Saito Sensei, Head of Iwama Dojo

Morihiro Saito Sensei, 9th Dan Shihan Head of Iwama Dojo and keeper of the Aiki-jinja, 1969 - 2002

Morihiro Saito Sensei, 9th Dan passed away on May 13, 2002, at the age of 74. He was the longest serving student of O-Sensei, having trained with him for 23 years, and since O-Sensei’s passing, was the head of the Iwama dojo and the keeper of the Aiki Shrine. Saito Sensei was renowned throughout the world for his depth of technical knowledge, and his virtual single-handed dissemination of Aikido weapons. Saito Sensei had been training Aikido for more than 50 years, and was regarded as the world’s technical expert on Aikido. With over more than 30 years of teaching Aikido, he is the author of a highly acclaimed series of reference training manuals, and has travelled extensively around the world conducting seminars and spreading the founder’s legacy.

Saito Sensei was born near Iwama, and was a railway worker in his earlier years. As with so many Aikido practioners of that era, Saito Sensei came from a martial arts background, having learned some karate and kendo. In those early years, Saito Sensei was famous for his strength and vigorous training method. Stories of him travelling to Tokyo and picking fights with gangsters, to test the Aikido techniques he learnt are told in the same breath as praise for his ability as a teacher providing clear, systematic and easy to understand instruction.

Saito Sensei has asked many of his top students, who are now instructors with their own dojo around the world, to be active in preserving the Martial Art of O-Sensei. At a recent seminar in Sydney, he spoke of some who believe weapons are not necessary in Aikido, and others who have begun to change the art to suit their own means. Saito Sensei believes that what O-Sensei left the world is a valuable legacy, and would like to see it preserved for future generations.

This is the undertaking of the Takemusu Aiki Association.