Born in the Aizu domain (Fukushima Prefecture)[2], Sokaku grew up in a time of war (Boshin) and civil strife and was able to witness both first hand while still a young boy. The second son of Takeda Sōkichi, a samurai of the Takeda clan who worked his farm and taught at a local school and Tomi Kurokochi, a daughter of Dengoro Kurokochi[3], a Yari and Kenjutsu master. It is believed that Sōkaku received his first martial arts training from his father who had a dojo on their property.[4] Sōkichi was apparently expert in the use of both sword and spear, and had once been a sumo wrestler of ozeki rank. It is believed that Sōkaku was exposed to the teachings of Hozoin-ryu Takada-ha and Ono-ha Itto-ryu, schools of spear and swordsmanship respectively.[5]
Sōkaku then left to go on a period of austere training where he travelled, fought and trained at the schools of many teachers, a not uncommon practise of the time. Reputedly, Sōkaku spent some time as a live-in student of Kenkichi Sakakibara, headmaster of theJikishinkage Ryu and considered to be one of the most famous and skilled swordsmen of the era.[6] Unfortunately there exist no known historical documents to confirm this relationship and so it is a matter of debate. What is known, however, is that Sōkaku engaged in many matches and duels with both shinai and live blades and was considered a swordsman of great skill in a period of time when such things were beginning to be forgotten.[7]
With the outlawing of the samurai class and the prohibition against carrying swords ( Haitōrei Edict ) apparentally Sokaku decided to emphasize the empty handed, jujutsu oriented, techniques of his ancestor's art.[8] These apparently were 'oshiki-uchi', or secret teachings of the Aizu clan, up to that point. These, along with other skills he had acquired, were combined to create an art which he christened first 'Daito-ryu jujutsu' and later 'Daito-ryu aiki jujutsu'.[9]
Sōkaku lived a somewhat itinerant life, travelling the length and breadth of the country giving seminars in martial arts to military officers, police officers and martial arts enthusiasts, often of high social standing. He left extensive records of those he taught in the 'eimeiroku' and the 'shareikoku' which were attendance and fee ledgers of those who attended and paid for lessons from him.
His students included a famous politician of the time Saigo Tsugumichi, and Hokushin Itto-ryu swordsman Shimoe Hidetaro, as well as military officers, martial artists, police officers and others. Takeda had three very important students who went on to claim fame in the Martial Arts arena. First, our own Yoshida Kotaro; second, Moreihei Ueshiba (who needs no introduction whatsoever), it was Yoshida Sensei who introduced Ueshiba to Takeda; and third, a young nine-year-old Korean who was the house boy (some say he was adopted) of Takeda, named Choi Young Sol (1904-1986). It was Choi who founded Hapkido. He studied with Takeda from 1913 until his master died on April 25, 1943. As a boy, Sokaku learned kenjutsu, bojutsu, sumo, and Daito-ryu from his father, and he also studied Ohno-ha Itto-ryu at the Yokikan dojo under Shibuya Toba. In 1873, Sokaku traveled with his father to the dojo of his father’s friend, swordmaster Sakakibara Kenkichi. He chose to stay on as a live-in student and totally immersed himself in the study of Jikishinkage-ryu. While living here, he had opportunities to meet and train with the top swordsmen of the day, many of whom had formerly been members of the Tokugawa shogunate’s Kobusho, the main Martial Arts school for the government’s retainers. He studied hard and eventually mastered many different skills and weapons, including sword, staff, half-bow, short-staff, and throwing darts. He also received a license in the spear arts of the Hozoin-ryu. In 1875, he was on his way to help Saigo Takamori in the uprising against the new Meiji Government, but instead went to Osaka where he spent the next ten years as a guest in the Kyoshin Meichi-ryu dojo of swordmaster Momonoi Shunzo. Sokaku learned Daito-ryu from his father Sokichi, but it was from Saigo Tanomo that he learned oshikiiuchi (secret palace arts of Ju Jitsu and sword fighting). After the Meiji Restoration in 1868, Saigo Tanomo had become a Shinto priest and taken the name Hoshina Chikanori. In 1875, Sokaku visited him at Tsutsukowake Shrine in Fukushima to study for the priesthood. When he was there, he received instruction in the arts of oshikiiuchi from Chikanori. Sokaku then decided not to become a priest, but he visited his mentor (Chikanori) many times, and under Chikanori’s instruction is said to have perfected seemingly miraculous skills of understanding another’s mind and thought, and to have grasped the true depths of oshikiiuchi. On May 12, 1898, Chikanori presented Sokaku with a single poem. One translation of Chikanori’s poem is that it compares the flow of a river to the flow of time. The beginning of the Meiji period brought about the end of the sword era. Therefore, it was time for Sokaku to pursue and make his way with jujutsu. |
His students included a famous politician of the time Saigo Tsugumichi, and Hokushin Itto-ryu swordsman Shimoe Hidetaro, as well as military officers, martial artists, police officers and others. Takeda had three very important students who went on to claim fame in the Martial Arts arena. First, our own Yoshida Kotaro; second, Moreihei Ueshiba (who needs no introduction whatsoever), it was Yoshida Sensei who introduced Ueshiba to Takeda; and third, a young nine-year-old Korean who was the house boy (some say he was adopted) of Takeda, named Choi Young Sol (1904-1986). It was Choi who founded Hapkido. He studied with Takeda from 1913 until his master died on April 25, 1943. As a boy, Sokaku learned kenjutsu, bojutsu, sumo, and Daito-ryu from his father, and he also studied Ohno-ha Itto-ryu at the Yokikan dojo under Shibuya Toba. In 1873, Sokaku traveled with his father to the dojo of his father’s friend, swordmaster Sakakibara Kenkichi. He chose to stay on as a live-in student and totally immersed himself in the study of Jikishinkage-ryu. While living here, he had opportunities to meet and train with the top swordsmen of the day, many of whom had formerly been members of the Tokugawa shogunate’s Kobusho, the main Martial Arts school for the government’s retainers. He studied hard and eventually mastered many different skills and weapons, including sword, staff, half-bow, short-staff, and throwing darts. He also received a license in the spear arts of the Hozoin-ryu. In 1875, he was on his way to help Saigo Takamori in the uprising against the new Meiji Government, but instead went to Osaka where he spent the next ten years as a guest in the Kyoshin Meichi-ryu dojo of swordmaster Momonoi Shunzo. Sokaku learned Daito-ryu from his father Sokichi, but it was from Saigo Tanomo that he learned oshikiiuchi (secret palace arts of Ju Jitsu and sword fighting). After the Meiji Restoration in 1868, Saigo Tanomo had become a Shinto priest and taken th e name Hoshina Chikanori. In 1875, Sokaku visited him at Tsutsukowake Shrine in Fukushima to study for the priesthood. When he was there, he received instruction in the arts of oshikiiuchi from Chikanori. Sokaku then decided not to become a priest, but he visited his mentor (Chikanori) many times, and under Chikanori’s instruction is said to have perfected seemingly miraculous skills of understanding another’s mind and thought, and to have grasped the true depths of oshikiiuchi. On May 12, 1898, Chikanori presented Sokaku with a single poem. One translation of Chikanori’s poem is that it compares the flow of a river to the flow of time. The beginning of the Meiji period brought about the end of the sword era. Therefore, it was time for Sokaku to pursue and make his way with jujutsu. |
