Biography of Hisa Takuma, the Technical Successor of Takeda Sokaku

Due to his father’s passing in June 1909, Hisa had to drop out from 8th grade and start working to support his family. He joined Wada Shokai, a paper manufacturer in Kochi City in August 1909 and stayed until it closed its doors the following December. Hisa was then invited by one of his sisters to move with her to Osaka in April 1910 in order to allow him continue his education. He passed the entrance exam of the Seiki professional school and was able to enroll directly in the second year. However, he dropped out in March the following year and moved to Tokyo, where he worked at the Nonaka Clinic as a pharmacy student. There he continued taking part in informal sumo bouts, with some success. He returned to Osaka in April 1912 and re-enrolled in second year at Seki. He entered the local sumo tournaments and eventually took part as a mid-level player in the Kanto vs Kansai tournament held in Tokyo. He graduated from Seiki in March 1915.

Hisa Takuma (20 years-old) after winning the Kobe Student Sumo Tournament in 1915. [Image kindly provided by Aikido Journal]

In April 1915, Hisa entered the Kobe University business school, where he helped establish a sumo club, serving as its captain. He participated in the yearly All Japan Student Sumo Tournament, which was sponsored by the Osaka Mainichi newspaper, and obtained excellent results, winning his first tournament during the 1915 Kinki Region Sumo Championship. He also began taking on more responsibility and started teaching within the All Japan Student Sumo Federation. Hisa being about 1.70 m tall and rather thin for a sumo wrestler, sumo magazines would describe him as "a little sumo wrestler with skills that surpassed those of the pros." He would later be awarded the Honorary 8th dan by the Student Sumo Federation in 1965.

Hisa Takuma's eighth dan sumo certificate issued by the Japanese Sumo Federation and dated March 29, 1965.

Hisa took part in an economic research trip that from June to November 1918, which allowed him to visit several British India South Sea countries, including Malaysia, Thailand, Burma, as well as India. Upon returning, he published a report entitled "Survey of Burmese Rice". In March the following year, he graduated from Kobe University.

Upon graduation, Hisa joined the Kobe Suzuki ShotenSuzuki Shoten (鈴木商店) is a former Japanese conglomerate and trading company. It established a global network of bases as a camphor and sugar trader, and developed businesses such as sugar milling, flour milling, steelmaking, tobacco, and beer. In addition, it expanded into fields such as insurance, shipping, and shipbuilding, and became the second member of a Japanese company on the London Baltic Exchange. Hisa joined shortly after the main building of the company was burned to the ground (August 12th, 1918) due to riots following surges in rice prices. in April 1919 and was assigned to the Iron Materials Department, where he was engaged in importing iron materials from Europe and the United States. On that note, upon meeting Hisa many years later, Stanley Pranin reported being surprised by how willing Hisa was trying to talk to him in English.

In October 1919, he entered military service and was incorporated as a one-year volunteer in the 414th Infantry Regiment of the 11th Division of Zentsu-ji Temple in Shikoku. Former military and Judo researcher Lance Gatling pointed out to me that by volunteering in the Army Finance Corps, the educated individuals from could avoid being drafted. Moreover, the skills Hisa would have leaned there would certainly have served him later in his business career. Hisa was discharged with the grade of Arrmy Finance 2nd Lieutenant (陸軍主計少将).

He returned to Suzuki Shoten in December 1920 and worked there until its owners, the Kaneko family filed for bankruptcy in March 1927. As an interesting point of insight into Hisa’s character, while he could have been transferred under new leadership, he made a point resigning, stating that the two competing entities that were created following the bankruptcy ought to be functioning as one.

In June the same year, Hisa moved to Aomonoyoko-cho, in the Shinagawa district of Tokyo, and joined the Asahi Newspaper as General Affairs Chief of the Printing Bureau (印刷局庶務主任). He was recommended to the position by the bureau chief of the Asahi journal sales office, Ishii MitsujiroIshii Mitsujiro (石井 光次郎, 1889 - 1998) was a prominent Japanese politician, former journalist, who served as 54th Chairman of the House of Representatives, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Justice , Minister of International Trade and Industry, Secretary of Administrative Administration, Secretary of Hokkaido Development Agency, Minister of Transport, Minister of Commerce and Industry, and President of Asahi Broadcasting Corporation., who was one of his seniors at Kobe University. His responsibilities involved supervising labor and protecting the facilities against the attacks from members of the right wing Seiyu-kai IngaidanSeiyu-kai Ingaidan (政友会院外団, Rikken Seyukai Outer Group) was a splinter faction of the Rikken Seyukai, one of the main political parties in the pre-war Empire of Japan, which often opposed social reforms and supported bureaucratic control and militarism..

