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Published on Nov 6, 2017

Daito Ryu Aikijujutsu Demonstration by Amano Shizuo sensei his students during the 2017 Meiji Jingu Reisai Kobudo Demonstration, at the Meiji Jingu Shrine.

-- Official presentation by the Kobudo association --
The Daito Ryu was openly taught for the first time at the end of the 19th century by Takeda Sokaku, however, the origin of this art dates back much further, probably about 900 years, originating with Minamoto Yoshimitsu. One of the key points in Daitoryu and the principle of "Aiki" is to render the opponents attack powerless in an instant and to win without fighting.
The leader of this organization is Kondo Masayuki, sucessor of Kondo Katsuyuki.
The Daito Ryu is famous for being one of the main base of Morihei Ueshiba's Aikido:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XUsTW-FK12Q

Why are they walking on their knees? Looks painful.

Looks like a perfect demo of "aiki-less-jutsu."

Kondo's line is known for its rigid technique-based jujitsu approach to the art, and this clip speaks volumes...

Ron Panunto wrote:Why are they walking on their knees? Looks painful.

The teacher who popularised Daito ryu taught that it was a secret Aizu domain art, taught to the highest ranked samurai. He said the original name of the secret family transmission(tm) was 'oshikiuchi' or 'inside the threshold' - an art for use within the castle. In those areas, samurai were not permitted to rise to their feet, to a higher level than the seated lord. Hence all movement/defence etc was done on the knees. This is one of the features of DR which persists in Aikido

Finny wrote:

Ron Panunto wrote:Why are they walking on their knees? Looks painful.

The teacher who popularised Daito ryu taught that it was a secret Aizu domain art, taught to the highest ranked samurai. He said the original name of the secret family transmission(tm) was 'oshikiuchi' or 'inside the threshold' - an art for use within the castle. In those areas, samurai were not permitted to rise to their feet, to a higher level than the seated lord. Hence all movement/defence etc was done on the knees. This is one of the features of DR which persists in Aikido

Thanks Finny - I did not know that.

I remember aikido classes spent a lot of time on knee-walking.
(In Japan, of course now, nobody sits that way at home at all...)

edededed wrote:I remember aikido classes spent a lot of time on knee-walking.
(In Japan, of course now, nobody sits that way at home at all...)

Kind of goofy in the 21st Century, since it doesn't seem to enhance one's ability at self-defense, and may even be detrimental to knee cartilage.

shiko -- the knee walking
as i was taught in aikido

yeah i was told it was something left over from feudal days-- when you had to know how to fight when inside a building and you would be sitting down

but also was told one of the reasons to practice it was connection in the body
from the knees as you move- everything has to move together
so practicing helps build this type of movement that you take to the standing stuff

and that every thing can be practiced-
2 people sitting
one standing one sitting
and 2 people standing



that said --
i did find it really tough on the knees
(and I was a teenager at the time)

in addition to the technique practice from sitting
we would just practice shiko- the knee walking,
changing direction
and the spinning


Franklin

Kind of goofy in the 21st Century, since it doesn't seem to enhance one's ability at self-defense, and may even be detrimental to knee cartilage.

Definately not self defence relevant, but thats not what Daito Ryu is about in general, just like almost all Traditional arts, they are more about preservation of tradition than practically addressing the self defence problem.

With that said there are legitimate body training methods in Shikko that can be very useful and when done correctly you are not loading the kneecap itself too much. I developed pretty thick tibial tubercles in the first year or so that meant i didnt load my kneecap or the cartilage. As a side note, this bone development has come in useful for checking round kicks lol. A suprising and unexpected benefit.

Ref the Clip I agree this is the standard Daito Catalogue performed in a JuJutsu way, with little to no Aiki. Kondo's line isnt my personal Cup of tea.

thanks.