The Weapons of Aikido

The few details we have regarding the origin of O-Sensei's weapons techniques are somewhat controversial and much research needs to be done in this area. Thankfully however, at least two researcher/historians have contributed greatly in bringing to the public such information, namely author and Aikido student John Stevens, and founder of the Aikido Journal (formerly AikiNews), also an Aikido student, Stanley Pranin. Through their efforts it has been well established that O-Sensei studied a wide range of diverse weapon arts, and that he formulated Aikido weapons based upon these.

The primary technical influence on Aikido was the Daito Ryu Aiki-ju-jutsu of Sokaku Takeda, O-Sensei's main teacher, on occasion, from 1915 to the 1930's, and while it is well known that Daito Ryu gave birth to the hand techniques, it is less well known that Takeda also held a teaching license in the Ono-ha Itto Ryu school of swordsmanship, and that he possibly trained in the famous Jikishinkage Ryu school as well. It is also known that O-Sensei studied Kashima Shinto Ryu, as can be seen in the kumi-tachi , and a keppan , an oath written in blood records O-Sensei's name in the School in 1937. He also studied Katori Shinto as well as Yagyu Ryu, under Masakatsu Nakai around 1903-1908, and also Kosaburo Shomojo, with whom O-Sensei apparently had a close relationship.

As for jo, it is less clear where it's techniques are derived from. It is known that O-Sensei studied the yari, or spear of Hozoin Ryu, which bears some resemblance to Aiki-jo, and it is also known that the Kashima and Katori Shinto Ryus, traditional Schools with a long history in Japan, contain a composite of such weapon arts as bokken (sword), naginata (halberd), yari (spear) and jo (staff), though how much O-Sensei was influenced by these is difficult to say. He also studied jukendo (bayonetted rifle) while in the army in the early 1900's, and certain disarming techniques bear resemblance to some of the jo-dori (staff disarming). O-Sensei did study, however, an obscure art known as Kuki Shin Ryu, the mystical art of the Yamabushi, or mountain warriors. The Kurama mountain region near Osaka is famous for such mountain ascetics, and O-Sensei at one stage of his life retreated there a number of times during the mid-1920's. The preferred weapon of the Yamabushi is the jo, and according to Stevens, Kuki Shin had considerable influence on Aiki-jo. Kuki Shin Ryu is also one of the nine traditions of Togakure Ryu Ninjutsu, and a photo of the 33rd Grandmaster of Togakure Ryu, the late Toshitsugu Takamatsu Sensei, shows him holding a jo in a pose not unlike that of Aiki-jo. A number of jo-dori within the Togakure Ryu also bear strong resemblance to Aikido jo-dori, though again, more research is needed to verify this.

Despite these many influences on O-Sensei's weapons techniques, considerable changes have been made to them in his forming Aiki-ken and Aiki-jo. Changes in posture, structure, distance and angle as well as, according to some, a great simplification of many movements, have transformed these ancient techniques into the system that we have today.

The recent history of Aikido weapons revolves around Morihiro Saito Sensei, and while there has been some division in the Aikido world over the authenticity and validity of Saito Sensei's weapons to modern Aikido, whether it be for personal or political reasons, it is finally becoming recognized worldwide that he is the technical expert on Aikido and the sole proponent of Aikido weapons. Having spent the last 23 years of O-Sensei's life with him at Iwama as uchi-deshi, from 1946 to 1969, Saito Sensei is the longest serving of any of the founder's students and to this day remains committed to preserving O-Sensei's Aikido. According to Saito Sensei, O-Sensei developed and taught his own form of weapons after the war while at Iwama, and only ever demonstrated them outside Iwama. Saito Sensei was the only student of O-Sensei permitted to teach weapons during his lifetime, and at his behest, taught a popular Sunday weapons class at Tokyo Hombu dojo for many years from 1959, until it was unfortunately cut short.

The changes O-Sensei made to the wide variety of weapons techniques most significantly involve the introduction of the concept of Ri-ai, which is the integration of sword, staff and body movements into a series of shared, common principles that form the foundation of Aikido itself. For this reason, training in Shindo Muso or Katori Shinto Ryu will not offer the same benefits to Aikido practitioners as does O-Sensei's Aiki-ken and Aiki-jo, though of course, both these arts offer a depth and value as martial arts that can stand on their own. Saito Sensei makes it clear that the difference lies in O-Sensei's transformation of traditional weapons systems to the Ri-ai of Aikido, and he maintains that what he teaches is "O-Sensei style".

Saito Sensei has commented on a number of occasions that there are some individuals and organizations that discount the validity of weapons to Aikido, some have turned to Shindo Muso Ryu Jodo, and Katori Shinto Ryu Kenjutsu to supplement their Aikido, and yet others who argue that he is teaching "Saito style". While it is true that Saito Sensei has developed a number of weapons forms, such as the 13 Jo, the 31 Kumijo and 13 Jo awase, these are more changes in training method than the introduction of new techniques, being constructed from many of the movements and forms that Saito Sensei had observed the founder performing over the years while he developed his art.In effect, Saito Sensei has simply collected and arranged a whole variety of movements and techniques performed by O-Sensei, and put them together in a logical, systematized format that is both easy to learn, and easy to understand.

The weapons certification system was devised by Saito Sensei as a means to both preserve the weapons legacy of the founder, O-Sensei, and also allow Black Belts of any style of Aikido to receive instruction and grading in Aikido weapons as taught at Iwama Dojo. It also allows instructors of other Aikido styles to teach Saito Sensei's weapons system as part of their own training curriculum.

Levels 1 and 2 are open to Shodan and above, Levels 3, 4 and 5 are only open to Nidans and above. Instruction and grading is by Saito Sensei in Iwama only, with the awarding of a series of scrolls specially prepared by Saito Sensei.