Hisa returned to Shikoku to undergo reserve exercises at Zentsu-ji from August to October 1929, where he was promoted the rank of Arrmy Finance 1st Lieutenant (陸軍主計中尉). He then returned to his work in Tokyo in April 1930, but this time, he moved into the Asahi Shimbun company housing in Hayabusa-cho, Kojimachi-ku. He was transferred in June 1932 to the journal’s Osaka Headquarters to take the position of General Affairs Department General Manager (本社庶務部長) and Deputy Director of Aviation Department (兼航空部次長). Hisa also served as the head of the Manchuria National Celebration Mission (満州国建国祝賀使節団)Manchukuo (満州国), was a puppet state of the Empire of Japan in Northeast China and Inner Mongolia from 1932 until 1945 following the Japanese invasion in 1931..

Practice under Ueshiba Morihei (1934 - 1936)

With the newspaper facing the terrorist threat, Ishii Mitsujiro decided to invite Ueshiba Morihei, a famous martial artist who had the reputation of teaching an effective martial art that was suitable for security guards, in order to have him teach the security team at the Osaka Headquarters of the journal. At the time, Hisa and his family were living in the magnificent Umeda Manson, the residence of the former director of the Osaka Asahi Shimbun Printing Bureau, Murayama Nagataka (村山 長挙) in Sonezaki-cho, Kita-ku. He welcomed Ueshiba and his five students to move in a vast dojo that had been built in the property’s spacious garden.

Members of the Asahi newspaper group at the archery hall of the Umeda mansion (c. 1934). Front row, from the left: 2nd Yoshimura Yoshiteru (吉村 義照), 4th Kawazoe Kuniyoshi (河添 邦吉), 8th Akune Masayoshi (阿久根 政義). Back row 3rd Shirata Rinjiro (白田 林二郎), 4th Yukawa Tsutomu (湯川 勉), 5th Tonedachi Masao (刀祢館 正雄), 6th Hisa Takuma, 8th Harada Bunzaburo (原田 文三郎).

Upon meeting Ueshiba in 1934, Hisa was quite impressed by what he showed, especially since unlike sumo, his art had joint lock techniques. Training was usually held early in the morning until 8 a.m. so that members could get to work afterwards. In those days, the dojo did not have air conditioning or showers, so people washed themselves with ice water even in winter. All of Hisa's family, including his mother, prepared breakfast for the men together. Hisa's wife prepared lunch and dinner for Ueshiba and his five students. Ueshiba would spend several days per months in Osaka, teaching at the Asahi newspaper as well as in other places. His wife Hatsu (植芝 はつ) would sometimes come with him and stay at Hisa's house.

Garden of the Umeda Manor. Ueshiba Hatsu is sitting at the center. On the far right is Hisa's mother, Ushi. Hisa's elder sister is on the far left. The child on the left is Hisa's third daughter, Kyoko and the one on the right is his fourth daughter, Asako.

Some of Ueshiba's assistants, who would sometimes also teach classes in his absence, were Yonekawa Shigemi (米川 成美), Yukawa Tsutomu, Shirata Rinjiro and Funahashi Kaoru (舟橋 薫). Hisa’s fellow students at the time included Tonedachi Masao (刀祢館 正雄), a Judo 3rd dan from Mie Prefecture, Harada Bunzaburo (原田 文三郎), a Judo 2nd dan from Hiroshima Prefecture, Yoshimura Yoshiteru (吉村 義照), a Judo 3rd dan from Kochi Prefecture, Kono Tetsuo (河野 哲男), a Judo 2nd dan from Osaka Prefecture, Nakatsu Heizaburo (中津 平三郎), a Judo 5th dan from Tokushima Prefecture, Akune Masayoshi (阿久根 政義), a Kendo 5th dan from Kagoshima Prefecture, Kawazoe Kuniyoshi (川添 邦吉), a Judo 4th dan from Kochi Prefecture, Takahashi Ichizaemon (高橋 一左衛門), a Judo 2nd dan from Hyogo Prefecture, Kurita Yoshie (栗田 義恵), a Kendo 4th dan from Hyogo Prefecture, and Kawasaki Genetsu (川崎 元悦), a Jukendo 4th dan from Tokyo..

