Aiki is to defeat to the watched enemy with a single one. Takeda Sogaku Minamoto Masayoshi. (1858-1943)
HIJITSU From the origins of the old Yamato the art of war was cultivated like a divine gift, legacy to the Emperors by the Kami (1). Great Ojin Emperor, famous by his martial virtues, was venerated like God of the War, ¨Homuda nonYahatamaru¨considerado a divine manifestation (Kami), was known like Hachiman, Mars of Japan, Yahata and Hachiman is different pronunciaciones from the same name that means ¨Ocho Banderas¨, in reference to the Noble Way of the Eight Aspects, one of the names of the Education of Buddha. The feats of Ojin Emperor were remarcables, the pacification of the territory and the establishment of colonies in Korea (Kudara). This extraordinary man lived 111 anuses and left behind himself an ancestry single-breasted uniform jacket that would be to continue its martial virtues. Seiwa Emperor, direct descendant of Hachiman, laid the the foundations of the dynasty of the Minamoto, to his Teijun son attributes the discovery to him of the great known martial secrets like ¨Hijitsu¨. The central nucleus of this secret art was called ¨Aiki¨ the fundamental principle by which the soldier being united deeply with his enemy manages to defeat it by a spiritual and nonphysical superiority. The older son of prince Teijun Seiwa was called Minamoto (Genji) and all the successory line of this family received like legacy the knowledge of ¨Hijitsu¨(2). Traditionally the Minamoto constituted the main family single-breasted uniform jacket of Japan, receiving the mission to keep the border northwest from the Empire. Their leaders would be known like Shinjufu Shogun (commander in chief of the army of the north). During the period of splendor of the classic culture, when the capital was established in Heian (Kyoto), the Minamoto celebrated of guards defending the security of the state. According to a phrase of the time: ¨Los minamoto are the claws and teeth of the Fujiwara¨. DAITO RYU Minamoto Yoshiie was born in the fifth generation of the Seiwa Genji (1041-1108). Before of his birth, his father (Minamoto Yoriyoshi) requested before the altar of Hachiman for which his son obtained the great virtues del God of the War. According to the legend, the boy demonstrated from the childhood a special talent and was thus called Hachiman Taro: ¨El first son of Hachiman¨. The feats of Yoshiie were many and the house of Minamoto managed to establish La Paz more and the civilization in the moved away regions of the Empire. The brother of this hero, Shinra Saburo Minamoto Yoshimitsu, also distinguished itself by his qualities, great teacher of the Arts, poet, soldier, doctor and historian. To him the foundation of the Daito Ryu. is attributed to him says that it studied the Atemi (art to strike the key points) and the Kansetsu (art to immobilize and to unite the joints) practicing the dissection of the human body. Observing the movements of the spiders when weaving its fabric around its prey, discovered the form to unite the joints and to moor several men simultaneously. The Daito name comes from the great mansion of the Minamoto and served to identify to the school of more powerful Bujutsu of the east of Japan. AIKIJUTSU the grandson of Yoshimitsu, Yoshiyiko, was sent to mountains of Kai and constituted their dominion in the city of Takeda. Therefore this branch of the Minamoto family was well-known like Kai Takeda. The fabulous one develops of this Clan during century XVI is in direct relation with the ancestral legacy that the Great Takeda Shingen would take to its Maxima expression. The Takeda constituted the most powerful cavalry of all Japan and created the most splendid House of the time. The same Tokugawa Ieyasu was inspired by the military organization of the Takeda and only one supported alliance of several Daimyos in western arms managed to ruin the brilliant strategy of Shingen. When the power of this family was destroyed with the defeat of Nagashino, the survivors of the Takeda Clan escaped towards the north. In the present region of Fukushima a allied family of the Takeda reigned: the Aizu Clan. Undressed of their earth, reduced to the condition of simple Samuráis, the Takeda was used to the service of the Aizu Have Their knowledge and virtues were worth the degree to them of Shinanban (Masterful of Fencing) and were repaid with a 500 entrance of koku. The last one of the Aizu Shinanban was Takeda Takuni nonKami Minamoto Soemon (1758-1853). Soemon had three disciples: Matsudaira Takamori, the Daimyo of the Aizu Clan, its grandson Takeda Soyoshi and the Minister of Has, Saigo Tanamo (1829-1905). When it happened the Meiji Revolution (1868), Takeda Soyoshi and Mr. Matsudaira Takamori was between the defenders of the Imperial Palace and died by loyalty to the Bakufu. Saigo Tanamo that was head of the Castle of Shirakawa, became Shinto monk and adopted the name of Hoshino Genshin. To its position they had been left the rest of the Takeda family; among them both children of Soyoshi: Takeda Sokichi and Takeda Sogaku. Sokichi, the greater one, was corpulento and vigorous, his tutor taught the secrets to him of the Daito Aikijutsu and by his physical training conditionses he was dedicated to the Extreme one. It died in 1875. To the death of Sokichi, the Tanamo monk brought to his smaller brother to the sanctuary of Toshogu in Nikko. Of small stature, thin, Sogaku was the opposed end of its brother. Nevertheless, their qualities were remarcables. Of great talent, nervous and it alerts, the small man had an indomitable spirit. Due to his skill and its stature soon it was known like Kotengu: The small devil.
