About Takemusu

The Founder considered Takemusu Aikido to be the highest form of Aikido. Takemusu contains two Japanese characters: Take (Bu) = Martial, and Musu = To be born. These two characters combine to refer to martial movement spontaneously created, without active thought, resulting in a pure Aikido technique.

He felt that one's training went through four major periods of development: Basic Technique, Flexible Technique, Flowing Technique, and finally Takemusu Aiki. He considered this final form of Aikido to be attainable by anyone through practice

About the Takemusu Aikido Association

The Takemusu Aikido Association is dedicated to the development and dissemination of Aikido based on the highest ideals of the Founder, Morihei Ueshiba, O-Sensei. The Association does this by continuing and promoting the Founder's traditional teaching and training methods as passed on by his longest direct disciple, Morihiro Saito, Shihan.

The Takemusu Aikido Association is an association of dojos, clubs, and individuals who have a common interest in Aikido. It functions for the mutual benefit of its members, serves as a center of support to its members, and promotes Aikido nationally and internationally. The Association is managed by a Board of Directors of Senior Instructors. Members take turns volunteering to fill the administrative roles of President, Secretary, and Treasurer.

The Association is recognized as a qualified Aikido organization by the Aikikai Foundation, the Hombu, in Tokyo, Japan. It seeks to work cooperatively with other Aikido organizations nationally and internationally. This recognition enables the Association to obtain from the Aikikai Foundation internationally registered and recognized ranks for qualified students of its members.

The Association follows the teaching and training philosophy of Morihiro Saito, Shihan. Saito Shihan's method of training and teaching has greatly influenced the senior members of the Association. We have all trained for various lengths of time with him and feel his training methods, style of Aikido, and his long personal association with the Founder, have significant value to our own progress in Aikido. We have found that this view has strengthened our relationships with each other and gives us a common purpose.