Category: Articles
Aiki Connections by Ben Forrest
Training with Howard Popkin Sensei provides a unique insight into Daito Ryu and some of its elements which translate into Aikido. His techniques are are incredibly soft – almost effortless – and yet they are impossible to resist. Although this is infuriating at first, Howard’s detailed explanation and step-by-step demonstration…
Interesting Article from Aikido Journal
This article on Police Arrest techniques adapted from Daito-ryu is very interesting. Considering how we practise kamae in our branch of Daito-ryu, I was particularly interested in this, the 8th Footnote… “The insistence of Hisa on hanmi (半身, lit.: “half of one’s body”) is interesting since it is not usually prominently…
Lineage
What are the basic techniques of Daito–ryu?
A Very familiar sentiment, by Dave Remnant
My own martial arts training started with Shaolin kung fu, then jujitsu. So since starting training in Aikido, my biggest battle has been with acquiring softness and trying not to use brute strength in techniques. As one part of my early investigations into aikido I investigated the source of Aikido,…
An island of good ‘Aiki’ by Neil Saunders
A Memorable Event by Laurence McGrandles
The best experience, by Stuart Turner
What is Daitō-ryū?
Reposting this article for the benefit of our Study Group members (and anyone else who might be interested of course). Last year I wrote the following article for the British Aikido Association magazine “Shizentai”. The intended audience is mainly Tomiki Kenji lineage aikido folk. I very much like the name…
Required reading – George Ledyard @ Aikido Journal
Rob’s feedback, by Rob Ayre
Some great feedback from Stu Marshall
Some cracking feedback courtesy of Stu Marshall…. What can I say that hasn’t already been said multiple times with greater eloquence and insight? Not much. It’s all true what people say. Every bit of it. Unless it’s anything other than superlative, in which case it’s an outrageous fabrication. Fake News.…
Will’s seminar review – by William Greene
Seminar feedback by Lionel de Nobrega
Weekend feedback, by Paul Conway
Weekend thoughts
Okamoto Seigo interview part 2
Pictorial Daito-ryu Ginjukai Lineage
Pictorial lineage of the Daito-ryu Aiki-jujutsu Ginjukai Takeda Sōkaku, the founder of Daitō-ryū Aiki-jūjutsu (October 10, 1859 – April 25, 1943) Takeda Sōkaku (middle) and his student Kodo Horikawa (right). Kōdō Horikawa (1894–1980) Kōdō Horikawa (second from left) seated with Shioda Gōzō (third from left). Kōdō Horikawa (middle) training with…
Interesting Interview with Ueshiba Morihei
A both fascinating and unorthodox interview with Daito-ryu Instructor and Aikido founder Ueshiba Morihei, has surfaced. Aikikai Aikido and Takumakai Daito-Ryu student Guillaume Errard posted that he found it recently. Good job Guillaume! A very curious dynamic develops between interviewer and interviewee, ranging from amused to annoyed (on both sides).…
Okamoto Seigo Interview
West country whistle stop
Articles for Archive purposes
2016 Interview with Howard Popkin
Takeda Sokaku Timeline
This timeline is reproduced from the archive of Aikido Journal. Many thanks to Josh Gold at Aikido Journal for permission. 1859 – Born on October 10, 1859 at the Takeda Mansion in Oike, Aizu Bange-cho, in present-day Fukushima Prefecture. Father, Sokichi Takeda (1819-1906), mother Tomi (unknown dates), daughter of Dengoro…
On the fence about Daito-ryu?
What do we know about Takeda Sokaku?
Testimonial from the best of men….Graham Farquhar
Horikawa Kodo
Required viewing : Horikawa Kodo
Latest feedback from John Shields
Seminar Feedback just in…by Phil Glover
Another review, by Mark Jenner
New review received, this time courtesy of Mr Mark Jenner…. Another great Daito Ryu weekend in Dover with the Aiki connections crowd, four years now and it’s not yet failed to deliver! This is much more than just another martial arts seminar, enlightening, thought provoking, and frustratingly minimalist, it’s all…
New Aiki Connections review, by Simon Thackeray
Great testimonial, by Stuart Turner
Post weekend thoughts
Great feedback, by Paul Wildish
I have been a committed budoka for some fifty years, first practising judo, then subsequently practising Tomiki Aikido, Muso Jikiden Eishin Ryu iaido and Mugai Ryu Iaiheiho. Throughout my budo journey I have shared practice with jujutsu, jodo, kenjutsu, karate, Nihon Shorinji Kempo and Chinese tai chi teachers. This experience…
Nice words…by Erik Divietro
Assumptions, courtesy of Peter Boylan
An excerpt from an old post on Peter Boylan’s (the Budo Bum) blog…. “Getting out to a seminar or two in another art can broaden your perspective on situations the arts you study are intended to deal with. Every art has a frame through which it interprets the world. It’s…
Required viewing
Great feedback from Nikos Papanikolaou
Last summer, through a contact of my teacher, Quentin Cooke, I was informed of a small Daito-Ryu Aiki-Jujutsu study group led by Phil Eyers that follows the Roppokai tradition and Seigo Okamoto sensei. This group has been inviting two American teachers, Howard Popkin and Joe Brogna sensei (personal students of…
Daito-Ryu Aiki-jujutsu article for Aikidoka
Last year I wrote the following article for the British Aikido Association magazine “Shizentai”. The intended audience is mainly Tomiki Kenji lineage aikido folk. I very much like the name Shizentai, as “natural posture” is generally what we use in our practice. _______________________________________ Daito-ryu Aikijujutsu When asked about what they…
Aiki Connections by Ben Forrest