Student, untiring, obsessed with the martial arts, to the twenty years already had obtained diplomas of several schools of fencing. Besides to study the Daito Ryu Aikijutsu with his tutor, he practiced in Ono-has Itto Ryu, Yagyu Shinkage Ryu, Jinkage Ryu (Schools of Kenjitsu) and in the Hozoin Ryu Sojutsu (School of Naginata). Instead of remaining in the Temple and perfecting themselves in the Daito Ryu was dedicated to travel in search of duels and lessons in the classic Musha Shugyu. During twenty years this indómito character faced, saber in hand, to diverse Teachers of the time, convinced of the necessity to temper its spirit in the real fight. Takeda Sogaku never opened a Dojo neither settled down nowhere, had by an energy outside the common thing passed great part of its life looking for the difficult knowledge the more, those that the experience tries. In 1875, this anxious and seasoned personage was not prepared to become position of the destinies of the Daito Ryu, nor to happen to his older brother, as his tutor requested it. To the few months he escaped of the Temple to continue his vagabundeos and the Tanamo monk saw itself again lacking of a disciple to lay the foundations his school. This time the luck fell on another novelesco personage: Shida Shiro, who was adopted by Sanamo, changing its name by the one of Saigo Shiro (1868-1920). Shiro was another remarcable man, extremely equipped for the fight and the art, of great versatility, but marked by the changes. After an intense period of training in the monastery, Shiro traveled to Tokyo. In 1881 it began to practice the Tenshi Shinyo Ryu Jujutsu in the Dojo de Inoue Sensei. It was in that opportunity that knew the young doctor Jigoro Kano. In that Kano time it was trying to create a new organization of jujutsu, denominated Kodokan Judo. Apparently, Shiro got along with the project and it was united to the flaming Kodokan. In 1886 Jigiro Kano organized a series of encounter to prove the effectiveness of the new school, Shiro was chosen like the champion of the Kodokan, when defeating to all the rivals who were against to him. According to some sources, its favorite technique was Yama call arashi (Storm of the Mountain), and corresponded to which today Uchimata is denominated; with the difference of which in the techniques of the Daito Ryu they were used frightful rokyo: handles in the wrists to put under the rival before applying send. It is evident that Shiro was an excellent fighter and who their dominion of the secrets of the Daito Ryu Aikijutsu gave a great superiority him with respect to the medical instructors of the schools of the time. So it was the importance of the contribution of Shiro to the Kodokan of which in 1888 director was named. Lamentably the conflict of loyalties would be made feel, the property to two schools with own objectives and the demand of time and effort must have exhausted to Saigo Shiro. The certain thing is that in 1891 it broke off the battle definitively and retired to the life deprived in the city of Nakasaki, where worked in the Hinoda Newspaper. Shiro maintained, despite its duties and when it was required gave instruction to several officials, but never it returned to take active part in no school. It had arrived at a new stage of his life and the desire of peace and tranquillity took it to the practice of the Kyudo (arcade). Apparently their progresses were considerable and shortly before his death it received the rank of Hanshi.
AIKIDO When Shiro deserted of the Daito Ryu, Saigo Tanamo returned to be single again. No of its students had the stature of its adoptive son. During years the great school sank before the lack of a leader until, finally, eight years after the game of Shiro - in 1896 -, Sanamo managed to convince to the small Tengu so that it returned to the familiar school. Takeda Sogaku Minamoto Masayoshi (1858 - 1943) was one of last samuráis, unlike the teachers educated in rooms of exercises and sport matches, had fought with their saber and had experienced the hardest training. Been born in a great Samurai family, its life like so lived all. Despising the material convenience and prestige never it had opened a Dojo, to only interested the pure knowledge him, the practice. When, finally, Sogaku settled down like Teacher of the Daito Ryu Aikijutsu, it obtained an immediate recognition. Leaving of side his preference by the fencing it was dedicated to the development of those techniques that had made famous to the School. In those years there were many teachers of great skill, but very few could display the knowledge of the Aikijutsu. Sogaku became then a special figure, at a time where the fencing began to lose its preponderant roll and a new interest by the Martial Arts without arms had catapult to the Judo to the rank of great national sport. In 1908 it was invited to the island of Hokkaido to teach to the police officials, this was his opportunity to create a great school of Aikijutsu. There it remained giving classes and giving lectures, until the death surprised it in the way a training. The great Takeda Sogaku died from the beginning faithful to its ideal, given to its art to the aim. One of the most important results of the education of Sogaku was the new style of Morihei Ueshiba, known like Aikido. To grief that the differences between both Teachers and of the specific characteristics del modern Aikido, is undeniable that the lessons of Takeda Sogaku had a decisive importance in the formation of Ueshiba Sensei. According to its own expression: ¨Con Takeda Sogaku I opened the Dojos for the Marciales¨ Arts. Evidently the disciples of Ueshiba Sensei find difficulties to accept the influence of Sogaku on the modern Aikido; nevertheless it is necessary to also remember that during an important part of his life Ueshiba Sensei it granted diplomas of the Daito Ryu