List of the Asahi Newpaper students

According to the formal photo below taken at the journal, Tomita Kenji (富田 健治) was also involved with the group. He was a Japanese politician from Kobe who graduated from Kyoto University and he was studying aikido with the founder around that time and served as the Aikikai's first president.

Osaka Asahi News group, c. 1935. Seated left to right: Ishii Mitsujiro, Tomita Kenji, Hisa Takuma, Ueshiba Morihei, Ueshiba Hatsu (植芝 はつ, the wife of Morihei), Ueshiba Kiku (植芝 きく, the niece of Morihei, who married Yukawa Tsutomu in 1936). Standing second from left: Hirota Yoshitaka (廣田 善隆), Yoshimura Yoshiteru, and Yukawa Tsutomu.

Asahi-ryu jujutsu / Aikibudo

I have written previously about the complicated situation between Ueshiba and his teacher, Takeda Sokaku, and the ways this influenced the naming of his art. When he was prompted to ascribe a name to his martial art, it seems that Morihei argued that since they were practicing at the Asahi Journal (朝日新聞), the art could be called “Asahi-ryu” (朝日流). Faced with criticism at his use of the journal’s name for a martial art, Ueshiba changed the asahi character to 旭流. Interestingly, both characters mean “rising sun”, which fit the training schedule rather well. That being said, on the picture of the Kagamibiraki ceremony taken around 1934, the name displayed on the board at the back shows clearly "Aikibudo" (合気武道).

Kagamibiraki ceremony at the Asahi Journal (c. 1935). Hisa is cutting the kagami mochi in front of Ueshiba Morihei. Behind Hisa, from the right: Yukawa Tsutomu (1st), Tonedachi Masao (2nd), Yoshimura Yoshiteru (3rd), Nakatsu Heizaburo (8th). Interstingly, the name on the board at the back of the room states "Aiki Budo".

Photos and Video Records

Very early on, the group decided to make use of the journal’s photographic equipment in order to document the techniques that they learned. This led to an impressive collection of over 1 500 pictures presenting hundreds of techniques, which would later be published by Hisa under the name “Soden”. Though he did not take part in it, it is quite likely that Morihei was aware that these photo sessions were happening. In fact, he himself did take part in 1935 in the shooting of a promotional film called "Budo", directed by Hisa. It seems that this film was shot as a documentary and somehow made it to cinemas in the United States.

Some of the volumes of the Soden.

The photographic evidence available from the Soden clearly shows that what Ueshiba taught was in fact the Daito-ryu aiki-jujutsu techniques that he had learned from Takeda Sokaku. On the other hand, the techniques presented in the 1935 film are a lot more representative of modern aikido. Note that Ueshiba's uke on that video are not members of the Asahi journal, but some of his Tokyo students: Yonekawa Shigemi, Yukawa Tsutomu, and Shirata Rinjiro.

"Budo - Asahi News Film, directed by Hisa Takuma." (1935). Hisa Takuma is the one delivering the speech at the beginning of the film.

Though practice was sustained and intense, Ueshiba did not award certificates to the Asahi Journal students, even though at that time he was regularly delivering certificates with various titles to people he taught, including in Osaka.

Practice under Takeda Sokaku (1936 - 1939)

The story goes that on June 21st, 1936, a strange old man came uninvited to the reception room of the Asahi newspaper in Osaka. Striking the floor with an iron stick in his right hand and with a short sword in his left, he would have said loudly:

Hello in there! Send out the Director of General Affairs. I am Ueshiba Morihei’s Aiki-jujutsu teacher, and my name is Takeda Sokaku. I hear that despite his inexperience, Morihei has been teaching Aiki-jujutsu here. I regard it as a matter of great importance for the honor of Daito-ryu Aiki-jujutsu if poor techniques are taught at the Asahi News, under the eyes of the whole world. So I’ve come from Hokkaido as quickly as I could. Excerpt from Hisa Takuma’s manuscript “From Aiki-jujutsu to Aikido (合気柔術から合気道へ)”

This is a version that Hisa would often repeat, but there exist various records that differ quite considerably from this though, some suggesting that the Asahi group actually invited Sokaku to come from Hokkaido. In an article that he wrote for the defunct magazine Shin Budo in 1942, Hisa actually implies so himself.

