Interview with Saito Sensei

Saito Sensei is celebrating 50 years in Aikido this year. He began his studying of aikido in 1946. This lead him to be a long time uchi deshi of O-Sensei´s for more than 23 years.

O-Sensei passed away in 1969 with his head in the hands of Saito Sensei. A long time teacher-student relationship ended. The Iwama dojo and the Aiki Shrine was left in Saito Sensei´s care. This and the Aikido the founder taught in Iwama is something Saito Sensei still today is preservering and teaching, not only in Iwama, the birthplace of Aikido, but all over the world. Saito Sensei´s paramount objective is to preserve the Aikido the founder taught and not to change it in any way. In this perspective Saito Sensei is very much unique, since it has been common practise of aikido teachers to develope their own aikido. Saito Sensei has continued teaching the Aikido of the founder and left his mark in the Aikido community through a series of books and videos. Today when Saito Sensei is celebrating his 50 years in Aikido he is also the Dai Sempai at Hombu Dojo.

The Seminar
Saito Sensei´s 50 years in Aikido was celebrated in Denmark, Fugelsø with a huge one week seminar. Close to 300 participants showed up, training hard all week. In class you found people from Denmark ,Sweden, England, Ireland, Germany, Holland, Schwitzerland, USA, Japan, Italy, Spain, Brazil, Poland, Holland, France... I almost forgot to mention all the japanese aikidokas who came to the seminar. A very special thank you all for coming is more than required!! Not to forget Hitohiro Saito Sensei who also brought good hope for the future. In the morning there was weapons class, bokken and after a short break another weapons class, this time jo. In the afternoon the taijutsu training began. All in all three classes everyday, not to mention the training sessions in between, made up for a tough but most enjoyable week of Aikido. We have alot to thank Copenhagen Aikido Club for, not the least the excellent orginization. The Sports Center is well situated close to the sea and quite isolated from the outside world. This helps when you want to concentrate on one thing, Aikido. The participants are well taken care off, meals were served in a dining room punctually, and the comfortable sleeping accomodations furnished us with the well deserved rest.

1. Interview with Saito Sensei
2. Interview with Saito

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