Aikido Pioneers - Prewar Era

Price: $34.95

Morihei Ueshiba (1883-1969) drew on his extensive martial arts experience as a young man, fusing this knowledge with his deeply-held religious beliefs, to create the modern self-defense art of Aikido.

During his long career, Ueshiba associated with some of prewar Japan's most colorful characters, including famous jujutsu master Sokaku Takeda, the charismatic religious leader Onisaburo Deguchi, and numerous members of Japan’s military, political, and business elite. Here is the captivating story of the birth of aikido, based on the first-hand accounts of Ueshiba’s top students prior to World War II.

Takemusu Aikido: Background & Basics (Vol. 1)

Price: $32.95

This work, Takemusu Aikido: Background & Basics, is the first of Morihiro Saito’s final series of Aikido technical manuals. Saito Sensei, 9th dan and one of Aikido’s leading experts, presents more than sixty variations of ikkyo, nikyo, sankyo, and yonkyo techniques, the most essential of the art’s basic forms. Illustrated with over 600 photographs and accompanied by detailed step-by-step explanations, Background & Basics provides an indispensable guide for both beginning and advanced practitioners.

Takemusu Aikido (Vol. 2)

Price: $29.95

This volume, titled Takemusu Aikido: More Basics, is the second of the comprehensive technical series authored by Morihiro Saito, 9th dan, presenting the aikido of Founder Morihei Ueshiba O-Sensei. This manual covers in exhaustive detail 76 techniques from the following series of basics: shihonage, kotegaeshi, and iriminage. Volume 2 is presented in bilingual format (Japanese-English) and provides clear, step-by-step explanations of each technique featuring over 700 illustrations.

Takemusu Aikido (Vol. 3)

Price: $28.95

Takemusu Aikido: Basics Concluded is the third volume of this comprehensive series presenting the aikido of Morihei Ueshiba O-Sensei. Volume 3 covers the following series of techniques: koshinage, tenchinage, kaitennage, morotedori kokyuho, suwariwaza kokyuho, and jujinage. This work is profusely illustrated with more than 500 photos and includes detailed, step-by-step explanations of each technique. Bilingual, Japanese and English.

Takemusu Aikido: Kokyunage (Vol. 4)

Price: $28.95

Takemusu Aikido, Volume 4: Kokyunage is the fourth volume of a comprehensive technical series covering the aikido of the Founder Morihei Ueshiba, as taught in Iwama, Ibaragi Prefecture following World War II. This manual presents somes 80 variations of kokyunage, among the most important techniques in the aikido curriculum. Bilingual, Japanese and English.

Takemusu Aikido: Bukidori & Ninindori (Vol. 5)

Price: $27.95

This volume entitled Takemusu Aikido: Bukidori & Ninindori is the fifth of the comprehensive series by Morihiro Saito presenting the aikido techniques of Morihei Ueshiba O-Sensei. Volume 5 covers the following series of techniques: tachidori, jodori, jonage, tankendori and ninindori. This work is profusely illustrated with more than 450 photos and includes detailed, step-by-step explanations and commentary on each technique.

Takemusu Aikido Special Edition (Vol. 6)

Price: $26.95

This special edition of the Takemusu Aikido technical series presents an historical overview of the Founder’s aikido techniques from the time of the mid-1930s through the Iwama period following World War II. It is based on technical material contained in the manual entitled Budo published in 1938 by Morihei Ueshiba supplemented by detailed commentary by Morihiro Saito Shihan. The technical material in this volume includes preparatory exercises, basic techniques, knife (tantodori), and sword-taking techniques (tachidori), sword vs. sword forms (ken tai ken), mock-bayonet (juken) techniques, and finishing exercises (shumatsu dosa).

Traditional Aikido: Volume 1, Basic Techniques

Price: $79.95

The books in the Traditional Aikido series were written between 1973 - 75 by the late Morihiro Saito Shihan. They are among the most important documents ever written on Aikido and constitute a cultural treasure that commands a place in every aikidoka's book collection.

Volumes 1 through 5 cover a wide range of techniques that form the basis of "Takemusu Aiki," the spontaneous execution of unlimited techniques, the ultimate goal of the Founder's aikido. These tomes also present the integrated system of taijutsu and the Aiki Ken and Aiki Jo as formulated in Iwama by O-Sensei following World War II.