From that time we not only devoted ourselves to training under Ueshiba Sensei regardless of the severity of the weather, but we also invited Ueshiba Sensei’s teacher, Sokaku Takeda Dai-Sensei, the headmaster of the art, all the way from Hokkaido to teach us the secret arts of Daito-ryu which were forbidden to be taught to outsiders. Hisa Takuma - "Daito-ryu Aiki-budo" published in Shin Budo magazine in November 1942

Takeda Tokimune (武田 時宗), the son of Sokaku, also related the events in similar terms:

The interest generated by the “Ima Bokuden” article reached as far as Osaka and in June, Sokaku received an invitation from the Osaka Asahi Newspaper. Takeda Tokimune in the Daito-kan Dojo Newsletter #39 from April 1st, 1984.

Regardless of the circumstances, Sokaku did take over the teaching at the journal even though for some time, both him and Ueshiba taught the group, albeit in different times and locations. Ueshiba then returned to Tokyo but the circumstances behind that departure are not completely clear. Interestingly, while the record of the very first class under Takeda Sokaku dates back to June 25, 1936, Hisa is not registered in the corresponding eimeiroku entry, and only Harada Bunzaburo, Yoshimura Yoshiteru, Kono Tetsuo, Kawazoe Kuniyoshi, and Kawasaki Genetsu are recorded. Marc Trudel is postulating that this may suggest that it was not Hisa, but Harada who invited Takeda in Osaka. While the evidence he provides is only circumstantial, it is certainly a hypothesis worth considering.

Shareiroku entry dated June 25, 1936, showing that a payment was made at the Asahi Newspaper for classes attended by Harada Bunzaburo, Yoshimura Yoshiteru, Kono Tetsuo, Kawazoe Kuniyoshi, and Kawasaki Genetsu

Hisa's name appears in the subsequent entry dated June 25, 1936, listing Tonedachi Masao, Hisa Takuma, Harada Buzaburo, Yoshimura Yoshiteru, Kono Tetsuo, Nakatsu Heizaburo, Akune Masayoshi, Kawazoe Kuniyoshi, Takahashi Ichizaemon, Kurita Yoshie, and Kawazoe Kuniyoshi. Their names are recorded in the corresponding eimeiroku entry along with their grades in other budo, and surprisingly, Hisa is recorded as a 5th dan in judo. Since that was the first time I heard about this rank, I contacted the Kodokan Judo Institute and while they were able to confirm the record for Nakatsu Heizaburo, they responded that Hisa Takuma was never issued judo ranks by them. It is quite possible however that Hisa might have received grades from the Dai Nippon Butokukai, in particular since he was in Kansai at the time, but I have yet to get confirmation.

Photo taken at the Osaka Asahi Shinbun Dojo in September 1937. Takeda Sokaku performing an immobilization technique on four people: Hisa Takuma, Nakatsu Heizaburo, Kawazoe Kuniyoshi and Kawasaki Genetsu. Back row from left: Kurita Yoshie, Tonedachi Masao, Akune Masayoshi, Takeda Tokimune and Kono Tetsuo. 

Takeda requested the classes to take place in a more private location, mostly behind closed doors at Umeda Mansion's dojo, and during the work hours, which prevented some of some students such as Tonedachi from attending due to their day work obligations.

Another piece of evidence confirming that what Ueshiba taught at the Asahi Journal was formal Daito-ryu is that Takeda Tokimune, who often accompanied his father at the time, confirmed that Sokaku was satisfied with the way students performed basic techniques and that he taught them advanced material from the get go. The tradition of documenting techniques on photographic paper continued under Takeda but given the very cautious nature of the man, the students had to take them behind his back, often while Hisa or Yoshimura took the master to the bathhouse.

The group as the Asahi Newspaper dojo. At the front, left to righ: Kawasaki Genetsu, Hisa Takuma, Kawazoe Kuniyoshi, Takeda Sokaku, Harada Bunzaburo, Yoshimura Yoshiteru, unknown. Standing at the back: Takeda Tokimune, Akune Masayoshi, Nakatsu Heizaburo, Kono Tetsuo.

