A former sumo wrestler, Takuma Hisa had the good fortune of being a student of two great teachers: Sokaku Takeda and Morihei Ueshiba. His position of Director of General Affairs at the Asahi News, in Osaka, was instrumental in providing him with the opportunity of becoming acquainted with Ueshiba. Because of the political turmoil of the times (early 1930's) the threat of violence was very real, and Hisa was advised to study with the Aikido founder. Later, Takeda himself began instructing at Asahi News dojo. Hisa compiled a formal catalogue of techniques of Daito ryu using photographs taken at the Asahi dojo, which has survived until today.

In 1939, Takuma Hisa received a Menkyo Kaiden certificate from Sokaku Takeda. Although in his later years he relocated to Ogikubo, Tokyo, and was unable teach assiduously due to failing health, his students remained faithful, and eventually agreed to create the very reputable organization known today as Takumakai.

         

                      1895 - 1980

He was the second son of Sokichi Takeda (1819-1906) and his wife, Tomi.

He was a direct descendant of the Minamoto lineage.

His main teacher was Tanomo Saigo, a Jodai Karo (minister or chief councilor) of the Aizu clan. His skills as a martial artist are the subject of popular oral traditions describing extraordinary feats of strategy and technique, but his relevance in Daito ryu history is the fact that it was he who first taught Daito ryu openly to individuals who were not related to the Aizu clan. His students number in the thousands, including some foreigners such as the 26th President of the United States Theodore Roosevelt, according to the surviving records. Many of those students head the majority of the lineage’s of Daito ryu who teach openly today. It is undeniable that without Sokaku's efforts Daito ryu would have died, or at most survived only as an obscure art taught to only a few, like so many other styles of ko ryu bujutsu.

         

                 1859 - 1943

Daito-ryu Aiki Jujutsu is one of the Kobudo. The detail of its development in the Edo period (1603 -1868) and before is not clear. There are no books or no records about daito-ryu. Perhaps there were some manuscripts written, but they were lost in the 1868 war. Or perhaps the practitioners purposely kept their techniques secret by not writing anything down. The truth is not known.

According to oral tradition Yoshimitsu started Daito-ryu in the 11^th century. He dissected the dead bodies of soldiers to understand human bone structure. He also learned his understanding of jujutsu from nature. This gave him the idea that the small could defeat the large. After that he studied this principle earnestly for many years. At last, he found the secret that makes all techniques work. This was Aiki. From that time, his martial art was passed from generation to generation for a 1000 years as Daito-ryu.

Yoshimitsu settled down in Kai in Yamanashi prefecture and took on the family name Takeda. After that Takeda family governed the Kai region till it was ruined in 1582. However, the developing martial system was passed on to the survivors of the Takeda family.

After that Daito-ryu was passed on to Aizu clan by Takeda Kunitsugu of the Takeda family. At that time there were a lot of independent clans in Japan. Aizu was one of them. Daito-ryu became a secret Budo of the Aizu clan. Only high class samurai were permitted to learn it.

Most of the above can be considered oral tradition, as there are no confirmed written records. What we know for certain is that Takeda Sokaku appeared and taught Daito-ryu Aiki Jujutsu to select people from 1898 to 1943.

When Takeda Sokaku taught Daito-ryu to someone, he had the students write their names on the Eimeiroku (their signature). Now we know whom, when, and how long he taught Daito-ryu.

One of the most famous students who signed the Eimeiroku is Ueshiba Morihei. From this we know for sure how long he learned Daito-ryu by looking at the Eimeiroku. Ueshiba Morihei was short and not a powerful man. Consequently Sokaku taught him mainly Aiki techniques. These techniques developed to present day Aikido.

Hisa Sensei, who received his Menkyo Kaiden rank (Holder of all Certificates) from Sokaku Takeda Sensei, studied many kinds of techniques. Due to his position of the Asahi newspaper, he was able to take pictures of these techniques. These pictures became the Souden, and Hisa Takuma Sensei’s group became known as Takumakai.

Today the major groups maintaining the tradition of Daito-ryu as taught by Sokaku Takeda are Takumakai, Tokyo Hombu, Kodokai, and Sagawa-dojo.

In accordance with the general will of his most devout students, the Takumakai was formed, and Hisa Sensei appointed Mori Hakaru as acting director.

Hisa Sensei passed away in Kobe at the age of 84, on October 31, 1980. His students are actively striving to carry on the vision and wishes of Hisa Takuma Sensei’s martial legacy.  

Note: The above background and history of Daito-ryu  Aiki Jujutsu is a summarized version only.  Please refer to the link’s page for” Takumakai ”home page for further detail.