihan, Daitoryu Aikijujutsu Hikarido under Nishikido Shihan, Hokkaido Aikido Renmei of Nishikawa Shihan, Daitoryu Godokai under Kodo’s son, and few others. Daitoryu Kodokai was the very first that taught this art outside Japan, most notably in the USA and Germany, the USA.
3.Nihon Daitoryu Aikibudo Daitokai under Takeda Tokimune Soke (the son of Takeda Sokaku Sensei). It is known that he studied with his father in his teens, accompanying him with Sagawa Sensei in their travels around Japan to teach Daitoryu, but at home his father didn’t really teach much. After receiving his father’s approval, Tokimune Shihan decided to develop simplified version of Daitoryu, concentrating on hard Jujutsu and bigger movements, emphasizing an aspect more related to other schools of old Jujutsu. Right after his death, Daitokan split into Dai-ni no Daitokai – family members, then Seishinkai lead by highest qualified Shihans, and Tokyo’s Shimbukan Dojo lead by Kondo Katsuyuki, finally European Daitoryu Aikibudo Daitokai lead by Antonio Sastre Shihan, the highest ranking non-Japanese appointed by Kato Shihan of Daitokan / Seishinkan.
4.Daitoryu Aikijujutsu Renshinkan by Maeda and Matsuda Shihans. There are few small groups remaining. Most famous group existing presently is Hakkoryu Jujutsu, founded by Okuyama Shihan.
5.Daitoryu Aikijujutsu Takumakai – Initially known as Kansai Aikido of Takuma Hisa Shihan, the person who received the licence of Full-Mastership (Menkyo Kaiden) from Takeda Sensei (before teaching Takuma Shihan, Takeda Sensei used to give Aiki Hiden Okugi as the highest licence). The biggest achievement of Takumakai is the assembly of Daitoryu techniques in pictures (since their dojo was at Asahi Newspaper) and putting it into 11-volume work. Takuma Shihan first studied Daitoryu under Ueshiba Morihei Shihan (founder of Aikido, student of Takeda Sensei) . Later Takeda Sensei arrived at their dojo, saying “I’ve heard the man named Ueshiba is teaching Daitoryu here, so I came as soon as I could to correct your techniques, as Mr.Ueshiba is not qualified to teach. I am Takeda Sokaku Minamoto no Yoshimitsu, the founder of Daitoryu Aikijujutsu”. Hearing about this Ueshiba and his assistants fled without meeting Takeda Sensei, and the dojo of Takuma resumed their lessons under Takeda Sensei, learning the original system. The name Kansai Aikido was initially chosen, as Ueshiba Shihan gave 8th Dan in Aikido fto takuma Shihan. Only later the name to Daitoryu Aikijujutsu Takumakai was chosen by Mori Shihan (director of Takumakai). One of the most important figures is Ohgami Kenkichi Shihan, founder of his own group Daitoryu Aikibudo Daibukan. Another know group is from Tsuruyama Kozui Shihan. There are many dojos affiliated to Daitoryu Takumakai both in Japan and outside. This line of Daitoryu is characterized by some complex Jujutsu teachniques, balanced with the research of Aiki-jutsu.
- Daitoryu Aikijudo Renshinkai by Yamamoto Kakuyoshi Shihan, the last student of Takeda DaiSensei. Yamamoto Shihan said that Takeda Sensei appointed him as the successor.
7. Aikido – Tenjin Aikibudo, then Aioiryu, finally Aikido founded by Ueshiba Morihei Shihan who was banned 3 times and finally received Hamon from Daitoryu school. His students maintained that Aikido is a combination of few martial arts, yet it is obvious and visible that Aikido is based entirely on Daitoryu, reducing the number of techniques from about 2000 (Daitoryu) to 10-15 basics (Aikikai, Yoshinkan, etc), and adding the element of sword (basics of Kashima Shinto Ryu) and stave. Ueshiba Shihan’s students also tried to promote the idea that Takeda Sensei desired Ueshiba to become his successor, while at other times the very same individuals were spreading great slanders against Takeda Sensei. These actions speak for themselves: limited understanding not only in technical terms. At the same time we have to also admire Aikido, for its simplicity and elegance as well as propaganda (thanks to Kano Jigoro Sensei – founder of Judo) brought Aikido onto unexpected levels of popularity, hence bringing some srious practitioners to search for their origin: Daitoryu.
8. Hapkido – Korean Choi, Young-Sol, known in Japan as Yoshida, servant of Takeda Daisensei, went back to his country and opened Daedongryoo Hapkiyukwansul (Daitoryu Aiki-jukenjutsu) teaching initially pure Daitoryu in pure Takeda style, later greatly modified by his students by additional elements of Korean high kicking and strikes. To add to the confusion, Mr.Choi also stated that Takeda Sensei chose him as the successor and told him to run away to Korea. His knowledge of Daitoryu was used for the development of Hapkido, Hwarangdo, and Kyooksul, which greatly diverge from the original.
- Yoshida Kotaro Shihan and 2-3 highly trained individuals decided not to teach at all.
10. General Takeshita wrote book containing 2800 techniques of Daitoryu, but after seeing the situation of Daitoryu splitting, he gave up the idea of teaching or publicity.
11. – We also have so called Saigo-ha Daitoryu Aikibujutsu groups – one (quite questionable) in Kitakyushu under Sogawa Kozui, and another, Dai-Nippon Daitoryu Aikibujutsu Rengokai Goshikinai – existent outside Japan (Canada and Cuba).
12. Some say that the art of Gottenjutsu (the origin of Daitoryu) is still being taught in Wakamatsu province (ex-Aizu) under the names of Oshikiuchi, Goshikinai, and Gottenjutsu.
To sum up we have:
– not a single officially appointed successor to Takeda Sokaku Dai-Sensei, however in skill Sagawa Yukiyoshi Sohan succeeded him, but in bloodline Takeda Tokimune Soke succeeded him.
– The largest Daitoryu Aikijujutsu Takumakai in Kansai
– The international Daitoryu Aikibudo Daitokai Hombu in Italy
– The small dojos of remaining Daitoryu Aikibudo Seishinkai in Araki
– Quite well grown Daitoryu Aikijujutsu Roppokai in Tokyo
– New Tokimune-den Hombu – Daitoryu Aikijujutsu Shimbukan dojo under Kondo Katsuyuki Soke-Dairi and his brother.
– Daitoryu Kodokai in Kitami, Sapporo, USA
– Fragmented Yamamoto-den and Maeda/Matsuda-den Daitoryu Aikijujutsu
– Rapidly expanding modern Aikido, Hakko-ryu Jujutsu, Hapkido
From the experience of our teacher, we assume that the real mysterious skill called Aiki survived marginally, mostly as a form, with the exception of Sagawa-ha itoryu Aikibujutsu.