True to his habit, Takeda Sokaku did not stay full time in the same place for long, but instead, he taught intensively in bursts. According to Hisa, and based on the shareiroku record that I have access to, the training periods were as follows:

1. 36 days from June 21st to July 25th, 1936
2. 30 days from November 1st to November 30th, 1936
3. ? days from March 29th to June 29th, 1937
4. 44 days from August 17th to September 30th, 1937
5. ? days in December 1937
6. ? days, including March 15th, 1938
7. 22 days from October 22nd to November 14th, 1938
8. ? days, including February 2nd to March 27th , 1939 (this date coincides with the awarding of Hisa's kaiden kaiden no koto)

The Highest of Daito-ryu Credentials

Unlike Ueshiba, Takeda awarded a number of certificates to the group. Hisa was appointed kyoju dairiKyoju dairi (教授代理, "representative instructor") is a teaching credential awarded by various classical Japanese schools to signify that a student is able to teach on behalf of his own teacher. on October 1st, 1936. The kyoju dairi allows its bearer to teach as a representative of his teacher. Often their would be a financial arrangement akin to a franchise. In this case, it is written that: “When instructing students, an initial payment of three yen shall be made to Takeda Dai Sensei as an enrollment fee.” This is the same arrangement as that tieing Ueshiba Morihei to Takeda Sokaku.

Excerpt from Takeda Sokaku’s eimeiroku showing that Hisa Takuma received the title of kyoju dairi on October 1, 1936. The text referring to monetary arrangements reads as follows: "When instructing students, an initial payment of three yen shall be made to Takeda Dai Sensei as an enrollment fee." 

Hisa and a few others, including Nakatsu Heizaburo were awarded at the same time the certficiate of hiden okugi no koto.

Hiden okugi no koto certificate awarded to Hisa Takuma in October 1936 by Takeda Sokaku. It lists the 118 kajo ura-omote (百拾八ヶ條　裏表), the Aiki no jutsu 30 kajo ura (合気之術　裏参拾ヶ條), Hiden okugi 36 kajo (秘伝奥儀　参拾六ヶ條), with the mention that all of it was taught over the course of 25 occasions (以上貳拾五囬教授). Then follows the goshinyo no te 84 kajo with the mention that it was taught during one occasion (御信用之手八拾四ヶ條　壹囬教授).

A group picture taken in October 1936 shows the group receiving the certificate. The photo is quite overexposed, but some closer analysis, and a study of Nakatsu's hiden okugi certificate, reveals that the documents that Tonedachi and Harada are holding on the picture are identical. Hisa and Yoshimura can also be seen holding their own eimeiroku, which they would have started to use from that point since they had also become kyoju dairi, and were thus able to register students and expected to keep a record of it. This would of course date the picture to October 1936.

Formal photograph taken in October 1936 at the Asahi Journal after the awarding of hiden okugi no koto by Takeda Sokaku. Front, left to right: Tonedachi Masao, Hisa TakumaFormer military and budo researcher Lance Gatling kindly pointed out that on this photo, Hisa his wearing his army uniform with the distinctive Army Finance Corp rank., Takeda Sokaku, Yoshimura Yoshiteru, and Harada Bunzaburo. Back, left to right: Kawasaki Genetsu, Nakatsu Heizaburo, Kawazoe Kuniyoshi, Akune Masayoshi, and Kono Tetsuo.

Upon looking at the certificate held by Hisa, it appears substantially shorter than that of the others. I speculate that it may be his menkyo no koto kyoju dairi certificate, which was awarded to him at the same time.

Hisa Takuma's menkyo no koto kyoju dairi dated from October 1936

In March 1939, he received the kaiden no kotoEquivalent to the menkyo kaiden (免許皆伝, "license of total transmission"), which is a license stating that the student of a classical school has learned and mastered all aspects of training in the school. It is the highest level of license that exists under such system. A holder of menkyo kaiden is often, but not always, the de facto successor to the position of head of a school. by from Takeda Sokaku. According to the traditional Japanese system, this certificate made Hisa the de facto successor of Sokaku as the technical head of the group. Consequently, Takeda stopped teaching at the journal that time, leaving Hisa in charge of instruction. For a full discussion on the technical content of each certificate, you can read our follow-up article.

Formal photo of Takeda Sokaku and Hisa Takuma taken at the Asahi Journal. Hisa is holding his kaiden no koto (皆傳之事) certificate, which is dated from March 1939. The picture itself was taken two months after the certificate had been awarded. Note the shiny aspect of the paper, which is likely to be golden paper. The white border could be the canvas it was laid on.

The technical content of the scroll is as follows:

• 118 kajo ura-omote (百拾八ヶ條裏表)
• Aiki no jutsu ura-omote 53 kajo (合気之術裏表五拾参ヶ條)
• Hiden okugi 36 kajo ura-omote (秘伝奥儀参拾六ヶ條裏表)
• Daito-ryu aiki nito-ryu hiden (大東流合気二刀流秘伝)
• Goshinyo no te 84 kajo jo-chu-ge (御信用之手八拾四ヶ條上中下)
• Kaishaku Soden no koto 477 (解釈總傳之事四百七拾七)
• Kaiden no koto 88 kajo (皆伝之事八拾八ヶ條)

Usually, the bearer of a menkyo kaiden can either break away and set up his own line, or became the successor of his master as the head of the current line. Here, evidence suggests the latter.

