Daito-ryu Aikijujutsu is a traditional school of Japanese Jujutsu. It is the parent art to many popular arts. The founder of Aikido, Morihei Ueshiba was a long time student of Daito-Ryu, as were the founders of Hakkoryu, Shorinji Kempo, Hapkido, and many other popular modern arts.
In its purest form, Daito-ryu Aiki-jujutsu is a powerful system for self defence that uses connected body mechanics and soft movements to unbalance an attacker at the moment of contact. The core of Daito-Ryu is a set of skills that would interest any martial artist. These skills make it possible to unbalance, redirect, control an attacker while using little or no muscular strength.
We practise Daito-Ryu as taught to us by Howard Popkin and Joe Brogna as part of the Daitoryu Aikijujitsu Ginjukai.
The Ginjukai is unique among styles of Daito-Ryu for its heavy emphasis on “aiki no jutsu”. This style of Daito-Ryu emphasizes highly effective techniques for unbalancing, redirecting, and controlling an opponent. These high-level techniques render your opponent powerless upon the initial attack while using minimum physical effort or force to control the opponent. These aiki-no-jutsu techniques are rarely seen by the public, and any technical explanations are difficult to find in video or publication.
Joseph Brogna and Howard Popkin founded the Daito-Ryu Aiki-jujitsu Ginjukai to continue the traditional teaching and training of Daito-Ryu as taught by the late Seigo Okamoto. Students of aikido and other martial arts regardless of rank can benefit from the advanced concepts practised in this martial art to enhance their own arts.
We operate as a not-for-profit organisation, run entirely for the benefit of our members.
Daito-ryu is both a cultural treasure, and a devastating martial art.
The UK branch is a small dedicated group. There is an opportunity to get in at the grass roots level of this art and do your part in helping to preserve this amazing art for the future.
If you would like to be considered for membership in the Ryu, please get in touch
If you would like to host a visiting session at your own dojo, please use the contact page to get in touch with us.