signed by the same Sogaku and that only at a later time its style developed an own profile, characteristic of the transformations of the Japan of postwar period. One of the characteristics of the Daito Ryu had been the resistance to any diffusion of its lessons. In Japan there is an expression for this reserve, the secret arts or Oshikiuchi, only taught to the Buke: descendants of samuráis or to the officials of the army. The secret arts have an effectiveness muy.superior.a the sport expressions that disclose in the Universities and the Dojos. He is natural that this type of knowledge was handled with the absolute reserve. In addition to this reason of order, Japan is a country that has survived the most terrible vicissitudes, thanks to its defense of the aristocratic principle (aristos, of the Greek: "the best thing"); this aristocracy not this cradle in the money like in the West, neither necessarily in the social origin, the aristocratic principle of Japan talks about but or to the values maintained during generations, the proven conduct and the individual capacities. To be accepted in the School Daito Ryu a formal introduction was necessary, that it credited to the postulante with pertinent the social hierarchy. Morihei Ueshiba did not count at that time on this letter of presentation, but a friend his, called journalist Yoshida, helped him to obtain an informal interview with Takeda Sogaku. Appearing in a hotel for a news article, Yoshida arrived with Morihei Ueshiba and intempestivamente it left him in company of Sogaku. Apparently the treta gave result; Ueshiba produced a strong impression in Takeda who immediately accepted it like student of the Daito Ryu. From that moment Morihei Ueshiba it was transformed into the student most eager for Takeda Sogaku, traveling with him in his habitual courses throughout Hokkaido. In 1922 it received his first certificate of Aikijutsu and in 1926 the second. Ueshiba Sensei relates how it had to leave to Professor Takeda because of the disease of his father and how when passing by the Monastery of Ayabe it knew Onisaburo Deguchi, the man who would be to influence decisively in his life. He is natural that Ueshiba, who feared for the health of its father and would have to find it dead when returning to its house, underwent a great spiritual commotion. It was from this crisis that was transformed into a militant of the Omotokyo (a version of the Shintoismo), and that began to judge to the light of this philosophy all its experience in the Art Martial. Obvious a new spiritual disposition would have to enter contradiction with the direction of the Daito Ryu. The lessons of Takeda went fundamentally directed to the military and descendants of samuráis; as he is natural in that type of discipline the objective is to destroy the rival or to injure it seriously. The Aikijutsu had demonstrated to a mortal effectiveness by its dominion of the Atemi and its specialty to dislocate the joints. But the Omotokyo put a particular emphasis in the not-violence and the universal love; obvious, the psychological disposition of both schools was completely opposite. Throughout twenty years Ueshiba Sensei it tried to solve this opposition between the techniques of the Daito Ryu and the philosophy of the Omotokyo. In this period World War II with its sequel of destruction and death took place. It is evident that this experience would come to still more deepen the necessity felt by Ueshiba Sensei to find an Art Martial that did not persecute the destruction of the rival; because who it loves to destroy it exposes to being destroyed. Thus, from the respect by the rival the new Aikido arose. The techniques that before served to dislocate the joints were transformed into dissuasion elements, the terminal blows and the Atemi was eliminated. The saber was changed by the fan. For many people this change will be improbable; nevertheless when Prince Teijun discovered the principle of the union with the rival and Aiki called to him, meaning with this expression something more than an cleverness, created the possibilities of a nonviolent art whose complex history we outlined here. Despite the developments of the modern Aikido, the Daito Aikijutsu is continued practicing in the island of Hokkaido under the education of professor Takeda Tokimune, son of Takeda Sogaku. Every year a public exhibition in the city of Abashiri takes place and many people travel from different parts from Japan to be present at the deadly skill of the old art of the Minamoto. (1) Shinto the Route of the Kami (Gods) (2) the Reporting line of descendants of Ojin Emperor was well-known like Seiwa. As the descendants of the Imperial Family grew of exceptional way in the period of Seiwa Emperor, a sector of its descendants received the prename Genji. Of this called line Seiwa Genji the more famous military clan of Japan, the Minamoto is original. From the origin of the conflicts that would be to take to the rebellion of the Taira Clan (Heike), the Minamoto acted like loyal defenders of the Imperial House. It is evident that this one Clan was initiated in the secrets of the ancestral martial arts or Koryu, carriers of the esoteric tradition, great soldiers, the Minamoto wrote great part of classic military history. Aikibudo: the principle of union with the rival. Aiki means union, synchronization, harmony, love. Hijitsu: secret art. The Koryu principles of or ancestral school of the martial arts talks about to according to the Noble Way of the Eight aspects. Oshikiuchi: school of jujutsu taught to the Samuráis of high rank in the Aizu Has Another one of the names of the Daito Ryu Aikijutsu. At the moment it designates to all the martial arts reserved to the experts and to the military; unlike the sport forms disclosed in the Dojos and Universities.
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