Even Sokaku who was known for his strong will and spirit was worried about the future of Daito-ryu, so he chose Hisa Takuma (who had full mastery in Daito-ryu) as his successor and assistant.Takeda Tokimune – Daito-kan Information Letter (April 1979)

To illustrate this point, and the role of Hisa in modern Daito-ryu aiki-budo, he is listed on a newsletter published by Takeda Tokimune as the Director of the Daito-ryu Aiki-budo Headquarters.

List of officers of the Daitokan (as of August 1st, 1973). Takeda Tokimune is listed as Soke and Hisa Takuma as Director of the Daito-ryu Aiki-budo Headquarters. [Reproduced with permission from Marc Trudel's blog]

On the same page, Takeda Tokimune is listed as soke. Soke (宗家) is a Japanese term that means "family head", and it is usually passed on within a blood line. In some classical schools of martial arts, the soke is also the technical head, while in others, this duty is fulfilled by another person, who is not necessarily part of the family. This suggest that at that time, Daito-ryu was meant by Sokaku to function as the later. Note that Tokimune was present when Hisa was awarded the menkyo kaiden and that his seal appears on the document, next to that of his father, which seem to confirm this hypothesis of a separated iemoto and technical function. While there is no doubt that Sokaku groomed his son as his successor, the difference of age between the two was very vast (57 years), and Tokimune would have been only 23 years old in 1939. According to Hisa's eldest daughter Kiyo, Takeda would have said that he was probably going to die shortly after having finished teaching at the journal. It is therefore conceivable that Sokaku would have expected Hisa to support Tokimune until he became proficient in his own right. Note that Sokaku died only four years later, so it was probably a very good call on his part.

Page from Takeda Sokaku's eimeiroku showing that Hisa Takuma received the kaiden no koto (皆傳之事) on March 26, 1939. It is stamped by both Takeda Sokaku and Takeda Tokimune.

Life After Asahi

Hisa was transferred to the Asahi Journal’s Printing Bureau in December 1940 so he left the company housing and moved to Yamamoto, Yatsuo-cho, Nakagawachi. He became Deputy Director of the Printing Bureau in 1942. Following an incident having to do with the disappearance of goods, for which Hisa took the blame for another worker, he was reassigned to the Nanyo Java newspaper in Indonesia as a disciplinary measure. Hisa instead decided to quit the journal of his own accord in June, 1943. Thanks once again to Ishii Mitsujiro’s support, Hisa was able to join KK Suzuki Shoten Kobe Steel Co., Ltd. and he became a counselor and general manager of the labor and welfare departments.

In 1944, Hisa had to evacuate for a while with his family to his hometown of Sakihama on Shikoku island in order to flee the American bombings. The island did get bombed as well though and Hisa's house was hit. All of his belongings burned during an air raid, including the certificates and scrolls that he got from TakedaSome scrolls survived due to the fact that fellow students of the Asahi Journal such as Nakatsu Heizaburo had made copies, and they were passed on to us by Chiba Tsugutaka.. Fortunately, due to the luggage restrictions that were in place when he evacuated, he was not able to take the photographic records with him to Shikoku and those pictures survived in his home in Osaka. They would later serve him as a basis to make the Soden as well as other books.

With the end of the war, Hisa resigned from Kobe Steel in August 1945. He returned to Kochi in October 1945, where he founded Kochi Construction Co., Ltd. and became its president. Following his wife’s passing in December, Hisa founded and ran the Taiyo Oshiki Association (太陽大敷組合), a fisherman’s cooperative. He remarried in January 1947 to Kusada Tsuyu (草田 つゆ). The same year, he co-founded the Toa Transformer KK (東亜変圧器KK) with Kitanaka Hiroshi (北中 博). In 1848, Hisa was asked by Yatsugi KazuoYatsugi Kazuo (矢次 一夫, 1899 - 1983) was a politician and activist. He was one of the most important “informal contact-makers” in Japanese-Korean relations. Throughout his career he held various titles but no government positions. to join the right-wing organization Research Institute of National PolicyKokusakukenkyukai (国策研究会, Research Institute of National Policy) was a private research organization that contributed to several major laws passed by the war time militaristic government. It was disbanded following Japan’s capitulation, and reformed shortly after. and serve as Secretary General for its Kansai branch. In 1949, Hisa joined the Shiraishi Foundation Construction KK and became an advisor for its Osaka branch office. In 1950, he joined the Dainippon Ink Manufacturing KK in Osaka as a part-time job.

