Daito Ryu Jujutsu and Aikijujutsu
Daitōryū Aiki-jūjutsu (大東流合氣柔術 in short: Daitōryū) is a 1200 year old Samurai martial art, is considered one of the oldest and noblest schools for martial arts in Japan and is a national cultural asset. Daitōryū is a traditional Japanese martial art, which was founded in 1087 by Shinra Saburō Minamoto no Yoshimitsu (新羅 三郎 源 義光, (1056-1127), samurai of the Minamoto clan, third son of Yoriyoshi Minamoto, de-scendant of the fifth generation of the emperor of Japan, the Minamoto dy-nasty Fujiwara Seiwa. The fighting system, named after Yoshi-mitsu’s residence, later became known as Daitōryū. This art was ostensibly trained over several centuries within the Takeda branch of the Minamoto lineage as a family secret. At the end of the 19th century, Daitōryū was first publicly taught by Takeda Sōkaku.
Daitōryū Aiki-jūjutsu 大 東 (Daito = residence) 流 (ryu = school) 合 (Ai = harmony) 氣 (ki = breath, energy), 柔 術 (Jujutsu = gentle art) is a form of Jujutsu. It includes techniques of close combat like: Atemi-Waza (punch and kick techniques), Shime-Waza (strangulation techniques), Kansetsu-Waza (techniques of joint locking), Osae-Waza (grappling techniques), Nage-Waza (throwing techniques), Aikinojutsu (throwing an opponent on the floor with Aiki), Kyusho-waza (pressure on vital points of the human body). A practitioner studies the use of some of the ancient weapons of Bushi (such as Katana, Bo, etc.). The many techniques of Aikijujutsu are transferred and catalogued in scrolls (densho), which in this case of Hiden Mokuroku are divided into a series (kajo) with increasing difficulty of execution.
Daitō ryū Aiki-jūjutsu is a traditional Japanese martial art that was developed as a means of self-defense against unprovoked violence, with the ultimate goal of eliminating violence rather than causing it. This is one of the reasons why Daitō ryū relies on forms (kata) and their practice, but does not involve any kind of competition. Moreover, as a classical Japanese martial art, Daitō ryū means more than just pure self-defense; It offers a way to tame your body and mind with the intention of developing your personal character and contributing to the broader social prosperity.
Takeda Sokaku had many students; Among these was Toshimi (Hosaku) Matsuda who recived his Daito-Ryu kyoju dairi license around 1928. It was Matsuda who was Yoshiji Okuyama’s (1901-1987) first and primary Daito-Ryu teacher. Based on research, Okuyama studied with Matsuda sensei from around 1929 till 1939. From this date, as was recorded in Takeda sensei’s Eimeiroku (ledger), Okuyama sensei studied directly with Takeda Sokaku, Soshi for a 13 day seminar in November 1939. This is important because Okuyama didn’t return to the Matuda sensei after this time. Okuyama sensei started teaching Daito-ryu separately at his new dojo, but the break from the Matsuda’s Renshinkan was met with many challenges. From 1940-1941, Okuyama sensei, along with his kohai and friend Maeda Takeshi sensei (the future successor of the Daito-Ryu Renshinkan), started teaching a new Ryuha named Hakko-Ryu Jujutsu, in 1941/42. Takese Michio sensei, the current soshi of the Daito Ryu Renshinkan stated that the original Hakko-ryu scrolls contained 220 waza, which included the traditional Daito-Ryu Hiden Mokuroku, Aiki no jutsu and Hiden Ogi. They were mostly Daito-ryu Renshinkan makimono renamed as Hakko-ryu. In the years to come, the system was reorganized to the current system we see today.
Matsuda Den Daito Ryu Aikijujutsu Renshinkan
松田敏美伝大東流合気柔術「練心館」
Matsuda-den is the school of master Toshimi ‘Hosaku’ Matsuda 松田敏美. Matsuda Sensei was a very expert student of Sokaku Takeda, his dojo was frequented by many representatives of other Daito-ryu schools. Although Matsuda Sensei did not have many students by choice, his Shobukan 松武會 School gave rise to many modern martial arts. The most famous was Hakko-ryu jujutsu. Among his students were Koreans, which was not typical of traditional Japanese martial arts schools of that time. One of his Korean students, Chang In Mok, had some influence on the Hapkido technique. Toshimi Matsuda wrote one of the very first Daito-ryu manuals, Iroha Kun, which described the basic principles of his school. Technically, the Matsuda school consists of over 200 jujutsu techniques, most of which are related to Daito-ryu. The rest come from other jujutsu schools studied by Matsuda Sensei. Matsuda Sensei had a son, but did not continue his father’s work. The school is officially handed down from Maeda Sensei founder of the Renshinkan. Today from Kancho Michio Takase.