Thursday, August 09, 2018

Aikido and Daito Ryu

Below is an excerpt from a post that appeared at True Aiki. It discusses the relationship and history between Aikido and Daito Ryu Aikijujutsu. The full post may be read here.


Why Aikido isn’t Daito Ryu


The long-held Aikido party line has been that Ueshiba Morihei, after studying many martial arts and, after having an enlightenment experience, formed Aikido.  It is now clear that the primary technical influence on Ueshiba Morihei was Daito Ryu.  And rightfully so.  Of the arts that Ueshiba dabbled in, his study of Daito Ryu, under Takeda Sokaku, was the longest, deepest, and most authenticated.
So how is it that Ueshiba, the man that Takeda Tokimune called Takeda Sokaku’s “most beloved student,” came to leave Daito Ryu and avoid his teacher?  How could Ueshiba Morihei justify the claim of creating a “new art” while performing Daito Ryu waza until the day he died?  How could he, in one conversation, credit Takeda Sokaku with opening his eyes to “True Budo” and claim to have “discovered” a “New Budo?”
Here I explain:
  • Why, and by whom, Ueshiba was encouraged and supported to become independent of Daito Ryu
  • How Ueshiba justified his actions to himself and others
  • How this justification aligns with his statement that Aikido has no kata
  • Why Ueshiba Morihei’s rationale for the justification of Aikido had to be changed by Ueshiba Kishomaru and Tohei Koichi for the spread of Modern Aikido
  • How all this relates to Aiki



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