Publishing and Promotion Work

Hisa was not only proactive in promoting Daito-ryu on the tatami during classes, seminars and demonstration, he also published a number of books and articles, making use of the ample photographic record at his disposal. He published his first book, Kannagara no Budo, Daito-ryu Aiki Budo Hiden (惟神の武道・大東流合気武道秘伝) in 1940. As far as we know, it was the first instructional book ever published openly on Daito-ryu. Considering that he did so while Sokaku was alive, and probably with his blessing, which further reinforces the idea that he had free reigns to represent the school as he pleased.

Hisa wrote many books about Aikido starting with Kannagara no Budo in 1940, and 40 years later with the help of the Nippon Budokan, a film about Hisa’s martial arts demonstration was made at Osaka Asahi News company. Then Hisa made an appearance at a martial art event, demonstrating the Daito-ryu for the first time. Forty years ago when Takeda Sokaku chose Hisa among thousands of his students as his successor, he had proven that he had the wisdom and power to see into the future. I believe this itself is the true essence of Aiki-budo. I am sure that the late Sokaku is indeed very proud and pleased with Hisa’s accomplishments.Takeda Tokimune – Daito-kan Information Letter (April 1979)

Hisa also wrote two other books. The first one, Gassho To Waza Hiden (捕技秘伝, Secret Arrest Techniques) was published in 1941 by the Imperial Rule Assistance AssociationTaiseiyokusankai (大政翼賛) was a wartime organization created by Prime Minister Fumimaro Konoe on October 12, 1940, to promote the goals of his Shintaisei ("New Order") movement. It evolved into a "statist" ruling political party which aimed at removing the sectionalism in the politics and economics in the Empire of Japan to create a totalitarian one-party state, in order to maximize the efficiency of Japan's total war effort in China.'s National Martial Arts Records (武道報国). Hisa then published the book Daito-ryu Joshi Budo (大東流女子武道, Daito-ryu Women's Martial Art) in 1942 and distributed freely as he feared that women would have to defend themselves in case of American invasion.

Hisa also contributed to the pro-military magazine Shin Budo, where he published a series of four articles called "Daito-ryu Aiki-budo" which were published as follows:

• Daito-ryu Aiki-budo Part 1 (November 1942)
• Daito-ryu Aiki-budo Part 2: The Basics of Daito-ryu Techniques (December 1942)
• Daito-ryu Aiki-budo Part 3: Arrest Technique for Police Officers (January, February, March, 1943)
• Daito-ryu Aiki-budo Part 4: Self-defense techniques for women (June 1943)

As the titles suggest, there is great overlap between the contents of those articles and that of his books.

Between 1942 and 1944, Hisa worked on organizing and compiling the large amount of pictures taken at the Asahi Journal between 1934 and 1939. This resulted in the publication of the Daito-ryu Aiki-budo Densho Zen Juikkan (大東流合気武道伝書全十一巻), better known as Soden (総伝).

Hisa, through his many connections, was also largely instrumental in getting Daito-ryu aiki-jujutsu recognized as a koryuKoryu (古流, old school) is a Japanese term for any kind of Japanese school of traditional arts. by the Kobudo KyokaiThe Nihon Kobudo Kyokai (日本古武道協会) is an organization belonging to the Nippon Budokan whose purpose is to federate traditional martial schools to help safeguard and promote them.. Hisa wanting to support the organization established by Sokaku's son, Tokimune, he argued that his organization should also be included, leading to the unusual case of two distinct organizations (Hisa's Takumakai and Tokimune's Daitokan) being entitled to represent the same martial art within the Kobudo Kyokai.

In 1978, Hisa and his students took part in the shooting of a documentary on Japan's classic martial arts at the request of the Kobudo Kyokai and the Ministry of Education.

Documentary on Daito-ryu Aiki-jujutsu.

Aikido Connection

Unlike what many practitioners think, Hisa was not on bad terms with Ueshiba Morihei and they re-established contact in the early fifties. Hisa was even awarded the 8th dan in aikido by Morihei on May 23rd, 1956 at the Kobukan Dojo in the presence of Ueshiba Kisshomaru. It was the highest grade that Morihei would award at the time. Following this, Hisa actually taught aikido on occasions at Ueshiba’s dojo in Shinjuku and he was seen attending the annual All Japan Aikido Demonstration. As a further sign of this continued interest for aikido, later, Hisa would even send some of his own students like Kobayashi Kiyohiro (小林 清泰) to the Hombu Dojo in order to train in aikido.

