Following Sokaku’s death in Aomori Prefecture in 1943, his third son Takeda Tokimune succeeded him as head of the Takeda family and headmaster (soke) of the Daito-ryu. Tokimune was born on October 7, 1916 in Shimoyubetsu in Hokkaido. As a boy, his father trained him strictly in swordsmanship and Daito-ryu aiki jujutsu. He often accompanied …

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Takeda Sokaku was born the second son of Takeda Sokichi on October 10, 1859 in the Takeda mansion in Oike in Aizu, present-day Fukushima prefecture. As a boy, Sokaku learned kenjutsu, bojutsu, sumo, and Daito-ryu from his father, and studied Ono-ha Itto-ryu at the Yokikan dojo under Shibuya Toba. In 1873, Sokaku traveled with his …

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A former sumo wrestler, Takuma Hisa had the good fortune of being a student of two great teachers: Sokaku Takeda and Morihei Ueshiba. His position of Director of General Affairs at the Asahi News, in Osaka, was instrumental in providing him with the opportunity of becoming acquainted with Ueshiba. Because of the political turmoil of …

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