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 […]

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