Aikijujutsu Websites & Dojos

[Tal]

I am new and therefore sorry for asking something someone might have answered before. I have searched the forum and still don't feel I have a complete answer yet.
So my question is this - what are the main Daito-Ryu branches in the west (I have seen only 3 in the top thread)? Is Nihon a well known branch?

Thank you in advance,
Tal Bustan

[Nathan Scott]

First, you might look through the Aikijujutsu Dojo Finder sub-forum. If you don't want to go through the various locations near you, then the study-group thread in that forum will probably give you most the answers.

Almost all the Daito-ryu branches have students and/or groups outside of Japan now. In North America, the Kodokai has probably been taught consistently outside of Japan for longer than any of the other branchs (since 1973 - 33 years). There are also now study groups and dojo internationally for the Shinbukan (Kondo Sensei), Daitokai (Kato Sensei), Takumakai, and Roppokai.

Are you looking for a dojo or just randomly curious? And which group are you referring to as "Nihon"?

Regards,

[Tal]

Nihon as the branch found here ... www.daito-ryu.com
And thanks again.

Tal Bustan.

[Ron Tisdale]

This is the web page of the senior instructors in Hokaido who broke away after Tokimune died. There are quite a few threads here discussing the events surrounding that. There is a poster here who is closely connected with that group (Judasith). He should probably check in before too long. He has a seminar posted in the seminar forum that sounds like an excellent introduction to that group.

You should also check out www.daitoryu.org.

Best,
Ron

[Tal]

Ohh great so they are one of the main stream branches. I was worried they are one of the less known (bogus) branches. Apprently they are the only branch with a dojo in my country.

Thanks!
Tal Bustan

[judasith]

Dear Mr. Bustan,

I've been affiliated with the Nihon Daito-ryu Aikibudo Daitokai for over 6 years now, so I can tell you something about this association. The Daitokai (once it was called Seishinkai), was formed by the vast majority of the senior students of Takeda Tokimune Sensei, students that broke off when the situation of the art went too political for them. The leader of the association is Kato Shigemitsu Sensei, who was the technical director of the Daitokan dojo for the last 11 years of life of the Soke (this means he actually directed the lessons in the hombu for all that period since the Soke was getting older and with an increasingly bad health).

We are a mainline association of Daito-ryu, along with others like Kondo's Shimbukai and Okabayshi's Hakuho-kai (now called Hakuho-ryu, since more personal of Okabayashi than before), you can find a summary of the legitimate branches of Daito-ryu in my opinion and of the general educated public in this thread

My teacher is Antonino Certa sensei, a direct student for 3 years of Takeda Tokimune Sensei, and since his death from Kato Shigemitsu Sensei. He is now a shihan of the school and is its official reprehesentative for outside Japan.

You can meet us, if you like/want in one of the events organized every year and that you can find in this post:

http://www.e-budo.com/forum/showthread.php?t=32436

along with a couple of reports about our seminars and courses written by Mr. Larry Kwolek ( www.aikidojo.it ).

Best regards,

Giacomo Merello

[Tal]

Thank you very much for the information!

Tal Bustan