Training with Howard Popkin Sensei provides a unique insight into Daito Ryu and some of its elements which translate into Aikido. His techniques are are incredibly soft – almost effortless – and yet they are impossible to resist. Although this is infuriating at first, Howard’s detailed explanation and step-by-step demonstration…
Interesting Article from Aikido Journal

This article on Police Arrest techniques adapted from Daito-ryu is very interesting. Considering how we practise kamae in our branch of Daito-ryu, I was particularly interested in this, the 8th Footnote… “The insistence of Hisa on hanmi (半身, lit.: “half of one’s body”) is interesting since it is not usually prominently…
Lineage
What are the basic techniques of Daito–ryu?
A Very familiar sentiment, by Dave Remnant

My own martial arts training started with Shaolin kung fu, then jujitsu. So since starting training in Aikido, my biggest battle has been with acquiring softness and trying not to use brute strength in techniques. As one part of my early investigations into aikido I investigated the source of Aikido,…
An island of good ‘Aiki’ by Neil Saunders
A Memorable Event by Laurence McGrandles
The best experience, by Stuart Turner
What is Daitō-ryū?

Reposting this article for the benefit of our Study Group members (and anyone else who might be interested of course). Last year I wrote the following article for the British Aikido Association magazine “Shizentai”. The intended audience is mainly Tomiki Kenji lineage aikido folk. I very much like the name…
Required reading – George Ledyard @ Aikido Journal
Rob’s feedback, by Rob Ayre
Some great feedback from Stu Marshall

Some cracking feedback courtesy of Stu Marshall…. What can I say that hasn’t already been said multiple times with greater eloquence and insight? Not much. It’s all true what people say. Every bit of it. Unless it’s anything other than superlative, in which case it’s an outrageous fabrication. Fake News.…
Will’s seminar review – by William Greene
Seminar feedback by Lionel de Nobrega
Weekend feedback, by Paul Conway
Weekend thoughts
Okamoto Seigo interview part 2
Pictorial Daito-ryu Ginjukai Lineage

Pictorial lineage of the Daito-ryu Aiki-jujutsu Ginjukai Takeda Sōkaku, the founder of Daitō-ryū Aiki-jūjutsu (October 10, 1859 – April 25, 1943) Takeda Sōkaku (middle) and his student Kodo Horikawa (right). Kōdō Horikawa (1894–1980) Kōdō Horikawa (second from left) seated with Shioda Gōzō (third from left). Kōdō Horikawa (middle) training with…
Interesting Interview with Ueshiba Morihei

A both fascinating and unorthodox interview with Daito-ryu Instructor and Aikido founder Ueshiba Morihei, has surfaced. Aikikai Aikido and Takumakai Daito-Ryu student Guillaume Errard posted that he found it recently. Good job Guillaume! A very curious dynamic develops between interviewer and interviewee, ranging from amused to annoyed (on both sides).…
Okamoto Seigo Interview
West country whistle stop
Articles for Archive purposes
2016 Interview with Howard Popkin
Takeda Sokaku Timeline

This timeline is reproduced from the archive of Aikido Journal. Many thanks to Josh Gold at Aikido Journal for permission. 1859 – Born on October 10, 1859 at the Takeda Mansion in Oike, Aizu Bange-cho, in present-day Fukushima Prefecture. Father, Sokichi Takeda (1819-1906), mother Tomi (unknown dates), daughter of Dengoro…
On the fence about Daito-ryu?
What do we know about Takeda Sokaku?
Testimonial from the best of men….Graham Farquhar
Horikawa Kodo
Required viewing : Horikawa Kodo
Latest feedback from John Shields
Seminar Feedback just in…by Phil Glover
Another review, by Mark Jenner

New review received, this time courtesy of Mr Mark Jenner…. Another great Daito Ryu weekend in Dover with the Aiki connections crowd, four years now and it’s not yet failed to deliver! This is much more than just another martial arts seminar, enlightening, thought provoking, and frustratingly minimalist, it’s all…
New Aiki Connections review, by Simon Thackeray
Great testimonial, by Stuart Turner
Post weekend thoughts
Great feedback, by Paul Wildish

I have been a committed budoka for some fifty years, first practising judo, then subsequently practising Tomiki Aikido, Muso Jikiden Eishin Ryu iaido and Mugai Ryu Iaiheiho. Throughout my budo journey I have shared practice with jujutsu, jodo, kenjutsu, karate, Nihon Shorinji Kempo and Chinese tai chi teachers. This experience…
Nice words…by Erik Divietro
Assumptions, courtesy of Peter Boylan
An excerpt from an old post on Peter Boylan’s (the Budo Bum) blog…. “Getting out to a seminar or two in another art can broaden your perspective on situations the arts you study are intended to deal with. Every art has a frame through which it interprets the world. It’s…
Required viewing
Great feedback from Nikos Papanikolaou

Last summer, through a contact of my teacher, Quentin Cooke, I was informed of a small Daito-Ryu Aiki-Jujutsu study group led by Phil Eyers that follows the Roppokai tradition and Seigo Okamoto sensei. This group has been inviting two American teachers, Howard Popkin and Joe Brogna sensei (personal students of…
Daito-Ryu Aiki-jujutsu article for Aikidoka
Last year I wrote the following article for the British Aikido Association magazine “Shizentai”. The intended audience is mainly Tomiki Kenji lineage aikido folk. I very much like the name Shizentai, as “natural posture” is generally what we use in our practice. _______________________________________ Daito-ryu Aikijujutsu When asked about what they…