Brief history

Aikido is a martial art from Japan founded by Morihei Ueshiba (1883 - 1969). After having studied several martial arts used and developed by the samurai he created his own martial art based on the principle of coordinating powers (Aiki). Later this art got the name Aikido. In 1930 he founded the Hombu dojo in Tokyo, which now is under the direction of his grandson Moriteru Ueshiba. Morihei Ueshiba moved 1941 to Iwama a small village 150 km north of Tokyo and build the Ibaragi dojo. There he lived and tought Aikido until his end 1969.

Dento Iwama Ryu - The way we pratice Aikido

Morihiro Saito(1928 - 2002) became a student of the founder in Iwama 1946 and was his live in student (uchi deshi) until 1969. When the founder passed away Morihiro Saito became head (dojo cho) of the Ibaragi dojo and caretaker of the Aiki Shrine (Aiki Jinja). Since 2002 Hitohiro Saito the son of Morihiro continues to teach Aikido and accepts uchi deshi. Training is now in the new Tanrenkan dojo.

The Aikido the founder tought in Iwama has been faithfully preserved by Morihiro Saito Shihan 9 Dan Aikikai and during the late 1980's it was know as Iwama Ryu (Iwama Style). To make it more easy to teach the huge number of techniques they have systematically been arranged in groups of techniques and a pedagogical system became a common base for the teachers affiliated to Morihiro sensei. The practice of basic techniques (kihon) is important and only on this base it is possible to pratice flowing techniques (ki no nagare). The pratice should be serious using kiai and atemi. Hitohiro Saito continues the tradition of the founder and his father and the Aikido he teaches is now known as Dento Iwama Ryu (traditonal Iwama Ryu). In 2003 Hitohiro Saito founded his own organisation the Iwama Shinshin Aiki Shurenkai.