Traditional Aikido: Volume 2, Advanced Techniques

Price: $79.95

Traditional Aikido, Volume 2 covers a wide range of weapon techniques and methods. It builds on the weapon basics where Volume 1 leaves off showing more advanced weapon techniques. Aikidoka who have absorbed the material contained in the first volume will find that the techniques of Traditional Aikido, Volume 2 will come as a natural extension of their bodies—or Ken and Jo—as is the case, is in the second volume!

Traditional Aikido: Volume 3, Applied Techniques

Price: $79.95

The third volume in the Traditional Aikido series begins the presentation of the vast subject of taijutsu, that is, the empty-handed techniques of aikido. To quote from the foreword to Volume 3:

"The techniques in this book were picked entirely at the discretion of the author who sought, in selecting them, to establish some contextual correlation between pertinent techniques. Some of the techniques may well be construed as derivatives from the standard Aikido repertory. '... As an invaluable aid, I took the liberty to of quoting the words bequeathed by Founder Morihei Uyeshiba, which represent the “heart of techniques” in such a concise and incisive manner.'"

Aikido: Its Heart and Appearance

Price: $34.95

Morihiro Saito is the author of Aikido: Its Heart and Appearance as well as the highly acclaimed technical series Traditional Aikido, published in the early 1970s, and Takemusu Aikido, published in the mid-1900s. Saito Sensei enrolled as a student of Aikido Founder Morihei Ueshiba in 1946 in Iwama. One of the art’s foremost technicians, Saito Sensei was the acknowledged authority on Aikido weapons training. He operated Ueshiba’s private dojo in Iwama, Japan and served as caretaker of the Aiki Shrine for more than 30 years. Saito Sensei travelled extensively throughout the world for over three decades teaching his comprehensive aikido training methods.

Daito-ryu Aikijujutsu: Conversations with Daito-ryu Masters

Price: $25.95

Sokaku Takeda was one of the outstanding figures of 20th century Japanese martial arts. For over fifty years he taught his art of Daito-ryu aikijujutsu to nearly thirty thousand students, including Aikido Founder Morihei Ueshiba. Today, Daito-ryu is perhaps the best known of the Japanese jujutsu styles, but there has been surprisingly little information in print in any language on this fascinating and complex art. Daito-ryu aikijujutsu: Conversations with Daito-ryu Masters is the first book in English to explore the life of Takeda, the history of his art, and the techniques that are practiced in Daito-ryu today.

Daito-ryu Aikijujutsu Hiden Mokuroku: Ikkajo

Price: $29.95

This is the first book in English to introduce the technical curriculum of Daito-ryu Aikijujutsu as originally taught by Sokaku Takeda. It contains the 31 techniques of the ikkajo series of the Hiden Mokuroku, the first level of study in Daito-ryu.

The arts of Daito-ryu form the basis for most of the techniques of modern aikido, the martial art created by Morihei Ueshiba O-Sensei. The international success of aikido has in turn rekindled great interest in Daito-ryu and the legendary figure of Sokaku Takeda.

The Great Onisaburo Deguchi

Price: $29.95

Onisaburo Deguchi, although little known in the West, was a giant among religious leaders of twentieth century Japan. The Omoto faith, of which he was the driving force, is the most important of the "new religions" of Japan. At its zenith, the Omoto counted among its ranks some two million adherents and exerted a major impact on the political and religious affairs of prewar Japan. The scope of Onisaburo's life and achievements is truly superhuman. A prolific writer, poet, calligrapher, sculptor, and ceramist, Onisaburo left a vast cultural and artistic legacy that is truly awe-inspiring. Also, noteworthy is the fact that Onisaburo was the spiritual master of Aikido Founder Morihei Ueshiba. The latter drew heavily from Onisaburo's teachings in the creation of his ethically-based Aikido, a martial art practiced by hundreds of thousands of enthusiasts worldwide.

The Official Yoshinkan Aikido Training Manual, Volume 1

Price: $27.95

In 1999, the Yoshinkan Aikido Hombu Dojo in collaboration with Aiki News published an updated edition of its official training manual in bilingual format. This training aid complied under the supervision of Kyoichi Inoue Sensei serves as an invaluable reference for beginners and instructors alike. The following groups of techniques are covered in great detail in Volume 1: