Hitohiro Saito
Aikido master
Hitohiro Saito (斎藤 仁弘;
Saitō Hitohiro) is the son and successor of
Morihiro Saito. Hitohiro was born at
12 February 1957 and raised in the
dojo of
Morihei Ueshiba the founder of Aikido. At age of seven, he started to learn Aikido from Ueshiba who cared for him as a grandson. After Ueshiba died in
1969, he continued his practice with his father. Saito became official instructor of the
Iwama dojo in
1986 and remained so until
2004 the year he separated from the
Aikikai organization, and formed his own group called Iwama Shin Shin Aikishuren Kai.Years before his father's death, Hitohiro took over the main work at the founders' dojo and Shrine of Aiki "
Aiki Jinja", thus relieving his aging father of the great amount of work required in running the dojo. His father spent his last years taking care of the vegetable gardens and travelling abroad for seminars. The main teaching of the dojo was passed to master Hitohiro's hands and remained so until
2004.
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In
2000, he inaugurated his own dojo, the
Tanrenkan (鍛錬館). Upon his father's death, Hitohiro inherited his house, his dojo (Shin dojo, built in
1990) and his duties as the
sōke (宗家) of
Iwama Ryu (Shin Shin Aiki). While a great number preferred to remain with the Aikikai, thousands of his father's students decided to follow him upon his break from the organization. Today he teaches full time at his own Tanrenkan dojo and travels around the world instructing at seminars attended by hundreds of Aikido students.
Hitohiro Sensei is a professional Chef, calligraphist, painter and sculptor.
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Homepage of Hitohiro Saito Senseis Dojo in Iwama*
Aikido Journal interview with Hitohiro Saito