Hisa Takuma receving the 8th dan in aikido from Ueshiba Morihei with Ueshiba Kisshomaru as witness. Photo taken at the Kobukan Dojo in Ushigome on May 23rd, 1956.

Setting up the Kansai Aikido Club

Ishii Mitsujiro encouraged Hisa to open a club and pass on his knowledge of Daito-ryu aiki-jujutsu. Funding was provided by the Kansai business community and Hisa was able to open the Kansai Aikido Club on the 3rd floor of Saitama Building, Midosuji Awaji-cho, Higashi-ku, Osaka on October 10th, 1959.

Ishii Mitsujiro giving a speech at Hisa's Kansai Aikido Club in 1962. Hisa is kneeling on his left. Also present are Former Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Sakata Michita (坂田 道太) and Minister of Health and Welfare, Hasegawa Takeshi (長谷 川峻). [Image kindly provided by Aikido Journal]

The club being located in a prominent business district, it attracted a number of office employees and businessmen. The naming of the club “aikido” may be intriguing to some people given that what Hisa taught there was Daito-ryu aiki-jujutsu, but according to some of his students, it was likely an effort towards making the dojo more attractive to the general public. The term “aikido” was gaining steadily in popularity and it was seen as more attractive than the old-fashioned “ju-jutsu”. In fact, throughout his teaching career, Hisa happily switched from Ueshiba- to Takeda-style techniques, depending on the students and circumstances. Also note that unlike in the West, the Japanese can be rather lose with nomenclature and it is not unusual at all to hear older Daito-ryu teachers use the name aikido when referring to their own practice.

Hisa posing in front of his sumo 8th dan certificate awarded by the Japanese Sumo Federation, his aikido 8th dan certificate awarded by Ueshiba Morihei (on his right) and his menkyo no koto kyojudairi certificate awarded by Takeda Sokaku (on his left), which were pinned on the wall of the Kansai Aikido Club. The choice to display the kyoju dairi, a certificate of a lower rank than the kaiden no koto certificate can be explained by the fact that the latter had been destroyed during the war. 

Hisa suffered a stroke while teaching during the fall 1961, which left him physically handicapped. He published a record of his struggle with his illness and efforts towards physical recovery, and eventually resumed teaching. Hisa’s second wife passed away in February of 1965 and following this, Hisa moved into the dojo and kept teaching devotedly. He was eventually convinced to look after his own health and to move to Tokyo with one of his daughters. The Kansai Aikido Club was therefore closed in 1968.

Hisa Takuma

Establishment of the Takumakai

Hisa’s students continued their training and after some time, they established formal contact with the students of one of Hisa’s fellow Asahi practitioner, Nakatsu Heisaburo, who had their own group in Shikoku. Nakatsu's student Makita Kan'ichi was notably active in organizing the early meeting between the Osaka and Shikoku groups. This led to the formation on August 24th, 1975 of the Takumakai, whose name was suggested by another of Nakatsu’s senior student, Chiba Tsugutaka. Today, the Takumakai is the largest Daito-ryu organisation in Japan.

Hisa regularly taught seminars and took part in those major gatherings. He passed away on October 31st, 1980 at the age of 84.

Sources

• 小林清泰「稽古手帳　大東流合気柔術琢磨会」
• 依田喜代「久球磨師範の愛破、喜代さんの思い出語りで綴る大東流会気柔術久琢摩師範の生涯と恩師植芝盛平、武田惣角」　－　月間秘伝　BABジャパン　Vol8 1991
• 天津裕著「生きている幻の古武道　〜免許皆伝・久琢磨の教えた大東流〜」
• 「矢塚磨と総伝大阪朝日に伝わる大東添技」合気ニュース　No. 129 2001
• Guillaume Erard - Interview with Kobayashi Kiyohiro, 8th dan Daito-ryu Aiki-jujutsu
• 森 恕「大東流合気柔術 琢磨会―その技法と合気之術」
• Stanley Pranin - Takuma Hisa, the bridge between Daito-ryu and Aiki Budo
• Stanley Pranin - Remembering Takuma Hisa
• Stanley Pranin - Interview with Hisa Takuma, Daito-ryu Aiki-jujutsu Menkyo Kaiden